Originally Posted by
Hawaii50
Thanks for the info on ALPA aeromedical. I didn't realize they were contracting their services out to non ALPA members now. I guess my point was that ALPA has done a lot of good for the profession over the years. Safety, aeromedical, political representation to name a few. My opinion is that we gain much more overall by having as many airline pilots as possible under the same representation than by splitting into self oriented groups like SWA or APA. It's short-sighted and reactionary.
Like you said, no question the price for monetizing profit sharing needed to be much higher than we saw.
What year did you first become a pilot represented by ALPA?
What has happened to you since you entered the industry will obviously color your world view.
Since I entered the industry in 1985, ALPA has allowed the B Scale, which started at American Airlines, a non-ALPA carrier. ALPA then did not support the Eastern Pilots when they took on Frank Lorenzo, all those loyal ALPA supporters lost their jobs.
ALPA then allowed 50% of the Major's domestic flying to be outsourced to minimum wage RJ operators.
After 9-11, as UAL and US Air were entering bankruptcy, ALPA allowed our retirements to be flushed down the toilet with zero pushback, no SOS threat, and no snap-back clause for when the airlines recovered.
After that, ALPA allowed our retirement age to be raised to 65, in direct opposition of the membership's survey results. That, along with the termination of our DB Plans, has caused us all to have to work 5 years longer, so 5 less years to 'enjoy' our retirements.
We are today working more days per month, for less money, with expensive health care premiums and very little retirement plan, compared to our former plans.
Did you read what our ALPA National President said about our contracts now being "Mature" and that he didn't see us making any real gains, but just arguing over a percent here and there? Proactive Appeasement is not how this profession became great.
Pick up the two books, Flying the Line, volumes one and two, read up on how we got to where we were in 2000, and then compare that to what you've seen going on since then.
About the only 'good' thing I see ALPA doing today is fighting against the Middle East carriers who would love to get their hundreds of wide body jets in to all the US Cities. If we lose that battle, we are toast, long term career wise. That is the only reason I still support ALPA and the PAC.