IBT 1108 Attempts to take NJASAP funds

[dime line]

July 11, 2008

On Tuesday July 8, 2008 Capt. A.J. M and I, under the auspices of the General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Jim Hoffa, and in the company of the General Presidents personal representative B M, entered two banks in Columbus OH, in order to take possession of IBT Local 1108 funds. These actions were undertaken as part of the Net Jets pilot’s separation from the IBT Local 1108. If anyone has questions about our actions, please contact General President Hoffa’s office in Washington D.C., or myself at (***)***-****

Capt. M S, President
Executive Board
IBT Local Union 1108


All I can say is thank you Net Jets Pilots, without your guidance and support the FLOPS (and Industry) would not be where it is today.

But I, (and most posting on this board) don't know the language of the 1108 split, But I for don't suspect for one minute that Ma Slin and Er Ma are trying to "steal" anything. These guys are so straight its not funny.

 

[netjetwife]

....Too many Option pilots in the past sat back and waited for you guys to do all the work for us, and now we either make it or we don't and can't blame anyone but ourselves for the outcome. That's what I meant. NJA pilots learned that lesson the hard way when they were apathetic and waited on 284 to get them a fair deal. Both groups have had their share of growing pains.

I just have to say I don't like my friends and trusted leaders accused of being thieves on this anonymous public board. The news was hard for me to hear, too... I know both the gentlemen referred to and both have diligently and with great personal sacrifice, looked out for the best interests of the Flight Options pilots. I wouldn't be surprised if the IBT guy started it all and the two Options pilots and the 1108 book-keeper made the tragic mistake of following his lead. I think the NJ pilots did the right thing for themselves by departing the IBT, but it's not the right thing for us. I agree that the Options pilots are in a different situation that requires the backing of a national organization at this time, but you would be well within your rights to make your displeasure known. Was the separation agreement violated? Yes. That's not for me to say since I don't have all that info but calling for my friends and trusted leadership to be recalled on this public board is not the way our pilot family should go about fixing this issue. The suggestion was made with your group's best interest at heart, but depending on what happens they may have no choice but to step down in the end so it seems to me that passing the torch to someone not involved in the mess would ensure the focus stays on the contract negotiations where it belongs. This thread should never have been started and by doing so it not only attempts to undermine the credibility of our elected leaders (only those two) it calls into question the motivation of the starter of this thread. Perhaps his is the same as mine? I want to encourage the Options pilots to stay well informed of your leadership's actions while they are negotiating on your behalf. As you have noted, you must all move together as a group to make the most progress; you can't rely on just a few people to take you where you need to go. I think both pilot groups have many roads to walk down together still (Such cooperation would benefit the frac industry, I think. At the very least, we can continue to offer moral support to one another on an individual basis.) and this would have been better handled in a quieter way. Perhaps, but not without the risk of some claiming there's a cover-up and/or that the conduct was condoned by the Options pilotgroup. Then your credibility as a group is damaged, instead of just the two involved facing the music for their own personal decisions.
I know Flight Options management reads this board and I just want to tell them Capt S. and Capt M. and all our elected leadership and negotiating team have my full and unwavering support. There are many reasons that a leader may find it necessary to step down so it seems prudent to place your primary focus on the group's cause rather than those carrying the banner. I just hope this rift gets fixed quickly and in a mutually satisfying way and we can get back to the business we are supposed to be doing. Working hard for good jobs with good pay for fractional pilots. Hear! Hear!

I agree that both pilotgroups should press on. Both are at a critical turning point (albeit of different kinds) and need to remain focused on their goals. I look forward to sharing more positive discussions with the Options pilots in the future. Hang in there! NJW

 

[CA1900]

However, any monies placed into the IBT 1108 accounts, no matter who that money may have come from, LEGALLY belongs to the Members of the IBT 1108.

Correct. Along with the office equipment, furnishings, etc. It belongs to 1108.

If you leave the IBT 1108, you don't get to bring your Toys (Money) with you, to pay the bills of your new organization, unless the Members of the IBT 1108 say you can.

Ah, but there's the rub -- we had an agreement regarding those funds, in writing, with the IBT. The May dues would be split equally after expenditures. The June dues would be a loan to NJASAP (repaid over 12 months), and the July dues from NetJets pilots would belong to NJASAP.

That was the agreement, in writing. Your cohorts, with the assistance of Hoffa's henchman and our former bookkeper, stole the July dues remittance check issued by NetJets, and put it into accounts to be used for FlightOptions. Harsh words? You bet. But there's no polite explanation for what they did. They reneged on the agreement they signed with us, and fraudulently attempted to turn our money into cashier's checks.

