letter from retired AAA captain

[JoeMerchant]

No- you'll never see me down age 65. There are too many reasons it's unfair retirement wise. I would've liked to see it go to only 62 when SS kicks in- and a slower implementation- and that's where ALPA leadership sold me out. But the idea of 65 isn't what gets me. It's that after 7 years of really hard times, we finally had movement again- and that was severly slowed by age 65 happening SO QUICKLY. And though maybe ALPA couldn't have stopped it- which is debatable- they surely could have slowed the implementation. The timing of it just sucked. What i would like in return for that however is support from senior people to make the FO position a livable job again. If you're going to extend my time in the position by 3-4 years-after what i've already just been through(!)- make it worthwhile again. I know you might think $40k is a great job- but it fails to impress me as an adult.

As far as the regional lifer thing-that's tough- b/c i see why you'd want to do it. You're adjusting to the situation- but it creates a dynamic where you try to protect a job that the major airline pilot group gave to you by selling you out. ?? Now you're protecting your job w/ scope- which by releasing it at the major level is the only reason you had a job. This has been one of alpa's biggest failures. Especially when every solution is deemed "unworkable" by the ALPA leadership and lawyers. You got us in- but my generation will have to pay the price to get us out of that mess.

Your making my point for me.....You are looking at these issues from YOUR point of view......I am looking at them from MY point of view....The view is different and your mileage may vary.....

The fact is, the senior folks don't really care about the junior folks......and likewise the junior folks don't really care about the senior folks.....

In the end....we are all going to do what is best for each of us.....

If this union has any hope....then the solutions have to benefit BOTH sides of every issue.....If not there will not be unity on the issue.....If there isn't unity on the issue....then the issue won't be solved....

 

[instructordude]

In the end guys we've kicked discrimination in the nuts. This is something we should all feel proud about.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

On MPL, ALPA hasn't showed up to the game...Why not oppose it first before you roll over on it....ALPA hasn't even tried to tighten the requirements.....The AMA and ABA would never accept the premise that they can't influence the requirements to become doctors or lawyers...Why does ALPA roll over on it?

Again.. you know nothing of this.. come back when you got informed..

I don't think everyone loves us......and I know my fellow ALPA "brothers" don't care about me.....I'm glad you can at least admit that most pilots don't care about pilots......I learned that a long time ago....

Let's see... we are all conditioned inthis country to be individuals, competetitive and free market captitalist... then suddenly you expect everyone to change becuase they belong to ALPA... and wehn they don't you blame ALPA.... riiiiight...

Blaming this all on the RJDC lawsuit is really a stretch even for a spinmeister like you....Is it causing global warming also? There are many other lawsuits and I'm guessing a few will be spawned from the AWA/USAir debacle....They will make the RJDC lawsuit look like childs play....

You'd sue your grandmother....

 

[JoeMerchant]

Again.. you know nothing of this.. come back when you got informed..



Let's see... we are all conditioned inthis country to be individuals, competetitive and free market captitalist... then suddenly you expect everyone to change becuase they belong to ALPA... and wehn they don't you blame ALPA.... riiiiight...



You'd sue your grandmother....

Wow Rez....your really losing it now....You can't even make rational counterpoints....

In fact your last cheap shot is extremely tastless even for you....They have both been dead for sometime now and they both had far more class than you and accomplished more than ALPA has.....

If I could trade my ALPA membership to bring them both back I would in a heart beat.....

Thanks again for helping to make my point....

Feel free to educate me on the "real" age 60 issue...

Simple question: Was age 60 a safety issue or not. Yes or No answer will do without the spin or cheap shots.....if you can handle it.....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Wow Rez....your really losing it now....You can't even make rational counterpoints....

In fact your last cheap shot is extremely tastless even for you....They have both been dead for sometime now and they both had far more class than you and accomplished more than ALPA has.....

If I could trade my ALPA membership to bring them both back I would in a heart beat.....

Thanks again for helping to make my point....

Feel free to educate me on the "real" age 60 issue...

Simple question: Was age 60 a safety issue or not. Yes or No answer will do without the spin or cheap shots.....if you can handle it.....

Joe.. I never was talking about age 60.... I don't care about age 60... you do...

Joe.. you will always be known as the ALPA version of the McDonalds coffee sue lady...

 

[JoeMerchant]

Joe.. I never was talking about age 60.... I don't care about age 60... you do...

You said MPL wasn't/isn't a safety issue. I disagree.

You said ALPA can't stop it. I disagree.

ALPA said age 60 was a safety issue and ALPA tried to stop it for many years and did delay it's implementation.....

Think of this as an SAT question....Do you see the point yet?

I know you are a politician, but can you answer the question......Was age 60 a safety issue....Yes or No.....Just try not being a politician for a minute.....you may feel better.....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

You said MPL wasn't/isn't a safety issue. I disagree.

Joe.. it doesn't matter... it is going to happen.

You said ALPA can't stop it. I disagree.

How?

 

[JoeMerchant]

Joe.. it doesn't matter... it is going to happen.

....but cabotage, which is your big issue, isn't just "going to happen"....Funny what you perceive as issues that are inevitable....

Cabotage can be stopped but MPL can't.....OK whatever you say...

Now back to the question that you are scared to answer.....Was age 60 a safety issue or not.....Avoiding the answer isn't helping your cause.....Just answer it....

 

[PCL_128]

Now back to the question that you are scared to answer.....Was age 60 a safety issue or not.....Avoiding the answer isn't helping your cause.....Just answer it....

Oh, for fu-- sake, I'll answer it! YES! Age 60 was a safety issue! Happy now, Joey?

 

[SaturnPilot]

You said MPL wasn't/isn't a safety issue. I disagree.

You said ALPA can't stop it. I disagree.

Why on earth would ALPA not stop something like MPL if they actually could? Makes no sense. I'm going to throw a wild guess out there that they're trying to come up with a strategy that ends in the best possible outcome on the MPL issue, and eliminating MPL is not a feasible solution at this point.