Originally Posted by
jdborg
Professor this is a question for you. I'm trying to figure out how you can defend what I see as indefensible. Personally, I think the contract is indefesable but I know you will disagree with that. What I would like explained is how DALPA works. I have been at two other Alpa cariers and never experienced the kind of sales job like this. I have been through the whole process, through the end of a strike, and even in the toughest times the sales pitch was never so hard. I would like you to try and defend the sales pitch. I'm not being disingenuous.
If you honestly present the cons are you chastised by the others in your circle or threatened with no support from Alpa leadership if you want to advance within Alpa. I'm truly trying to understand what motivates you to only present the pros. Is your loyalty to DALPA or the pilot group? Sadly, when it comes to how this TA is being presented you can't be loyal to both.
I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm taking a shot at you. I'm not. I'm just trying to understand how DALPA operates.
Remember guys this was a question for professor.
I think, starting during BK or the "Do it once, do it right" concessions right before BK, the company made the union...err, I should say DALPA, sign a document agreeing to support the agreement when doing road shows. In other words, they were required to not disparage the agreement in any way when presenting it to us. I've just assumed that the unio...I mean DALPA is required, by virtue of signed documents, must always speak positively about the agreements they are presenting to us.
This may not be true with this current agreement. I'm at a loss for words that this is what our elected reps think qualifies for historic. That this is the best we can do. My union no longer speaks for me. My union is furthering Managements agenda, not mine. No more for me.
The only reason I will continue paying my dues to this organization is because I am required to if I want to keep my job.
After reading MD's letter stating that this is it, there is no "going back to the table" to tweak some details, it's all or nothing rhetoric, to inspire fear and uncertainty, I am confident, not that there is nothing more to be gained, but that my union doesn't want to fight for the gains that we well deserve after the past years of sacrifice and proactive engagement.
Management has gotten a little too comfortable with this whole take more than give program that was the environment during BK and the years there after. Those days have been over for a long time now but you'd never know it after reading this TA. I'm done giving....there will be plenty of opportunity to give up work rules during the next downturn, but not this time.
In the immortal words of Rhet McCormick...."This is our time".
I just wish I could give someone or some organization, oh...I don't know, maybe 1.9% of my earnings every year for life, to fight for me, since I'm too pathetic and ignorant to fight for myself.