Why Union? A union is needed for both collective and personal reasons..
Collective. Better wages and work rules. It is simply human nature to defer responsibility and look for solutions at someone else's expense. The fact is companies are built on the backs of all employees, why should the CEOs and VPs get all the cash? Employees are due their FAIR share.
Personal. Usually this applies when something has gone wrong and your tail is in a sling. Sometimes justified, but usually not. It easier for the company to fire you than admit they have a bad procedure or manger. Now, at your termination meeting who do you want looking out for your best interest? The Chief pilot? He has his own career he's trying to protect (and you have yours). If you were arrested would you have the prosecutor represent you, as well as the state? Would you count on him to look out for you? Get union.
What is a union? Since ALPA is the only one I have been in, (I'm not saying ALPA is the right or only choice for your property) I can tell you ALPA is more democratic than the USA itself. In addition, it is a volunteer organization.
>>This is the real kicker, and it is quickly forgotten! 90% of a unions' membership doesn't even know how their dues money functions. They are indifferent until they readily need the union, then they expect fellow pilot volunteers to work even harder to protect their own career and paycheck. When they don't get the service they presume to be entitled to or they don't understand how the process works, they complain that unions are worthless.
If you vote (damm, that democratic word again) union on the property, you'd better be prepared to volunteer. What happens after the union is voted in? Do you expect magicians to appear and do your work? Who is going to be your President? Vice? Grievance? Communications? Secretary/Treasurer? Hotel? Retirement and Insurance? Training? Scheduling? You? Are YOU going to do it? Maybe the guy to your right will? Somebody will, won't they? If you don't, the company will divide and conquer better than Crandall!
Read this book before your organizing drive kicks in...it is managements playbook and they will use it...Confessions of a Union Buster
One reason unions are losing favor or value is many of the work standards that have become federal law were once big union issues, like the 40h work week. It's quite possible that unions are their own demise...but when safety is involved, a union will always be needed.
ALPA was formed in 1931. (the ATA, airline managements own representation, was formed in 1936, in part to counter ALPA's political effectiveness in DC) Where is Pan Am, TWA, Eastern, Braniff, (old) National? With UAL and UASIR on the chopping block, ALPA has been around longer for a reason. (no its not ALPA's fault, keep reading...)
As much as management loves to blame labor, pilots don't run airlines. Management won't agree to strangling wages, and pilots are all too willing to take cuts to save the company. Unions are simply a system of checks and balances. Unions want the company to succeed, just not at their own, and only their own, expense. Unions don't destroy companies. Bad management does!!
Now, ALPA like any organization, has its faults. But so does the US gov't and the church, however people aren't renouncing their US citizenship or God. Once again, unions are run by the membership, which is each and every pilot (worker)...so if you are union member and you don't like what you see....
Look in the mirror!
Collective. Better wages and work rules. It is simply human nature to defer responsibility and look for solutions at someone else's expense. The fact is companies are built on the backs of all employees, why should the CEOs and VPs get all the cash? Employees are due their FAIR share.
Personal. Usually this applies when something has gone wrong and your tail is in a sling. Sometimes justified, but usually not. It easier for the company to fire you than admit they have a bad procedure or manger. Now, at your termination meeting who do you want looking out for your best interest? The Chief pilot? He has his own career he's trying to protect (and you have yours). If you were arrested would you have the prosecutor represent you, as well as the state? Would you count on him to look out for you? Get union.
What is a union? Since ALPA is the only one I have been in, (I'm not saying ALPA is the right or only choice for your property) I can tell you ALPA is more democratic than the USA itself. In addition, it is a volunteer organization.
>>This is the real kicker, and it is quickly forgotten! 90% of a unions' membership doesn't even know how their dues money functions. They are indifferent until they readily need the union, then they expect fellow pilot volunteers to work even harder to protect their own career and paycheck. When they don't get the service they presume to be entitled to or they don't understand how the process works, they complain that unions are worthless.
If you vote (damm, that democratic word again) union on the property, you'd better be prepared to volunteer. What happens after the union is voted in? Do you expect magicians to appear and do your work? Who is going to be your President? Vice? Grievance? Communications? Secretary/Treasurer? Hotel? Retirement and Insurance? Training? Scheduling? You? Are YOU going to do it? Maybe the guy to your right will? Somebody will, won't they? If you don't, the company will divide and conquer better than Crandall!
Read this book before your organizing drive kicks in...it is managements playbook and they will use it...Confessions of a Union Buster
One reason unions are losing favor or value is many of the work standards that have become federal law were once big union issues, like the 40h work week. It's quite possible that unions are their own demise...but when safety is involved, a union will always be needed.
ALPA was formed in 1931. (the ATA, airline managements own representation, was formed in 1936, in part to counter ALPA's political effectiveness in DC) Where is Pan Am, TWA, Eastern, Braniff, (old) National? With UAL and UASIR on the chopping block, ALPA has been around longer for a reason. (no its not ALPA's fault, keep reading...)
As much as management loves to blame labor, pilots don't run airlines. Management won't agree to strangling wages, and pilots are all too willing to take cuts to save the company. Unions are simply a system of checks and balances. Unions want the company to succeed, just not at their own, and only their own, expense. Unions don't destroy companies. Bad management does!!
Now, ALPA like any organization, has its faults. But so does the US gov't and the church, however people aren't renouncing their US citizenship or God. Once again, unions are run by the membership, which is each and every pilot (worker)...so if you are union member and you don't like what you see....
Look in the mirror!
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