And here is a bit more to chew on:
From: xxxx xxxxx
To: xxxx xxxxx
Sent: Wed, May 9, 2012 12:04 pm
Subject: TIME CRITICAL - ACTION NEEDED!
TO: ALL 12,000 UNITED PILOTS - FORWARD IMMEDIATELY - MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTION
I would love to be proven wrong about what I'm about to say. However, if by some small chance you still don't believe we are being sandbagged by opposing forces within our own union, and that our chances for getting a new contract this summer are rapidly slipping away due to calculated delay...WAKE UP.
Yesterday was the big day. Yesterday was the Jay Pierce FINALLY allowed himself to get briefed on "the plan." The silence afterwards is deafening. There was no joint statement by the two MEC Chairmen, no words of Unity towards a JCBA.
Why doesn't Pierce and his MEC loyalists come out in favor of the plan? Why the constant delay? Because the plan would actually work!
Of course if it wouldn't work, Pierce would be all over it. Just like all the other initiatives that failed to produce anything but delay for the company. Since this plan could upset the company and his future management position however, he knows he has to drag his feet and allow the whole thing to die, then publicly say the plan wasn't viable or would upset the NMB.
Afterwards look for Pierce to contact the NMB once again and apologize for our even thinking of upsetting them. Then to placate the idiots still among us, Pierce will announce a new agreement with the company to plan an intense negotiation session to hammer out a new deadline for meetings to consider a timeframe for working out the latest proposals to the scheduling section of the contract. I can't wait for my "Contract 2016" stickers and wristbands! By then Pierce will probably be vice-president of flight operations or something. I want to puke.
The rank & file pilots of United Airlines share common goals. UAL and CAL pilots are bothers in arms in a battle with Smisek and his ilk. It appears the industry has been able to insert one of its own among us, once again near the top of labor. Both pilot groups are now being harmed by a former (and future) manager MEC chairman and an overpaid politician pretending to be our union president.
Where is Captain Moak by the way? Is he making this issue his top priority? Oh no - I've heard he's staying in France now until May 17th! Evidently giving speeches on lithium batteries is more important when you are being paid $500k a year. Moak avoiding us in the land of surrender is very appropriate for a leader adverse to confronting management - but don't take my word for it:
Frankly, all 12,000 pilots of United Airlines will suffer a tremendous lost opportunity for significant wage and benefit improvements if Moak doesn't sign the request for release very, and I say VERY soon. Days.
The very future of ALPA on the property is at stake. Print out the attached pdf files. Look at the names on the list. Call the ones you know and tell them what is going on. Get them to act. CAL pilots should be engaged as our union brothers and encouraged to pressure their LEC members.
You can do it. Its just for a few days longer, after that it won't matter.