Fly2Scuba
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2003
- Posts
- 377
First off, let me say in my opinion that having ALPA on property is better then an independent union or no union. Their national resources such as accident, medical, legal, and negotiation assistance is generally nice even considering union dues. Decisions regarding one's own MEC are mostly handled by that particular pilot group limiting the totalitarian effect of the national union.
That said the president of ALPA is making a $412,000 salary along with a $130,000 "allowance" as reported in the current Reader's Digest magazine in the article "Brotherhood of Thieves: Union bosses are picking the pockets of working stiffs" by Michael Crowley, a writer for Reader Digest and the New Republic. This author isn't some super ultra pro-business dude trying to take down the unions. He's written alot of pro Kerry articles if you reference the New Republic website. Unfortunately this article isn't available online, so you'll have to pick up an RD and read the article beginning on page 33.
This all makes one question why the unions are fighting the new requirement to itemize all expenses. The above mentioned article explains worse examples of embezzement and fraud beyond excessive salaries such as Mr. Woerths. Personally I think when the industry is in such a slump its massively hypocritical for union bosses to be slamming excess CEO pay while raking in some decent dough themselves. Both the CEOs and the union bosses should be sharing the hardships along with the workers. All I can say in the end is this is unnacceptable and some pay cuts at the national level are in order. Of course this article also mentions that it's been historically difficult for workers to stand up to their own union. Perhaps by spreading this information around this might change.
That said the president of ALPA is making a $412,000 salary along with a $130,000 "allowance" as reported in the current Reader's Digest magazine in the article "Brotherhood of Thieves: Union bosses are picking the pockets of working stiffs" by Michael Crowley, a writer for Reader Digest and the New Republic. This author isn't some super ultra pro-business dude trying to take down the unions. He's written alot of pro Kerry articles if you reference the New Republic website. Unfortunately this article isn't available online, so you'll have to pick up an RD and read the article beginning on page 33.
This all makes one question why the unions are fighting the new requirement to itemize all expenses. The above mentioned article explains worse examples of embezzement and fraud beyond excessive salaries such as Mr. Woerths. Personally I think when the industry is in such a slump its massively hypocritical for union bosses to be slamming excess CEO pay while raking in some decent dough themselves. Both the CEOs and the union bosses should be sharing the hardships along with the workers. All I can say in the end is this is unnacceptable and some pay cuts at the national level are in order. Of course this article also mentions that it's been historically difficult for workers to stand up to their own union. Perhaps by spreading this information around this might change.
