I am absolutely certain Delta pilots must be represented in-house, without the encumbrance of ALPA national.
However, I have reached the conclusion (just my opinion) that there is no path to DPA's election. Here are three of the reasons why.
1) TC. He has parlayed our legitimate dissatisfaction with ALPA into a means for furthering his own vendetta. By refusing to heed reasonable requests to step aside, he strikes me as out-of-touch and as arrogant as the ALPA goons we're trying to ditch.
2) Transparency. What is the magic number of cards, and how many active cards are there? DPA has justly dinged DALPA's lack of transparency...and then refused to be forthcoming itself.
3) Credibility. I believe most Delta pilots have integrity. I like to think I do. It bothers me that the DPA has associated itself with very shady counsel. I don't need or even want my lawyers to be boy scouts--but those guys seem to have some serious ethical shortcomings beyond what we're comfortable with. I realize those lawyers would not be involved in the end-state union, but Delta pilots won't sign on to a cause represented at any stage by those folks.
Make no mistake, this is not an endorsement of ALPA in any way, shape or form. I despise sending Delta pilots' money to a bloated and ineffective bureaucracy whose only goal is institutional and individual self-preservation and wealth/power accumulation.
Delta line pilots are merely an ATM for ALPA national, and to a lesser extent, the entrenched DALPA junta. Now, realistically, it's impossible to completely eradicate the waste/abuse. But if we've got to have it, I don't want it going to national. Let's keep it in-house.
TC has damaged the in-house union brand significantly, if not irreparably. It will take years to rehab our group's perception of an in-house union drive. If only he had stepped away a year or two ago.
So I guess I've become a secessionist. I'll be researching the viability of installing an MEC that will support secession from national...or an MEC that will modify the bylaws to effect such an outcome. Is it possible? Who knows, maybe you'll see me on a ballot someday.