I'm not happy that this had to come out in public, but I think it's important that your pilots hear the story, so you can start asking questions and hold your leadership accountable for this action.

I'm truly sorry if there have been feelings hurt by the RESPONSIBLE actions of MY President and MY Treasurer as a remaining member of the IBT 1108...

Responsible? Are you kidding? Your leaders committed a crime here, nevermind breaking the contract with NJASAP.

...International Brotherhood of Teamsters National Presidents' Office. They provided SOUND legal council, without the clouding of emotion, to make sure those still in the IBT 1108, control IBT 1108 funds, regardless of who earned those funds.

And yet, ironically, now IBT 1108 will lose control of those funds, because this action is almost certain to force IBT to appoint a trustee and take control of your union.

There is nothing to say that agreed upon amounts from IBT 1108 accounts could not still be used to help the NetJets Pilots make their transition to their New Representational structure.

Nothing except a written agreement with NJASAP, regarding allocation of those finds, dated April 18, 2008, and signed by James P. Hoffa himself.

 

[steelersrule74]

July 11, 2008

On Tuesday July 8, 2008 Capt. A.J. M and I, under the auspices of the General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Jim Hoffa, and in the company of the General Presidents personal representative B M, entered two banks in Columbus OH, in order to take possession of IBT Local 1108 funds. These actions were undertaken as part of the Net Jets pilot’s separation from the IBT Local 1108. If anyone has questions about our actions, please contact General President Hoffa’s office in Washington D.C., or myself at (***)***-****

Capt. M S, President
Executive Board
IBT Local Union 1108

Excellent. Off the top of my head, if I were a FLOPS pilot this is what I would ask:

Under what legal authority does a VP have the ability to create separate bank accounts for the sole purpose of siphoning funds from the legitimate Local union account?

did the VP attempt to confirm the letter of trusteeship and verify that it met all the legal benchmarks?

what actions did the netjets pilots take in the past to convince the VP that they would not honor the separation agreement?

if the action was legal, why was it necessary to smuggle the NJA dues check from the local in secrecy and present it to BM?

Did the VP present himself at financial institutions and represent he was in fact the president of the local?

Do the current president and SecTreas support trusteeship for the local?

If not, why did the accept the illegal trustee letter from BM as authentic?

If so, what are there plans for the future after the IBT raids your accounts and takes the 1.2 million?

I have a bunch others, but these are some good ones to start............

 

[Freedom]

NetJets Pilots left IBT 1108 because they could....

Since your Pilot Group stood together as One, you were actually able to affect a Monumental Change in your entire organizations' structure.

It certainly seems to me, that you no longer needed the backing of a National organization like the Teamsters; it seems to me that you have gotten your stuff together with NetJets Management, and now, much like Southwest Airlines and their Pilots, you are working towards a common goal.

But you have an Industry Leading Contract in place. The Flight Options Pilots do not. Perhaps sometime a few years from now, New Flight Options Management will evolve to the point that the Flight Options Pilots also will not need the resources of a National organization. But we are far from that point today.

I wish all my former NetJets Brothers and Sisters all the best moving forward. And in many ways, I am jealous of the relationship you have been able to forge with your Management. But remember, your Management did not change willingly, your Pilot Group forced them to change.

I do not believe the present Flight Options Management can ever be trusted; they have simply lied too many times. For the time being, we need the National and its leverage behind us. Especially now, that the Big Kid on the Block, NetJets, has left the fold.

Freedom is Not Free

 

[dime line]

Since your Pilot Group stood together as One, you were actually able to affect a Monumental Change in your entire organizations' structure.

It certainly seems to me, that you no longer needed the backing of a National organization like the Teamsters; it seems to me that you have gotten your stuff together with NetJets Management, and now, much like Southwest Airlines and their Pilots, you are working towards a common goal.

But you have an Industry Leading Contract in place. The Flight Options Pilots do not. Perhaps sometime a few years from now, New Flight Options Management will evolve to the point that the Flight Options Pilots also will not need the resources of a National organization. But we are far from that point today.

I wish all my former NetJets Brothers and Sisters all the best moving forward.

And in many ways, I am jealous of the relationship you have been able to forge with your Management.

But remember, your Management did not change willingly, your Pilot Group forced them to change.

I do not believe the present Flight Options Management can ever be trusted; they have simply lied too many times. For the time being, we need the National and its leverage behind us. Especially now, that the Big Kid on the Block, NetJets, has left the fold.

Freedom is Not Free

Your dam right, Im jealous. NJ's show how pilots and Management CAN work extremelly well together.

