Often we forget what really happened and we only remember what feels good or sounds good.

Gordon hired a guy named Jacques Lapointe. I think Jacques, along with allot of the other CAL dinosaurs are with Kellner at their Crystal River financial company.

The CAL concessionary contract that was thrust upon us was brought to us by Gordon. Kellner, being new on the scene got stuck with it, but the building blocks were all put in place by Gordon.

Management scared the pilots with liquidity shortfall and threats of bankruptcy. This poor cash position was a result of Jacques Lapointe being allowed to single handedly (unilaterally and without supervision) put the company in a bad cash position.

Our liabilities in the CPRP and the CARP were too high. And, the funding of those retirements was too low. The investments were all aggressive and reckless. The pilots could only observe, and had no vote on how our retirements were invested. When Jacques made a vegas style bet on our retirement he rolled snake-eyes, then he doubled down and did it again and again.

So, our concessionary contract was brought to you by Gordon. We should have been in great shape to negotiate an industry leading contract, instead, we were left to suckle upon the dried up teet once again.

Management used the scabs to great effect. Once the furloughs started, we pilots lost our voice. We lost 800 votes (MIGS), and that was countered by the SCABS. So, Gordon was in a way, responsible for the SCABS taking over the CAL MEC. Thanks for giving us Jay Panarello, the wacky CLE reps, the wacky GUM reps, and the weird and strange instructor reps. Votes were 5-4 or 7-2 when Stone/Shoe got elected. Unionism and solidarity took a 4 year holiday in the CAL MEC.

Gordon knew how to use the ALPA bureaucracy against us. He used the SCABS to great effect. So, I don't put Gordon on such a huge pedestal. At the end of the day, Gordon got paid well. This is a business, and now it's my turn to be paid well.