OK, so I’ve read 8 pages of posts since my post on page 1 and I’m continually flabbergasted at the attitude of East pilots.
I admit that I’ve never walked in your shoes or had to endure the hardships that you guys had for the last 10 years. For all of those difficulties you’ve endured, again, I, all the West guys, and all ALPA pilots are truly sorry that those misfortunes occurred – but your sense of “we are entitled to this and are willing to sacrifice the carrier for it” is just amazing. Nobody forced you to stay at the old US Air; many left and sought greener pastures. Lots stayed and hoped for a better day. Now the better day is here, but you want something more than what you could negotiate, and something more than the arbitrator gave you. Now, many of you are willing to throw the reservation agents, the ramp workers, the gate agents, the back office accounting clerks, and 30,000 other jobs in the trash can … folks that can’t even control what is happening … just so you can advance to Captain in front of some West pilot, so that you can economically benefit at the expense of a West Pilot, so that you can enjoy of quality of life (domicile, vacation, bidding preference) at our expense. Why … because you think the course of events was unfair.
Joe Merchant -- you said “it is every man for himself” – wow. I teach my kids about the golden rule … do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We live in a democracy where each must give to support the system. We live by rules and laws and you advocate “screw your buddy.” Great Flame Bait on your part. If not Flame Bait, take some time off and seek some help.
Kerosene -- the reason you don’t hear West guys talking about fences is because the time to talk fences is over. We did negotiation, mediation, and arbitration and the time to negotiate fences was then. You insisted on DOH and now we should be moving forward for a new contract that includes the Nicolau award. But again, the East wants a “do-over.” USAPA wants a “do-over.” What about the growth 757s? What about the guys who’ve benefited from the 190? West pilots have not shared in any of that. East pilots are benefiting from the merger today while the West pilots are held hostage by East’s refusal to participate in contract talks and refusal to accept the Nicolau award … why, so East can advance at the expense of West. Out west we have had guys on Reserve for three years BECAUSE of the merger. We were hiring and stop hiring to support the merger. My tremendous thanks go out to our bottom feeding Reserve FOs who have lived on Reserve for three years so we could recall all your Furloughees and upgrade your guys to Captain, and allow current FOs to switch seats and benefit from the 400+ pilots that have been added to your list since May of 2005 …. All the while our bottom dudes are stuck with nobody underneath them.
Turtle -- I’ve given up on you. I had hoped as an ex Military guy you would be a “rational voice in the crowd” but your failure to answer my previous post questions (old thread) and your attempt to align this with a 1950s racial issue is nuts. As a C-141 pilot and USAF Officer don’t “spin” this issue into a racial discussion. You think we will simply vote for new representation and all cross the bridge together is irrational. Anyone that votes for USAPA is voting to leave the West pilots on the other side of the river and dooming us for years of acidic relationships. You will cross the bridge to alone, sir.
Those folks that say ALPA national is at fault are blame-seekers. You run your LEC and your MEC and because of your abdication of involvement and/or your willingness to allow that leadership to prolong your LOA contract, fight the Nicolau Award, walk away from joint contract talks, and make the push for USAPA, it is your fault, and your fault alone.