 

[CastofThousands]

Your boy went into the bank on Monday with the IBT International representative, started up checking accounts while falsely represening himself as the the President of Local 1108, presented falsified trusteeship papers, and deposited a check that had been STOLEN from the local.

Not quite "did not do so immediately" in any informed persons book. More like 3.5 days in advance.

It was theft, plain and simple. That is how the Gahanna police and the banker see it.

Do the smart thing... stop defending him and start reading your bylaws.

All,

The NetJets pilots and pilot union leadership put their best foot forward in reaching an amicable agreement to separate on the best possible terms with the Flight Options pilots and IBT. In the best interests of the pilots, NetJets and Flight Options, the NetJets union leadership set the Flight Options pilots up [very] nicely to conclude bargaining; autonomy and a lot of cash.

Bottom line: The [proposed] Flight Options 1108 President and Sec/Treas collaborated with Hoffa Jr, Hoffa Jr's right hand henchmen (Deaner & Moore), and a Teamster bookkeeper 1108 took in after her previous Local was taken over for illegal activities in 2004. The Flight Options pilot union leadership hired the bookkeeper to be their bookkeeper after the NetJets pilot separation.

The bookkeeper collaborated with the International and [proposed] Flight Options 1108 President and Sec/Treas by failing to pay/process outstanding 1108 payables to deny payment of these payables after the transition; and then STOLE the NetJets pilots dues check out of the 1108 mail, opened a false 1108 bank account in CLE, and deposited the NetJets pilots June dues in that account. The NetJets union leaders where never approached openly and honestly on these issues by the Flight Options [proposed] President and Sec/Treas.

The NetJets union pilot leadership reported the check as stolen and had NetJets stop-payment on the dues check. The [legallly recognized] NetJets union pilot Sec/Treas and a [legally recognized] Trustee identified all the unpaid bills and also had NetJets reissue a new dues check. The NetJets union Sec/Treas had cashiers checks made to all outstanding bills and to NJASAP per the NJASAP/1108/IBT separation agreement.

Plain and simple, a few Flight Options pilot [so called] leaders naively crawled into bed with Hoffa and his henchmen to screw the NetJets pilots, NJASAP, and the NetJets union leaders that had set them up so nicely. This act is nothing short of pathetic and has unfortunately destroyed the intent of the [amicable] separation agreement - there is now an open wound between the NetJets pilots and Flight Options pilots because a couple of [so called] leaders crawled into bed with Hoffa Jr while stick'n it to those who brought them this far. An open wound that should have NEVER developed.

To a much greater degree, I believe the NetJets pilots will forever take issue with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and their clearly demonstrated criminal ways.

I know NetJets pilots that would have swam the Atlantic Ocean with the Flight Options pilot group to advance the Flight Options pilot's interests. That is now gone - there is no chance NetJets pilots will follow the Flight Options leaders that just put the "Hoffa" tatoo on their forehead with a "Teamsters" tramp-stamp to match.

Sad, unfortunate, and pathetic,

 

[steelersrule74]

Freedom,

your last post is the most accurate and best one yet. That is what is so incredibly frustrating for us at NJASAP. We truly and passionately want you to succeed. The tightrope you have to walk however is while you need the IBT to help, you must NEVER allow them to control. You are correct that freedom isn't free. I hope you don't find out the price for allowing BM and the IBT into the bedroom is far more than you are able or willing to pay........

 

[dime line]

Excellent. Off the top of my head, if I were a FLOPS pilot this is what I would ask:

Under what legal authority does a VP have the ability to create separate bank accounts for the sole purpose of siphoning funds from the legitimate Local union account?

did the VP attempt to confirm the letter of trusteeship and verify that it met all the legal benchmarks?

what actions did the netjets pilots take in the past to convince the VP that they would not honor the separation agreement?

if the action was legal, why was it necessary to smuggle the NJA dues check from the local in secrecy and present it to BM?

Did the VP present himself at financial institutions and represent he was in fact the president of the local?

Do the current president and SecTreas support trusteeship for the local?

If not, why did the accept the illegal trustee letter from BM as authentic?

If so, what are there plans for the future after the IBT raids your accounts and takes the 1.2 million?

I have a bunch others, but these are some good ones to start............

Do you know the language of the IBT and the NJASAP separation aggrement. I don't.

How do you know they "Smuggled" anything. Again do you know what the language said between the teamsters and the pilots of NJ's.

I don't and I suspect most on this board don't know either.

The pilots of FLOPS will be better off due to the actions of the NJ pilots hard work.

 

[dime line]

Cast of Thousands

As a FLOPS pilot, I hope your wrong