Airtran Pilots Want ALPA=WHY?

[Ty Webb]

Pilots flying for Airtransvestite hate being called Valujet.

"Air Transvestite", wow! Did you think of that yourself? I'm sure my teenage son will think it's hilarious!

Airtan is still Valujet.

Yawn . . . . Valujet was over 12 years ago . . . . I get the distinct impression that you weren't even driving then.

 

[MINIME]

As some have mentioned, your union whatever it is, is only as good as the people you elect. Get informed, ask the tough questions, check backgrounds, eliminate company sympathizers, eliminate immaturity, eliminate management wannabes, and beware of the people that always stand in the way of progress. These people will most likely not want Alpa, nor will they support your current union. Nothing will stand in the way of a better contract more than these people. Not even your management.

Alpa is not some golden knight that will save your day. They will however, bring lots of resources that if utilized correctly, can and will improve your bargaining power. Alpa National cannot force you to sign on to something that your pilot group feels is inadequate. They'll apply pressure, but they cannot force you. Since you are being courted by Alpa, I would suggest getting assurances in writing if you are not sure.

Regardless, I think that the AirTran guys want a better contract and they appear to be ready to go out there and get it. They just need the leadership and resources to do it. If you elect to go with Alpa, hopefully they can piece the last part of that puzzle for you.

 

[BeCareful!]

See, you are beginning to show your ignorance! I was a member of ALPA at a major carrier. I know what ALPA is all about. ALPA is not perfect and will not solve all of our problems. ALPA has more resources to offer than our current in house union. By the way, been to one of the roadshows as I mentioned above and they have answered a lot of questions the gentleman above has been asking.

No, in fact I don't "see" anything but your ignorance, but that is the nature of Internet keyboard commando operations. I wasn't aware it was a contest, but I've been an ALPA member at three different carriers since 1995....two regional and one major. But, in your world I guess that doesn't qualify me to comment. Your loss.

AirTranny has done better on its own than ALPA could have done for it....guarantee it! Just wait 'till something you want to do conflicts with the interests of DAL Suddenly, you'll get a sinking feeling that your dues money is being spent on someone else. Until then, just look at what a fat ass Prater has.....that should also give you a clue about how much godd@mn money that guy is raking in. But look out, look carefully, because he practices saying "I feel your pain" EVERY SINGLE WAKING MORNING, so he's pretty good at keeping you under the ALPA spell. Hey, it works on Rez, and it seems to already be working on you. You are attacking well-meaning detractors here on FI.com, labeling them as ignorant, etc.

Actually, that pretty much indicates you are cut out for ALPA. Enjoy the pony ride.

 

[Eagle757shark]

No, in fact I don't "see" anything but your ignorance, but that is the nature of Internet keyboard commando operations. I wasn't aware it was a contest, but I've been an ALPA member at three different carriers since 1995....two regional and one major. But, in your world I guess that doesn't qualify me to comment. Your loss.

AirTranny has done better on its own than ALPA could have done for it....guarantee it! Just wait 'till something you want to do conflicts with the interests of DAL Suddenly, you'll get a sinking feeling that your dues money is being spent on someone else. Until then, just look at what a fat ass Prater has.....that should also give you a clue about how much godd@mn money that guy is raking in. But look out, look carefully, because he practices saying "I feel your pain" EVERY SINGLE WAKING MORNING, so he's pretty good at keeping you under the ALPA spell. Hey, it works on Rez, and it seems to already be working on you. You are attacking well-meaning detractors here on FI.com, labeling them as ignorant, etc.

Actually, that pretty much indicates you are cut out for ALPA. Enjoy the pony ride.

