Comair Firing

[WayBack]

Did you guys vote to approve this assessment?

I saw in the latest FastRead that the MEC Chairman has been replaced with a new guy. Was that related to this situation?

You read at a 1st grade level? Your reading and comprehension must suck if you didnt see the answer to your question on the first page. There are only 2-3 post about it.
Maybe you can get some money back from GIA and go buy Hooked on Phonics.

 

[Flyer1015]

Come on, give 'em a break! They lost huge income from US Airways, and now need to do everything they can to bring in new $$$$$. How else are the head honchos suppose to buy a new Mercedes Benz S Class every two years?!

 

[Browntothebone]

Your union is doing the same to you as your airline is doing to us paying passengers, assigning arbitrary BS fees.

 

[CopilotDoug]

With a money back guarantee, why would you not want to be ready to protect your job and seniority should there be a merger? Would you be the same pilot that would be whining when the merger happens and you don't have adequate protection because you did not have a fund setup to pay legal fees to protect your job? Pay the money--it's cheap insurance!

I'll take it that you're being sarcastic.

"Money Back Guarantee"? TriStar pointed out the vagueness of that statement "When it's obvious there will be no merger?" No deadlines or anything.

Just like cheap insurance, the pilots who have paid may never be able to collect on their claim.

 

[PCL_128]

Come on, give 'em a break! They lost huge income from US Airways, and now need to do everything they can to bring in new $$$$$. How else are the head honchos suppose to buy a new Mercedes Benz S Class every two years?!

Merger assessments don't go to National. They stay in a local account at the MEC level that can only be used for merger issues.

 

[PA44Jockey]

It's kind of interesting how the airlines have yet to blame the bad economy for their current situations. Being that the airlines were hurting far ahead of most of businesses and industries I think they will be one of the last industries to recover from all of this. Each time you see a company on the news get rid of jobs, there are that many people that can't afford to buy a plane ticket. There is also that many fewer business travelers in the system. I think anyone that believes there might be recalls soon is living a pipe dream and in reality I think we will only see more cuts.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

Thats umm....bogus!

 

[DX Rick]

Merger assessments don't go to National. They stay in a local account at the MEC level that can only be used for merger issues.

BS. The letter I got was from National.

 

[comrcap]

The money stays local, but enforcement of ALPA bylaws are national.

 

[rumrunnr03]

Assessment

Dang, I can't believe they actually imposed an assessment without a vote. That takes some balls. You guys need to pressure your new MEC Chair to get a change to the MEC policy manual to require membership ratification of assessments.

No need to change anything. Article IX Section 7c of the CB&L Says it all:

C. Assessments may be levied on the members in the employ of any airline by the respective
Master Executive Council to cover extraordinary expenses for any strike or other benefit purposes,
and for any other lawful trade union purpose, by a majority vote by secret ballot of the members of
such Master Executive Council, or by a majority vote of the valid ballots returned of the membership
of such airline voting in a membership referendum conducted by secret ballot under Association
Voting Procedures.

They had a choice, and they chose not to put it to a vote because they were afraid the pilots would shoot it down with the lack of information they were, and still are presenting.

 

[PCL_128]

No need to change anything. Article IX Section 7c of the CB&L Says it all:

C. Assessments may be levied on the members in the employ of any airline by the respective
Master Executive Council to cover extraordinary expenses for any strike or other benefit purposes,
and for any other lawful trade union purpose, by a majority vote by secret ballot of the members of
such Master Executive Council, or by a majority vote of the valid ballots returned of the membership
of such airline voting in a membership referendum conducted by secret ballot under Association
Voting Procedures.

They had a choice, and they chose not to put it to a vote because they were afraid the pilots would shoot it down with the lack of information they were, and still are presenting.

Which is exactly why you need to change your MEC policy manual to require your MEC to send this sort of thing to a vote. Don't give them a choice next time.

