Originally Posted by
Check Essential
On many issues, discussing the topic of the day and waging PR campaigns on Internet message boards is the only avenue the rank and file membership has to provide any input to the process before the TA is signed.
The MEC administration isn't going to publicly announce that they are negotiating any changes to the line check trip assignment system. It was not in the survey or any other documents published by ALPA.
These web boards are the only source we have.
12,000 people can't call their reps every day and ask "What's new in the negotiations?".
Guys who don't frequent these pages have no idea that first officers may lose the ability to bid trips with line check airmen. Or that those trips might be withheld from the F/O PBS run once a LCA is awarded them. That's something that a lot of pilots might have an opinion on and want to express that opinion to their reps.
We can argue about whether its a "done deal" but I think most pilots would like to at least be made aware that its under discussion.
The MEC administration is not communicating.
I'm grateful that Purple Drank is.
I will never understand why they negotiate items with no input in a vacuum. Apparently they have not seen smart phones yet. We could do a 12,000 pilot instant vote in two days.
Why negotiate LCA trips without first letting the membership know they were being talked about? I can't think of one reason.
The MEC may be going all honey badger again. Just don't GAS about the line guy.