This is the way it works. See my post above. ALPA conditions its members to be served. Not to serve. ALPA doesn't do this intentionally, but they've got old school programs that need to be updated.
To pass a resolution on has to be politically savvy. Many pilots reject politics and its methods. Often if a pilot does draft a resolution, the wording is weak, doesn't account for others needs and can be quite impractical.
For example...
A pilot brings a resolution to an LEC meeting that says "We should all Stay at Hampton Inns". Usually the rez o. lewshun (oops
) isn't shared with others before hand or only with pilots in the same political camp. The doc isn't discussed with the LEC leadership or the hotel committee.
So the pilot shows up determined with doc in hand. (some pilots have shown up with a verbal resolution). He gets it added to the late agenda items because he never contacted the S/T. Now, no one has seen this idea before and they must consider it all within a couple of hours. If it is complex or has serious implications it will probably be tabled or reject: author didn't politic the doc or do his/her homework.
So it hits the floor and someone says... 'Hampton Inn? Are you kidding we should be staying at Hyatts!' And someone else says "there are no Hyatts or Hampton Inns in K___ airport'. Next thing the pilot knows the doc has created more questions than solved problems. Because he didn't politic the legilation first. In addition one must be willing to compromise!
Now.... that is a slice of reality of representing pilots. It isn't easy. It isn't black and white. And when one has the
repsonsibility of representing hundreds or thousands of pilots...
all whom have thier own idea about what ALPA should do for them, it makes the ungrateful and under appreciative tasks of union work undesirable....
Now who wants to do what?
Actually ALPA doesn't, but that was still funny. OK....OK...maybe they do.
