Sledneck, I've been under teamsters and they're much worse.
Fair enough, but that doesn't make this union a "breath of fresh air" either.
I agree with your examples and acknowledge NPA is not perfect, but it has improved greatly and continues to do so. The examples you cite are minor compared to the chit that used to go on!
LOL, that is scary!! How could it be worse? The company took our contract and shredded it. INstead of the union standing up, they responded by writing a LOA that basically just back-dated/approved the ass-wiping of the contract. We as a group could have stood up at that time and said no. The union was the place for this start. This wouldn't have been a strike, slow-down or anything like that, it would have been perfectly legal. This also would have been a great time to show our solidarity(ah hem, sorry, almost choked when I wrote that
I still believe NPA gives us better representation than ALPA. Convince me ALPA is better, what additional recourse would be available if the SNAFUs you listed had occurred under their watch. I'm truly curious, as I've never been a member.
I am not saying that ALPA or Teamsters is the solution, but rather said it couldn't be any worse. Since we are paying higher dues to outsource ALPA's resources, what's the point of "being on our own"? There are a lot better ALPA experts than me, but I will say a few things.
Division of power. One guy approved this mess and the other SNAFU's mentioned without so much as a word from anyone else. ALPA has a different structure of LEC's that have the power thus not allowing a one man show. We have a BOD, but that's for show. As far as by-laws and recalls and such, there are plenty but I have the attention span of a four year and would be side tracked too quickly to look them up
Another example is Comair. All ALPA members paid Comair pilots(wasn't much, but still) while they were on strike to make sure they got a fair contract. We all had a vested interest, and criticize it all you want, who's going to support us if we ever went on strike? The point is that other ALPA carriers have a vested interested in helping you get the best contract you can. HAVING SAID THAT, there is a LOT of room for improvement there lol.
Resources. What few resources we have or had, were models that came from ALPA like the ASAP program for example. Another one modeled after them is the Mutual Aid program. Here it's expensive with lots of rules. THere it was cheap, and if you needed it, it was there plain and simple. No time limits, and you didn't even have to partipate to get the bennies. Here you have to contribute for so long, and it's about 50 times more expensive.
I know there are enough ALPA haters here to ever prevent them from coming, but I have to laugh when people say that this in house union is as good as ALPA. People have mentioned that during their regional-ALPA days they were as equally as powerless as this union, but I didn't have that experience. Our union was strong, won more grievances than they lost, and the company couldn't re-write the contract without serious consequences. It wasn't perfect and nobody would have had anything to bitch about if it were, but definately three grades above this one.
I know my posts come accross as someone who loves ALPA, but in reality I'm just shocked by what I've seen here and only know ALPA as an example. Every turn they've made goes against what I feel the majority wants. THe union is getting beat and laughed at by the company and the ALPA name just simply carries more weight IMO. It seems like the leaders have been intimidated and act like they have to go along so the company will survive instead of using the lessons of the past to improve the future.