Originally Posted by
DeadHead
No disrespect ACL, but ALPA national are the ones who should be supporting the PAC. Perhaps lee moak can take a pay cut and contribute to the cause.
In my opinion, our leaders at ALPA national are no different then the corrupt CEOs who gut contracts under bankruptcy while deploying their golden parachutes.
Is it too much to ask that our government just look out for American employees without needing to have their proverbial wheels consistently greased. (I know stupid question)
Washington works the way Washington works. Play by their rules or sit on the sidelines. My Congressional Representatives are the perfect example of this. Money talks. Period.
As for Lee Moak. That LM2 shows total compensation, reimbursements and salary.
Lee makes good money, no doubt about it. If it was possible I would tell you to shadow any one of the four National Officers for a few days. Its an impressive and grueling schedule to say the least.
You also need to take note that the BOD sets his pay, and the BOD has reduced his pay and direct allotments for housing, car etc. Pay has been cut twice, the metric that was used was changed, and it is no longer a set dollar amount reimbursement for housing, car, etc. It is up to an amount and only the dollar amount used.
On National v PAC. Two separate organizations. They do work closely together, but PAC only gets its money from donations. It also is NOT, a bunch of pilots trying to justify FPL. The people ALPA-PAC employs are professional lobbyist that sole goal is to identify issues, start grass roots efforts, and keep the drive organized. You win some and you lose some, no doubt about that. I had a chance to listen to Michael and Zack speak and frankly, I am extremely impressed with the entire team National has assembled.
I do not have to nor do I agree on every issue. One those I will debate, study, debate again, and if needed table it to get other items done.
This EK announcement is just the start. If you have friends on FB that work for EK read their exuberance. All of my friends that work there want to come back here, but can't because comparable jobs are not here, so they stay and rejoice when an announcement like this is made even though it kills their long term goals. Look at your long term goals.
Does doing nothing wrt to this help those goals?
Does it hurt to give 42 bucks a month to ALPA-PAC? Its cheap insurance imo even if they get one or two items accomplished.
Does splintering and end fighting help us or hurt us?
Is it better to have one Nationally and Internationally Recognized name; ALPA, spearheading this issue with its pilots behind it, or is it better for 40 different unions loosely tied under CAPA have a better shot at stopping this?
To me the answers are simple.
I understand that it is very hard to look at the secular issues when one is hoping for better pay, better vacation, hiring, better hotels, better scope, and the list goes on. I totally get that. We have to work on both. The reality is that if the Federal Laws change and allow EK to to what they really want to do, the rest will not matter, because the airline we are flying for will be hard pressed to support its cost structure against an airlines that do not need to make a profit. They will be lucky to exist, or exist anywhere near the size and scope they are today. Look no further than Qantas. Don't think that will happen here? You DC Representatives think low fares will get them reelected unless they are reeducated. Who is going to do that reeducation?
Yep ALPA and ALPA-PAC.