Delta Air Lines CE says Bernie Sanders got it wrong on Delta compensation

Delta CE Ed Bastian has rebuked US Senator Bernie Sanders and 8 other senators who joined Sanders last week to accuse the carrier of paying salaries as low as US$9 an hour to employees who “live paycheck to paycheck” and who are being denied the right to join a union. “Across the board, [Delta employees] are the best-rewarded airline employees in the world,” Bastian wrote in a letter to Sanders and distributed to employees. In particular, Bastian disputed Sanders’ charge that some Delta employees make as little as $9 an hour. Bastian said Delta starting salaries are nearly double that rate. Moreover, after 12 years with seniority raises, Bastian said, airport agents and flight attendants earn $74,000 annually and mechanics earn $121,000 annually. <br/>