Originally Posted by
threeighteen
So what's your opinion on ALPA airlines voting in concessionary contracts to take airplanes from other carriers for growth? That kind of pattern bargaining is like, totally ok, but only because they are fellow union bros?
I'm actually a hardcore pro-union guy, but it's sad seeing all of the new guys in this industry get brainwashed by ALPA. ALPA has accomplished very little when it comes to improving pilot compensation and career stability in the past four decades. They have a laundry list of pay scale losses, pension program losses, and scope erosions that outweigh any "hard fought gains" they may have had on their resume at one time. Merger policy for seniority integration is also fairly weak.
It's no coincidence that four decades coincides with deregulation. That was the whole point, to break the non-competitive entitlement of established airlines, and that included the entitlement of their unions.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
Until ALPA mainline and regional pilots stand side by side and demand 1 contract and 1 seniority list for all pilots, few will treat them like the "super union" that they self-proclaim to be.
It will have to happen at mainline, regionals (by design) have no leverage.
But it's a very steep uphill battle... mainline pilots who came from regionals sympathize, but after slogging our way up the ladder we're not in any mood to make concessions so other people don't have to pay dues. I don't mind if you somehow skip your dues, as long as I'm not the one paying for it (I already paid). Make no mistake, any move to bring regional flying -in-house would require heavy concessions on the part of major pilots.
Major pilots who didn't come from regionals have no sympathy at all.