Citationair offers return to all furloughed pilots

[Fresh Air]

Wacoflyer,
It's impossible to say exactly how things will be handled by the union leadership at CS if they in fact do vote to organize, since that hasn't happened yet. I can tell you how things were handled at FO, and one might make an assumption that they could be handled similarly, since they would be joining the same local (1108).

The only list ever published by our leadership is the list of Members in Good Standing, and it was published nearly a year after our contract was ratified. It is updated periodically as more of our pilots achieve that status. Having such a list is normal for any local in any union in any career field.

The major point of controversy is over how the description Member in Good Standing came to be defined. It was defined by a majority vote of the 1108 membership to comprise those members whose dues have been paid in full from a specific date (I don't remember the exact date, but I believe it was sometime in late 2006, I'm sure someone can nail that down for me).

The vote to establish the dues requirement for MIGS status was taken several months after the FO pilots voted to organize, and there lies the controversy. Many pilots voted to organize with the expectation that they would not be asked to pay dues until after a CBA was ratified. And legally there is no requirement for them to do so. So when our local started asking for dues money shortly thereafter, many of our pilots felt that a "bait and switch" had been pulled on them, and rightfully so.

Although I am a MIGS, my personal view is that the early dues requirement was a mistake. It created a lot of hard feelings between many pilots at a time when solidarity was badly needed and gave the anti-union crowd a great source of ammunition.

I hope the CS pilots will read this and avoid getting into the same situation. If you vote to organize, understand that you WILL be expected to pay dues before your CBA is ratified, even though you are not legally required. Educate yourselves, ask questions from your leadership, and stand behind your vote.

 

[Sparse]

Well if you disagree with what the majority of the other folks voting want, then you have some choices to make. What you decide to do is up to you. That's the great thing about being able to vote, the majority get what they want. You don't have to like what the majority want, but you will have to live with it. (Or leave...your choice)

You appear to be the very kind of person that turns people off to unions. If I vote no and we get one anyway I am still a pilot at CA and will continue to do my job in a professional manner. I was a union member for nearly thirty years, being in one again is not going to affect my performance nor the way I relate with others. On the other hand, based on your statements, it appears if a union doesn't get voted in, you will be angry and hard to work with. I can disagree with the majority and still like them, respect them, and work well with them. I will not Have
to live with anything, I will just continue to do my job. I think you will have a harder time with it if we don't have a union than I will if we do. I would rather not have a union but really I don't care.

 

[rigger]

You appear to be the very kind of person that turns people off to unions. If I vote no and we get one anyway I am still a pilot at CA and will continue to do my job in a professional manner. I was a union member for nearly thirty years, being in one again is not going to affect my performance nor the way I relate with others. On the other hand, based on your statements, it appears if a union doesn't get voted in, you will be angry and hard to work with. I can disagree with the majority and still like them, respect them, and work well with them. I will not Have
to live with anything, I will just continue to do my job. I think you will have a harder time with it if we don't have a union than I will if we do. I would rather not have a union but really I don't care.

Liberal attitude vs a conservitive attitude.....pretty telling