New ALPA President

[Shrek]

He starts in JAN.

 

[joevollers]

Almost half of the voters voted for DW.... Who? Why?.....

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

He is a resident of Edwardsville, IL

Talk about a small world.....

 

[snoopbomb]

Now we have a lame duck President about to turn sixty in charge, right when the vote about age sixty is in the lame duck Senate. Greaaat.

 

[Uniform Shop]

ALPA Delegates Elect Capt. John Prater as President

Pilots send clear message to industry of newly aggressive stance



LAS VEGAS, NV ---- The Board of Directors of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) today elected Captain John Prater, a B-767 Continental Airlines pilot, to serve as the 8th president in the union's history.



This decision sends a strong signal to the airline industry that ALPA pilots are prepared to move into a new period of strong, concerted action to rebuild their profession.



"The airline pilots of the United States and Canada today sent a clear message that their union desires to return to its roots of aggressive bargaining, strict contract enforcement, tenacious organizing, and pilot action to restore our contracts and our profession," Prater said in the wake of his election.



"After five years of concessionary bargaining, lost pensions, and battered work rules, our pilots are primed to take offensive action," Prater continued. "This may mean a return to the hard-nosed tactics of earlier years and a grassroots mobilization of each and every one of our members."



While the concessionary era in the airline industry is coming to a close, several airlines remain prisoners of the "1113 process" (whereby management can have labor contracts annulled by the bankruptcy court), and others are stalled in negotiations with their managements. This stagnation takes place while load factors are high, fuel prices are lower, and profits are rising.



"The airline industry survived because of the concessions pilots and other workers made," Prater said. "Now it is time for us to see a tangible return on these bitter investments."



Prater is a 28-year veteran of ALPA, having served extensively at all levels. From strike committee chairman to master chairman and a vice chairman of the international alliance, Wings Alliance (now part of the Skyteam Alliance), Prater brings a wealth of experience. His background includes union fights against notorious airline management figures Frank Lorenzo, Carl Icahn, and Dick Ferris.



The election was a contest between Prater and current ALPA President, Capt. Duane E. Woerth. Of the 47,968 votes cast, 24,444 went to Prater and 23,524 to Woerth. The new president will take office in January 2007.

 

[cynic]

Can you imagine this industry without ALPA. Pilots would be making 20K a year with no pay during training. They would be forced into sleeping on the plane and flying lines that preclude sleep.

Oh wait.... Yeah... uhh go ALPA.

 

[Zipperhead]

Good bye Duane Woerth...Thanks for nothin!!! What a piece of S&*t!!!

 

[FDJ2]

Almost half of the voters voted for DW.... Who? Why?.....

It appears that the issue was a matter of direction. Prater wants to rebuild ALPA from the bottom up. A grass roots old style union building approach. Woerth emphasized his Washington experience and the need to address legislative issues, with particular emphasis on regaining the right to strike. Both candidates were persuasive and ran positive campaigns despite the race being very close. Prater came out ahead. I don't know how the reps from other pilot groups voted, but most DAL MEC members voted for Prater, 10-3, I believe.

 

[vetrider]

Well I for one welcome the new direction, DW's Washington insider status hasn't exactly done a whole lot lately. Granted, the last several years have been trying, to say the least, but I think a dose of old school might just be what the doctor ordered.

 

[Drill Sgt. Dad]

