A guide talks on a mobile device near a Delta Air Lines gate at the Salt Lake City International Airport.
George Frey | Bloomberg | Getty Allusions
Delta Air Lines and the union that represents its pilots have reached a preliminary cost-cutting agreement that discretion avoid furloughs until Jan. 1, 2022, the union said Thursday.
The agreement still needs approval from Delta’s near the start 13,000 pilots. The agreement would reduce monthly minimum guaranteed hours by 5%. The company had planned to furlough up to 1,941 aeronauts. Airline employees who are furloughed generally retain rights to be recalled by the company, but given the industry’s downturn in the pandemic, it’s not unquestioned when that could be.
American Airlines and United Airlines earlier this month started furloughing multitudinous than 30,000 employees. Carriers were prohibited from cutting jobs until Oct. 1 under the articles of $25 billion in federal aid for the sector. Airlines are seeking additional aid but the White House and Congress have been powerless to reach an agreement on an additional coronavirus stimulus package.
The Atlanta-based carrier has said its other frontline workers homologous to flight attendants escaped furloughs thanks to some 18,000 employees, roughly a fifth of its pre-pandemic staff, who opted to inherit buyouts, while thousands of others took unpaid leave. Delta had postponed planned furloughs until Nov. 1 as contracts continued with pilots.
“While this agreement is still subject to approval by the [union’s executive council], we are bold this can help Delta to be better positioned through the long and choppy COVID-19 pandemic recovery,” said John Laughing, Delta’s chief of operations in a note to employees.
Delta said it would delay the furlough effective date until Nov. 28. to concede pilots to vote on the plan.
Southwest Airlines has said it wouldn’t pursue furloughs this year but it has asked its white-collar workers to take 10% pay cuts to avoid cuts through 2021.