Originally Posted by
Nevets
You don't have to go ALPA. Hell, I've been saying to just certify SAPA as your nmb recognized collective bargaining agent. Just doing that alone without changing ANYTHING else will improve the hand you have dealt your SAPA reps.
This has been discussed ad naseum. The conventional wisdom is that no regional (even big ones) have enough financial resources to support the types of benefits/activities that one expects of an airline union. Supposedly the economy of scale allows national to provide some things like insurance and high-end legal/negotiating assistance.
Also like I said I'd like to see progress towards national unity, although that may well be impossible at the regional level...it would be helpful if we were all one union or maybe two that could join forces.
Originally Posted by
Nevets
But let me just add, ALPa is simply an association of independent unions. Each airline is represented by pilots from their ranks. They are the only ones who are able to make decisions on the business dealings with management. No one else at national has the authority to do ANYTHING about what the individual MEC does. And neither can any other MEC, mainline or regional, has a say in what other MECs do. It's no different than how the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association works. The elected leaders of CAPA cannot tell FAPA or RAH IBT what to do. And neither can the APA tell SWAPA what to do. The conflict of interest is a HUGE misconception!
National probably needs a little more authority...but I certainly recall national refusing to sign a contract with JO a few years back.
But at the major level the pilots don't compete directly for flying, and the company isn't going to liquidate itself out of spite if the pilots get a good contract. There's a lot more potential for coordination and teamwork at the major level. With regionals, it's just wack-a-mole, and people are learning not to stick their heads up.