The NON-MEMBER has a long article, but it's not necessairly any better "thought out" than his decision to abandon the union in favor of his own selfish greed. You want an argument on the facts? OK, I'll give you several.

First, the author's observation skills are brought into question when he cannot accurately quote the slogan "Two Years is Too Long." Basing his article on a variant that he apparently fabricated himself does little to establish any credibility whatsoever on the subject. Making a "mathematical" argument against a slogan which he fabricated only makes him look foolish.

Second, who shares the sentiment is not relevant. Our future is not determined by the opinions of former Enron employees, Delta employees, NWA pilots, other FedEx employees, the American public, or citizens worldwide. Our future will be determined by US, working together through the process. If we stick to gether, we will be successful. If we all pick our individual issues and go our own way like Mr. NON-MEMBER Lavender, we will surely be defeated.

Third, deregulation and the A, B, and C scales have nothing to do with our present situation. We have issues that are current and pertinent, and they stand on their own.

Fourth, 1000 "airline-qualified" pilots on the street will do nothing to keep FedEx Express delivering on its "Absolutely, Positively Overnight" promise, or even on its more recent "Relax. It's FedEx." Once FedEx goes one single day without delivering on that promise, the public will be saying, "Forget it, they're just an overpriced Airborne." The threat of a strike is real, and it is effective.

Fifth, ALPA does not have to be a business in order to have a business relationship with FedEx. To state otherwise is to employ a simpleton's view of semantics. As long as FedEx desires to engage ALPA in a responsible, sincere way, we can accomplish much. IF you don't belive that, explain the process that just concluded whereby we negotiated and ratified a Letter of Agreement dramatically changing by improving the workrules regarding moves to Anchorage.

Sixth, whether one holds the Railway Labor Act to be our friend or our foe, that's the environment under which we operate. To think that we can simply agree to abandon the process in favor of some other that we might mutually agree upon is preposterous. We tried to engage FedEx management in negotiations facilitated by a professional negotiator, going above and beyond the mechanisms described by the RLA, and FedEx management walked away.

Now, I've REALLY wasted too many words discussing the ill-devised opinions of a NON-MEMBER. Happy now?



Why don't you describe the environment that existed when we "pulled the plug on ALPA" the last time. Tell us how we got to that positition, and tell us about the membership statistics. Tell us how that situation remotely compares with the unity that we enjoy today. I suggest that the only comparison is the name ALPA, and the existence of a few malcontents that just had to cry out above the crowd.


We are strong, we are unified, and we are right. You're either with us, or you're against us.

Two Years is Too Long!

- The truth only hurts if it should -