Some FedEx pilots seem to feel that we either aren’t worthy or are to stupid to negotiate our own contract. The same pilots (having either never served or, if they did serve, were voted out or left on their own) look down on the elected (union) leadership as if they were either a bunch of bumbling fools, tools of management, or conniving individuals working to foster there own self enrichment or agenda.
Some pilots, having been so bruised by their previous employers, feel that any improvement over their previous experience is deserving of total repudiation of the negotiated process and feel (we) should either be grateful for what we have and not rock the boat (biting the hand that feed them, if you will).
Some former Seaboard World pilots are a classic example of this phenomena. Having worked for a small and often, struggling east coast cargo carrier, Seaboard World pilots were, from a pay, work rule, and benefits stand point, not only behind the passengers carriers of their day but also it’s chief competitive nemesis, Flying Tigers. When Tigers purchased Seaboard World in the late 70’s ,Seaboard pilots , represented by ALPA, received (in their estimation) a hosing on the seniority integration at the hand of their ALPA breathen at Flying Tigers. Many junior Seaboard wound up on the street as FTL, having run its self into trouble, continued its steady decline predating its merger with Seaboard.
Pilots, as they have been wanton to do , blame each other for how a diminishing pie is divided, so many Seaboard World pilots blame ALPA (either their own unit, for failing to negotiate a better seniority or the Tiger ALPA, for hosing them). Fast forward 8 years and Tigers, on the brink of bankruptcy (or using the threat as a negotiating hammer, depending on who’s side you believe). Renegotiated a pay cut, which many ALPA pilots (former Seaboard and old Tigers) believe was a capitulation .
Federal Express comes along late in 1988 and makes an offer to buy Flying Tigers. Everybody wins, FedEx gets the coveted Asian routes of Tigers, Tiger pilots, bought by a company with a better (by comparison) wage, work rule, and benefit package, wins; Tiger shareholders make money (especially if you bought right before November 86‘. The only ones who thought they lost were the (old) purple pilots who in time would find that the promises made about seniority integration would not be the windfall many had assumed.
With the integration of the unionized Tiger pilots with non union Federal Express pilots, a vote would be necessary to determine who, if anyone, would represent the unified Federal pilot force. Without digressing to far from the point of this post, different pilots, from different (former) employers saw union representation in different lights. Some Seaboard World pilots, still bitter about how they were treated at the hands of Tigers/Tiger ALPA saw nothing good in the former pattern of dealing with their employers, either Seaboard or their more recent bosses FTL. ALPA was equally if not more to blame for the injustice inflicted upon them, and the FedEx way of non-confrontational (interest based?? ) dealings seemed to (have) offered a superior product.
Jump forward 17 years and the same mindset that formulated from a sour merger over 25 years ago, still reverberates to this day. Its interesting how pilots are apt to blame each other for the misfortunes of their company or industry. Seaboard World and Flying Tigers, both early pioneers in the cargo industry failed to change with the times as different business models for the movement of freight came on the horizon. (Just as (9/11, anti union government sediment and poor business practices of the legacy airlines is the fault of the unions representing the workers). Oh course they we’re the only ones to dismiss overnight freight as a nitch play not worth pursuing .UPS ignored FedEx until it was too late to use their superior market share/wealth to crush what was a small, insignificant player in the package delivery business.
To sum up. Don’t blame your union for past failings (in your opinion), support the process. If your too cheap or got a issue with unions that you can’t overcome, at least be smart enough to stay on the sidelines, let the vast majority who support the negotiated process and pay for it, do their job. Just sit back and reap the benefits of the system you won't/can't/don’t support. We need all pilots to let the process work its self out. Unless you want an undesirable confrontation in which you will be obliged to take a stand, don’t do anything to undermine the very people who are working to improve all our lot.