The Delta disparity: Flight attendants rally for equal pay at Detroit airport
Detroit, MI - On Monday, August 5, Endeavor flight attendants represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) held an awareness picket at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to highlight the significant pay disparities between flight attendants working for Endeavor, Delta’s wholly-owned regional subsidiary, and those working for mainline Delta Air Lines.
Led by Oscar Ochomogo, president of Endeavor AFA, Council 46 DTW, the flight attendants sought to draw attention to the need to end Delta’s two-tier pay system, referred to by workers as the “Delta disparity difference.”
On average, Endeavor flight attendants make 45% less than their counterparts at mainline Delta Air Lines. While mainline Delta flight attendants earn $35.50 per hour, including pay for boarding and departing time, Endeavor flight attendants receive only $25.46 per hour and are not compensated for boarding and off-boarding, which are considered the most challenging parts of their job.
This disparity exacerbates the challenges that flight attendants already face. As Ochomogo explains, “You're gone for four or five days on these trips. You don't have a refrigerator, so you have to buy food out or pack in such a way. The food is very expensive in the airport or in these markets at the hotels, because a lot of times we don't have transportation to go somewhere.”
In cities like New York, some flight attendants have had to rely on food stamps despite the high number of flights they handle in such busy regions. One Endeavor flight attendant noted that it is not uncommon for Endeavor attendants to work nearly twice the number of flights as their mainline Delta peers.
Ochomogo further elaborated on the situation, stating, “We only get paid for the flight out. For example, this morning, we have a Detroit to Buffalo flight. It's operated by Delta, you buy a reservation on the Delta ticket, get Delta service, Delta aircraft, they pay the Delta flight attendants that higher wage. Then, later [today] it’s operated by Endeavor, but your ticket will still say Delta, the gate agent will say Delta, we'll wear the same Delta uniform, say thank you for flying Delta connection, but we get paid 45% less.”
The protest was bolstered by the presence of high-profile labor leaders, including International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Sara Nelson, and Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers. Their support underscored the solidarity among different labor unions in the fight against corporate greed and for a better life for the working class.
The “Delta Disparity Difference – DTW Day of Action” sends a powerful message to Delta and other airlines: the fight for fair compensation and equitable treatment is far from over. Flight attendants and their supporters are committed to challenging the status quo and ensuring that all workers receive the respect and pay they deserve.
People can demonstrate their solidarity with the workers by signing AFA’s petition to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, demanding an end to the Delta Disparity Difference.