Or how does a minority group of pilots who snub hard working volunteers trying to keep this job a profession help unity? When you got MIL guys and pilots with sugar mamas who just fly as a hobby job and really don't care about making a living.... how does that help with unity? Can you answer this please?
These are your accusations and your personal prejudice. I made $12,000 last year form my service in the Reserve's and a retired O-4 probabaly pulls in about $45,000 a year (even combined that with starting FO pay it comes in well belowsenior Captain pay for a guy nearing his 50's), so WTF are you talking about?
There have been tighter controls but in the 90s I've heard more than one reserve/guard guy say.. "if I don't get the days off I want I'll just tell scheduling I got to pull a guard weekend...."
USERRA regulations are the same, there are no tighter controls so WTF are you talking about? Being in the Reserves is work, it is not a day off. You want a smaller active duty force, well who do you think picks up the load from everything from air defense, SAR, and humanitarian relief, not to mention two wars, and Kososvo? If someone tells their employer they are going to drill and then they don't that is punishable under the UCMJ. So WTF are you talking about? Ever worked with ALPA and military affairs, and USERRA to protect guardsmen and reservists from hostile employer actions and prejudice like you have expressed?
Why is it when any constructive criticism of the MIL is brought up you can't accept it, but then you claim that ALPA should accept criticism... more hypocrisy on your end...
Its not constructive criticism, its you making accusations based on your personal prejudice. If you know guys in the reserve doing what you just mentioned, call their unit. If you are wrong maybe you will get a harassment complaint filed against you. If you are making the accusation it is up to you to prove it. The balls in your court.
In fact we've been waiting for days now for you to offer constructive ALPA criticism and solutions... but you failed. Take note: any constructive MIL criticism is met with accusations of being unpatriotic, socialist, ungrateful, and with invitations to leave the state. Whereas, you are being asked multiple times to constructively criticise. Please... address the following:
I never said anything of the sort. You made baseless accusations that I quoted. Everything I stated were your words, not mine. You have a problem with the military. Your criticism is not constructive, its accusatory based solely on your personal bias.
Three direct replies here:
You've stated that you think Spirit pilots should not use the strike route, not seek out support from non-Spirit pilot groups and form alliances and coalitions with other Spirit labor groups. Ok, fine... where is the coercion or influence in this game plan to get mgmnt to negotiate fairly and timely?
You said we should support Spirit if they strike. Where was the question should Spirit strike in the first place, or how far do we go to prevent a strike. Mike said his information about Spirit's financials and profits were based on LPA information, and the fact that Spirit made a profit was justification for a strike. Since Spirit is not publicly traded I wanted to know more about ALPA's methodology in determining if a strike is warranted based on financial information, what ALPA knows about Oaktree Capital, and if ALPA's demands are reasonable or too conservative. Negotiating based on last years profits, and commenting that Spirit is strong because it is purchasing new aircraft seems a bit questionable to me as a primary justification. To move forward with support for a strike I believe ALPA should demonstrate a much better grasp on the situation. Mikes reasoning did not give me the feeling he fully understood what was going on. If that is ALPA's failure or his I don't know. A strike may be the only alternative and a better understanding of Spirit's financial may mean you are asking for too little, but who knows with the level of understanding that has been exhibited here. My skepticism is only due to Spirits rep as a cut rate bargain basement airline, and that they aren't as well off as you like to think solely based on some ALPA generated data. That is just my opinion. All I have to say is "it's Spirit we are talking about" to justify my opinion and people will know what I mean. I think we need more financial data to justify the strike position. Unless we all really don't care and good riddance to another bottom feeder airline.
In addition you stated a radical cultural shift in ALPA? What exactly do you mean by this? and HOW will it get done?
We start by recognizing our failures, analyzing what went wrong and not making the same mistakes the next time. Think about the last three strikes we had. United, Comair, and Northwest. Where are those airlines today? Collapsing, Collapsing, and merged with Delta. Nothing can be learned from this? Just blame management is all we have to offer? Was collapsing, collapsing, and merged with Delta what we thought would happen? Was it our long term goal, to sacrifice for short term gain? Did we expect Delta pilots not to support Comair? Did we want 40% of domestic flying going to lower paid pilots. Why are they flying those routes in the first place if we are all ALPA. How did management pull that one off? Okay if all the airlines sucked and got what they deserved, good riddance to the bottom feeders. I think we are going to run out of bottom feeders before too long if this keeps up. What's up with scope, age 65, pensions? People sound the alarm and are shouted down.
You also stated that changing the CFR and the old and new ways. But you have yet to state that you participate in ALPA or UP PAC. Why? And if you won't do the PAC how do you expect ALPA to change CFRs?
Rez how many discussions have we had about your litmus tests? Whatever I did or didn't do you will mock me for, it's your thing to set a standard that no one meets and then admonish them for it. When have you ever said you should have done more, or done things differently. Few people make themselves out to be the great paragon of virtue that you do. Its not an insult, its just the character of your posts. I will give you my litmus test. Apologize to all ALPA members for you false accusations and mischaracterizations of military service. You can start here anonymously with a few posts in a couple of different threads. Join or create a committee at your airline to protect the rights of reservists harassed by management, and well... basically coworkers like you, and become an expert in USERRA and support the ESGR.
