Originally Posted by
74pilot
Intentionally gaming ALPA FPL to improve your W2 and have more days off than your line seniority would otherwise allow qualifies as "profitable".
Using dues dollars for personal enrichment through meals, activities, or accommodations that aren't directly related to union work qualifies as "profitable".
No, I absolutely don't think volunteers should be compensated for their time - they'd cease to be volunteers if you paid them. I do think reasonable expenses for meals and accommodations are a cost of doing business. As I said above, I don't expect anyone to endure a hardship to represent me, but I also expect union officers to responsible stewards of dues dollars.
Union politics has never been a pleasant pastime, although I'm grateful for all volunteers - even if their efforts don't meet the will of the body. Unless of course it's a pig feeding at the trough and wasting dues dollars.
I highlighted a key point you made above. Unfortunately we have had "DALPA associates" staying in very expensive hotels, drinking thousands of dollars worth of alcohol (for just a few guys) and buying $100/plate dinners at Chris Ruth Steakhouse with dues dollars. It's sickening. They have been doing it for some time now... justifying, believing they will never get caught. A full accounting needs to take place once the cover is blown off that bunker.
I'd like to add a note about Flight Pay Loss mentioned earlier in this thread.
NOBODY should get paid to come to these message boards and post EVER. If DALPA want's to set up a help desk or conduct live chat sessions/video conferencing under their real name and title that is fine. Getting paid while pretending to be someone else here while misrepresenting facts is an abuse of membership dues.