Colgan votes in ALPA!

[SplitBar]

You still don't get it do you...

I get that there is a lot of thriftless spending within ALPA. I guess you are ok with that. I'm not !

 

[Kaman]

Here's the reason why ALPA or any other pilot CBA is having a hard time. The NMB WILL NOT release any airline unions to strike. This puts all the leverage (and unfairly so) on the side of management. Corrupt politicians and unethical management are in bed with the rest of the "beltway gang".
I am hopeful that the new administration will appoint a more strike friendly NMB to thjeir respective posts. As much as I cannot stand Obama perhaps he will be good for us on this one issue.
Colgan pilots deserve a CBA, because managment will continue to pour cool aid, change work rules to suit themselves. And, I want the ALPA national resources in my corner should I ever need them.

 

[CFI2766]

Congrats folks.

As trying as the regional life is, I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be without at least a voice.

 

[V1cutsrfun]

A good thing happened today.... A chain is only as strong as its weakest link... So lets choose our MEC wisely....

V1

 

[V1cutsrfun]

A good thing happened today.... A chain is only as strong as its weakest link... So lets choose our MEC wisely.

 

[PCL_128]

You have PFT_128 on here, the biggest ALPO cheerleader on FI. He chose to leave an ALPO carrier for a NON-ALPO carrier. That should tell you how much he really loves and believes in ALPA...HE LEFT!!

Left? Hardly. I'm one of the many AirTran pilots that are currently working to bring ALPA to AirTran. That tells you how much I believe in ALPA.

 

[XJohXJ]

Congrats Colgan!

 

[Flyprdu]

You guys did a great thing today. Now we're all in it together against the knuckleheads on Nonconnah. Looking forward to getting things done with SLI.

End the whipsaw.

 

[TurboAWD]

Yes the BOD met in Vegas this year (pretty cheep place to have a large meeting like that, BTW).

So you are upset that the BOD has a meeting every other year to do the business of the Association? And they get some food on your dime? For volunteering all year long and having cell phone calls 24/7?

I tell you what, I wouldn't do the work of a rep for a free "vacation" every other year.

Turbo

 

[WayBack]

End the whipsaw.

Are you kidding?
Management has been whipsawing ALPO carriers, and ALPO has done nothing but sit back and watch it happen.
Freedom
GoJets
ALPO really stopped them!

 

[PCL_128]

You seem to have an obsession with pet food. I don't know what it did to harm you, but perhaps you should seek professional help. Good luck with that.

 

[Godfather]

Congrats guys! Been a long time coming!

 

[Nevets]

Join the club. Misery Loves Company.
You have PFT_128 on here, the biggest ALPO cheerleader on FI. He chose to leave an ALPO carrier for a NON-ALPO carrier. That should tell you how much he really loves and believes in ALPA...HE LEFT!!

I give it one year before Colgan guys come on here complaining about "What are our dues actually doing for us! I still have the same sh*t pay. Still fly 29.9 hours every week. Still getting junior assigned. I grieve it, but nothing happens!"
Just remember. ALPO only does what the company will allow them to. I have flown for an ALPO carrier and they have NO POWER when it comes to confronting management.
Good luck. You're still going to be the football, while the monkey has it's way with you.....on top of your 2% paycut you just voted in. You think ALPO is really going to fight for a pay raise anytime soon for you prop guys, while the majority of the other regionals are furloughing and taking paycuts? Get Real, suckers.

Colgan pilots gave their management a year since the last union drive and many things got worse. So what is your alternative? Just putting their current work rules in a contract is a vast improvement from the ability of management to change them at whim. Of course negotiating a contract or anything else is a two way street. Some managements are most hostile than others. More the reason to have a union but with a new administration ALPA will have more leverage available to use in its negotiations that they haven't had for ten years.