Woerthless= Jobless
Duane Woerthless thank you very much for all your hard work. Woerthless did work hard because it took alot of effort to bring ALPA to its knees. Signing off on that crappy MESA deal set the regional industry back some 15 years. Lying to the CCAIR pilots and then reneging on your promise only to watch CCAIR go next to Westair in the grave, shows your true colors. Stating you will no longer sign off on concessionary agreements to finance mgt's refusal to raise fares because fuel prices were at an all time high. Yet, you signed right off on NWA and DAL. You agreed to sign off on agreements from US and UAL that destroyed quality of lives. Remember, the pilot groups can vote on these items, but it was up to Mr. Woerthless to read over and sign off on the deals and he did, thus weakening our collective bargaining stances while reading his articles Woerthless wrote in Airline pilot showed everyone he talks out of both sides of his mouth.
Mr Woerthless signed off on many deals at the regional carriers, ptting one ALPA carrier against the other as ACA was forced out on their own and eventually into the books of airline history. Signing off on crappy regional agreemnts also saw long time relationship with UAL/AWAC go astray as the regional airlines are shifting around looking for dance partners, oh did I mention screwing of the TWA pilots? Mid Atlantic? Even allowed PSA cheap rates to take RJs and leaving those poor PDT and ALG out to dry. Then you write an article in the ALPA magazine the practice of pay to play needs to cease after you started it?
How about your woerthless opinion on the age 60 rule?
In closing I would like to thank Mr. Woerth for his hard work and screwing over many ALPA pilot groups. Mr. Prater is faced with an unfair challenge he only has four years to fix up many years of Woerthless screwups.

 

[freightdogfred]

Amen...Adios,MF.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Nice!

 

[filejw]

If you read his bio I think you will find this is the guy we need to turn things around. He has seen it all.

 

[regionaltard]

Woerth goes from $400K ALPA job to million-dollar lobbyist.

Not necessarily-he may never work again. ATA and RAA might just pass the hat and give him a $50 mil. or so "thank you" for all the money they've saved on pilot pay on his watch.

 

[AA717driver]

Being a Washington insider was a selling point for Woerth?

HELLO! Washington insiders ARE the F'ing problem in this country. TC

 

[PCL_128]

Almost half of the voters voted for DW.... Who? Why?.....

Why? Experience, results, relationships on Capital Hill, etc... Captain Woerth has done an admirable job during an extremely difficult time in this industry. I'm sorry to see him go, as are about half of the other reps out here at the BOD. It was a difficult day.

That being said, I will now stand behind Captain Prater fully. Although I was a Woerth supporter, that election is over, and it's time to put it behind us. Captain Prater will have a difficult few months ahead as he prepares for this job, and he needs the support of everyone.

Also, I think everyone is focusing too much on a single election. The BOD elected all four national Officers today. All of these positions are important, not just that of the President.

Captain Paul Rice was elected to First Vice President. He has extensive experience having done ALPA work for decades, and he leaves the office of VP-Admin, a job he has done superbly.

Captain Bill Couette was elected VP-Admin, replacing Captain Rice in that position. This is a very notable election, because Bill is the only Officer from a "regional" airline. This gives the regional airlines more exposure in the national arena, something that many have been looking for for a long time.

Captain Chris Beebe was re-elected to the position of VP-Finance. Captain Beebe has done a superb job during a horrible period of revenue reduction for this Association. Thanks to his leadership, we are in excellent financial shape, even after years of declining dues revenue.

Many excellent ALPA volunteers were also elected and re-elected to EVP slots. The national Officers get so much attention, but it's important to remember that it's the EVPs on the Executive Council that set ALPA policy and set the course for this Association. These are the guys that are really in the driver's seat, and it would seem that we are in good hands.

 

[thebest]

If you read his bio I think you will find this is the guy we need to turn things around. He has seen it all.

You can put an new leader at ENRON but all you still have is--- ENRON! If you want things to turn around, get rid of the REAL problem....alpa

THEBEST

 

[furloughfodder]

Captain Chris Beebe was re-elected to the position of VP-Finance. Captain Beebe has done a superb job during a horrible period of revenue reduction for this Association. Thanks to his leadership, we are in excellent financial shape, even after years of declining dues revenue.

I'm sure Beebe had his hands full making sure that Woerth maintained his $400,000+ per year salary during these times of "declining dues revenue" (ie. 25% paycuts and massive furloughs)

 

[Ex737Driver]

John's track record speaks for itself. The man is relentless when it comes to tackling the tough issues especially when dealing with management. John backs down from no one and it will be interesting to see his approach with big government. dang shame......was really looking forward to having him as the head of our '08 negotiating committee.imp:

 

[Mach 80]

How does the election for ALPA president work? Do all ALPA members vote or does only the BOD do the actual voting, supposedly representing their members?