Recall of USAPA President Mike Cleary

[B-atch]

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[Cowboy75]

.........

???????

 

[Turtle21]

Way to show the company you are unified!

We appreciate the accolades but we will always bow in humble adoration of John Prater's unequaled prowess, courage, impotence, paycheck, and perks. We are not worthy to compare ourselves to such contradictions, conflicts of interest, obfuscation, and indecision. We only have a meager two factions. How could we ever compare ourselves to a dog food company with so many breeds in the pack. Nay, nay, cast we are crowns to the kings of the earth (who abused the regionals that now outnumber them).

 

[BeCareful!]

Well said, Turtle.

 

[Turtle21]

This recall is being conducted ....Charlotte, NC 28271

Plenty of CLT pilots never saw a skirt they wouldn't wear.

 

[Deadalus]

The Cleary recall is another temper tantrum by the iPod listening, flip flop punks out west. THis thing is going nowhere and they no it, just like their stupid lawsuit that was SHOT DOWN big time at the 9th. The east pilots are completely unified and thats what bothers the lower paid pilots out west (LOA93 expiration, just waiting for the announcement). East is in control, is leading the way and setting the standard.

Retard, how is not ripe yet shot down? Read the thing for goodness sake. Quit sucking down the USAPA cool aid it's laced with LCD. Are you going to be just as surprised down the line as you were with the NIC? News flash. WEEEE knew you weren't getting DOH because we were reading the transcripts. Wake up dumb dumb.

 

[Cowboy75]

I understand USAPIA's #2 man may be getting recalled.

The earth must be shaking in CLT and somebody might not be sleeping well.

 

[sniper]

With all due respect, please shut up! We are tired of your attacks on your union. We get it: you hate USAPA, you hate the idea the east is in control and you hate the fact the 9th turned your legal crusade into a smoking hole and paved the way for a date of hire integration. Sour grapes?

Is USAPA a union? ha, I thought it was a money laundering operation.

I guess I thought wrong

 

[charlie2]

Retard, how is not ripe yet shot down? Read the thing for goodness sake. Quit sucking down the USAPA cool aid it's laced with LCD. Are you going to be just as surprised down the line as you were with the NIC? News flash. WEEEE knew you weren't getting DOH because we were reading the transcripts. Wake up dumb dumb.

What's LCD?

 

[Cowboy75]

Recall draft for ALL US Airways pilots:

To All US Airways Pilots,

It is time to move forward as a union and we cannot do that with Mike Cleary as President of USAPA.

Mike Cleary has committed several offenses against the membership of USAPA including:

1) Violation of USAPA Constitution Section 8, Objectives, F:

"To disseminate information in any responsible manner to enhance the professional status of the membership and to ensure a fully informed membership."

President Cleary's most recent offense was his order to National Officers S/T Rob Streble and EVP Gary Hummel, to vacate the PHX meeting on August 31st, 2010. President Mike Cleary ordered these two national officers to not attend a USAPA domicile meeting thus eliminating the ability of the USAPA membership to communicate directly with key members of the USAPA leadership. President Cleary by ordering two fellow National Officers off property, has acted in a rash and arbitrary manner further weakening our national union.

Additionally, barring members in good standing from speaking with their National Officers concerning rates of dues, fees, and assessments, by the President of their legal bargaining agent may be in violation of the USAPA Constitution and LMRDA rights of the membership.

2) Violation of USAPA's Code of Ethics:

President Cleary has violated this section and basic union principles by advocating for, and promoting anti-union pilots to USAPA leadership positions. President Cleary has appointed/sustained CAL strike-breaker James Ray for Communications. President Cleary has supported Steve Crimi, for CLT representative, despite that he is a listed Freedom Air alter-ego pilot. Both pilots appear to have the full support of Cleary's administration in spite of past anti-union conduct.

3) Violation of Article IX. Fiduciary Responsibility:

"The National Officers, BPR and committee members who serve the USAPA have a clear obligation to conduct all affairs of the Association in a forthright and honest manner. Each person should make necessary decisions using good judgment and ethical and moral considerations consistent with the Code of Ethics set forth in the USAPA Constitution and Bylaws, Appendix A. All decisions of the National Officers, BBR, and committee members are to be made solely on the basis of a desire to promote the best interests of the Association and membership."

