Don't worry about your impending bookings just yet; the pilots of Delta Air Lines have overwhelmingly decided to authorize a strike.
According to the findings made public on Monday, the Air Line Pilots Association, the pilots' union, said that 96% of its union members had voted 99% in favor of a strike.
The slow progress of contract discussions, in their opinion, is why the pilots organized the vote.
The contract governing Delta's pilots was signed in 2016 and became amendable in December 2019.
The collective bargaining agreements in the aviation sector have an amendable date rather than an expiration date.
Capt. Jason Ambrosi, the head of Delta's pilot union, said in a statement that "today, Delta's nearly 15,000 pilots sent a clear message to management that we are willing to go the extra mile to secure a contract that reflects the value we bring to Delta Air Lines as frontline leaders and long-term stakeholders."
Ambrosi, who was just chosen as ALPA's president and will assume office early next year, continued, "Our goal is to reach an agreement, not to strike.
The pilots of Delta have participated in numerous picketing actions across the nation this year.
In opposition to the protracted talks, many of the airline's pilots are seen wearing lime green lanyards.
Rising inflation was in the news at the time of the strike vote, but Delta also announced a record-breaking revenue quarter.
All other significant American carriers are now negotiating pilot contracts.
Last month, Alaska Airlines pilots approved the ratification of a new contract.
The Alaskan pilots likewise decisively approved a strike earlier this year, although they never really carried it out.
In actuality, a series of events would need to take place before there was a strike by Delta pilots.
First, the National Mediation Board would need to recommend arbitration instead of continuing with mediation.
Although negotiations were put on hold until January of this year, Delta's pilots and management filed arbitration in 2020.
Afterwards, there is a 30-day "cooling down" period if arbitration is rejected.
The strike may then officially be called by Delta's pilots.
In an improbable move, management might also lock the pilots out.
Instead, ALPA used the strike vote as a potent negotiation tool to grab the public's and the airline's attention.
But at this time, reservations made through Delta are secure given the numerous procedures required for a strike to actually occur.
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