ALPA spent $490,000 lobbying in 2Q

[Stan]

I'm glad to see my money was well spent. NOT!!

"ALPA supported legislation that raised the mandatory retirement age of U.S. commercial pilots to 65, from 60. President Bush signed the measure into law in December."

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=AP&date=20080812&id=9017758

 

[get2flyin]

USAPA spent over $100,000 to put an a single add in USA Today defending 8 captains who were intentionally wasting fuel and refused to accept responsibility for their actions. I shudder to think what they're spending for round 2 of a frivolous lawsuit against 18 named and a slew of TBD "John Doe" AWA pilots. All things being equal, I think I'd rather have ALPA.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Well what do you expect. ALPA is in a lot of respects a special interest group.

 

[CopilotDoug]

I'm glad to see my money was well spent. NOT!!

"ALPA supported legislation that raised the mandatory retirement age of U.S. commercial pilots to 65, from 60. President Bush signed the measure into law in December."

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=AP&date=20080812&id=9017758

Apparently, this is what the pilots wanted. What's the problem?

 

[stlflyguy]

Why don't you find out how much ALPA spent in litigation? Specifically, in defense of itself?

stlflyguy

 

[pianoman]

Any money ALPA spent lobbying came from ALPA Political Action Committee. That little postcard you get and volunteer to donate money with.

They can't and don't spend a dime of your dues giving to politicians.

 

[Donsa320]

Any money ALPA spent lobbying came from ALPA Political Action Committee. That little postcard you get and volunteer to donate money with.

They can't and don't spend a dime of your dues giving to politicians.

It just shows you how ignorant so many of todays young ones, and some old ones too, are about ALPA. I suppose they don't read the magazine either because it has no cartoons in it.

DC

 

[sweptback]

Any money ALPA spent lobbying came from ALPA Political Action Committee. That little postcard you get and volunteer to donate money with.

They can't and don't spend a dime of your dues giving to politicians.

And personally I think it's pathetic that they only spent half a mil. It should be ten times that. If we want anything to change, we need to out-spend the ATA, and a half million isn't close.

 

[JungleJett]

Apparently, this is what the pilots wanted. What's the problem?

I seem to remember that the bulk of the membership was AGAINST the change...but it was still voted in by those wanting to protect the jobs of a few. Only two airlines had the balls to vote against it..ExpressJet and NWA.

 

[Jonny Sacko]

They were lobbying for a larger discount at the ground round down the street for Chunky and rest o the waste of air! F them. We really need to shut down the entire office and fist fight out front. Chunky would run for the hills, then we go to each office with the scrappy winners of the parking lot fight. Contracts would return to normal mysteriously fast! F-ing chunky, what a complete joke, taking ALPA down further daily.

 

[Ben Franklin]

We really need to shut down the entire office and fist fight out front. Chunky would run for the hills, then we go to each office with the scrappy winners of the parking lot fight.

Will you be one of the contenders in said fist fight?

Sincerely,

B. Franklin

 

[CopilotDoug]

I seem to remember that the bulk of the membership was AGAINST the change...but it was still voted in by those wanting to protect the jobs of a few. Only two airlines had the balls to vote against it..ExpressJet and NWA.

Interesting take on it, Jungle. I appreciate the insight.

There's a an informed ALPA guy on here...Resolution or something like that...he contends that the elected reps do the bidding of the masses. How did this get voted through without the backing of the membership???

 

[JungleJett]

Interesting take on it, Jungle. I appreciate the insight.

There's a an informed ALPA guy on here...Resolution or something like that...he contends that the elected reps do the bidding of the masses. How did this get voted through without the backing of the membership???

Actually...no longer an ALPA guy and could not be happier about it.

As for the 65 thing, Prater put together some Blue Ribbon Panel and then ignored most of their recommendations. I know someone who was on that panel and they to were disturbed at how National handled it. There was a poll about the rule change and it too was ignored by many of the MEC's who in my opinion, voted to protect the old heads without any regard to the negative impact of the junior folks..which really is nothing new.

I was told time and time again that ALPA IS THE MEMBERSHIP...which is lip service most of the time. The membership was against the change and ALPA National and the individual MEC's turned their collective backs on that membership.

ALPA's response for not fighting the good fight was that they figured it was a done deal and the fight would have been in vain. That may have been true...but we will never know. What we do know is that the rule change, with ALPA's blessing help derail the careers of tens of thousands of pilots. It also, hampered the careers of future airline pilots. They wont tell you that.

Wait until ALPA comes out and endorses a president and then claims that all airline pilots support the opinion of National. Not true. ALPA would support the Devil himself if he said he would give unlimited power to the union at the cost of their souls.

ALPA is the membership and I personally think a coup is in order.

 

[denny]

Jungle Jett - and I mean that in the most elementary accusation possible for a neophyte - and others,

What part of international ICAO regulations do the immature pilots of the United States not understand? Age 60 was a goner once the United States decided to join the rest of the world aviation community. What part of the rest of the world do you guys not understand?

ALPA had no say in the matter. They were less than a gnat in the issue. So what to do? Resist and die an ignoble death so the dues paying members could feel comfortable that their dues were wasted for nothing or jump on the wagon and have some say in the issue?

US pilots, ALPA pilots what part of reality do you not get in this day and age? Really. I want to know.

Oh, and just to make clear I was an ALPA member who spent most of my time in ALPA as a volunteer and elected official working to overturn age 60 in accordance with my member's directives. I am glad I succeeded in fulfilling my constituents wishes!

D

 

[Tejas-Jet]

I seem to remember that the bulk of the membership was AGAINST the change...but it was still voted in by those wanting to protect the jobs of a few. Only two airlines had the balls to vote against it..ExpressJet and NWA.

...and since then...how many of the ALPA NAtional officers have been recalled?

I think I remember a bunch of talk about recalling John Prater...whatever came of that?