We're Takin It Back!

[Rez O. Lewshun]

And still, the anti union guys offer no solutions. They're happy when a union carrier raises the bar for them, and they keep their 2%. Then they do their best to get hired at a major , where they will gladly join a union.

You see guys/girls- it's not really about unions, it's ALL ABOUT THEM!!!

That is right... for some reason they want ALPA to be their personal agent. SHOW ME THE MONEY....

How do you expect a 60,000 member union to make everyone happy. Serve the collective, not the individual... you will gain much more...

 

[PCL_128]

However, I think you cannot possibly believe the crap you write.

Believe it 100%. I wouldn't have spent five years of my life devoted to ALPA work if I didn't.

First, you claim ALPA isn't about money. I disagree. From the list I have seen, ALPA pays a whole lot of coin to some people who basically do jack.

Who are you referring to? How do you know that they do "jack?" Have you met them and worked with them? Have you seen what they do on a daily basis? Most ALPA staffers make a fraction of what they could make at similar jobs away from ALPA. Most of them continue to work with ALPA because they truly believe in the cause of organized labor.

Secondly, your statement of UAL paying $15 mil in and getting $5 mil out is extremely telling. ALPA is a modern day Robin Hood. They take from the UAL group, and give to the regionals.....the very regionals that have taken flying and jobs from them since the 9/11 attacks. Do you not see a genuine conflict of interest?

Not at all. ALPA is responsible for protecting the entire profession. They do a great job of balancing their responsibilities to make sure that all parties are represented fairly. The UAL pilots have to pay to subsidize the other carriers, but it's in their long-term best interest to make sure that all carriers are represented to uphold the overall profession. What happens to the regionals will eventually affect the guys at the majors, and vice-versa. We're all in this together.

Mainline pilots didn't screw the pooch on this brand scope thing all on their own....they had help in the form of great leadership from ALPA national and the minions of pilots all scrambling into the profession, some by the high road and some paying for their jobs.

Very true. So, do we dwell on the past and complain about mistakes that have already been made, or do we find solutions and move forward? I'll take the latter. If you want to dwell on the past and be bitter, then that's your choice to make. I'd rather work to improve the profession.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

The problem is that we don't seem to be learning from mistakes from the past

 

[BigMeat]

Hey guys. Next time you dont feel like you want a union I want you to call Johnny Ornstein and ask him what your worth. Joe Merchant you are obviously pissed about something but I garuntee that ASA wouldnt be any near what it is today without ALPA. Did you get turned down at Delta? Yeah sure you didnt go for the interview. As a matter of fact are you not one of those RJDC guys. Yeah, the guys that wanted to relieve scope even further so that they could fly 100+ seat jets for 60k a year? Thank God for unions in this industry or we would all be screwed. Not perfect but necessary.

 

[wms]

The only thing ALPA, Teamsters or anyother outside Union thinks about is Money. You sure do not get your money's with any of them. Just ask the East Coast Airways Pilot group how they feel about how ALPA represented them. I have always been a supporter of in house pilot unions.

ASA has tried to force me to violate the FAR's by exceeding the 8-hour rest rule four times. They've tried to force me to take my days off outside of domicile, and they've accused me of being unprofessional with scheduling (the tapes showed the schedulers were wrong during the grievance). Without ALPA I would've been threatened with disciplinary action for standing up for the right thing. I don't know where you work, but at ASA we would not be safe without ALPA. Contracts are only part of the issue. It's been worth my 2% to have someone advocate for me when I've needed the help. It's worth 2% to keep a company from imposing its will for its own selfish purposes. ALPA has issues, but they're minor compared to being on your own when you need an advocate. If you're a SKYW captain on the 70-seater 2% is about $1500 per year. How much did you lose flying the -700 for 50-seat rates those years after your pay rate was supposed to have been restored?

 

[§kyye Candy]

My understanding is that ALPA refused to represent GLA, which is why they ended up with the Teamsters. Not big enough = not enough dues = why bother.

 

[PCL_128]

My understanding is that ALPA refused to represent GLA, which is why they ended up with the Teamsters. Not big enough = not enough dues = why bother.

Again, it has nothing to do with dues. All of the ALPA regionals cost more than they bring in in dues revenue.

