Pay up or get fired

[Cowboy75]

USAPA is serious about collecting past dues and is seeking the termination of pilots who are delinquent. I just checked the latest list of about 100 pilots. Pilots based in BOS, CLT, DCA, LAS, LGA, PHL and PHX are on the list.

The company has said it will terminate pilots who have not paid. Don't risk it.

 

[becket]

What a FINE union doing such OUTSTANDING work for it's membership...and ALPA was the enemy?

USAPA is the most fratricidal organization to ever hit organized labor. It'd be a joke if it weren't so tragic and disgusting.

 

[Cowboy75]

What a FINE union doing such OUTSTANDING work for it's membership...and ALPA was the enemy?

Doug Parker hosts Q&A for pilots and FA's. Last one I attended, Parker opens up with a statement about our obligation to pay USAPA or be terminated.

Ironic, Doug Parker US Airways CEO and USAPA bill collector.

 

[sstearns2]

What other option do they have? You can't have a union with any kind of effectiveness without reliable cash flow. The problme will only get worse.

Scott

 

[crashpad]

Big Union=Big Business. What is USAPA doing to deliquent pilot credit ratings?
Seems like having an "in-house" union is the best route in this day of political coorruption and greed.

 

[ultrarunner]

Ok, help me out here folks, I'm a little fuzzy...why would management care if a pilot was delinquent in their dues to the union?

 

[Cowboy75]

Ok, help me out here folks, I'm a little fuzzy...why would management care if a pilot was delinquent in their dues to the union?

The company does has a contractual obligation to fire pilots by the request of USAPA for non-payment. USAPA makes the request the company has to comply.

 

[ultrarunner]

Wow, thanks for the lesson Cowboy. I didn't know that. Guess that's motivation to get that check in the mail for sure!

 

[get2flyin]

Hey...I got one of the section 29 letters, as have a huge number of West pilots. Those who haven't will. It sucks. It does. But let's be realistic, pretty much EVERY union has he same ability. ALPA did, but they weren't noted for actually perusing terminations. The day USAPA got voted in by the East pilots (*who are the majority of the new USAir family, and hey..it's a democracy, right?) I knew I was going to have to start writing them checks. I may not like it, but it's the reality we live in. The reason I didn't pay my dues until I got the termination threat is because USAPA had demonstrated their primary purpose was serving the needs of EAST pilots, not USAir pilots. Enormous sums of money wasted on frivolous legal proceedings against West pilots, their willingness to fight the DFR lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court, etc. When does it end?

In recent months, I think USAPA has made some strides to equally represent West pilots. They have been small gestures, but it's a start. They sought the help of the former AWA MEC Vice-Chair in an arbitration against the company that ONLY benefits West pilots. HOWEVER, USAPA is still pursuing legal action against that same guy for racketeering. WTF is up with THAT? At some point the entire group, EAST and WEST needs to start to use the union as a tool to represent all pilots as we wrestle with the desires of the company. Until they do, it's stll East vs. West...and USAPA primarily represents the East, and the West doesn't like sending them money to support their efforts that are used against them.

 

[TWA Dude]

What other option do they have?

If they fairly represented all the US Airways pilots they wouldn't have to resort to the threat of termination to get their dues.

 

[LearLove]

guess they need someone to pay since in about 2 months 200 of us won't be dues paying members anymore.

 

[BoilerUP]

The company does has a contractual obligation to fire pilots by the request of USAPA for non-payment. USAPA makes the request the company has to comply.

Is that contractual obligation a carry-over from their CBAs under ALPA?

 

[C Festerpuss]

Them USapians sent one of dem letters and I said no way. I ain't payen no Yankee Union my hard earned cash. That guy "Just call me Dave" was a gonna pay the guys on disability with Davey Dollars.

So I figure I can send in some of that ole Confederate money that grandma had stuffed in the mattress.

 

[Dan Roman]

What other option do they have? You can't have a union with any kind of effectiveness without reliable cash flow. The problme will only get worse.

Scott

Actually, you can't have a union that's sole purpose is to divide and conquer it's members. Whatever they do, they will never have the most important ingredient to an effective union. Which is a strong majority working together.
USAPA is not a "Union" by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Cowboy75]

Is that contractual obligation a carry-over from their CBAs under ALPA?

You could be terminated for non-payment of dues to ALPA. USAPA is being more aggressive in collections because of the large numbers of pilots simply refusing to pay.

 

[Bringupthebird]

What other option do they have? You can't have a union with any kind of effectiveness without reliable cash flow.
Scott

They have so much money now, they don't know what to do with it. They buy cars for themselves, grant stipends for themselves, hand out 3500 $10 Gift Cards for Turkeys, buy lobbyists and strategic communications specialists and finally (drum roll please) $2 Million + for an attorney whose sole source of income depends on a divided pilot group!

Yes, it is a hard sell for people to give up their money and their dignity to support such a corrupt organization. And it will never change, regardless of how many people retire.

USAPA is the best motivation to find another job there is.

 

[Fubijaakr]

Ok, help me out here folks, I'm a little fuzzy...why would management care if a pilot was delinquent in their dues to the union?

That's the way agency shops operate. You don't have to be a member of the Union, but if you work under their contract you have to pay the dues.

 

[Tail Gunner Joe]

Now, I am a little fuzzy.
Contract? Is there a contract?

 

[NEDude]

So what if the number of non-paying pilots is substantial. As in large enough that terminating the pilots would seriously damage the operations?

No idea what the number is, but it seems to me if enough pilots refused to pay dues, there would be no way the company could terminate them.

Unless of course it became random terminations...

 

[Ocity]

That's the way agency shops operate. You don't have to be a member of the Union, but if you work under their contract you have to pay the dues.

USAPA has delivered nothing but legal bills, heartburn, and failure to the pilots of US Airways. The contracts were derived from ALPA and no labor group is further away from a new contract than the East Coast USAPA run idiots.

It's better described as extortion since USAPA couldn't deliver a pizza if they actually wanted to.