Originally Posted by
gzsg
My perspective over 3 decades of volunteering and observing ALPA.
The voting reps are supposed to take input from the line pilots and direct the NC and MEC chairman.
Bottom up.
What happens is the reps are swamped flying the line, answering phones calls, helping with family issues and training problems, etc.
The admin, MEC chairman and NC are at the headquarters and not flying the line. IMO the admin always takes over and feels they know better.
I've know Bill for years and we are good friends. So take the bias for what it is worth.
I am confident Captain Bartels has no agenda. None. I believe he will be the first in a long stretch to return us to bottom up and follow the direction of the elected reps. And come this Spring, we will have a majority of fantastic elected reps.
Time will tell.
The key is they need to take input from all the pilots......equally. They should give no more creedance to the guy that has time to email or call them continuously than to the person that filled out the contract survey, never contacted them again, and went on with his life. I'm not sure that happened until the end this time around. Squeaky wheels and all. It took some serious leadership to get this group with all it's different interests on the same page. Unfortunately he's gone.
I hope you're right this time.