IBT "stabbed" Trans States in the back? You spend too much time listening to York. Ask them to tell you about Prater's visit to management when he begged them to kill off the GoJets pilots and give Trans States the flying. I seem to recall a few UAL furloughees flew there as well...interesting how ALPA folks freely tossed the "scab" word around at an airline that had their own contract and work rules. In essence, what you are saying that unless ANY new airline starts at anything below industry wages, they are back stabbers. Hmmm...when was the last time your group stood up and said "pay our FFD's industry leading rates or we'll shut down?"

While the rest of the airline unions were standing up to keep the minimum experience requirements high, ALPA was siding with ATA, aviation universities and the industry in favor of lowering them. FAA stood back because they figured that even if CAPA, IBT and others came out for the higher numbers, if ALPA came out with the lower recommendations, they'd have the cover of saying, "well, ALPA says it's OK, so...." IBT, CAPA, APA, IPA, UPS, SWAPA and others spent lots more time and effort on the issue.

Now, assuming you are correct and ALPA did all the heavy lifting on FTDT...and I disagree...explain for us all how the long standing mantra "One Level of Safety" became..."Well, for everyone but Cargo and the guys who fly our troops...because they aren't real pilots and don't need the same rest." Everyone else fought...where was ALPA's outrage? Not until FedEx raised cain and talked decert, did ALPA move. And then it was with a joke of a meeting in New Orleans. Moak never intended it to be anything but something to wave at them to say, "Look! We had a MEETING."

ALPA became the joke and the point of anger for every friend that pilots have on the Hill on this one. They were seen as an absolute joke compared to what it was in the past. Prater was seen from Day 1 as a buffoon in a suit who liked to glad hand and give neckrubs to the NTSB Administrator (nice)...while he was looking for his next job as a lobbyist in DC. Lee, sadly isn't seen much better.

Those aren't my opinions. Those are the opinions of staffers, Congressmen, Senators and lobbyists. They invite ALPA as window dressing, but consider it a paper tiger.

Maybe you should be asking your leadership this. Why has ALPA given each of the top four carriers an individual office on the 8th floor at Mass. Avenue and full FPL so they can go lobby the Hill? Is it because they can't do the job...or because they are so scared that a decert by any of them would collapse the house?

No one wants to see ALPA fail, me especially. There are too many good people there who really care about pilots. But unless ALPA pulls their head out of the sand and deals with the real, systemic flaws that they keep glossing over...they can't survive as a viable voice.

As far as them not showing you anything...I'd challenge you to pick up the phone and call their Division Director and talk directly to him. Don't worry...he talks "pilot"...as they say, "he are one." I'd bet you a paycheck he'll take your call and talk to you at length. You could talk to his Assistant Director...who was a senior Contract Administrator who was one of the six illegally fired by ALPA and won their jobs back (yeah, that one cost ALPA $$ too when they were found guilty and they had to post the award on the doors). Or their senior negotiator...a guy named Dubinsky.

Make the call…but don’t worry about the bet. I don’t want you losing the paycheck.