Man, this is getting downright nasty
I'm still an undecided voter but this alpa thing is getting crazy
e-mail from alpa:
The Organizing Committee appreciates the majority support by pilots who have sent in cards to be submitted to the National Mediation Board (NMB) to petition for a union representation election on behalf of all Colgan pilots.
If you have not yet sent in a card, please sit down now and consider the facts. Consider your pay, work rules, scope, scheduling policies, insurance cost, 401(k), and lack of protection of your FAA and Medical certificates. It is time to join forces with 60,000 pilots who already belong to the strongest pilot union in the world. We hope that every pilot will support the effort and send in his or her card as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, we have to mention that threatening phone calls and website postings were recently made to members of the Organizing Committee. We stand together with this message¾threats of physical violence by unknown pilots from unlisted phone numbers will not change the commitment of the Organizing Committee to secure professional representation.
We’ve also heard that management is sharing their antiunion philosophy during training, upgrades, and checkrides. If at any time you feel you are being harassed or pressured by any member of management, please contact a member of the Organizing Committee or ALPA (703-689-4179) immediately. The decision to organize is up to the Colgan pilots, not management.
Ask yourself why management is suddenly worried about our right to organize. Is it because their goal is not the same as our goal¾a goal that remains the same¾to protect our professional careers and have our collective voices heard by Colgan and Pinnacle management? In the end, it is up to us to secure and protect our future.
Finally, there is also an allegation that management is putting together a group of pilots (mostly instructors) to handle issues. This is another old management trick: create these “student councils” during organizing campaigns to suddenly show they care and to confuse an unrepresented pilot group. The reality is that these “student councils” cannot legally represent the collective voices of the Colgan pilots or make any agreement that binds management.
It is time for a change at Colgan. It is time for us to have a voice. It is time for us to stand together, for our own sake for our own future.