pilotyip
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Posts
- 13,629
What defines a scab?
Speaking of the ALPA pilot brother hood and the naming of SCABs. Those who display "The holier than thou" SCAB flag do not face reality. The SCAB definition is so broad, and it is applied as the case fits. Now the guys who crossed the EAL line in 1989 on the first week of the strike probably define the word SCAB. But how about the EAL guys who went on strike and then returned to work 3-6 months later are they SCABs? How about the EAL ALPA members that crossed the IMA picket line to take the FE jobs in the 60's, were they SCAB's? How about the CAL guys who crossed the line and were then welcomed back into the fold by ALPA, are they SCAB's. How about the CAL guys hired in 1988 5 years after ALPA went on strike, are they SCABs? How about the Air New York and People's Express pilots who were absorbed into CAL are they SCAB's. How about the ALPA guy who gets out his scab list when you are jumpseating to see if you are on it, normally the F/O. There are offical SCABs flying for just about every airline in this country, but I have never heard of a guy getting the list out when he is looking for a jumpseat to see if one of the crewmembers offering him a ride is on the list. I was offered a job at CAL in 1983, my union buddies in my reserve unit told me I would be branded as a SCAB if I did and end up working for some non-sked at YIP. Well the guys who crossed the line were Capt's at CAL almost their entire careers. I elected to follow my union squadron mates advice and I am working for some non-sked at YIP. Did I make the right choice? I am a former union member, when Zantop elected to go out of business (almost) we were all let go, the union did nothing to attempt to find us another job, or get us training to increase our chances of getting another job. They only took dues out of our last pay check. Then Zantop elected not to go out of business and said it would have to renegoiate the contract, everyone took a cut in pay and days off, where an Electra Capt made about the same as a F/O at USA Jet, a non-union company. In defense of ALPA, it has made the airline job a fantastic job, and stopped alot of bad practices by management. Like the ALPA Air carrier I used to work, TA, they used to lay off 1st year pilots and then rehire them, at first year wages a couple weeks later, fully trained, ready for a trip the day they returned, but still a first year pay for another year, not second. They have set the standards followed by most companies in the airline industry, but they are not the "BrotherHood" of pilots protecting the world against SCAB's, they are a business that sells dues.
Speaking of the ALPA pilot brother hood and the naming of SCABs. Those who display "The holier than thou" SCAB flag do not face reality. The SCAB definition is so broad, and it is applied as the case fits. Now the guys who crossed the EAL line in 1989 on the first week of the strike probably define the word SCAB. But how about the EAL guys who went on strike and then returned to work 3-6 months later are they SCABs? How about the EAL ALPA members that crossed the IMA picket line to take the FE jobs in the 60's, were they SCAB's? How about the CAL guys who crossed the line and were then welcomed back into the fold by ALPA, are they SCAB's. How about the CAL guys hired in 1988 5 years after ALPA went on strike, are they SCABs? How about the Air New York and People's Express pilots who were absorbed into CAL are they SCAB's. How about the ALPA guy who gets out his scab list when you are jumpseating to see if you are on it, normally the F/O. There are offical SCABs flying for just about every airline in this country, but I have never heard of a guy getting the list out when he is looking for a jumpseat to see if one of the crewmembers offering him a ride is on the list. I was offered a job at CAL in 1983, my union buddies in my reserve unit told me I would be branded as a SCAB if I did and end up working for some non-sked at YIP. Well the guys who crossed the line were Capt's at CAL almost their entire careers. I elected to follow my union squadron mates advice and I am working for some non-sked at YIP. Did I make the right choice? I am a former union member, when Zantop elected to go out of business (almost) we were all let go, the union did nothing to attempt to find us another job, or get us training to increase our chances of getting another job. They only took dues out of our last pay check. Then Zantop elected not to go out of business and said it would have to renegoiate the contract, everyone took a cut in pay and days off, where an Electra Capt made about the same as a F/O at USA Jet, a non-union company. In defense of ALPA, it has made the airline job a fantastic job, and stopped alot of bad practices by management. Like the ALPA Air carrier I used to work, TA, they used to lay off 1st year pilots and then rehire them, at first year wages a couple weeks later, fully trained, ready for a trip the day they returned, but still a first year pay for another year, not second. They have set the standards followed by most companies in the airline industry, but they are not the "BrotherHood" of pilots protecting the world against SCAB's, they are a business that sells dues.
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