 

[BoilerUP]

My understanding is that ALPA refused to represent GLA, which is why they ended up with the Teamsters. Not big enough = not enough dues = why bother.

The same thing happened with Chautauqua.

Pretty sure both happened last decade....

 

[PCL_128]

The same thing happened with Chautauqua.

Pretty sure both happened last decade....

Never underestimate the ability of the anti-ALPA zealots to dwell on the past while ignoring the future.

 

[A350]

PCL:

What about the ALPA zealots like yourself....who offer no solutions themselves except to say the rest of us are apathetic slobs who don't know what is good for us.....only the almighty union knows.

If ALPA could admit a mistake of the past and FIX it, I would be very apt to think they are worthy of the profession. But they never admit mistakes, they never fix the problems, they just blow smoke and collect dues.

There needs to be deep changes.....I agree we cannot go back, but the future is anything but certain and the reason most of us are so against ALPA is that they never learn and try something different.

ALPA takes money from UAL and gives it to the smaller carriers who pick up flying at another union pilots expense. ALPA represents both. I cannot be the only one that sees a huge conflict of interest. I cannot be the only one that doesn't think ALPA has done much to "protect the profession".

A350

 

[PCL_128]

PCL:

What about the ALPA zealots like yourself....who offer no solutions themselves except to say the rest of us are apathetic slobs who don't know what is good for us.....only the almighty union knows.

You want solutions? Look at the pilots over at ASA that are slowing down and writing up airplanes without any prompting from the union. That's your solution. Pilots standing up for themselves and taking ownership of their careers and their profession. That is the solution to our problems. Pilots that sit around an b#tch on flightinfo and cry that ALPA isn't the magic wand that they want it to be are the problem. When pilots get involved in their own careers, stand up for themselves, and get involved in the political process, then we'll see some improvements. ALPA can't do it for you.

 

[A350]

Sorry, but if ALPA can't do it for me, WTF do I pay dues?

Why should anyone stand up for themselves.....another union group will come in and screw them.....and ALPA national will sign the contract that guarantees it.

A350

 

[Airline Driver]

ASA has tried to force me to violate the FAR's by exceeding the 8-hour rest rule four times. They've tried to force me to take my days off outside of domicile, and they've accused me of being unprofessional with scheduling (the tapes showed the schedulers were wrong during the grievance). Without ALPA I would've been threatened with disciplinary action for standing up for the right thing. I don't know where you work, but at ASA we would not be safe without ALPA. Contracts are only part of the issue. It's been worth my 2% to have someone advocate for me when I've needed the help. It's worth 2% to keep a company from imposing its will for its own selfish purposes. ALPA has issues, but they're minor compared to being on your own when you need an advocate. If you're a SKYW captain on the 70-seater 2% is about $1500 per year. How much did you lose flying the -700 for 50-seat rates those years after your pay rate was supposed to have been restored?

Union's are a necessary evil in our business. I am happy that your situation worked out in your favor. There are however allot of open grievances with many companies, mine being one of them. I am a 170/175 Captain for Republic, we have some GREAT union reps behind our pilot group who really do go to bat for us. I would rather see our Pilot group eventually move to an in-house union. I feel as though we would have a little more control and a better working relationship with management if we were. Unfortunately I do not see this happening in the near future. So to speak honestly, I guess I would rather have union representation than none at all. I am though going to stick with my original statement and say that 99% of the time all Unions think about is money.

 

[PCL_128]

Sorry, but if ALPA can't do it for me, WTF do I pay dues?

Because ALPA provides the resources to get you the contract after you've shown management that you have some balls. ALPA is only as strong as the pilots that it represents. Without the support of the pilots, a union is worthless, and without the support of a union, all the unity in the world won't get you jack sh*&. You need to have both. That small check that you write to ALPA isn't an excuse to sit back and do nothing for your career and just expect ALPA to magically make it all happen for you.

 

[A350]

ALPA also provides the resources to other union pilot groups, who work for other ALPA represented airlines, who come in and take your flying.

No amount of balls will ever stop that...unless ALPA national grows some. The union is worthless because the leadership will never say no to any contract, no matter what the consequences to the membership.

A350