First of all, a couple of us have to develop a sense of
humor. Sure, these are stressful times, but smile a little.
My jets for jobs question springs from just how little representation the thousands of so-called "regional" pilots say they have gotten for their union dollar. I speak from a background of having been a member of several unions, including a rail labor union. I explained in an earilier post about how the trade union movement had hithched their wagon to the democrat party a long time ago. During the time when unions were in their hayday, this association with the dems did indeed make a lot of sense.
As union membership continues to shrink, and the pilot unions see their lower ranks seemingly dissatisfied with the kind of representation they have received, party association becomes less important. In fact, the number of union members voting for republican candidates is growing every year. This is probably due to the many changes that are happening, both in the political parties themselves and also the nature of union members. The largest group of union members now is federal employees. Most know that they won't lose their jobs anytime soon. Most also understand, simply by looking at the other people in their offices, that the President needs to have the flexibility that he lobbied for in the homeland security dpartment. While the staunchest labor supporters may call this
anti union, that representation is no more "fair" than it is to say that those who opposed the formation of this department are
anti American.
Mentioning a president, and attempting to attach him to the demise of a carrier, whether it be Eastern or United, is an act of futility. These things happen because of a combination of ingredients, such as the free market, the union leadership, and the managment staff. To say that it must be a "family thing" smacks of the integrity of James Carville. Don't lower yourself to that level.
For Dieterly:
I'm sure some of those pilots were very happy about that deal. How do the other members of that union feel? Used? Abused? They are the ones who will be selling their union brothers the sheetrock for the new addition, right? Unions are not a panacea; not even close. The wholly owned pilots are the guys who are being treated like "girls" in the boy scouts. "Hey, thanks for your service, but you're on the street so your mismanaged company can kepp these
other pilots working. Thanks so much for that dues money, too".
Sounds like the republicans may have picked up a
bunch of new voters.
Do you really think you'd be better off as a pilot without a union? Ask the guys at Chataqua or Chicago Express what they think! Ask the guys at Southeast flying fifteen-day trips!
Lets also ask the guys at CCAir, CoEx, or Allegheny. The Southwest bunch seems pretty happy with their work. The "truth" is a changing entity, and it is sometimes slippery. Your position would have been very valid in 1975. Today, the republican party is not anti union. If I'm on the "far right", then why do I support the controllers? Why don't I think that collective bargaining is an inherently bad thing? It's a new day, and a lot of things are changing.
I don't know...maybe they're mutually exclusive. Maybe you can't have heart and brains.
Okay I was wrong about 1975. Make that 1968.
I hadn't considered that the addition of the "F/O" to my screen name might have been intended as a slam of some sort. Maybe I should have picked up on that. Being older than all of my captains is something I'm not at all uncomfortable with, and my self-image as an adult was established before I returned to aviation. If I defined myself stricly by the flying position I hold, I'd be making a mistake. I have put a lot of things on hold in order to do what I love to do. They include an offer to return to talk radio on a station that carries the Rush Lmbaugh program in the fifth largest radio market in America, a full time job voicing commercials and narrations, and writing for an aviation advocacy group.
Right now, none of that sounds like it would be more satisfying than my current job. I'm getting a fair amount of stick time, and I got a nice little bonus, along with a note from the boss, recognizing my "hard work". I had to laugh at that.
Most days, the hardest part of my job is the drive to the airport.
