"We believe that you can put the two pilot groups together and still maintain the following principles: that no one loses their position where they are at; no one gains at the expense of another; and everybody equally gets to participate in the upward movement of the new airline," Lee Moak said.
Moak met in Salt Lake City on Wednesday with Delta pilots to explain a tentative contract agreement reached two weeks ago with the carrier that would improve salaries and pensions and give them a stake in the combined airline, which would keep the Delta name.
He also spelled out why union leaders support the union of Delta and Northwest, which would create the world's biggest airline with an important hub at Salt Lake City International Airport.
"Everybody would like to grow [Delta] organically. But the economics won't allow you to do that. So you have to combine to be a more viable, durable carrier," he said.
On Monday, Moak suggested to Delta's 6,300 pilots that he was open to binding arbitration with Northwest pilots over how to blend their seniority lists, something the two sides were unable to do in lengthy negotiations before the two airlines agreed to unite last week.
In the letter, Moak said Delta union leaders were committed to accomplishing seniority integration after negotiating a single contract that covers all Delta and Northwest pilots, But, if arbitration becomes necessary, he said he wouldn't oppose binding arbitration.
Before Delta announced on April 14 that it was acquiring Northwest, Moak had opposed arbitration.
"Now we are past the merger announcement date, and there actually is a path that could lead to arbitration," Moak said.
On Tuesday, the leaders of both pilots groups said they would soon start negotiations with Delta management over a joint union contract that would include parity in pay rates that would become effective when the carriers combine.
Support among Delta's 600 Salt Lake-based pilots for a merger seems to be widespread, in contrast to the opposition that erupted when US Airways mounted a hostile takeover bid late in 2006.
"I think that the merger is going to happen, and it appears that it will be a good deal for all the employees," said Shannon O'Neal, a Delta first officer who lives in Park City.
