Ehh, not exactly. Tony misspoke.

There are 4 lists. The first is "Non Members Not Subject to Agency Shop". They were not members when we began agency shop and they were "grandfathered", allowed to maintain that status as long as they wish.

The second is "DCO Non Members Not Subject to Agency Shop". Like the first category, they were grandfathered. However, they have chosen to pay their monthly load by having the equivalent of dues withheld from their paychecks.

Looking back at the first list, the absence of DCO equates to Not on Dues Check Off. The same attribute cannot be accurately assigned to the third list, which also does not have "DCO" in the title.

The third category is "Non Members Subject to Agency Shop". These pilots were members when we became an agency shop, and are therefore required to pay dues or agency fees as a condition of continued employment. Unlike the first category, this title does not imply that the pilots are not on Dues Check Off (DCO). In fact, there is not a separate list for DCO or non-DCO, like the "Not Subject to Agency Shop" lists -- there's only a single list for Non Members, regardless of their method of payment.

If I understand correctly, these Non Members may choose to be on Dues Check Off, or they may choose to mail in their checks monthly. At the end of the year, they must settle their accounts with the MEC Secretary-Treasurer by verifying their assessable income, and by reconciling their payments for the year. This process is often drug out over several months, and the Secretary-Treasurer might be still working with some of these cases in the summertime. (It also happens to members on Dues Check Off for a number of common reasons. Since we pay dues one month in arrears, if we have a good month last month, but for some reason no income this month, when the dues are due to be paid, a member can become delinquent and not even realize it until he gets a bill from ALPA National at the end of the year.) So, a Non Member may be paying monthly, or he may be waiting to settle up next summer.

My foul. I made a mistake in assuming that the absence of DCO in the list title implied the pilots on the list are not on DCO. In fact, we have no way of telling by looking at that list. We also have no way of knowing if those pilots are actually paying dues, whether on DCO or not. The only people who know that are the MEC Secretary-Treasurer, and if the pilot is in arrears, his or her Block Rep.

I should have been more careful looking at ALL the list titles -- I apologize for any confusion I may have caused.


What I should have said is this:


And my apology to Non-Member McD if I hurt his feelings with my original assertion.
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