Originally Posted by Albief15

Are any of you fine Christian gentlemen aware of all the ramifications of the RLA and what legal ramifications there are if it becomes apparent organized labor is discouraging work outside of self help periods?

There are a LOT of things your union can do for you. There are some things they cannot. Cajoling, pressuring, intimidating, or embarrassing someone and interfereing with their "right to work" is a ticket to spending a lot of your union dues in legal fees after being sued by either the company or a disgruntled worker.

I discussed this very issue with a few guys over lunch one day recently. I KNOW you are paying dues and you want SOMEBODY to DO SOMETHING aboout this. It sounds like a cop out, but the fact is WE CANNOT do anything but encourage each and everyone to support the work the SIG is trying to do. Beyond that--it is up to each of you individually to decide what you need to do.

Every single pilot at FedEX is a college educated, professional aviator. You already KNOW what you should do at certain times and should not do at certain times. I'm sorry as a block rep I cannot walk down through the AOC and call out roll of DP flyers, then line then up against the wall and kick them in their privates. However--the first time I do that--YOU fine folks get to pay for my buffonery. So--if your elected officials hands are tied, then who is responsible for making the case against DPs? I think you know the answer--but you'd rather be civil and have someone else be the "bad cop". Fact is, nobody in the union can play bad cop in this drama. It sucks--but its the law.

My own personal pitch--and several of you have heard me make it--is I encourage guys to work all the extra they want. However, if you are stuck with only DPs left, then pick up a standby instead. I'm not asking a 727 guy to give up 6 hours of pay for the SIG....but would you AT LEAST consider spotting Jim and SIG team 1:30 of pay? Odds are you'll get a trip anyway, so you'll probably still get your 6 hours. I know this doesn't apply to the longer MD-11 trips, but I still see some guys on the 727 regularly picking them up and this is my pitch to them.