I question your reading comprehension! Myself and my fellow AirTran pilots were trying to tell "Scarlet" to go to the informational road shows to get his questions answered. The questions he had were addressed at the road shows and that is all I was responding to. Because you failed to comprehend that, you decided to go on some rant about how I would be sorry about an organization I've been a member of in the past. First of all, I wasn't telling this individual how to vote. I was just stating like many others in this thread, get to a road show and your questions will be answered. He may or may not like the answers, but it is better than coming on here and ranting about stuff that can easily be answered. Everyone has the right to evaluate, get informed, and make a decision. You are attempting to make this about you and why you hate ALPA. Let me tell you now, I don't care where you come from or how you feel about ALPA. A union is only as good as the participation of its members. NO UNION in recent memory made bad fuel hedges, picked a route, picked a airplane, or filed for bankruptcy. As much as you proclaim not to like ALPA, I say with confidence the pilots that went through these issues above would not of wanted to without union representation.

 

[BeCareful!]

So, you didn't say "See, you are beginning to show your ignorance!" ????

Ha! Yeah, questioning a guy's ability to read is an old ALPA trick. You'll fit right in, dude....and yeah, everything they say at the roadshows, including those precious "answers" you've been directing your friend to obtain, yeah, it's all the truth...whole grain, unbleached truthy ALPA truth.

 

[Britpilot]

So, you didn't say "See, you are beginning to show your ignorance!" ????

Ha! Yeah, questioning a guy's ability to read is an old ALPA trick. You'll fit right in, dude....and yeah, everything they say at the roadshows, including those precious "answers" you've been directing your friend to obtain, yeah, it's all the truth...whole grain, unbleached truthy ALPA truth.

Careful, watch out for the black helicopter that's following you.

The pilots of AirTran have two choices;
Vote yes to ALPA or
Vote yes to NPA.

Just have to make an informed decision without all the emotion. Simple.

 

[eaglesview]

Everyone cares what you think TY!!!

So the question was ALPA WHY, and the 3 million in the bank goes where? STILL NO ANSWER ??

Just typical Americans, believe in something but can not answer the major questions.
ASK
MESA you guys happy with ALPA
USAIR=already answered
TWA guys were you guys happy how ALPA helped you?
CAL=how is that PRATER Contract?
DAL=how Sen. work out/RJ give away?
United=HAppy with ALpA?
Pinnacle=Happy with ALPA? how long now no contract?
ASA=Happy with ALPA
COMAIR=I think we know=Happy?

It is a VALID question !!

I can answer the one concerning United...Not only no but Hell no. Worthless union isn't even sure who they represent.

 

[PCL_128]

Scarlet, you need to get to a road show. But to answer your question, the $3 million would stay in our own MEC accounts.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Air Tran will be a welcome addition to ALPA. And AT pilots will immediately benefit from all the resources of the strongest National PILOT Union in the U.S.

Benefits for ALPA? More dues coming in.

Benefits for AT? They get to join the other disillusioned ALPA pilots.

 

[Guppy Guy]

So, since everyone on here seems to have all the answers. What should we do? The NPA has proven to be ineffective and incapable of protecting the pilots at AT. We've been without a new contract for four years now and our pilots seem to have no leverage with the company and minimal job protection. We've tried to fix the NPA on numerous occasions going so far as to throw out our old leadership and put someone in who was supposed to "be tough" with management. It didn't work. So do we continue down a path that is getting us no where or do we seek a new direction? The choices are:

1) Keep the NPA and try to fix it (which doesn't seem to be working)
or
2) Find a new union that can possibly help us.(ALPA with all its' baggage)

If we vote in ALPA and they do nothing for us what have we lost? If we keep the NPA and they do nothing for us what have we gained? What's the worst thing that could happen to us if we went with ALPA and could the NPA do any better (like merger protection)?

There is no perfect solution to this problem. It comes down to NPA vs ALPA and who can do a better job for us. The NPA has shown us what they can do for us. ALPA has told us what they can do for us. We won't know for sure unless we vote them in. Their track record is spotty. They have done some great things for this industry over the years. They have also done some horrible things to this industry over the years. Remember, past results do not indicate future success, or failure.