Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

THIS!!

A union is only as strong as the pilots voted to defend you. If you vote in a bunch of greedy, ultra-senior reps (I'm looking at you Chris Beebe and the US Airways MEC circa 2000) then you reap what you sew. (1,149 pilot "training float"... pilots furloughed for 10+ years recalled to "Metrojet" while newhires come in to group 2 airplanes at a higher payscale... etc)

I would love to see an MEC structured in silos where the juniormost pilots have just as much say as the seniormost. ALPA's biggest problem is that when it comes to money they tend to forget that the strength of a house is dependent upon its foundation. Protect the jobs and the salaries of the most JUNIOR members and that insures status quo among the more senior.

Don't have meetings at some golf resort in Virginia that no line pilot is realistically going to be able to attend. You work for US. I don't care if you need to have the meeting at the airport Super 8. You better have it where I can attend and look you in the eye if you're going to stick it to me.

I was at US Airways for a little over 3 years and I went to EVERY ALPA meeting held when I wasn't working. I volunteered on the communications committee, the hotel committee and became part of the solution. I was very proud of ALPA... but very disappointed with the MEC.

Beebe's promise of "Not one nickel, not one job" flew in the face of sold scope in exchange for protecting senior pay rates.

This is a pilot group problem. Elect the right people - people who understand that SCOPE is not to be touched, and not one job should be sold in exchange for a few nickles among the senior - and it can be successful. Follow the age old ALPA formula and watch your house crumble.

Lots of lessons to be learned. The killer B's at American. The "Unified Front" at USAir...

Go down this road, but don't ignore history.