AirTran Recall Results

[Lear70]

Well, after a lengthy discussion with other NPA presidential candidate hopefuls, I've decided to withdraw from consideration.

I'm fully confident that the company will restore me to flight status fairly soon, especially after my discussion with a labor firm I have engaged, so it's not that at all.

As I've said before, it's really a matter of there being candidates who are in a better position to help the pilot group. I'm sure I could do the job, and I'm certain that I could rally the pilots and get the solidarity we need moving forward, but the NPA is so drastically different in organization than an ALPA carrier that every time I think I've figured out who does what and why, I find out something ELSE that's different, and we can't afford to have someone "learning as they go" as the NPA president.

Because of that, 2 candidates jump out at me as better representational choices: Brad Dunlap, and Mike Best. I know there's a lot of feelings about both gentlemen, some have a hard time with Brad's involvement in past administrations although the truth is different than the rumors that are out there.

I believe both candidates have the experience, knowledge, and skill to lead us to a better contract and now, after the recall, as the nomination period opened yesterday at noon and runs through the 24th at noon, please make sure you nominate these candidates as well as vote when the time comes.

The nomination form can be found on the NPA website or here:

http://www.npa-atl.org/member/docs/Nomination Form-Special election for President.pdf

Your nominations are just as important as your votes, because they determine who will be on the ballot.

Thanks again for everyone's support!

 

[Ty Webb]

I think that's probably smart, Rich. This is going to be a very challenging time for the NPA going forward, and why spend your time "scaling the learning curve" when you can offer your analytical ability and knowledge of Contract 2001, TA1, TA2 . . . and of course TA3 . . . . and maybe TA4.


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[Lear70]

I think that's probably smart, Rich. This is going to be a very challenging time for the NPA going forward, and why spend your time "scaling the learning curve" when you can offer your analytical ability and knowledge of Contract 2001, TA1, TA2 . . . and of course TA3 . . . . and maybe TA4.
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NOOoooo... TA4... hush your mouth!

Seriously, just don't want to do the pilot group a disservice, that's all, and now that I know both Brad's and Mike's ideas and that they'd both work for all ranges of the seniority list, I'm happy to let them run without me.

 

[humveedriver]

Sounds like you probably just got your spot at the negotiating table. Assuming the TA does not pass. Good luck to all.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Lear must be at the neg. table!!!!

 

[ngsp]

sorry, lear. i will have to respectively disagree. brad has too much history in past NPA leadership positions and mike creates an atmosphere of hostility towards management. i do not believe the company will deal with mike or brad. here is my dream team. schroll and sabby elected. they replace the nego. committee. let the NC do their job while brad, mike and yourself sit in the background and do what you do best. analyze the document for loop holes. this way the three that truly can pick a TA apart can take an objective look at the proceedings as they progress and the company will have no excuse of not talking to the NC due to the fact that mike, brad, and yourself or in the room. i think this is the best of all worlds. new leadership, new NC, and mike, brad, and rich giving the pilot group their opinion while not making the negotitating environment worse than it already is.

 

[PCL_128]

schroll and sabby elected.

I don't know enough about Sabby, but Schroll's ideas about not working full-time as President, cutting dues and the budget, and shrinking the NPA structure are just plain scary. I'm not sure who I'll be voting for yet, but it won't be Schroll.

 

[ATLDRVR]

Please do not vote for DS. Talk to anyone who has flown with DS and I think most of them will agree that he is not a good choice.

 

[snuba]

Why do we have to accommodate the company. Kolski is still there.

 

[Lear70]

sorry, lear. i will have to respectively disagree. brad has too much history in past NPA leadership positions and mike creates an atmosphere of hostility towards management.

Hey, I don't have all the answers, disagreeing and debating are what bring people to common viewpoints,,,

I've heard the history and I know a lot of people don't like Brad because of it, but think about what you're saying. We should put someone in the NPA (pres, vp, or NC) who management likes?

Our T.A. we are voting on is a direct result of doing just that... getting rid of people the company didn't want to talk to and leaving the people in who the company DID want to talk to and look what we got.

Just a thought.

i do not believe the company will deal with mike or brad.

That's not their decision to make, that's ours, and they WILL deal with whoever the NPA puts out there. To put someone in who is going to be afraid to rub them the wrong way sometimes will just hurt us that much more.

here is my dream team. schroll and sabby elected.

I have to disagree with you there. I've talked to every single candidate who's talked about running, and Schroll has ideas about the NPA structure and how he can run the NPA from the road that just WON'T work.

There's NO way the NPA president can fly the line AND deal with negotiations, AND deal with contract violations, AND deal with grievances, AND deal with disciplinary actions, etc, etc, all at the same time. Schroll's idea just won't work and it would be a mistake to try that would likely cost us a lot of time, money, and effort.

On the upside, we DO have a lot of experience to draw on, and I've talked to several pilots who have negotiated at other companies, but I don't think those guys will get involved with Schroll/Sabby running it.