C44 FO Update (8/16/16)
Council 44 pilots,
Yesterday, you received a Council 44 update from your two captain representatives critical of our actions at the last MEC special meeting. While it’s only natural to want to respond point by point, we believe that would serve no productive purpose, but we do feel obligated to offer you some general insight.
The primary complaint seems to center on the fact we caucused with some representatives while excluding others. For those unfamiliar with the MEC process, caucusing basically means we spoke, debated, and, in this case, came to a consensus with other representatives on negotiating parameters while not in formal session (in this case, with 10 of the other voting representatives). This happens all the time (the caucusing part, not the consensus part—that’s a little less frequent). Further, it is not at all unusual to “cross-caucus” from one council to the next. Ideally, representatives within each council agree on direction. Sometimes, they do not. Welcome to democracy.
Let us be clear—there were no policy manual violations, no by-law violations, and no violations of Robert’s Rules of Order. Everyone maintained their vote (your representation), and full parliamentary privileges were honored throughout the meeting.
What we are really witnessing is frustration in action, and unfortunately, it’s on full display for all to see. The frustration of bankruptcy, the frustration of lost pensions, the frustration of furloughs, the frustration of ongoing concessions, the frustration of merger integration, the frustration of a rejected TA, the frustration of watching billions being spent on stock buybacks and dividends, the frustration of excessive management compensation, the frustration of being the only employee group not made whole since bankruptcy, the frustration of watching management drag its feet in negotiations, and the frustration of broken promises to “the world’s best pilots” has all found its way to the MEC. Unfortunately, human nature sometimes makes it easier to take out our frustrations in the wrong direction.
Both of us ran on an “outsider” platform. Neither of us is a politician. We can’t boast of a decade in ALPA office. We are line pilots, just like you. We have no higher aspiration than to serve you and bring home a contract we can all be proud of. We have not wavered from our campaign promises to you. You have exactly the same two F/O reps you voted for.
It is our sincere hope and expectation that the MEC will focus its energies exclusively on securing the contract you deserve. Please feel free to call or e-mail us if you have any questions.