Again, that's very debatable. Lot's of things need to be fixed, very important things, such as rest, duty, and pay. Sure, ALPA has been working on all of those things for a while, but have yet to pull the trigger and get any of them changed.
Well, except for pay. They do a good job agreeing with pay cuts.
Lots of things indeed need to be changed. But if ALPA wasn't trying to change them, who would? Certainly airline managments don't want to give us more rest, less duty, better work rules and pay, etc. You seem to imply that ALPA wants us to take pay cuts. That shouldn't make sense to you since you seem to think that everything ALPA does is for more dues money.
While simultaneously taking measures to protect the pay (if not raising it) of the ALPA officers.
The president is the only officer that is paid a salary.
How is it flawed? ALPA has been working on rest rules ever since my relatives started flying in the 1960's.
They agreed on those rules, and now they're only making progress on new rules because Congress is pushing for it. Otherwise ALPA has no power to push across a new set of rules, otherwise they would have done it years ago.
ALPA is also RLA....which is completely outdated.
They are making progress because there is now leverage they can use to help create the new regs. Before this accident, there was little possibility to "force" congress or the administration to do anything.
ALPA is also looking at trying to change the RLA, because they now have some possible leverage to do it.
Undeniable. How many times has Prater been invited onto News Networks and TV Shows to voice the plight of the industry and inform the flying public?
Point goes to Sully.
How many times has Sully been invited to the White House, FAA headquarters, or Congress to give testimony on behalf of ALL airline pilots?
I did work for the local when I was at an ALPA carrier, and I saw the BS from behind the scene. The man hiding behind the curtain, he had this saying it went like this : "Ok, this is what we're going to tell them...." and then it was followed by some BS twisted story. That story always contained some truth, but mainly filled with BS and fluff.
The other motto our local had was "I have a plan for your situation, but we're not able to discuss your personal situation with you at this time....". That really meant "hey, I was busy fishing the last week and haven't checked any of my emails or voice mails."
It seems like you had a bad experience with your local council. One bad anecdotal experience does not make the whole organization bad though.
Every story I have heard from those who have dealt with ALPA sounded similar. Alot of hype with nothing to back it up. If you openly disagree with ALPA, you're labled as a victim in a weak attempt to stifle your open discontent with ALPA. Don't forget, this is supposed to be a "professional" association too
Are your opinions of ALPA based solely on hearsay? Of course ALPA is not perfect because its run by imperfect people. And of course there will be bad experiences because of it. But thats not to say that the intent of ALPA is bad. We just need to get good people to participate. And that doesn't necessarily mean to become elected officials.
But hey, give it some time. ALPA will be like the radical Muslims. You make fun of ALPA and they will behead you.
So what do you to defend yourself?
1. work out and stay in shape. Therefore you will easily outrun the overweight ALPA types. Also, keeping lean on body fat, chances are they won't be as likely to eat you....unless they have some really good BBQ sauce in their flight bags.
2. Stay away from the local fishing spots and golf course. Because they're usually there spending your dues while on "Union Duty"....Instead of flying or working for the pilot group.
3. Stay out of local strip clubs. That's the only place they can see a naked woman. But even strippers think ALPA guys are creepy, because their drool gets stuck in their mustaches.
4. Grow a mustache. They will just think you're another ALPA cheerleader, and pat your tooshy...it's the new ALPA secret hand shake.
I don't understand why you have to make every post so personal with attacks on the poster rather than on their argument.
Those of us who don't drink the ALPA koolaid do want to improve our lots...ALPA can't deliver that, and only an idiot would believe they can...
Then what can deliver that ALPA cannot?
Fantastic point, Joe. ALPA is part of the system which is resisting change. Until fundamental changes take place within ALPA, we can bank on more of the same.
ALPA has also created a system to change the system and those who run the system.
ALPA is all about change. They even spent your dues on mass producing Pro-Obama stickers for flight bags.
"Pilots who want change".......But it could also mean "Pilots want change...but we're really appreciate dollar bills."
ALPA did not spend dues money on the presidential campaign.
The only thing ALPA can push around are it's current members, and they do this because they know they have no power against the management, so they have to flex there muscle on someone.
Pilots know that if they start to rally against ALPA, the ALPA reps/cheerleaders will do everything in their power to make their day to day lines as miserable as possible. They will threaten them, saying that they will make sure they're blacklisted if they want to move on to another carrier. They use the jumpseat as well, because it's one of their very few leverages.
How do I know? Because I know people at USAir who told me this stuff was going on. Also, I worked for a non-ALPA carrier and during a drive to vote on ALPA, reps were telling guys to force ALPA upon the others. It went as far as pushing and shoving on the ramp, in a threat if you didn't vote on ALPA. They also threatened the people opposed with blacklisting their careers.
In the end, the actions of ALPA reps/cheerleaders are highly immature and childish.
Assuming this is true, and I have no reason to beleive its not, you are stereotyping many members of ALPA. Not all ALPA leaders are bad. You may not think they are good, etc but that does not mean that ALPA's intent and goals are bad.
Skywest has made more improvements than any other management teams...and I have seen the worst kind of managements here at ASA....ALPA was largely powerless against the bad management we had here many years ago.
I would rather work for a great management without ALPA than for a terrible management with ALPA....I would rather work for Skywest than Mesa or Trans States....You would rather work for Mesa or Trans States because of the "Holy ALPA".....Different strokes for different folks....
ALPA is powerless against bad management. This is the major misconception about ALPA. That ALPA could and should make all airlines the best and most profitable place to work at.
Would you rather work for Mesa or Trans States without ALPA. ALPA is not the problem when it comes to bad management. I wish that all ALPA groups could work for managements like SWA's or even SKW.
