Pinnacle MEC Chairman Recall

[Mel Sharples]

Frankly, it shouldn't even be encouraged at all. When you elect someone to run your union, that should be their primary job. Flying airplanes and taking checkrides is nothing more than a distraction from their primary job of representing your interests.

I beg to differ with that statement.

I agree that being an MEC chairman (or should I say a "good MEC chairman") is more than a full time job. Those guys work a ton during the day and more often than not take calls and emails at home during the night. I also agree that during negotiations, mergers, etc. that the job is even busier.

However, that being said, I think one of the problems that can affect MEC chairmen and company managers and instructors et. al. is that they are "so busy" doing the Lord's work that they don't have time to stay current and fly the line once in a while. No one says you have to be out there every week or even every month for that matter. But it is not too much to ask to stay current. That's something every professional pilot should strive for.

The biggest reason for that is because once you stop staying current and flying even occasionally, you run the risk of losing touch with your pilots (the group you serve). That is why so many managers are out of touch. When's the last time they did a 4-day trip with overheated planes, reduced rest, no lunch breaks, etc.? When is the last time they had to take a PC or go to recurrent ground school? Makes you a lot more humble when even once in a while you have to do what all the others have to do. Plus it doesn't hurt to be seen in the crewroom and engage pilots where they work.

FWIW, I don't work for Pinnacle so I don't have a dog in this fight. But I do not agree for a second that just because someone is uber-busy with union work that they have no need to stay current.

I think the crew out in Herndon should take that message to heart as well.

 

[PCL_128]

Have you ever served in that sort of position?

 

[Mel Sharples]

Have you ever served in that sort of position?

Seriously? That's all you've got?

"Don't hate on Lindsay Lohan unless you've been Lindsay Lohan."

Look, I've had many roles with ALPA including committee chair and LEC rep (some of which was during contract negotiations and bankruptcy). I've known our MEC reps very well including the chairmen.

Please re-read my post. Did I say it is an easy job and I think they are slacking? Nope.

What I said was it's not too much to ask to stay current. (Do you want an FAR reference for what that means?) Going to recurrent ground school once a year, taking a PC and recurrent sim training twice a year, getting a line check once a year, and flying once every 90 days really isn't that much to ask. I never said it should be mandatory. I think the Pinnacle resolution was dumb.

The whole point is that if you stop living like a pilot it can be a little tough to appreciate what they are going through. Just because you did it years ago doesn't mean it is even close to that now. Ever taken a sim check with an instructor who hasn't flown the line in forever? That's a treat.

Oh... and since you have to have done the job to make a comment, I guess that goes for you too. You better not ever criticize George Bush as you've never been President of the U.S. And Sarah Palin is off limits too since you've never been the Governor of Alaska (or even the mayor of Wasilla). Don't ever comment about B-717 captains since you aren't one. Unless you've DONE THE JOB you have no idea what it's like. Is that fair?

I fully support ALPA but it's lines like "Have you ever served in that sort of position?" that just kill me. I guess I can't have an opinion if I haven't done the job, so from now on I'm never going to question anything my union leadership does.

I'm going to get some new bag stickers printed up that say "My MEC speaks for me... But I best not question what they do since I've never done the job!"

 

[ChickenSled]

FWIW, I don't work for Pinnacle so I don't have a dog in this fight.

Oh, but you do. And soon you and your buddy SEVEN will be subject to the whims of the NMFC. And that dog CAN fight.

 

[PCL_128]

What I said was it's not too much to ask to stay current.

In my opinion, that's not something that you can judge unless you've done it. You obviously feel differently, but at least you agree that the mandatory currency resolution was a bad idea.

Ever taken a sim check with an instructor who hasn't flown the line in forever?

Not analogous. The entire job of a sim instructor or checkairman is to train and evaluate line pilots. The job of an MEC Chairman is to manage a union, not to fly airplanes. The status reps are there to represent the line pilots, and they are always current. They bring the direction to the MEC Chairman, and it's his job to carry it out and run the union, a job that has nothing to do with flying airplanes.

 

[CFIT]

The MEC Chairman, and it's his job to carry it out and run the union, a job that has nothing to do with flying airplanes.

Which is exactly why ALPO has no business trying to represent the regionals against the legacy, conflict of interest.

They lose sight of their pilots and follow ALPO directions...

With emphasis to collect dues.........................

 

[XJohXJ]

Not very many have it mandatory. Most of them encourage it, but that usually falls by the wayside when lots of work is going on, like during contract negotiations, bankruptcies, mergers, etc. Frankly, it shouldn't even be encouraged at all. When you elect someone to run your union, that should be their primary job. Flying airplanes and taking checkrides is nothing more than a distraction from their primary job of representing your interests.

Well said. The primary job of the chairman is to be the chairman. It's great if he or she can also find the time to fly as much as possible. However, a resolution to make it mandatory, during possibly the most intense and demanding environment a chairman could ever find himself in, is certainly a personal attack on that chairman, and serves to punish the entire pilot group when their chairman's effectiveness is reduced.

 

[Smarta$$]

Well said. The primary job of the chairman is to be the chairman. It's great if he or she can also find the time to fly as much as possible. However, a resolution to make it mandatory, during possibly the most intense and demanding environment a chairman could ever find himself in, is certainly a personal attack on that chairman, and serves to punish the entire pilot group when their chairman's effectiveness is reduced.

Bingo Bingo Bingo!!!!!!

Nothing else to say on this topic. Spare us the stupid argument.

 

[Flyprdu]

If anything, it was a wake-up call to SE to engage more with the membership on the homefront, and worry less about his meetings in Herndon and his reputation with other MECs.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Have you ever served in that sort of position?

I've been on full time ALPA leave during negotiations and still managed to fly about 15-20 hours a month...It's good for you to fly..unless you are scared of flying.....This is one of ALPA's problems and you can't even see it...