Lake Alice
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2005
- Posts
- 793
Again what did ALPA do to you?
It’s more of what they don’t do then what they do. There are very few people that think this profession is heading in the right direction. The proof is in the lack of faith shown by how few people are getting trained to become pilots. ALPA is in a position to turn things around however they are too political to care about the future. It’s easier for them to keep the status quo, keeping their union pay then to rock the boat and possibly lose everything. If you ask them why they can’t get anything done they will always cite the RLA or say it’s not a mandatory negotiating item. I just want to be like the club owner in kill bill when Budd tells him why he isn’t doing his job http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaf11UNSvcQ&feature=related .
ALPA has done almost nothing to prevent scope relaxation, supported increasing the retirement age at worst possible time (while thousands were on furlough), and supports pitting pilots against each other. For me personally, they don’t answer the phone, don’t return phone calls, don’t show their presence in the crew lounge, and don’t educate the pilot group in any way. Instead they, push their views with no supporting data, too often sound like an echo from management, allow clear violations of the CBA to occur with days of advanced notice, and overall provide a false sense of security.
Scope relaxation is voted on by the pilot group or by those you elected. ALPA does not make the decision. A violation of a CBA is then fought but either a judge or an arbitrator makes the final decision, not ALPA. In the union environment the courts have established a procedure for grievances, not ALPA. Their is not a court in this land that will support your walking of the job for a non-safety related grievance. Again, not ALPA.
A union cannot prevent a company from violating a contract. A union provides a method to fight the grievance. There is no false sense of security. If a court decides an airline can dump your retirement that is not ALPA's fault. They can fight it but they can't prevent much of what a bankruptcy judge decides.
I'm not ALPA but the reason I make the argument is largely due to false expectations of pilots. As I mentioned before ALPA provides resources. Engineering and safety in the even of an accident/incident. Aeromedical. Training. Lastly all this comes in the form of a CBA that is voted on.
Most regional pilot claim ALPA failed to represent them. I always ask how and that is when the truth comes out. Regional airlines are small life providers contracted out as the LOWEST bidder. If you get to expensive your contract is not renewed. What ALPA is guilty of is mismanaging your expectations.