Just my 2 cents on ALPA. Personally I don't have a problem w/ALPA, teamsters, whomever, but I would rather keep our dues money in an in house union rather then send to ALPA and have them allocate back to us what they feel is appropriate. Also someone mentioned the ALPA merger policy. Remember the law that passed last year about intergrations of seniority lists with two airlines that have 2 seperate unions -vs- 2 airlines that are represented by the same union?
As far as the NPA BOD is concerned. I have to agree w/gt1900. They did what they thought was the best thing in a poor sh!tty situation. They were caught between the preverbial rock and a hard place and they did, IMO the correct thing. I also agree that you have to pick your battles. Both the training dept., firing/furlough thing wasn't it. Now the concession request is. I hope they stand firm on that one and say NO, but either way, they do have to send it out for a vote, so that in itself is moot.
I saw one of the union guys a few days ago and I gotta tell you he looked beat. Beat on by management and worse beat on by our own pilots. I don't envy the BOD's position at all. Remember when the LOA's were signed, oil was at around $140 and they were planning on selling even more aircraft. It wasn't a good situation.
I don't know the substance of the police being called to the NPA, but I would venture a guess that more than likely it was an over-reaction. Remember MB was out of town and was getting 2nd hand info on what was going on and made a decision to call the cops 1000 miles away.
I also agree with gt1900 that without LOA#9 in place the company would have fired the probies. No question. Someone made a reference to the company playing poker or chess and the NPA folded. Sorry but I don't agree. The first duty of management is to the shareholders. I don't care if it's southwest management, usair management or whoever. They're job is to keep the company out of bankruptcy and they were not going to let 180 pilots stand in their way. They would have done the business thing and fired and when the time came just hired newbies. No reason to bring back damaged goods with attitudes, when you can get new ones. Right about now you are all thinking, well I would never go work at a place like that but you know what? Someone else will. As someone mentioned on the NPA website I think, the second letter in the word PILOT is "I". I'm glad that the BOD choose not to play the game of poker with company. It was stacked in the company's favor all the while. They call the shots, they make the decsions and more importatntly they sign the paychecks, not the NPA, or ALPA or whomever. You don't play poker or chess with peoples lives and they choose not to do it. Good call in my book.
OK that's all. Flame away.
As far as the NPA BOD is concerned. I have to agree w/gt1900. They did what they thought was the best thing in a poor sh!tty situation. They were caught between the preverbial rock and a hard place and they did, IMO the correct thing. I also agree that you have to pick your battles. Both the training dept., firing/furlough thing wasn't it. Now the concession request is. I hope they stand firm on that one and say NO, but either way, they do have to send it out for a vote, so that in itself is moot.
I saw one of the union guys a few days ago and I gotta tell you he looked beat. Beat on by management and worse beat on by our own pilots. I don't envy the BOD's position at all. Remember when the LOA's were signed, oil was at around $140 and they were planning on selling even more aircraft. It wasn't a good situation.
I don't know the substance of the police being called to the NPA, but I would venture a guess that more than likely it was an over-reaction. Remember MB was out of town and was getting 2nd hand info on what was going on and made a decision to call the cops 1000 miles away.
I also agree with gt1900 that without LOA#9 in place the company would have fired the probies. No question. Someone made a reference to the company playing poker or chess and the NPA folded. Sorry but I don't agree. The first duty of management is to the shareholders. I don't care if it's southwest management, usair management or whoever. They're job is to keep the company out of bankruptcy and they were not going to let 180 pilots stand in their way. They would have done the business thing and fired and when the time came just hired newbies. No reason to bring back damaged goods with attitudes, when you can get new ones. Right about now you are all thinking, well I would never go work at a place like that but you know what? Someone else will. As someone mentioned on the NPA website I think, the second letter in the word PILOT is "I". I'm glad that the BOD choose not to play the game of poker with company. It was stacked in the company's favor all the while. They call the shots, they make the decsions and more importatntly they sign the paychecks, not the NPA, or ALPA or whomever. You don't play poker or chess with peoples lives and they choose not to do it. Good call in my book.
OK that's all. Flame away.