 

[wmuflyguy]

No need to change anything. Article IX Section 7c of the CB&L Says it all:

C. Assessments may be levied on the members in the employ of any airline by the respective
Master Executive Council to cover extraordinary expenses for any strike or other benefit purposes,
and for any other lawful trade union purpose, by a majority vote by secret ballot of the members of
such Master Executive Council, or by a majority vote of the valid ballots returned of the membership
of such airline voting in a membership referendum conducted by secret ballot under Association
Voting Procedures.

They had a choice, and they chose not to put it to a vote because they were afraid the pilots would shoot it down with the lack of information they were, and still are presenting.

Well they need to change it to they must put it to a vote. Unfortunately, they didn't do anything wrong according to the quoted by-law.

The merger assessment fee was a silly idea and if our MEC pursues a merger of seniority lists (as is hinted by a couple union people I have flown with) it isn't going to turn out good for us.

 

[CFIT]

ALPA, what a f * cking joke!

Taking in millions of dues money to give to few is simply criminal!

 

[DX Rick]

This whole thing is very fishy.
About one month before this fee was jammed down the pilot groups throat, rumors started floating around about a credit card bill. A credit card bill that was run up by our previous MEC Chair, in the 6 figure range and that the Union wasn't going to pay it. In this rumor, Union reps were heard saying that the pilot group will pay it off in a way to say "Thank You" to his hard work.

Next thing we know, we're being told that we have no choice in paying this $20/mo "Merger Assesment Fee" that National has recommended we do. In the end, the total ammount they want to collect in this fee is VERY close to the ammount of this credit card bill our former MEC Chair rang up.
According to a letter our MEC sent our, National urges the CMR pilot group to pay into this fee to protect themselves in the event of a merger. But why isn't National telling any other pilot group to start paying Merger Assesment Fee's? Is it because National only cares about the Comair pilot group? or is it because National isn't paying off a credit card bill ran up by our former chairman? You be the judge.
I just know when in the hotel vans, other crews ask about the fee, followed up with "That's the biggest joke!" .....yes, yes it is.

Last I heard, 44% of the pilot group is in bad standing because they haven't paid at all or some of the bill. that speaks volumes of what the pilot group thinks of our MEC.
I recently flew with a rep and he told me that they're considering raising the fee to make up for the guys who haven't been paying in. I guess they don't realize that even less people will pay now.

 

[CEO silly sap]

You comair pilots are afraid to act, it has nothing to do with ALPA or your MEC. It has everything to do with lack of effort on your part. Case in point, this post was started by a friend of someone who is getting a letter, not the actual person.

 

[flyboyike]

You comair pilots are afraid to act, it has nothing to do with ALPA or your MEC. It has everything to do with lack of effort on your part. Case in point, this post was started by a friend of someone who is getting a letter, not the actual person.

Are you suggesting Comair pilots should round up the MEC in a dark alley somewhere and beat them to a pulp?

 

[CopilotDoug]

Are you suggesting Comair pilots should round up the MEC in a dark alley somewhere and beat them to a pulp?

Sounds like a good start!

Case in point, this post was started by a friend of someone who is getting a letter, not the actual person.

CEO...not everybody is a member of the prestigious FI.com club

 

[JoeMerchant]

The fact that we have to pay for our own outside legal counsel to defend our interests when we merge with our "brothers".....speaks volumes as to what a scam this so-called "union" is....

Find out how many CMR pilots are in "bad standing" and organize together....It will be entertaining watching ALPA try to fire hundreds of their own members....They won't want the bad press and I bet something will be done....

 

[damnflyboy]

Good luck guys. I don't wish that on anyone.

 

[Hovernut]

The fact that we have to pay for our own outside legal counsel to defend our interests when we merge with our "brothers".....speaks volumes as to what a scam this so-called "union" is....

You've got that right, Joe. I've been paying up, but thinking WTF along those lines!!

Owned by the same overseer....in the same union...WTF is the problem, over?