Originally Posted by
jethikoki
Legally you may be right. But you are also looking at this from a better vantage point then most regional pilots are. Morally and ethically this does not seem fair to the regional pilots nor feel like we get equal representation. In essence what you say is size does matter and if you're small you haven't got a chance.
That is exactly what I'm stating.
You get equal representation on your own property, but you are screwed on the mainline property.
To explain how things got this way.
After Lorenzo transferred Eastern's assets to his wholly owned alter ego, Continental, and Continental left ALPA, our union was determined to never let management whipsaw us again. ALPA adopted strong language designed to prevent whipsaw by forced mergers. Delta was a beneficiary of the Texas Air mess and was never that fond of mergers (or ALPA) for that matter. (there was a abortive decertification drive then too)
It is likely the Delta MEC had advanced notice that Delta intended to buy ASA and Comair (can't prove it) but we do know the Delta MEC led a push to remove that merger language at the 1998 ALPA BOD.
Concomitant with the denial of Comair and ASA's merger request, ALPA adopted this "permitted" model which divided ALPA members into preferred and non preferred groups.
Without a real merger policy, there was no way to force real, structural, unity. In effect ALPA agreed to alter ego whipsaw, as long as it existed at the permitted aircraft level.
The perception was, and is, that express jobs are not real airline pilot jobs. That for some reason your flying, which indistinguishably mimics the flying I do, is simply a stepping stone to a real job ... and only real jobs should be protected.
But if you look at ALPA's history and it's governing documents you will quickly realize that we have reason to be hopeful that our profession will turn itself around.
Dave Behnke, ALPA's founder, famously stated "when one pilot has a problem, we all have a problem." Recently I've been noticing Capt. Behnke has been quoted by more and more
mainline MEC Chairmen. That's a very hopeful sign that folks are taking another look at our roots, how we got here, and what worked. As more and more pilots who have experienced whipsaw first hand join their major brothers the politics change. As the politics change the politicians change policies. I think we are on the precipice of great things.