This is classic!!!!
ALPA will never serve the best interest of the AirTran pilots, not with the big "D" across the ramp being ALPA also. I was an ALPA rep for some time and they don't care about the little guy. Never have, never will. Whoever pays the most dues gets their attention.
How about the Teamsters? They represent the MX already, why not us? Plus airline managements aren't for sure how to play the Teamsters, but ALPA, managements have had their way with ALPA for the last 8 years. ALPA is weak.
ALPA is weak??? Who is ALPA? It doesn't matter which union is in place, if the MEC agrees and the mngt agrees, and pilots agree, that is the contract in place. The union is just that, a union of the employed pilots, not pilots of different airlines. UAL pilots don't vote on Airtrans contract and vice versa, so to call the union weak is really calling yourself weak.
Now I do think ALPA should become the pilots union by saying in effect:
"This is the MINIMUM amounts of pay / benefits that a contract can contain for specific equipment for the pilots to be certified as an ALPA carrier", and then work to make ALPA the only and best professional pilot organization worth joining due to resources, information, and respect.
I have no problem with other unions, but if you form a union just to undercut what ALPA has stated professional pilots should be paid for specific equipment, then those pilots should be treated accordingly by the industry and fellow "professional pilots".
The days of just saying " but were a startup, we can't get paid professional wages" should be bunk, if a startup wants to compete, they should pay professional pilots, professional wages, and their employess should be treated as "non professionals" and treated accordingly without professional courtesie, yes that even means the jumpseat.
Alpa would then work at great lenths to codify with the FAA to as closely link being a part 121 pilot to ALPA status as possible, and the companies would agree because it would even out the playing field wrt labor costs among the "professional organizations".
You think that can't be codiefied, try becoming an "independent union" plumber in a major city and see the response you get..... Plumbers in the union will shun you, major companies/gov won't do business with you, and few will view you as a "professional" otherwise, they would summise, that you would have joined the "professional plumbers union".
That to me seems how to make a strong union, and I'm generally not even a union guy......
