Originally Posted by
Jack Bauer
This is my line of thinking as well. Also, I think this notion that there cannot be unity behind ALPA's push for a great contract with DPA in the wings is pure nonsense. I actually see it as a positive, giving management more incentive to bargain in good faith. You see, management would prefer ALPA over any other so called "rogue" union. They are smart enough to know if ALPA drops the ball they will get something other than ALPA in short order.
Having DPA as a quick viable option helps keep ALPA and management honest during contract 2012 negotiations. Let me also add, there seems to be a genuine lack of leadership from ALPA coming up to this contract. So far by what has been said (but more by what has not been said) most of the pilots I have talked with feel isolated from the process and disillusioned by the unknown goals. ALPA guys here complain about lack of unity yet their words and actions seem to be one of the biggest catalysts for such. That's my two bits.
First, regardless of where we stand, we all have to be unified going into this section 6. We need to all be Delta pilots and not view ourselves through a DPA of DALPA lens. However, to be unified, we need to be informed.
I was astounded to fly with a good guy who:
1. Had no concept of the scope abuse and when we talked about it had grasp of the situation with ALK, AF/KLM and the others. To him scope was just an RJ problem.
Now, as I see it, part of the reason that he is not informed is that DALPA does not see these arrangements as a problem. They, of course, signed of on it and our MEC Chair signed the MOU that extended the AF/KLM rebalancing out several years.
Having an alternate source of information and fact checking is a good thing. It is also important to inform those that have no idea the difference between SWA and UPS benefits compared to ours. I believe this is the source of most of the heart burn that our MEC Communications Chair has now with the DPA. Reference the recent T & G's.
Thus, Jack's idea of keeping a quick and viable option is intelligent. Having a structure in place as a counter balance while we all are unified as
Delta pilots asserting ourselves for the contract we deserve is strategically sound.
DPA probably will not get the bump it needs on its own. However, to have the mothballed or easy to constitute mechanism there is going to be benefical.
Particularly when:
The Assesment arrives.
The Opener sucks.
The TA sucks.
Or, when UCAL bails leaving DAL holding the ALPA bag largely alone.