ALPA National Compensation and Expense Allowance

[AA717driver]

We have to realize that Tony C and many of us are looking at this from different viewpoints. His experience and mine are vastly different.TC

 

[TonyC]

Tony, you are correct, I'm stirring the pot, actually trying to provoke discussion. I must admit that I was suprised at the package, especially the extras and the pension. I agree that it takes good money to get good people to apply, but are we getting our moneys worth. Remember he is the guy that said no way to guns in the cockpit. He also led the fight against the change of the age 60 rule in Congress. If that had changed then we would have avoided some of the pension funding crises we now have. I think you will see a change in the ALPA position on the issue, but it will be too late to help stop the termination of the UAL pensions, far too late for USAIR, and may come in time to help DAL. Interesting times we live in.

BTW I'm trying to be quiet. This is post #100 for me. Since you have 1500+, and you joined later than me I know I can never keep up with you.

You've done a lot less pot-stirrin' over here than on AOL. While you reminded me of you, I never made the connection until I saw identical posts.


Anyway... I respect your experience, but you know I don't always agree with you. I disagreed with Woerth's position on guns in the cockpit. I agreed with his position on Age 60. I'm not bothered by the fact that I don't always agree with him, just as I'm not bothered by the fact that I don't always agree with the President of the U.S. If the man in either office agreed with MY opinions 100% of the time, we'd all need to be scared!


Did you attend the last rally where Woerth spoke? If you didn't, I recommend you hook up to the ALPA website and watch the video. He had some interesting things to say about pension funding.


As for the post count... it's a good thing they don't count on AOL !

 

[surplus1]

I'm glad the guy makes a bunch of money. I hope it entices good people to apply for the job and serve.

That sounds very much like the logic used by management at places like AA and DAL, yet their actions to "attract and keep" good people were met with an uproar of indignation. Do we have a double standard; again?

The compensation packages we have for "National Officers" are there because thy see themselves as "executives", not simply pilots and by the way that's exactly how they behave. Apparently we pilots agree with them.

I don't really begrudge them their compensation but when the President of ALPA has a salary that is higher than the President of the United States it is bound to raise some questions about where his true interest really lies.

It's also kind of interesting that right after he agreed to relinquish just about everything the U pilots had, the MEC Chairman managed to get himself a "national office" that virtually guarantees he will not have to share their pain.

I'm somewhat surprised that we haven't provided our Prez with an executive jet and a flight crew or at the very least a hefty block of time at a fractional. After all there's no telling where he might have to be at a moments notice and all those security procedures at the airport are getting to be a real pain. Oh well, at least he doesn't have to fly "coach" or ride in a jumpseat.

 

[TonyC]

That sounds very much like the logic used by management at places like AA and DAL, yet their actions to "attract and keep" good people were met with an uproar of indignation. Do we have a double standard; again?

As long as management is doing their job, it's excellent logic. The uproar you have heard lately arises when managment does a lousy job, gets paid for a good job, then cuts and runs with even more free money. "Double standard" in this case is a "red herring." I can't speak to all companies, but I can speak to my own. I'm glad Fred Smith gets paid mucho bucks. I'm glad he's made this company the success that it continues to be every day.

The compensation packages we have for "National Officers" are there because thy see themselves as "executives", not simply pilots and by the way that's exactly how they behave. Apparently we pilots agree with them.

We need leadership, we need a president that acts like an executive (last time I looked, the definitions were quite compatible). Again, I'm not unhappy that he sees himself as an executuve - - I'm quite pleased. Why does that bother you?

I don't really begrudge them their compensation but when the President of ALPA has a salary that is higher than the President of the United States it is bound to raise some questions about where his true interest really lies.

What question does it raise? Maybe we need to pay the President of the United States more? Or does his portion of that fractional unit based at Andrews AFB count?

I'm somewhat surprised that we haven't provided our Prez with an executive jet and a flight crew or at the very least a hefty block of time at a fractional. After all there's no telling where he might have to be at a moments notice and all those security procedures at the airport are getting to be a real pain. Oh well, at least he doesn't have to fly "coach" or ride in a jumpseat.

That's a great idea - - I think I'll propose it at my next LEC meeting.