MasseyBrown From United States, joined Dec 2002, 3487 posts, RR: 5 Posted (8 months ago) and read 8657 times:
According to Tom Kochan, MIT prof, quoted in today's WSJ ....
Delta needs to address the differences in the NW and DL cultures and their approaches to labor negotiations or the merger is destined to fail. "My experience is that the managers always say, 'We'll get to those issues in due time. But first we've got all these financial issues around the merger; and we've got to get our [route] networks in order. Then we'll get to employee relations.' The reality is they never get to them, and even when they do by that time it's too late."
It seems as if DL has been making noises about employee relations, but are they (and Northwest) actually doing anything? It's not too soon to start.
DeltaL1011man From United States, joined Sep 2005, 3674 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (8 months ago) and read 8556 times:
Quoting MasseyBrown (Thread starter): It seems as if DL has been making noises about employee relations, but are they (and Northwest) actually doing anything? It's not too soon to start.
And getting the DALPA contract and dates worked out is what?
DL's employees are not union. Why talk to the unions if they are very likely to go away when its time for the re-vote?
(lets not start pro-union vs. anti-union crap again please!!!!)
MasseyBrown From United States, joined Dec 2002, 3487 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 8307 times:
The point of the WSJ piece was centered more on corporate cultural differences of which union membership is only part. The aim would be to encourage, motivate, and authorize employee to use their discretionary efforts to solve problems at the level at which they arise. From what the NW people say, this doesn't happen at their airline; I don't know about Delta.
Both airlines should undertake the effort now; it wouldn't be wasted whether they merge or not. At least that's what the motivational researchers say and the article says it's the secret of WN's success.
Mayor From United States, joined Mar 2008, 2063 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 8056 times:
Quoting MasseyBrown (Reply 3): The point of the WSJ piece was centered more on corporate cultural differences of which union membership is only part. The aim would be to encourage, motivate, and authorize employee to use their discretionary efforts to solve problems at the level at which they arise. From what the NW people say, this doesn't happen at their airline; I don't know about Delta.
Both airlines should undertake the effort now; it wouldn't be wasted whether they merge or not. At least that's what the motivational researchers say and the article says it's the secret of WN's success.
Well, we were encouraged in DL cargo to solve problems locally......don't know about passenger service or ramp. Having been in a couple of small stations (SHV/SLC) you almost had to try and solve them locally. You were a closer knit group and really worked together. Cargo was more like that also, even though the station was larger.
"Running an airline is like having a baby: fun to conceive, but hell to deliver." C.E. Woolman
BAW716 From United States, joined Nov 2003, 1816 posts, RR: 32 Reply 5, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 8050 times:
Quoting MasseyBrown (Reply 3): Both airlines should undertake the effort now; it wouldn't be wasted whether they merge or not. At least that's what the motivational researchers say and the article says it's the secret of WN's success.
Agreed...this is the area in which most corporate failures happen - it isn't the financial considerations, but the cultural ones and the inability of the parties to have a plan to bridge them as a part of the integration process that makes most mergers fail, in my opinion. I've been through three corporate mergers and it was this lack of consideration of culture that doomed the combined company (through its merger/acquision process).
baw716
David L. Lamb, fmr Area Mgr Alitalia SFO 1998-2002, fmr Regional Analyst SFO-UAL 1992-1998
HNL-Jack From United States, joined Mar 2001, 408 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 7897 times:
I would be very suprised if DL/NW doesn't have a team working on this issue. Just because we haven't heard much doesn't mean a thing, particulary when a union vote is part of the senario. The companies by law are forced to remain somewhat mum.
Love the commercial airline business...even in these challanging times.
2175301 From United States, joined May 2007, 495 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 7779 times:
I have to agree with the WSJ and others above that this is a key issue.
How key I am learning where I work.
My company (the plant) I work at was purchased last year for about $1 Billion. While we expected change we were also promised many things; but, the reality is that the corporate culture change has been a huge shock.
Our plant is loosing people right left and sideways. A lot of very valuable knowledge about how the equipment works and its detailed history is walking out the door - at all levels - never to return (even people who are within a few years of retiring).
The new parent company sent people up here to interview people on why - and what the problems were. Then they sent up a company VP to promise lots of changes and lay out a long time strategy to retain people (and a stated goal of every company in my industry is to retain key and experienced employees due to an industry worker shortage).
El-zippo has happened. Now that the spring plant outage is over there is likely going to be another huge slug of people leaving.
One of the government agencies that inspects here has already commented on the staff loss and concerns, and people are beginning to speculate on having to shut half the plant down due to a shortage of people if this keeps up. That would be a likely be year + shutdown if it occurred as it can take a year or more to train and certify people for certain positions - at a production sales cost of about 1/2 million a day (and even people coming from other plants with similar certifications for nominally the same position have to start over for the key positions). Worse yet - we loose to much more of the engineering staff (of which I am part of) and the plant might have to completely shut down (at about $1 million per day production). The parent company has signed contracts to supply - and has guaranteed about 80% of the output of the plant (i.e. The parent company must buy adequate supplies on the open market and supply that 80% to the customers if the plant is not operating).
I look at it as the new parent company is severely mismanaging it asset. The asset is far more than just the plant - it is also the people who operate and maintain the plant.
