Originally Posted by
The Juice
I agree that there needs to be responsibility and oversight when using dues money for union events. Nobody should be popping Cristal champagne and sipping Louis at any union paid event.
However, some of you need a reality check. Don't chastise union pilot volunteers for expensing meals and other legitimate expenses that occured while performing union business. You expect results from these volunteers and you want it without a cost, all the while reminding the union volunteer that they are just that, a volunteer, and should not look for reimbursement.
Someone used the example of volunteering at their kids school and not looking for reimbursement for their sub sandwich. Well guess what, we aren't running a bake sale, this is our careers and our profession. We should want the smartest pilots our groups have to offer to volunteer to represent our interests against the talent that management will assemble on the other side of the table. Try and squeeze these volunteers out of reimbursement for cell phone usage and a dinner and see what you're left with; garbage in and garbage out.
Soon the same people who complained about union expenses will now be complaining about how their union "screwed" them.
There will always be opportunists in every game, it's inevitable. However, the great majority of union volunteers do it at a sacrifice to their personal private life for the greater good of the group. If that means my dues will go to rental cars and responsible union expenditures, I'm fine with that.
It appears to me as a non-ALPA pilot that this was not an isolated instance, and that the rep tried to have the issue addressed internally, and was ignored or met with intimidation and implied threats.
If it were an isolated instance, your argument might have merit. Clearly however, this is a pattern with this particular MEC, and apparently a group at national is willing to help them attempt to conceal the misuse of member funds.
Good luck to you guys. The APA has its issues, but they certainly are more transparent in use of member funds than ALPA appears to be. They may have a beverage with their meal. But clearly these ALPA things were drinking parties, not meals.
In this case, the guy even separated the bill into two parts and submitted them two different expense accounts... He obviously knew it wasn't right, and was trying to conceal it. How you guys deal with thieves among you is your own business. But thieves they are. According tothe rep, this was but one of many he found. This is the tip of the iceberg.