Originally Posted by
BagMan
I don't hate MM. Nor did I want him to unsuccessful as the MEC. However if we set aside who we like personally and objectively look at the performance MM has not been good. He is not good at the job. Meetings, communications, airport sits, the fractured Union, Status meeting, the Bus, pressuring the company, the 70,000$ loss for the meeting in Virginia because two LECs couldn't be bothered to show up. Don't get me started about the "family awareness events" This is currently not a well run Union. I am 100% in on high turnover on our leadership until we find someone who is effective.
The weak state of our Union IS part of the reason so many pilots are leaving. The fundamental belief that nothing will change. These pilots are not wrong. There is no Unity ,Cohesion ,or Direction. Last time I check the current ALPA Lanyard says "Ready to Strike" not "Don't bother negotiating because the company is not making any money"
So, in order to correctly place blame, we need to go WAY back and give credit/blame where it's due.
1). The union is mostly the contract. Yeah, there are other things that the union does certainly but 90% of what everyone cares about it pay, QoL, sick leave, vacation, medical costs, etc. Honestly, this is how it is at just about every company. Our contract ask last go around was ****ed. WE ASKED TO BE AT THE BOTTOM while at the END OF THE CYCLE. It was doomed from the start. There's NO PERSON who could've become MEC that could be successful given woes the contract has in it. MM was doomed to fail from the start. And, it's not the weak state of the union that is forcing people to bail, it's the weak state of the contract.
2). Our contract ask THIS go around is also ****ed. Mind you, it is this way because the last go around set the precedent for losing. There are too many of us that are willing to accept being at the bottom for the illusion of other benefits that aren't that great, don't really exist or a manipulated easily by actions of the company. We are a weak union because we are a weak pilot force. MM maybe should've tried different ways to increase unity but all the strike busses and billboards and sit ins and whatever in the world shouldn't have anything to do with my or your acceptance of any rate less than the current. The recent rumor going around of Delta (minus) is proof. We shouln't be considering ANYthing minus - only plus. MM made some bad decisions, but I don't blame him totally - we all voted the POS contract in. Our next MEC, whomever is chosen, will probably have even less success than MM.
3). What is needed is a reset. A full blown, all out desperate measure to fix ALL of the problems now. Most pilots think this can't be done or that the company would fail prior to that happening. I agree. I think this company SHOULD fail - it's built on a premise of needing to pay its workers less. That is faulty. The only way to force the company to restructure its business model, to rethink its process, to GET BETTER is to force it via a grassroots movement from labor. And who better than the pilots. We need to see if we will be allowed to strike. Ask any labor union, any pro athlete or any upper management worker - you are worth what you negotiate for. I GUARANTEE you Dempsey negotiated his salary to be above what Barry was making.
The industry has done us a huge favor. The rates are known (and fairly fixed). 401k%s are known/fixed. Vacation accrual, sick/PTO days, perdiem are all basically the same. All we need to do is follow suit. In fact, there's really not that much to negotiate - here are the industry terms. Take it or leave it. If you leave it, we strike. It's that simple.
New lanyard phrase - "Accept our terms or we strike."