I think it is unrealistic to pursue a change in Unions, as in voting out IBT and voting in another, more effective, representative organization. I think that needs to be accomplished, but this is not the time to do so.

The Constitution and Bylaws, Section 19, paragraph D, item (4) prohibits such activity. That section states, “No member shall engage in dual unionism or espouse dual unionism or disaffiliation, or be a party to any activity to secure the disestablishment of the Local Union as the collective bargaining agent for any employee.”

We also all, theoretically, swore, “I will at all times bear true and faithful allegiance to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and this Local Union.” when we became members of the IBT.

Attempting any such action would subject a pilot to SECTION 20: CHARGES & TRIALS.

More importantly, we don’t have time for such an effort. We NEED a contract.

And in answer to your question, I AM actively working towards a recall “election”, hopefully this time it will be an election with multiple candidates for each position or a slate, instead of a 7 person appointment. We HAVE to become involved if we are going to make any progress.

Do you think the company overlooked the fact that there were only 7 candidates fir 7 positions? Do you think they adjusted their negotiating strategy based on that fact? A 99% strike vote is grand, byt that;s a push of a button versus actually doing something. You want to win? Quit sitting on the sidelines and acting like young, entitled, immature prima donnas.

Thia ain't easy, someone - out of 2,000 pilots - has to grow a pair and do something if you want something.

In order for this to be successful, we need more pilots to step up – we need more than 7 pilots, one of which is most concerned about his Midwest “Brothers” to run for office, either as a slate or individually. We all b!tch and moan, but there are very few that have the fortitude to step up and take the heat.

It is tragic that there are not more pilot interested in running for office.

These will have to be pilots with realistic expectations. They will have to be willing to eat a bit of crow after what 747 and 357 have done, but we could come up with a contract that meets our needs and doesn’t kill the company.

The Pat G “slate” did a MUCH better job in communication and while they were unable to “Change the Relationship”, they were on the right track.

Quite simply, the people we have placed in the positions to reach an agreement on the 4 open sections have failed. We aren’t “negotiating” any more than the company is, and yet our “leadership” and NC report it’s all the company’s fault.

There is plenty of blame to go around between RAH and 357 for the abysmal relationship we currently enjoy. We can only control our actions and reactions, we are currently negotiating against ourselves and either placating or lying to our membership.

At the risk of understatement, our Union leadership and Negotiating Committee have an unproductive relationship with Management, there is NO mutual respect, no trust and no sense of, “If we can’t make this work together, we all suffer or die.” Like it or not, we're all in this together.

That HAS to change. It WON’T change with the people we have in place.

Our current ExCo and NC is adhering to the IBT International School of “Thinking”, summed up nicely by then IBT International Representative, who stated on video, “We want the CEO’s to wake up every morning and wonder, ‘What is the IBT going to do to me today.’”

The NC Chair (Danny S) takes pride in having an antagonistic and caustic “relationship” with Bedford and his Management team. He would rather “be the man” and “beat the man” than conduct reasonable negotiations. He failed in 2003, he failed in the SLI and he is failing now. The only difference this time around is that he’s got his buddy Bill Wilder collecting our assessment.

Yes, I am willing and able to step in and change the course of this negotiation. That’s not what I would actually do first, but I am very confident, given the right EBoard and the ability to hire true professionals and replace the NC, I would reach a reasonable agreement MUCH sooner than Moffatt the prophet, his EBoard and the current NC.

The first thing the Union needs is to make a serious course correction in strategy, philosophy, relationships and communications. Any one that’s been paying attention would get their first clue of the priorities from Eischen’s statements about the cart being before the horse and his follow up statement that it’s getting worse, not better.

I would stop paying the Midwest pilot’s legal bills, negotiate with FAPA towards a joint council and work on building a cohesive, cooperative pilot group with a common goal.

FAPA isn’t going to trust us for a long time after the SLI debacle and the Reps we sent to that goat rope. I don’t blame them. I have no idea why Midwest pilots trust us, except we’re paying their legal bills, at the determent of our “native” RAH pilots and they are getting current to move on to a better job.

MEA and F9 have much more in common than F9/MEA and RAH pilots have. L4 pilots are basically F’d, I’m sure the LAST thing they want to do is work here.

It is my understanding that we sent an egomaniac (DS), a Drunk (MR), a “president” that played video games the whole time (PP), a fem-Nazi with zero personality (EG) and a rich dude (TH) to represent the trusteeship with our financial “expert” (Robert Mann) that couldn’t figure out if his charts were right side up or upside down. MR stood on the street and made extremely derogatory, racist comments about every Afro-American person that walked by.

Billy Wilder reportedly threw his hands in the air, twitched and made so many faces that everyone in the room wanted to play poker with him. The experienced Attorneys said, “He’s certainly no Roland (his Father) and Billy said, “I take after my Mother.” The choir said, “No sh!t.”

I would stop the “Fight Back campaign” NOW and tell IBT National, “here’s how it’s going to go.” We have that right don’t we? IBT is supposed to be a “bottom up” organization, we have the right to run our Local as we see fit, right? Or is that just IBT rhetoric?

I would take down the RAH Contract NOW! | Teamsters Local 357 website in trade for the company taking down the My RJET Workplace website. We’re not going to win this in the public eye. The winning moves, for both parties, is at the table and more importantly behind the scenes maybe even over dinner and drinks.

So yeah, I don’t post on our board for fear of retaliation from National, from 357 and from my fellow pilots.

I think we have a lot of uneducated sheep following the wolf to their grave. They need to wake up, become involved and make a difference. Sadly, I don’t think there’s a chance in he!!! that they will. They will continue to cry about their work rules, scheduling and pay, but they won’t do a thing about it.

We have losers representing us and we’re losing, why is anyone surprised?

When the next Slate comes up, consider them and evaluate their philosophy, proposed methodology and strengths. They will lead us to a better contract, working relationship and overall QOL. We’ll be making a run as soon as it seems appropriate.

And, please consider, no one could do worse than those that currently represent us as an EBoard or as a Negotiating Committee.

I promise I will NEVER tell you I know something is a done deal until it actually is a done deal.

We are currently getting EXACTLY what we deserve.