Union Fights Alpa

[Spinn555]

Isn’t it ironic? Pilots' union hit by strike​

In a move described as a “twist of irony,” the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has been forced to “close offices around the country” after some of the union’s own workers went on strike Friday, according to The Memphis Commercial Appeal (free registration). Reuters also noted the role reversal, writing that the “union which has threatened to ground various airlines in the past few years over contract negotiations” must now contend with its own walk out. The striking group is known as “Unit 2” -– a union that represents 114 of ALPA’s administrative and clerical employees, according to Reuters. The strike began noon Friday after Unit 2 members rejected a tentative deal on a new contract.
ALPA says in a statement that the tentative agreement “sufficiently balances the economic realities of the airline profession we serve and the needs of the fine employees who work so hard for our members. The hard reality remains that our pilot members have suffered grievously these past five years. Salary cuts, furloughs, pension losses and escalating health-care costs make it impossible for ALPA to grant the salary increases and health care caps Unit 2 seeks.” As for the strike, ALPA’s release says the union “strongly believes in and supports the right of all employees -– including its own -– to strike,” adding it will not “request any employee or member to cross a picket line of striking employees at ALPA offices.” The union also says “no effort will be made to replace striking employees.”

Posted at 06:51 AM/ET, May 15, 2006 in Offbeat | Permalink |​

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

No it isn't ironic....

It is exactly the way it should be...

What would be ironic is if ALPA managment treated it employees like airline managment treated its pilots....

 

[BE90flyer]

No Fear...........

Rez O. Lewshun is hear to defend the unions.....................

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Rez O. Lewshun is hear to defend the unions.....................

I'm more intrested in pragamatism, anti-cynicism, education, understanding the issues and effectiveness....

 

[D'Angelo]

I wouldnt be a bit suprised if some guys started "picking up the slack" so to say. Its actually bad buisness practice to not at least try to maintain some sense of normalcy. There is no way they would have anyone visibly cross a picket line. This is really quite hysterical to watch really. Now we can sit back in all our glory as they whole thing comes crumbling down. Im sure Rez will be there chanting til the end.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

This is really quite hysterical to watch really. Now we can sit back in all our glory as they whole thing comes crumbling down. Im sure Rez will be there chanting til the end.

It may be hysterical to you because what you try and understand what you don't. And in your attempt to understand has labeled this as hysterical. When actuality the system is functioning as normal.

Please tell me about your glory. What have you done that is glorious?

Again, nothing will come crumbling down. You simply don't understand the system as it functions in a different mode. Basically you haven't read appropriate section the systems manual. And you are trying to justify what you don't understand.

There is a theme to this post......

It is a pragmatic and professional thing... you wouldn't understand...

 

[Traderd]

It may be hysterical to you because what you try and understand what you don't. And in your attempt to understand has labeled this as hysterical. When actuality the system is functioning as normal.

Please tell me about your glory. What have you done that is glorious?

Again, nothing will come crumbling down. You simply don't understand the system as it functions in a different mode. Basically you haven't read appropriate section the systems manual. And you are trying to justify what you don't understand.

There is a theme to this post......

It is a pragmatic and professional thing... you wouldn't understand...

I have no dog in this fight but I am simply curious about something and I don't think I've seen it addressed here. I'll ask you Mr. Lewshun as you present yourself as a knowledgeable source of union activity.

In the case of a Unit 2 strike, what would constitute "struck work?" Typing, word processing, answering the phone? How is it any of the Unit 2 work can be accomplished without the crossing of a picket line since I would think all of management is also unionized? Can ALPA management do this work without doing "struck work" because they are a member of a different union? If that is the case it would seem analogous to a Teamsters pilot group stepping in to fly the struck work of a striking ALPA group. I would think someone is doing the work while they are on strike.

How does this work? Is it all semantics, you know the scab word, struck wrok,etc?
Thanks

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I have no dog in this fight but I am simply curious about something and I don't think I've seen it addressed here. I'll ask you Mr. Lewshun as you present yourself as a knowledgeable source of union activity.

In the case of a Unit 2 strike, what would constitute "struck work?" Typing, word processing, answering the phone? How is it any of the Unit 2 work can be accomplished without the crossing of a picket line since I would think all of management is also unionized? Can ALPA management do this work without doing "struck work" because they are a member of a different union? If that is the case it would seem analogous to a Teamsters pilot group stepping in to fly the struck work of a striking ALPA group. I would think someone is doing the work while they are on strike.

How does this work? Is it all semantics, you know the scab word, struck wrok,etc?
Thanks

When ALPA's first president, Behnke, formed the Association 75 years ago and ran the place for the first couple of decades he also ran the in house administration.

There were several issues with the staffers and what's really ironic, is Behnke did treat his employees just like his organzation scolded airline management for treating Air Line Pilots....

Fast Fwd to today. ALPA is has a general manager name J. Johnson. He manages the staffers who in turn support the Agenda of the Association. This agenda is tactically and stategically controlled by pilots, specifiacally eleceted ones, including Duane Woerth.

Johnson and his staff is management and doesn't belong to Unit I or Unit II. I don't think ALPA management will hire temps to do typing etc... They will in time come to an agreement. I believe it would be a PR nightmare for ALPA to bring in "scabs". Besides the cynical ALPA pilots would simple not know how to contain themsleves as they jumped up and down with glee like Pee Wee in Porky's


What is going on at ALPA is nothing "wrong". It doesn't mean ALPA is flawed or they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. It simply means that ALPA is walking the walk. How else to should one expect ALPA to function?

For the pilots who think they have found the coup de grace this is nothing but a red herring. It is quite fustrating because ALPA pilots use this as fodder for thier herd that breeds of cynicism and ignorance. When you have individuals that don't understand how the system works in the first place, then feed off of this (basically in-fighting.. the fight is out there not in here fellas...) then you wonder if we will ever be able to help ourselves....

In part it is very much like semantics, just like our own negotiations...but then again we are talking aobut our paychecks....

Thank you for your polite and civil post....

 

[Traderd]

Thanks for the information. I was mistaken in that I thought Unit 2 was currently on strike and as such wondered who was performing their work.

I once spent time helping a new hire regional pilot study during training. The aircraft information was not so difficult as was the contract. Those things are like FARs on steroids.