2008 LCC East Alpa Letter

[Bringupthebird]

USAPA was formed not with the expectation of "winning" but to simply delay the integration process indefinitely. So far it's a rousing success. 5 years since their careers were resurrected off the scrap heap and they still work off a DOH list with a retirement boom looming and combined ops. still years away, if ever.

So why doesn't USAPA sign a side letter suspending Agency Shop provisions of both contracts so that those who don't want to pay for a union dedicated to doing nothing, don't have to?

Better yet, dump USAPA and put in men who can do the job.

 

[becket]

US Airways would be drastically better off with NO UNION than with this worthless bunch of narcissistic criminals running the show.

 

[reepicheep]

Actually without USAPA you could argue that by now they'd be paying industry standard rates so the company is probably pretty happy with the whole USAPA saga...

 

[cactusboy53]

So why doesn't USAPA sign a side letter suspending Agency Shop provisions of both contracts so that those who don't want to pay for a union dedicated to doing nothing, don't have to?

Better yet, dump USAPA and put in men who can do the job.

USAPA has the potential to change for the better. It takes a concerted effort and patience. Look for the attempts to do this. All PHX based pilots should prepare, and all CLT, PHL & DCA pilots that have figured out that USAPA is winning delay ONLY (at a tremendous personal cost) should also prepare:


http://www.reformusapa.com/

It is time to roll up the sleves and get to work.

 

[Music]

It's what happens when ideology wins over rationality. Hard line stances are tempting- but often dumb. Many things happen in life that as much as you dislike or disagree, it is best to live with and move forward- it's the serenity prayer and judgement we've cultivated our entire career. USAPA members have performed the CB equivalent of trying to make the 180 of death return to the field after losing your engine in a cessna. Sometimes it is best to accept hard realities and do your best going forward.

I'd suggest SWA and AT pilots both take note. It's very much apples to oranges, but our own character might very well be tested in the coming years in ways we may not be able to predict. Just as civility is not a sign of weakness, neither is judgement, compromise, or rational intelligence.

Very well said. This is what I've been preaching all along.

 

[Bringupthebird]

USAPA has the potential to change for the better. It takes a concerted effort and patience.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! The west side has exhibited a tremendous amount of patience and effort and as long as USAPA remains entrenched, they will continue to do what they have always done.

The west side has a history of waiting and hoping that if they try hard enough, if they unilaterally work at it, they will reap the benefits of their self-sacrifice. It has never, nor will it ever work. $2 million in bondo can't patch this rust-bucket up. $2 million can be much better spent.

A non-partisan group of pilots must work together to build a viable alternative to USAPA that east and west can support.

The Leonidas crowd has become so mezmorized with the Addington case that it fails to admit what a small effect a win would have on the real financial benefit to the pilot group. So let them wait on the court, the reformers (battered wives) wait on USAPA to come to it's senses and the rest of the pilots will pursue the replacement of USAPA with a union that can build unity and from that unity produce real quantifiable results.

I think you will find waiting for insanity to wear off to be a pretty hard sell.