I can clearly see how not addressing a company culture up front - and rightfully engage the employees - as part of a merger (takeover, purchase, etc) can kill a company. I'm watching the affects of not doing it right now.
TVNWZ From United States, joined Feb 2006, 1354 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 7174 times:
Quoting DeltaL1011man (Reply 1): DL's employees are not union. Why talk to the unions if they are very likely to go away when its time for the re-vote?
(lets not start pro-union vs. anti-union crap again please!!!!)
I would imagine the odds are that the New Delta will be unionized in areas that previously have been unrepresented. Not all the Delta employees are anti-union. The DL flight attendants are already voting on whether to organize with the result known after June 3rd. I am just speculating, but speculation from my own experience with organized labor, it would appear that a combined company would work in the union's favor.
WESTERN737800 From United States, joined Feb 2008, 339 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 6605 times:
Quoting HNL-Jack (Reply 6): I would be very suprised if DL/NW doesn't have a team working on this issue.
I totally agree. DL&NW have got to have a team working on this. There's way too much at stake to have problems with clashes between different labor groups.
611ATL From United States, joined Oct 2005, 70 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 6341 times:
I know it's not THAT much of a morale booster, but DL has just set up a company blog/forum to share issues, concerns and goals regarding the merger. Even if no one in management reads it, it's nice to know that someone cares enough to set up an internal website for employee involvement and discussion. I believe it's open to NW employees as well. Each week they plan to pose a new question. The first question: "What are you most looking forward to with the merger of DL and NW?" Interesting to see which way the responses go...
DTWAGENT From United States, joined Jan 2006, 1239 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 6246 times:
I can't see any of the NWA employees going to work for DL without a union. They have been burned so badly by upper management that they just don't trust anyone at the corp office level. But, It would not surprise me at all if DL/NWA have a team working on this issue. If anything I think the merger will produce a much better airline and the employees will be much happier. (NWA employees that is). Let face it DL has allways been the airline that everyone wants to work for. For as long as I can remember. I know here in DTW it would make a big difference in the way the employees feel about their work if this merger gets the ok from the goverment. NWA has smashed any hope from the DTW employees and they just don't have a good feeling about working for them anymore. If DL can keep all their promises to the employees and show that the upper management is not like NWA's then I think this merger will go thru without alot of problems. At least it will not be like the NWA/RC merger. It was bad around here in SE Michigan for a long time.
Bobnwa From United States, joined Dec 2000, 4235 posts, RR: 6 Reply 14, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 6061 times:
Quoting DTWAGENT (Reply 13): I can't see any of the NWA employees going to work for DL without a union. They have been burned so badly by upper management that they just don't trust anyone at the corp office level.
Since you have never worked for either NW or DL, what qualifies you to make the statement that no NWA employees would want to work for DL without a union. I know you live in a very heavy unionized state but I think most current NWA employees would welcome working for non-union DL.
Alphascan From United States, joined Nov 2003, 852 posts, RR: 10 Reply 15, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 6012 times:
Quoting MasseyBrown (Reply 3): Both airlines should undertake the effort now;
The problem noted by the WSJ, as Mayor pointed out is obvious. But how to solve it?
The management ranks are bare bones. There are not enough bodies left (both in and out of management) to do the most basic work that needs to get done to run an airline efficiently. Adding another "special project" to a manager's plate (no matter how much sense it makes) when they are already responsible for 60+ hours per week of work is fine, just don't expect any action.
Sad but true.
"To he who only has a hammer in his toolbelt, every problem looks like a nail."
DeltaL1011man From United States, joined Sep 2005, 3674 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4967 times:
Quoting MasseyBrown (Reply 3): The point of the WSJ piece was centered more on corporate cultural differences of which union membership is only part. The aim would be to encourage, motivate, and authorize employee to use their discretionary efforts to solve problems at the level at which they arise. From what the NW people say, this doesn't happen at their airline; I don't know about Delta.
That is part of the new Nov-reving on DL/NW
Quoting TVNWZ (Reply 10): I would imagine the odds are that the New Delta will be unionized in areas that previously have been unrepresented. Not all the Delta employees are anti-union. The DL flight attendants are already voting on whether to organize with the result known after June 3rd. I am just speculating, but speculation from my own experience with organized labor, it would appear that a combined company would work in the union's favor.
Only the FA's have a chance.
Most of Delta rampers are DGS. All Delta has to do if they vote union is fire them for cheaper help.
Most DL MX doesn't want a union and there are more of them than NW.
This is not a merger for the Union by far and really and truly I don't think the AFA will get it.
(Gah I hope not)
MasseyBrown From United States, joined Dec 2002, 3487 posts, RR: 5 Reply 17, posted (7 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4951 times:
Quoting Alphascan (Reply 15): The management ranks are bare bones. There are not enough bodies left (both in and out of management) to do the most basic work that needs to get done to run an airline efficiently. Adding another "special project" to a manager's plate (no matter how much sense it makes) when they are already responsible for 60+ hours per week of work is fine, just don't expect any action.
That is exactly the response (excuse for doing nothing) predicted in the article.
There are dozens of companies that will do the training, seminars, quality circles, what have you. No, they're not cheap and some aren't worth it. Others are.
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From United States, joined Dec 2002, 3487 posts, 
And he gets paid handsomely to make such common sense statements!