Originally Posted by
GogglesPisano
How is this not the case now?
Ok. There are plenty of non-union pilot jobs out there. But if they work at a union airline and under the protections of a CBA, it would only be fair that they pay their fair share. "Right to Work" with the requirement that a union still provides those services without collecting dues from non-members is nothing more than government-mandated theft of services. The true intent is to bleed the union dry, and you and I both know that.
So how would this scenario of yours work exactly?
Option 1: Closed shop becomes a thing of the past. More and more pilots freeload and eventually the union goes bankrupt.
Option 2: Closed shop becomes a thing of the past, non-members are free to negotiate their own pay/benefits package. Do you honestly think people will do better bargaining individually? No one on your side of the argument has yet to explain why major airline pay exceeds non-union airline pay, or (non-union) corporate pay, or why Netjets pilots make more than their corporate brethren flying the same type of aircraft. Take a look at expats flying overseas for non-union outfits like the ME3 and ask them how well they sleep at night without union protection.
Why do you think no pilot group has every voted to decertify a union and switch to a "more direct relationship" with management? Have you ever talked to a jetBlue pilot? Why do you think they voted in ALPA?
SkyWest is by far the best example. They are a non-union pilot group. They do better than almost every ALPA pilot group in the regional category. The only ones doing better from what I see are Endeavor (ALPA) and Republic which is IBT. Many ALPA pilots at regional carriers are making upwards of 20% less than SkyWest pilots.
It can be done and without all the contention, politics, union corruption and Loss of 2% of your pay to a union that spends the money of its members on things pilots don't always support.