We are a union. Ideally, we use the force of our numbers to counter balance and negotiate with management. The "forest" and dare I say the "whole planet" of union representation is strength in numbers.

We should be meeting and conferring on how to improve our profession. We should be meeting and conferring to stop outsourcing. We should be meeting and conferring to improve safety, working conditions and qualifications for entry.

This whole "conflict of interest" crap started when a couple of mainline MECs decided to get in bed with management and outsource the children. The DPA takes a bad idea and amplifies it, deciding that our profession should be divided, structurally ... so that we avoid working together.

Look, I don't fear ALPA National, or the Expressjet MEC. Delta flying has been negotiated by Delta pilots. We negotiate our contract and we live with the results.

The DPA is on the wrong side of this issue. By alleging unsupported, non existent, problems far away the DPA is impotent to fix anything. The problem is local, within our own MEC. The trend is clear. The DPA refuses to participate in our local representative structure. The reason for their ineffectiveness now is the identical reason they will be ineffective if elected in the future.

Once again, I encourage the DPA to forget retribution for perceived injustices by ALPA and remember the real history that it was management and their fellow pilots who thought up "bargaining credits" and sold their jobs. Then focus on replacing those guys with guys who get the concept of unity.

That will be effective change that will help them individually, aid Delta pilots collectively, save our profession and save ALPA.