By the way, ALPA dues are 1.95% which are tax deductable. So your effective dues rate may in fact be lower by the same percentage of your tax bracket. Also, probationary members pay zero dues. ALPA is the rank and file. If you want raises, YOU need to fight for them, not some misconstrued dillusion of "ALPA National." No one other than the MEC dictates what you fight for regardless of who is furloughing and taking paycuts.

I've never worked for Colgan, but all airline management is crap. I've heard the stories of Colgan, and it sounds worse than some others.
Now you have to watch your azz from both sides. From ALPO and Management.

The thing with ALPA is that if you don't like the job your MEC is doing, you just vote them out of office. Not something so easily done with management.

No, we get it. Some of us are sick of seeing what happened with our dues.
We still get the brown end of the stick, while the top tier of ALPA gets all the perks.
Neat little "conventions" in Canada for a fishing trip.
Or how about a week of skiing in the Alps?
Just recently they went to Vegas. Wow, sounds like they get a lot of nice vacations, on our dollar while nothing is solved.
We're still getting bent over by management and the FAA. While ALPO management thrives.
ALPA is nothing but a bandaid on a 3rd degree burn victim.

What you don't get is that as a member of ALPA, its YOUR association. If you are "sick of the brown end of the stick, perks, fishing trips, Vegas, Alps" then put forth a resolution at your next local council or master executive council meeting with your alternatives. Or better yet, start a recall drive and run for a rep position yourself. You are ALPA management and therefore you only have ourselves to blame for "a bandaid on a 3rd degree burn."

You have no place to complain to other than to yourself, especially if you haven't gotten involved and remained engaged in your attempts to make it better.

Are you kidding?
Management has been whipsawing ALPO carriers, and ALPO has done nothing but sit back and watch it happen.
Freedom
GoJets
ALPO really stopped them!

Mesa pilots paid the price for reigning in their management's exploit of an alter ego airline. GoJet is now teamsters and so TSA is having to deal with that now. But if you were engaged into what ALPA is doing about this problem rather than just complaining about it, you would know of the work that the Fee For Departure Task Force is doing to fix this once and for all. You should look into it since this seems to be something you are concerned about, rightfully so.

 

[Fred Rogers]

As for me I am VERY excited about the election today. The real work begins NOW! We now have a registration drive and after that need to vote reps in.

We need to find smart people who will represent OUR interests and then hold them to it.

THEN we need to understand our contract and abide by it.

Change doesn't come easy and we will only get out of it what we put into it.


The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision."
~Robyn Davidson

 

[Nevets]

A little late but I feel its still relevant read.
Letter of Support from Capt. Bill Dressler, XJT MEC
Letter of Support from Capt. Jay Pierce, CAL MEC - December 1

Colgan Air Pilots Vote to Join ALPA

NMB Election Results Show Overwhelming Support for Union
WASHINGTON – The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), welcomes today’s announcement by the National Mediation Board (NMB) that the pilots of Colgan Air, Inc., have selected the union as their collective bargaining representative. According to the NMB, 313 of 449 eligible voters cast a ballot in support of representation, well above the threshold required for certification. Prior to the election, the Colgan pilots were unrepresented.

“We are pleased that the pilots of Colgan Air have elected to join the 53,000 members of ALPA and secure the benefits of representation by a powerful international union,” said Capt. John Prater, president of ALPA. “We look forward to working with them to improve their careers and to the Colgan pilots’ active participation in the Association’s ongoing work to enhance the professional futures of all ALPA pilots.”

Capt. Mark Segaloff, one of the leaders of the Colgan Air Pilots ALPA Organizing Committee, added, “We thank all of our pilots who took the time to find out more about ALPA and to cast their vote in the election. Thanks as well to the many ALPA pilot volunteers who gave their efforts to the campaign. It is now our duty as Colgan pilots to take the unity we have built, along with ALPA’s vast resources, and transfer that into negotiating a contract that we deserve.”
http://www.alpa.org/DesktopModules/...iew.aspx?itemid=17335&ModuleId=12567&Tabid=73