ALPA!!! Why don't you want JetBlue???!

[BeCareful!]

Jetblue is a perfect example. Bargain basement pay and benefits. JetBlue has set the low bar for health insurance, work rules, and retirement. They use some blended rate to confuse the pay issue and then they find ways to take away overtime pay.

Completely WRONG, linepilot. US Airways East, as represented by ALPA, set the bar far lower.

ALPA is a self-serving association that will fight to the death for only one purpose: to save itself. Witness the recent ousting at US Airways and the revolting, dishonest tactics they used (in vein) to stay in power after YEARS of piss-poor representation of US Airways pilots against a ruthless management.

They gave up the retirement without a VOTE! Now, it's discovered that the company lied about the state of the pension funding. Great move, ALPA.

For years there wasn't a concession ALPA didn't like....they gave and gave and gave, no matter what the membership wanted. They allowed a recall out of seniority. They allowed massive scope violations that we are just now discovering and trying to correct.

No, I wouldn't wish ALPA on my enemy, and since I have several friends at Jet Blue I can only hope they'll steer clear.

The unfortunate thing is that ALPA won't ever wake up, IMHO, because the structure won't allow for it. The bureaucracy is too developed, and once pilots who are inclined toward union work get in most of them loose sight of the actual responsibility they have. Management has learned to play ALPA like a piano, because they know how to stir up internal politics and create division. ALPA, because of its structure and its attempt to be all things to all pilots, is a deeply divided and inefective entity.

Good luck. I think cooperative independent unions are the future for airline pilots.

 

[fifinella]

How did ALPA help the TWA pilots?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

How did ALPA help the TWA pilots?

How did the TWA pilots help (or not help) themselves....


ALPA Nat'l might not have done all that it should have, (lawsuit pending) but you can't claim that college educated pilot that operate high performance jets, were mindless sheep being lead around by a cunning fox. Can you?...

Fact is, all of us don't put enough effort into policing our elected officers. We sometimes, but usually not, vote for fellow pilots to "manage" our careers.

Who cares about your career more than you?


Would you give your house and car keys to your MEC Chairman? How about your wallet and credit cards? Probably not, but for some reason we hand over full control of 10, 15, 20 years of career earnings to some guy you might not have even bothered to vote in the election for....

It seems to me that we need to keep a more watchful eye on our careers..... for if we don't then decisions are made by our MEC or National that aren't in line with our expectations....


Thoughts?

 

[Fubijaakr]

Personally, I think the reality of the situation is that ALPA recognizes that there are enough disaffected souls on the B6 seniority list that it is better, in the long run, if they have an independent union.

Down the road, there is always the possibility that the inability of an independent to provide necessary services the independent union could look to merge with ALPA as FPA did.

Just my opinion, though.

 

[stlflyguy]

How did the TWA pilots help (or not help) themselves....


ALPA Nat'l might not have done all that it should have, (lawsuit pending) but you can't claim that college educated pilot that operate high performance jets, were mindless sheep being lead around by a cunning fox. Can you?...

Fact is, all of us don't put enough effort into policing our elected officers. We sometimes, but usually not, vote for fellow pilots to "manage" our careers.

Who cares about your career more than you?


Would you give your house and car keys to your MEC Chairman? How about your wallet and credit cards? Probably not, but for some reason we hand over full control of 10, 15, 20 years of career earnings to some guy you might not have even bothered to vote in the election for....

It seems to me that we need to keep a more watchful eye on our careers..... for if we don't then decisions are made by our MEC or National that aren't in line with our expectations....


Thoughts?

I understand the thought process but I won't be able to ingest all the workings of the RLA, Bankruptcy code, protocol of the legal system, and pass the bar in the time needed to save my career from the onslaught of management.

Similar to other posts--when we have a medical issue, we call ALPA medical. When we have a safety issue we call someone at ALPA's safety department. When we need advice on the finances of a company, we ask ALPA's EF&A people. When we have a legal question we turn to ALPA's lawyers. In the same way that the public turns to us and assumes that we're qualified to fly the aircraft for them in the safest manner possible, we look to ALPA with the same trust.

When they f-ck up, they're liable. It's really pretty simple.

stlflyguy

 

[stlflyguy]

Personally, I think the reality of the situation is that ALPA recognizes that there are enough disaffected souls on the B6 seniority list that it is better, in the long run, if they have an independent union.

Down the road, there is always the possibility that the inability of an independent to provide necessary services the independent union could look to merge with ALPA as FPA did.

Just my opinion, though.

I believe your opinion is correct!

stlflyguy