Labor groups issue warnings to Delta, United

In the wake of recent reports that Delta and United might be conducting merger discussions – reports that were denied by both companies – the head of the Air Line Pilots Association at Delta has blasted the possibility of such a deal. According to the Chicago Tribune, Delta pilots’ chief Lee Moak sent a letter to union members denouncing the prospect of a merger, claiming that it would be “in essence…nothing more than another version of a hostile takeover of Delta.” He said pilots have the power to “stop a consolidating event that is not in our best interests,” like the aborted attempt to US Airways last year to acquire Delta. Meanwhile, mechanics at United were handing out leaflets to passengers last week in opposition to the airline’s reported plans to sell off its Mileage Plus program as well as its San Francisco maintenance base. Besides decrying the outsourcing of airline maintenance to foreign countries, the mechanics’ literature also warned passengers that a Mileage Plus program owned by outside investors could well lead to cuts in member benefits.