Originally posted by TremeSurplus,
Again, thank you. I find ALPA to be an interesting study of human nature. If what you say about the Comair pilot group is true, than they have been able to achieve something truly amazing.
Treme,
Thank you for your thought provoking reply. It is nice to exchange points of view without vitriol and animosity.
I agree that ALPA, as a whole, is an interesting study. My views of the Comair group are of course somewhat biased and reflect a world that, on the inside, may not be as "perfect" as I try to portray. In general however, I do not think that what I have said diverges much from what I have experienced as a member of that group. Naturally I am concerned that the bond between CMR pilots could disintegrate if the "right sequence" of events were to present itself. However, I hang on to the optimism that it will not.
As I wrote to you I was trying to convey my own experiences with the Comair pilot group, not with the ALPA. My experiences with "the Association" are a horse of a very different color. The two (CMR as a small group and ALPA as the umbrella) are in marked contrast to each other. This is no accident. Comair pilot leaders spent years (literally) in a concentrated effort to bring about internal unity and to eschew the ALPA standard of dog-eat-dog. It was not easy but we did it.
I would not define my experiences with the ALPA as satisfactory (among the reasons I did not appreciate a comparison with your former Chairman). ALPA is of course not a true entity, is not alive and does not think. The "Association" is no more than a reflection of the individuals and coalitions that control it from time to time. As an example, there have been many Presidents of these United States. Only a handful have been notable enough to remember with favor. The leaders of ALPA are no different and most, if not all, have been servants of their self-interest as opposed to champions of the profession that they claim to be. I am not young (unfortunately) and in addition to reading about ALPA's history I have been able to watch it unfold directly both as a member and an "insider" for a long time. What you see on the surface as ALPA is decidedly not what you get. ALPA's leadership has been rife with double speaking, double-dealing, backbiting opportunists with little interest in anything other than there own power. That ALPA has done as well as it has is not a tribute to its political leaders. It has survived and prospered in spite of them rather than because of them. I think that is mostly because the staff (of ALPA) is professional and dedicated. There have been truly outstanding individual pilots and staff employees that have given years of their lives unselfishly to developing ALPA's expertise in the areas of Safety, aeromedical, accident investigation, and liaison with the regulatory agencies (CAB/FAA/NMB). ALPA has also done well in the political arena with congressional legislation that favors the interests of airline pilots. ALPA has been effective in organizing airline pilots and financial analysis of airline operations.
Where ALPA glaringly falls short is in Representation. ALPA has failed in developing inter relationships between the member airlines and the governance of the Association. ALPA has not succeeded in creating unity of purpose among its membership, but instead fosters conflict of interest and divisiveness. ALPA maintains an internal political structure that is without balance or oversight. Power and control of the institution is concentrated in the hands of a few, often at the expense of the majority. Protection of the interest of minorities is absent from the ALPA system. In my opinion, this internal political structure is the direct cause of ALPA's representational difficulties. In lieu of minimizing conflicts of interest it fosters and magnifies them. Many have tried to change this as the industry evolved, but the ALPA politicians, those who hold the real power within the association are reluctant to relinquish any of that power. Righting these wrongs would require substantial reorganization of the electoral and governance structure and effect the distribution of "wealth" within the union. That kind of change is not easily achieved.
ALPA is a political organization. The politicians that rise to positions of power within the ALPA are little different from those that we see in other political organizations. There are many (over time) who seek, acquire and wield great power over the institution. There are very few that rise to the level of "statesmen". As Shaw said, "Power corrupts absolute power corrupts absolutely." The way that these people operate behind the scenes is little different than the infamous machine of Mayor Daly (Sr.) of Chicago. Nevertheless we have little else, so we must cling to ALPA and hope that we can achieve change from within. It will continue to be an uphill battle.
You mentioned human nature. It is diverse and complex but there are some basic characteristics, in Western civilization, which we define as "good". They are not prevalent in everyday life and they are virtually absent in ALPA. Most people, self included, are selfish, greedy, inconsiderate, and far less than altruistic. ALPA reflects that lack of quality in character across the board. It's history is one of hegemony, predatory behavior, and exploitation of the weak (member) by the strong. The Code of Ethics if full of all the right virtues. Unfortunately the real code of conduct is as removed from that as it could possibly be. When the opportunity presents itself, one ALPA group is often not only willing but eager to "cut the throat" of another ALPA group.
Unfortunately there are more than a "few" pilot groups at the "ready to pounce". Most are at the ready to undermine and take from others to improve their own lot whenever they can. It is the exception that you find a pilot group unwilling to cheer at the misfortune of another. The loose federation that is ALPA promotes this behavior. The history of ALPA reflects it clearly. We can only hope that within a particular pilot group we could avoid emulating this "norm". That is what I hope for in the Comair group; that is what I think we have achieved.
I'm afraid that exploitation by those in power, be it management or union, of those without power is here to stay. Regional pilots are today the unfortunate beneficiaries of this two-barreled assault. We must fight for survival against our management and against our "union". Most of us are too small to form our own unions and still fend off this two-front attack. Leaving ALPA would only make matters worse for us. We are forced therefore to seek other means of neutering the attacks from our union while we struggle to protect our interests from less than benevolent management. It is a difficult task on both fronts. Many of today's small carriers will not survive it.
We do have some choices other than watching and waiting for the union to attack the challenges (which it is NOT doing). Many Comair pilots and ASA pilots have resorted to the courts in an attempt to prevent that union, which we pay to represent our interests, from destroying our interests as it attempts to promote the conflicting interests of other members. Naturally, this does not make us "popular" with those pilot groups that would lead our destruction if they could. Lack of popularity is a small price to pay in exchange for survival. The only thing I have difficulty in understanding is why the many others that have been deliberately wronged do not choose to defend themselves. They remind me of Lord Chamberlain. Appeasement of their adversaries will not prevent the transfer of their jobs or the loss of their rights or the elimination of their careers. Those that are unwilling to aggressively defend what little they have will surely lose it to those that already have far more, but want it all.
I am sure the good Professor "H" could do a fine job of writing Flying The Line III. We must remember however that his "publisher" is the Air Line Pilots Association itself. Autobiographies are seldom unkind to their authors. What "history" of ALPA is ultimately recorded and published in "Volume III" is not likely to be "complete". If he tells all, he will simply not be funded or published. If he tells what the powers that be wish to have told, we will see FTL III. I know the good professor and he is an honorable man. I wish I could say the same for those who control the publication of his historical accounts of the ALPA. They will simply exclude him from those things that they do not wish him to know, lest he write them down. It has happened before.
Regards
