Enigma - Part 2 of 2
I would argue that ALPA is intent on stopping the loss of mainline jobs to other carriers. It is only coincidental that the other carriers are flying RJ's.
I would counter that argument by stating that there is a mountain of available evidence from sources external to ALPA or any of the operating airlines, that clearly indicates that the use of RJs has not caused the loss of any mainline jobs. On the contrary, the evidence supports the exact opposite. Mainline flying has actually been increased anywhere from 11 to 38% by the effective use of the regional jets. Management would not be deploying them just to have them destroy the core business. Don't you find it just a tad absurd to be claiming mainline job loss in the midst of an unprecedented hiring boom? You can't suddenly cry 9/11 to justify everything.
The entire concept of "a loss of mainline jobs" is a cleverly created perception designed to rally support among the rank-and-file mainline pilots. It has worked and the political clout generated by the misconception has allowed the leaders to pursue their intended objective. Remember, those leaders are mainline pilots.
The real fear is not that mainline pilots are losing jobs. It is the fear that the proliferation of the RJ will lower the wage base of the mainline pilot. They (ALPA leaders) all know (and so do I) that these small aircraft cannot support economically the current wage structure of the mainline pilot when you include all of the other costs that would apply. Therefore, placing these aircraft at the mainline, while better (for mainline pilots) than the current situation, is not desirable. It is far more beneficial if they just disappear. The ALPA leaders are smart enough to know they aren't going away, it's too late. Therefore, they have resorted to ever increasing and after the fact attempts to restrict their operation. Regional pilots are caught in the crossfire and have become the victims.
When ALPA originated the Scope exemptions that permitted outsourcing of work to so-called "regional code-share partners", the RJ did not exist and the commuter airlines were not subsidiaries. None of the leadership anticipated that the little turboprops would evolve. Even when my airline decided to introduce this aircraft type, they all insisted we were crazy and soon would be out of business. Obviously, they were wrong.
The Genie was already out of the bottle but that hasn't abated the since continuous effort to put it back in. There is only ONE way to really do that. Management isn't going to permit it without a fight and mainline pilots don't want to pay the price of that fight. It is much easier to sacrifice the regional pilots. ALPA has chosen the ever-changing Scope clause as the alternative method of severely limiting the use of these aircraft. So far, management has been able to circumvent them all and therefore, mainline pilots are now seeking to transfer the equipment to their own seniority lists (AAA, DAL, AA), to be flown by them.
The fly in the ointment is the presence of pilots that currently fly these aircraft who, unfortunately for the mainline operatives, happen to be members of the union. It may not be the objective of the mainline leaders to intentionally hurt the regional pilots. Nevertheless their prime objective of limiting the RJ has become so important to them, that they don't care what the extent of the
collateral damage to regional pilots may be or become. None of these "leaders" have yet mustered the courage to admit their error or acknowledge the truth about the mythical job loss they invented as cover.
For these and many other reasons too numerous to list here, I believe that the RJ class of aircraft is itself the objective of the campaign and not the pilots. If the litigation gets to court I expect it will be proven. It follows, the choice of name (not an accident) appears more appropriate.
You wrote, "The purpose of the litigation is to force the union to carry out its duty of fair representation to ALL its members. Not just to mainline pilots." To that I ask, since the fight is over RJ's, why is the litigation aimed at forcing the union to represent all of its members, should the litigation not be aimed at forcing the union to represent all of its airplanes?
The union cannot represent airplanes; they are intangible objects. The union represents people. Pursuit of its effort to control the RJ class of aircraft has required the union to allegedly violate its DFR to regional pilot members. They are a minority with virtually no political power within the union. This lack of political clout (a product of numbers) has allowed the mainline pilots that run the union to impose their will with impunity for years. They have not hesitated to do so.
In that most regional pilots never intended to remain regional pilots, but aspired to become mainline pilots, they offered little resistance. Most were new to the industry, unfamiliar with ALPA politics, inexperienced in life, etc., and were easily snowed or cowed by the often adulated (not to mention trusted) leaders of the union. Some of these young people still suffer that syndrome (whatever you call it) that makes the victims of abuse feel "guilty".
However, it's been almost 10 years since the RJ was introduced. All regional pilots are no longer the "kids" that they were before plus the jets have attracted other pilots who were not babes in the woods when they started. Some of them have grasped "the plan" and educated their peers. They have offered alternatives that they believe might improve the situation and reduce the conflict of interests. Without exception, mainline pilots have unilaterally rejected all efforts at reasonable compromise.
Some mainline pilot leaders allege that they have made good offers which regional pilots declined. I argue that is as untrue as the mythical belief that RJs are taking mainline jobs. These placebos don't help regional pilots, they merely delay the injury or psychologically reduce the pain. All regional pilots are not willing to accept that. I can be counted among those that do not.
The RJDC has exhausted every possible internal avenue available, within the Union, to find an equitable solution. There is none in the offing. That is why we have reached the stage of litigation to enforce our rights.
The rights of regional pilots do not require mainline pilots to give up anything that they did not independently relinquish prior to introduction of the RJ. That's not sufficient. They are determined to recoup what they see as their loss. In the process the union, directed exclusively by mainline pilots, chooses to ignore its legal obligations to represent some of its members. That cannot be accepted. What is at stake for my fellow pilots is our livelihood and I see it as no less important than the livelihood of any mainline pilot. Even more importantly, I do not see the livelihood of the mainline pilot as being threatened at all. That is a figment of the imagination and is not substantiated by fact.
You claim that the title is appropriate, yet most of your post addressed the need for pilots to be properly represented. I agree that pilots need to be represtented, and the more I learn about your case, I'm beginning to agree that you all have not been properly represented.
Try to keep clear in your mind that the lack of representation is the effect, not the cause. The cause is the effort to eliminate, transfer or reduce the use of RJ's. If we remove the cause, the effect will go with it. Therefore the coalition defends the RJ. A successful defense will leave the RJ in place and allow it to grow as driven by market forces (not by the perceptions or whims of mainline pilot leaders).
One of the reasons we have so much disagreement between pilots is that most of us have not fully explored this problem in depth. Each side believes the "spin" that its leaders have provided. That results in our fighting each other while no one addresses the root cause of the difficulty. I believe that the RJDC's position will stand the test of a courtroom and fascinate a jury. DFR litigation is extremely difficult to win but this is a strong case. As each week goes by, the ALPA adds more fuel to the fire as in the recent USAir protocol and J-4-J agreement.
While mainline pilots fight regional pilots over a perceived but truly unjustified idea of mainline job loss due to RJ proliferation, management reaps the rewards. Our Union is in more danger today than it was when the AA pilots were forced to leave due to the ill-advised decisions of a few politicians back then. The almost identical misguided scenario is being allowed to repeat itself. Don't be surprised if you begin to see similar attempts to expel the leaders of the opposition from the union. It didn't work with the AA pilots and it won't work here either.
The real crusade of the RJDC is not seniority or money it is equity. The principal people that organized it are not opportunists as many allege. They are really idealists. In today's world idealism is not regarded as meaningful or worthy. The ruthless pursuit of more $$$ is the current force majeure.
Fly Safe
I'll bet another twenty that the willingness to work for almost nothing would evaporate if there was an economic law stating that you could never make more than triple your entry level wage. Simply, these people work for nothing in anticipation of a future reward. Apply that circumstance to your secretarial situation and see what happens. 
