Originally Posted by
BenderRodriguez
OK guys, stop your contributions. It is a waste of money. The internet geniuses say so.
Ok T, that's not what I said. I said you could achieve the same results of the PAC with an independent union. You would probably even have more disposable income to spend on lobbying, instead of providing life support to regionals.
Originally Posted by
Hawaii50
All good points. 1998 and I've read both books. You mention RJs and age 65. True career killers for people in my category. I do blame the RJ debacle on ALPA. We (you mostly ) allowed the camel's nose under the tent and the camel blew up the tent. Age 65 was heavily pushed by SWAPA. The B scale, as you stated, was first allowed by APA.
How many of these issues do you blame on the industry? The industry has been through the perfect storm in the last 15 years. In the end we're just an association against some huge money in the business world. We're a collection of individuals from 22 to 65 with different issues and priorities. I look at APA, SWAPA, and USAPA and don't like what I see. I see them using the assets and bargaining power of ALPA for their own interests. I look around and see carriers choosing to join ALPA. Perfect no, and probably needs a makeover, but the best option we have in my opinion.
The RJ debacle came about when the paint job was sold to the DCI carriers. Prior to the specific language permitting them to paint RJ's in Delta paint, Delta was allowed to code share with as many airplanes as they wanted. This is legal under labor law, the difference is, while they could code share as much as they wanted, they could not paint those aircraft in the Delta livery. So the paint job was released on a certain number of aircraft, to protect the pilot's share of flying larger jets. The result is Delta pilots will never fly a 80 seat, and below aircraft ever again. Interestingly, the latest TA had a provision to allow the chairman of DALPA to release the paint job to international codeshare airlines, if he/she so chooses. If the chairman were to release the paint job to foreign carriers, a Delta pilot is just as likely to fly a widebody again as they are to fly an RJ again.