President Cleary has continued to pursue the Cactus 18/Rico litigation. It has no merit and has been thrown out of court twice. The disruption alleged in the lawsuit stopped a long time ago and the named defendants have paid dearly out of their own time, energy, and money. Daily this issue costs us all in dues money to the lawyers of SSM&P (USAPA's LM2 report indicates that over $7 million has been paid to USAPA legal firm SSM&P in the last year alone). More importantly the Rico suit costs us leverage at the bargaining table by continuing the divisive politics Cleary hypocritically says he doesn't support. If nothing else, since this union is supposed to be run by the membership, the continued litigation of the Rico suit should have been put to a full membership vote a long time ago.

Additionally, President Cleary has not delivered a new contract in the "short order" which he promised during his election campaign. The Cleary-appointed NAC does not have the leverage, experience or capability to close a deal with US Airways, and there are now more open sections than when we were represented by ALPA. The politics President Cleary has promoted is resulting in no leverage at the bargaining table. Further Cleary is releasing to the media statements about a possible strike, in the near future. With our divided pilot group, a strike would be a disaster. USAPA is unlikely to garner anywhere close to the 90% strike vote that is needed to get a release from the NMB. Additionally, due to excessive spending and fiscal mismanagement, President Cleary has ensured we have almost NO MONEY in the bank to support a strike and no National Union to provide strike pay loss.

Strikes are expensive, and President Cleary needs to stop the frivolous spending on flight pay loss, expensive hotels, etc. Any union leader worth their salt should understand that USAPA needs to be unified and financially secure before we attempt to go on strike. President Cleary does not understand, or will not acknowledge this basic premise.

4) President Cleary's worst transgression is against the USAPA Constitution and Bylaws, Article XI.B "Negotiations and Agreements" which states clearly:

"No National Officer, member of the Board of Pilot Representatives or committee member shall conduct conferences or negotiations having the purpose, intent or effect of amending, modifying or extending the collective bargaining agreement, with any party, without full disclosure of the existence of such conferences or negotiations to the Board of Pilot Representatives and membership. If conferences or negotiations are to be held and the subject matter is of a confidential competitive nature, then the Board of Pilot Representatives and membership shall be so notified."

President Cleary has repeatedly manipulated BPR meeting agendas and had 'private' negotiating sessions and made decisions on behalf of the membership and BPR that might possibly have cost this pilot group many millions of dollars in lost wages and benefits.

The best example of this was his private meeting with Parker and senior US Airways management during the height of the merger frenzy with UAL. He failed to include the NAC or professional negotiator in that meeting. He failed to disclose the main items discussed (like the company's reported offer of Delta pay +) to the membership or the BPR in direct violation of Article XI.


On a parting thought, I would like to point out the main argument on the West for not recalling President Cleary. Cleary's supporters will be quick to try and shape this as a west versus east issue. But all pilots should know that President Cleary is popular with the West membership. The perception is held that he so blatantly disregards his duty to fairly represent the West, that it makes him the best President of USAPA for the West in court filings for DFR II and thereby the quickest resolution to the implementation of the Nic award. Therefore, it is unclear how many on the West will be willing to vote for his recall. Some are willing to participate merely because it is a win/win recall for the West. If President Cleary is recalled, he certainly has earned it, and perhaps we will finally get some new leadership that is capable and experienced and able to lead this pilot group down a unified path and to a new contract eventually. If he isn't recalled, west pilots regard that as great for the West DFR II.

For east pilots, you should ask yourself how well the promises Cleary have made have panned out? You should ask yourself if maybe you would have liked to see what the discussion and promises were made in the secret meeting Cleary had with Parker over the UAL merger and whether you would have at least liked your elected BPR to have the ability to consider and vote to let the membership look at it? You should ask your self if Mr. Cleary, like the pig leadership in Orwell's "Animal Farm", have become as corrupt or more corrupt and fiscally irresponsible than any previous union leaders?

Maybe a start towards unification can begin with recalling President Mike Cleary. When the courts settle the seniority divide, without a modicum of unity in this pilot group, there will be no leverage at the bargaining table. The issues beyond seniority will not be reconciled under President Cleary's rule. By the time the courts settle seniority, it may be too late to ever unify this membership for an industry standard contract.

President Cleary is the wrong pilot to lead us to a new industry standard contract.