Scab Stories

[DO328FLYER]

Ive never knowingly flown with a, scab!! When I was an FO at Comair though, a guy came up to the cockpit looking for a jumpseat..This was about a month before we went on strike.. He introduced himself to the Captain and myself.. THe Captain looked at the guys ID, checked his scab list and then presto the guy was on it.. The Captain said " Get off my plane you greedy scab bastard".. The scab then got all emotional and threatened to tell his company (Continental)!! It's sad that a scab like that could hold a high seniority number in one of the better Major airlines out there!

Any Captain that carries a "scab list" around with him is a pathetic ALPA Kool Aid drinker. All ALPA has done for me is charge me a hell of a lot of money for a really crappy magazine subscription. Hell, I was at a big airshow and ALPA had a booth. They had a book you could sign when you stopped by. They did not even have my airline listed! We are small, but we pay dues too. ALPA is all about dues and kissing the buts of MAJOR airline pilots that pay the most dues. I have watched the union defend COMPLETE and total morons that clearly deserve to be fired. But the union will stand behind guys that should really be working at Home Depot. And here is another news flash. Just because 70% of a pilot group thinks a strike is a good idea does not make the other 30% wrong. There has been more than one strike that was clearly a bad idea looking back. I would never knock a guy that has the balls to disagree with his union instead of marching in step. Some of you guys act like your in grade school and are more likely to be swayed by peer pressure than by what you belive in your heart. Unions do serve a purpose but there are some of you that need to grow a spine and start thinking for yourselves!

 

[EAP]

...ALPA is all about dues and kissing the buts of MAJOR airline pilots that pay the most dues. I have watched the union defend COMPLETE and total morons that clearly deserve to be fired. But the union will stand behind guys that should really be working at Home Depot...

Most ALPA fat cats will be the first to admit that they aren't going to change an airline or turn it into something that it isn't already. As harsh as it may sound, it seems your airline might have a recruiting and screening problem if people are getting behind the controls of your airplanes that should rather be working at HomeDepot. ALPA can't change that. If a moron is being defended, then look to the precident that the defence may be involved in or the fact that possibly the moron is not being charged with a fair offense as strange as it may seem on the surface. Or, yeah, it could be a bad case of defense, where the individuals behind the scenes may need to wake up and smell the coffee.

The thing that most forget, or never knew, is that ALPA is not a stand alone entity worthy of worship or hatred. It is simply a reflection of the industry. It is made up of the very pilots that fly our airplanes... it is run by pilots, and has the fingerprints of normal everyday pilots all over it. That is all it is. Any hatred toward it is simply an identification of characteristics that we do not like of our own profession (well, our own airline and niche place in the industry really). It is not a whailing wall nor will it answer prayers.

 

[Tram]

Are you living through events through a relative like Tram?

I enjoy reading your rants.

 

[100LL... Again!]

Once, a couple of years after our strike, I was jumpseating to go to work. There was someone on the scab list (we all carried them at that time) who had the same last name as mine. As I showed the captain my ID and introduced myself to him, he looked over at the first officer and said my last name to him with a huh? after it. For purposes of clarity, we'll use the name Smith here. So he said, "Smith, huh?" to which I shot back- "oh no, I'm not that fxxxxxxx scab, that's somebody else, I'd like to meet that bxxxxxxxxx someday and tell him he's a disgrace to the Smith name". At that point, a big grin came over both of their faces and the captain slowly turned around with perfect timing and pointed his finger at the second officer who was sitting there with a somewhat sheepish and ashamed look on his face. The captain said "I believe you just did!" It was priceless. That second officer never said a word. It was GREAT!
UAL78

Bashing folks anonymously on the internet is one thing, but was that really that enjoyable? Believe it or not scabs are human beings too.

You see, I never want to meet any of you in real life, because then I would have to be polite and civil. If there is someone at work I can't stand, I politely keep my distance from him/her. Open hostility can only make the workplace less safe for all involved.

Again, to clarify: Internet BBS hostility is the most wonderful thing in the world. But in-person hostility is another thing altogether.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Boeingman, did you ever consider working as a prosecuting attorney? I think that you missed your calling.

 

[Hamburger]

I was jumpseating years ago and the list came out. I chuckled a bit and explained that I wasn't even old enough to have been a scab. Captian replied: "You might not be old enough, but your daddy is." (He's not on the list either)

I'm surprised noone's mentioned good old ***** of Trans States fame. There was a scab that worked doing something down the hall. Every time said scab walked by the always opened classroom door: "That, ladies and gentlemen, is what a SCAB looks like!" Loud enough for the whole floor to hear.

Folks seem to be forgetting what the topic is. We are talking about Scabs, not about ALPA. Love or hate ALPA, Scabbing goes so far beyond this particular union. I believe Jack London put it best.

 

[Guitar rocker]

What's your best "I had to fly with a scab" story? We have a few at my employer. They have a thousand excuses for their actions (none are good).

I'm not a big fan of scabs either.

But somekid, whats your great story you have to add to this lousy thread? You just mention it and then run away without a single story of your own.......do you even have one??? I'll bet someone just told you all about this issue of scabs and you thought that you would sound cool and post this thread. You probably werent even around when any of the crossing of picket lines happened. Probably just a gleam in your dads eye at the time.

 

[bubbers44]

Scabs all made their choices. Don't feel like there is any reason to quit hating them. I can't find any online scab lists anymore. Some attorney probably threatened lawsuits to anyone that identified these scumbags. Sometimes I run into someone that fits the mentality to make that list but can't find one. I think my wife threw away all my old flight bag stuff with the scab list in it. My buddy is still flying so I can get a copy from him. You can still hate them after you retire.

 

[dukeaviator]

They may be employed, but man, how fun would it be to go to work and be known as a worthless sack of trash?

I know several guys who are Eastern scabs - they don't have alot of friends in the "industry." They may be the hometown local hero to people who don't know the difference between a scab and not, but everyone you work with still knows..

I won't ever go out of my way to help a scab..

I think it's funny.. they all have "real" good excuses..

The local eastern scab, "had a family, he was trying to put his kids through private school, had a car payment" yadda yadda yadda..

My dad - had a family, was tryinig to put his kids through private school, etc.. My dad didn't cross the line..

I was a young kid when Eastern happened, but I have learned alot from the people who were involved..

Scabs are worthless....

Both my parents worked for Eastern and when it was time to strike, the whole family, including me and my brother at age 15 and 16, was on the 36th street walking the line. What I've learn from this strike; its always a noble thing to fight for a cause if you have the financial means, but in the end, you must fight for your family's survival. You and everyone one on this board don't know the persons situation that made him/her cross the line, but I can tell you from my own situation, its was better to fight for your family survival rather than being homeless and hungry. In fact, we lost our house! Yes, one of my parents went back to work fighing for our familys survival. In the end, Eastern is only a memory; some good, some bad. The friends we made are still our friends today and completely understand our dilema.

In an economic crisis, one has limited choices. When you have a family to care of, your choice are even more liimited. The next time you come across a person you want to call a scab, ask him was his reasons for crossing the line. Most will probably tell you for the survival of his/her family. BEING HOMELESS AND HUNGRY IS NOT AN EASY LIFE!

 

[Dizel8]

I used to care, but once ALPA let the CAL scabs back in, I really don't anymore.