Delta Airlines 2012 Annual Report Download - page 15

We are aware of soil and/or ground water contamination present on our current or former leaseholds at several domestic airports. To address this
contamination, we have a program in place to investigate and, if appropriate, remediate these sites. Although the ultimate outcome of these matters
cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe that the resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial
statements.
We are also subject to various other federal, state and local laws governing environmental matters, including the management and disposal of
chemicals, waste and hazardous materials, protection of surface and subsurface waters and regulation of air emissions and aircraft drinking water.
Civil Reserve Air Fleet Program
We participate in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program (the “CRAF Program”), which permits the U.S. military to use the aircraft and crew
resources of participating U.S. airlines during airlift emergencies, national emergencies or times of war. We have agreed to make available under the
CRAF Program a portion of our international long-range aircraft during the contract period ending September 30, 2013. We have also committed
aircraft to international short-range requirements. The CRAF Program has only been activated twice since it was created in 1951.
Employee Matters
Railway Labor Act
Our relations with labor unions representing our airline employees in the U.S. are governed by the Railway Labor Act. Under the Railway Labor
Act, a labor union seeking to represent an unrepresented craft or class of employees is required to file with the National Mediation Board (the
“NMB”)
an application alleging a representation dispute, along with authorization cards signed by at least 50% of the employees in that craft or class.
The NMB then investigates the dispute and, if it finds the labor union has obtained a sufficient number of authorization cards, conducts an election to
determine whether to certify the labor union as the collective bargaining representative of that craft or class. A labor union will be certified as the
representative of the employees in a craft or class if more than 50% of votes cast are for that union. A certified labor union would commence
negotiations toward a collective bargaining agreement with the employer.
Under the Railway Labor Act, a collective bargaining agreement between an airline and a labor union does not expire, but instead becomes
amendable as of a stated date. Either party may request that the NMB appoint a federal mediator to participate in the negotiations for a new or
amended agreement. If no agreement is reached in mediation, the NMB may determine, at any time, that an impasse exists and offer binding
arbitration. If either party rejects binding arbitration, a 30-day “cooling off” period begins. At the end of this 30-
day period, the parties may engage in
“self help,” unless the U.S. President appoints a Presidential Emergency Board (“PEB”) to investigate and report on the dispute. The appointment of
a PEB maintains the “status quo” for an additional 60 days. If the parties do not reach agreement during this period, the parties may then engage in
“self help.” “Self help” includes, among other things, a strike by the union or the imposition of proposed changes to the collective bargaining
agreement by the airline. Congress and the President have the authority to prevent “self help” by enacting legislation that, among other things,
imposes a settlement on the parties.
Collective Bargaining
As of December 31, 2012 , we had approximately 74,000 full-time equivalent employees, approximately 15% of whom were represented by
unions. The following table shows our domestic airline employee groups that are represented by unions.
In addition, 220 refinery employees of Monroe are represented by the United Steel Workers under an agreement that expires on February 26,
2015. This agreement is governed by the National Labor Relations Act, which generally allows either party to engage in self-
help upon the expiration
of the agreement.
Labor unions periodically engage in organizing efforts to represent various groups of our employees, including at our operating subsidiaries, that
are not represented for collective bargaining purposes.
10
Employee Group Approximate Number of Active Employees Represented Union
Date on which Collective
Bargaining Agreement Becomes
Amendable
Delta Pilots
10,700
ALPA December 31, 2015
Delta Flight Superintendents (Dispatchers)
340
PAFCA December 31, 2013