Originally Posted by
Purple Drank
So finally, the truth comes out...you are a union insider!
Thank you for your service.
On a macro level, I have to ask, what exactly did tens of thousands of FPL dollars produce? What is the return on our dues money investment? What do we have to show for it?
What you're asking is unprovable. The benefits of a connected, educated, empowered pilot group are intangible. That doesn't mean they aren't real and extremely important.
What you did get for your dues dollars was a massive information campaign that sought to get out ahead of FAR 117 among many other issues. To my knowledge we are the only pilot group that made such an extensive effort to educate on the new rules prior to January 1st. And to head off your next point, yes a large portion of the hotel op was in response to 3-4 years of BS from the DPA which I think most of us are finally coming to see for what it was/is. However, your democratically elected MEC reps were the ones that decided to authorize the action, so again if you think something is awry you have the ability to hold them accountable.
The pilots staked out in the lobbies were also available to answer a multitude of non-FAR 117 questions, take feedback and generally be available to let guys "be heard." This information, believe it or not, was collated and passed back to the MEC for review/action. Some of this "temperature of the pilot group" stuff will undoubtedly be the beginnings of the MEC's decisions wrt C2015.
The feedback that comes through almost every channel is always overwhelmingly that pilots want more access to their union, more face-to-face contact, more opportunities to provide feedback, etc. The vast majority of pilots that we came in contact with at the layover hotels, were either positive on the idea or at least pleasantly neutral, thanking us for the effort and information. The loose cannons were in the severe minority.
You, Purple, are the perfect example of "can't please everybody, all the time." I'd rather us continue to make the effort, even if it sometimes is less than ideal, than to sit around hoping things will turn out for the best. If you feel strongly that DALPA's efforts are a waste, then you have plenty of mechanisms at your disposal to advocate change. Just remember, your voice is 1 of 11,620 (as of the latest list!) and just because the other 11,519 don't agree with you doesn't mean the system is broken.