Maybe this is a dumb question in the minds of some, but I am not with an airline so bear with me.
But would it not be better for the mainline pilots/alpa to want work together with the commuter pilots, in order to keep as much of the airline flying mainline as possible, by being united as airline pilots.
Just seems that if they brought the commuters into what was happening, treated the commuter pilots as pilots, instead of unwanted stepchildren, fought hard to make quality of life as the commuters as good as possible, that the commuter pilots would not be forced to find ways to do it on their own.
But when some do not even want their fellow ALPA pilots at the commuters to be involved in scope discussions, when ALPA seems to represent commuter pilots only when it is convienent or serves mainline purposes, or seems to enthusiastically give the USAir wholly owned commuter pilots a royal butt reaming, I can completely understand commuter pilots thinking they have to take actions into their own hands.
And as much as I hate this phrase, but doesnt treating the commuter pilots as second class citizens just "play into the hands of management", since it forces them to do do what they can for themselves. Management can then talk to the commuter pilots as a group, instead of facing a united group of mainline/commuter pilots.
If the mainline pilots want the commuter pilots to do their "bidding" for the good of the profession, why not treat them with more respect and as equals. The end goal is the same with most all the pilots. Why not bring them in and work together for that same goal?
But then I am not an airline pilot so maybe I am way off base, and just do not understand
Not way off base at all, in fact very close to home base. There is a problem within ALPA with regard to representation of the non major carriers. I say non major as we have yet to settle on a handle that pleases every one, but "commuter" is definitely out. Anyway even though the major carrier membership will claim otherwise, there is a very real conflict of interest ocurring at many of the ALPA carriers. My airline is a prime example with ongoing discussions about seperate MEC's. My own humble opinion is that the ALPA leadership does not treat the non major carrier membership as equals with the major carrier membership. Maybe it is just a money thing, but it needs to be addressed. Or am I way off base here?
Even better is that the company that I work for was IPO'ed in order to replace 150 million dollars to the main line pension fund that was "under funded". Still not much unity from our mainline "brothers" even after their pension was funded by our sale. I belive their is more to come as our contract renewal approaches. watch this space.
