Originally Posted by
Check Essential
Carl-
We all love you man. Your cause is righteous. ALPA is a deeply flawed institution.
But time's up. You've fought well, but time's up.
The pilots have spoken. Its clear that the DPA isn't going to get the required signatures before Section 6 negotiations begin.
Like it or not, we're going into this battle under the ALPA banner.
Sadly, that's probably right.
Originally Posted by
Check Essential
The DPA should suspend its activities and get behind the pilot group and our chosen representatives for this contract battle.
First of all, the DPA's "activities" have been almost nothing. That's been one of my criticisms of them. DPA activities are a website and two public events. There will be a third public event (BBQ) before openers are exchanged with management. I'm betting there will be no more public events once openers are exchanged, but the website should stay up so that pilots who wish to vote have that option.
With regard to getting behind the pilot group and the reps, that has always been the case. This effort has not been a mutually exclusive proposition. You can offer a process for change while being behind the current representation. In my case, I do it because there's no other option...not because I believe in this morally bankrupt, self-interested institution that currently represents us.
Originally Posted by
Check Essential
You certainly don't have to endorse any individuals or the bureaucracy of ALPA. But unity is important and your support for the pilots as we go into these negotiations will send a powerful message to management and to the rank and file.
I am totally unified with our current representation anytime the opposition is management. Every DPA guy I know understands that and believes it too.
Originally Posted by
Check Essential
The DPA should do this thing not only for the good of the Delta pilots but also for its own credibility. If DALPA fails to deliver an acceptable TA even after you've suspended your efforts then they won't have the "donut excuse" and DPA will have clean hands to argue that they should be the ones to represent the Delta pilots going forward.
Absolutely wrong. DALPA is already blaming DPA for this and openers haven't even been exchanged yet. Guys like tsquare here are already blaming the impending DALPA failure on it as well. DPA could shut down the website tomorrow and DALPA would blame failure on the in-house union drive.
Originally Posted by
Check Essential
You'll have a much harder time winning support in the future if there's a perception that you've somehow sabotaged the contract efforts of DALPA.
If you spent all your time worrying about ensuring that nobody could ever have a "perception" that you've "somehow" negatively impacted something, you could never make a case to do anything. People will always attempt to blame you for their failures. That's a given. I'm betting that the vast majority of DAL pilots will see through DALPA's blame game and vote them out if DALPA fails with this upcoming TA.
Originally Posted by
Check Essential
Take the high road Carl. Join us in our confrontation with management.
Again, I hope what I've written above explains why what you've just said is so wrong and almost insulting. We ARE taking the confrontation to management. We will absolutely be behind our bargaining agent in the confrontation with management. I just want us to be ready with a rock solid Plan B if we all see the TA and realize that there was no "confronting" at all.
Originally Posted by
Check Essential
Shut down the DPA for the next 12 months.
Since I'm just a line guy, that's not my call. But I hope they don't do that. You can keep the website up and have DALPA feel a metaphorical gun to their heads while they are negotiating with management. In my view, this is the support we must give to DALPA...because they need to constantly be reminded to get off of management's lap and back on the OTHER side of the negotiating table. Further, I want management to know what extreme pressure DALPA is under to NOT cave in. That's the kind of unity of purpose management needs to understand.
Carl