Originally Posted by
PurpleToolBox
"They aren’t engaged with the crew force, they have sent out very little in the way of information on anything. They are nearly impossible to reach, and rarely return phone calls or emails, and have subjugated their responsibilities to the Dart program."
The very thing you complained about has been available, front and center, no pecking around, before negotiations started. But you still complained. And still are. From my experience, every email and DART I've submitted (and I like the DART system) were responded to in a timely manner. Yes, I've called the office before when they were closed because of name a reason, but my DART was answered. I do wish, as other airlines have, that we staff our own duty officer available on call 24-7 for contract issues.
"Ask around the pilot group their perspective of our union leadership with regards to contract enforcement, and guys will roll their eyes and say, why bother?"
I will agree with you that our union seems to be very friendly to the company and we allow too many things for the company to exploit. I'm not sure how to change that. In the past most of our crew force has been made up of military only pilots. And many military only pilots are not big supporters of unions. This is probably why FDX ALPA lags greatly behind funding the ALPA PAC, the people in Washington fighting for your job.
"Our pilots have been disenfranchised from the process of how our dues are being spent, what our leaders are doing with their time at the helm""
Absolutely NOT TRUE. You can go to Kirby or to Nationals and get a complete breakdown of where the money is spent. Any ALPA member can. The MEC Secretary / Treasurer is not my friend, but he is a good man, someone I trust, and he requires detailed records on what members work on so as to get paid. And there are many members who give hours/days of their time and are never reimbursed. And how ironic is your comment considering this MEC has been frugal with our money and has a very sizeable war chest for negotiations unlike the last one who went broke.
"Most, I’d say. and then they forget the horror of a two a.m. alarm followed by a 4 a.m. launch, as they casually go about their day answering emails from home at ten a.m. "
Are you mad that some MEC/LEC leaders may be senior enough in their crew position position to not have to fly night hub turns? Or they're on the 777 which doesn't have them? Or are you mad that they're working, answering your questions and DARTs that you were just complaining about them not doing!!
The problem with this union is people like YOU, who do nothing but complain while disconnecting themselves from union meetings/communications. And their voice is heard by others and convince others to do the same. Why bother you know.
Do you attend MEC or LEC meetings? Have you ever? Have you put forth a motion requiring more communication from the MEC/LEC/NC? If not, why haven't you? In my LEC, someone did just that. And it passed! And now the NC updates the crew force each week after negotiations.
The union is communicating with you, the information may be what you don't want to hear. You can help be apart of the change if you would get involved. Attend meetings. Put forth motions. Motion to have any by laws changed if necessary.
Stop complaining and start doing. You look like fool arguing here that the information wasn't available when it has been all along.
First off, I’m not mad. I’m telling you how I see it. You see it differently. To you, I look like a fool, and I could say the same about you. But what’s the point? We disagree. Yes, I was involved with the union, but it didn’t work out because the company, not the union, didn’t want me “stirring” the pot. and the union acquiesced, as it tends to do.
The problem isn’t people like me. The problem is people who use the union as stepping stones for management gigs. Who try and recall reps for disagreeing with them, who get paid handsomely to not support grievances, who lie to pilots and settle lawsuits, who never answer the phone, who sit at these meetings and read newspapers instead of listening to those with whom they disagree, who never push back, and unless people like me point out these deficiencies nothing will change.
Its nice to hear that we have tightened the spending, because I could go on for days how this was abused in the past.
Look, we all have better things to do than chat on the internet, but things are getting real, it looks like a strike vote is inevitable, and I’m truly hoping for the best for this pilot group because who doesn’t love an underdog victory. With that I would say don’t discard legitimate complaints on a forum where we can somewhat freely express our opinions so long as we don’t violate the RLA.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with disseminating ideas and information so as to engage this crew force. I didn’t see the flow chart, someone posted it, and thats a good thing for me and others. But then you call me lazy and stupid and a fool, instead of saying, “there, you have it now, collectively we are better, and you’re welcome.”