So John, how does the rjdc spin it?
737
737 Pylt: Why bring the RJDC into this? What relevance is there?
I think your side won the RJDC conflict. There are seven different DCI Carriers in Atlanta, the ASA pilots no longer have the negotiating capital to obtain a leading contract and are beginning to learn just how ALPA's action to lock them out of Delta's scope has effected their situation. We are being replaced by non union pilots - you have won, Sir.
The RJDC will likely win their lawsuit. But for folks like me who support the cause of a more inclusive union that brings pilots together, we have lost. I'm finding other work despite the fact that I had always hoped that ASA and Comair pilots would be able to negotiate contracts which would make their current position flying Delta passengers a job worthy of a professional pilot.
The RJDC has had a positive effect. ALPA was restrained from some of their more predatory inclinations on the Delta property. We are in less of a mess than our similarly situated brothers who do business with US Air and North West. ASA's MEC has been fully funded and recieved support from ALPA National to the extent that they remained clear of conflicts with the Delta MEC.
John is not a plaintiff. He is a patriot in the custom of Ben Franklin who also wrote extensively about the causes of his time. Much of what he writes might be unpopular - but - are we not in the exact position that he said we would be in eight years ago when ALPA decided its' Merger and Fragmentation policies were only applicable to a separate, preferred, class of ALPA member?
We need one ALPA and One Level of Representation. The deep divisions in our union have grown into chasms which become more difficult to bridge with every member who has forgotten that the basic tenent of unionism is to bring people together to improve a profession.
The Delta pilots gave up their most recent scope concessions in exchange for "bargaining credits" which I believe were evaluated by ALPA at $160,000,000. These bargaining credits had a cost. The ASA pilots are paying that cost:
- There are fewer mainline Delta jobs as a result of these CRJ900's and E-Jets for ASA guys & gals to apply for.
- Some of the CRJ900's were taken straight from ASA's book of firm orders None of this flying is being performed by ASA pilots.
- ASA pilots are being replaced by non union pilots performing this flying
- Delta complains that DCI service is tarnishing the Widget while the DCI carriers beat the ever living snot out of each other trying to underbid each other for Delta's Requests for Proposals. You can have high quality, or cheap. Comair had a high quality product. They have been destroyed. Mesa on the other hand continues to grow their business with Delta as fast as they can.
You won, we lost. The Plaintiffs will probably get something for their trouble. The rest of us will try to find jobs.
In the mean while the RJDC is the only voice speaking for the necessary reforms to keep ALPA viable into this century. They still have my support and if hired at a mainline carrier, I will continue to support the idea of a union that brings together and represents
all of its members.
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