The pilots of the US airline Delta should get significantly more wages. Management agreed with unions on a 34 percent increase to be granted over a three-year period.

The draft agreement, which has yet to be formally approved by the unionized pilots, states that by the time the agreement goes into effect, wages will increase by 18 percent. A year later there should be five percent more money, then four percent and after two years four percent again. The bottom line is that compared to today's level, up to 34 percent more wages will be paid out in three years.

In addition to the pay increase, the new contract, according to the draft contract, offers a one-time payment equal to cumulatively 22 percent of Delta pilots' earnings between 2020 and 2022 if the contract is ratified. 

Competitors American Airlines and United Airlines have already signed new wage agreements for their pilots. Here, too, there have been significant wage increases for pilots. Many US airlines are currently suffering from acute pilot shortages. The aim is to make the jobs more attractive with higher salaries. It is also an open secret that there have been zero rounds for many years and during the corona pandemic, payments from many carriers were reduced.

At Delta Air Lines, possible strikes are off the table. At the end of October 2022, the unionists threatened that they would call for work stoppages if management was unable to meet them. The negotiated compromise largely corresponds to the demands of the employee representatives. Now the members have to vote on the contract so that it can come into force if it is accepted.