Delta to Raise Mechanics’ Salaries

Delta Air Lines is raising the salaries of its mechanics to make them the highest paid in the industry as they organize to join a union.

Delta will increase pay Oct. 16 by as much as 18.2%, the company said. The raises will bring base annual pay of the highest-paid mechanics to about $71,700.

Salaries for the Atlanta-based airline’s highest-paid mechanics fell 16% below that of their counterparts at Northwest and American Airlines after those companies negotiated new union contracts.

Delta opposes a campaign by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Assn. to unionize the company’s 10,000 mechanics.

Delta is the least-unionized airline in the industry. Only its pilots and some dispatchers and pilot trainers belong to unions.

Delta spokesman Tom Donahue told the Wall Street Journal that the wage increase is not connected to the union drive. Donahue said Delta wouldn’t disclose how much the raise will increase operating costs.