Originally Posted by Navmode

The guy who brought up the question of why we pay in to the merger fund didn't really understand the purpose of it. After it was explained, he came back and said its probably a good idea to have it.

Anyone who understands business will tell you that the regional side of the industry is undergoing consolidation. As carriers have a harder time attracting people willing to make $20-30k/year, they will lose flying, and the pilots will need somewhere to go. Along with contraction comes mergers/acquisitions. The merger fund is a pool that they would use in such a case that we are bought/merged to protect your seniority rights. Just look at US airways.. They never sorted out the USAir/AMwest situation, and now AAG has to negotiate with three different representation chairs. Legal representation isn't free.

Now I ask you I'm the most constructive way possible: what would you have the union focus on? And I don't mean "everyone should make $150,000.. I mean realistically. The MEC is made of volunteers from our own pilot group. Don't you think they/we have our own best interest in mind? If you think they need to do better at something, why not contact a REP and have a conversation about the direction we are headed and how that aligns with what you think is important; or better yet, why don't you volunteer for a position and make a difference?