This is a fantastic question that I feel all unions (especially the AFL CIO) need to address. New people coming into todays job market have always been told that unions are bad and that is the reason for Americas decline. I have to disagree as the worker has taken a huge hit recently as corporate officers continue to receive huge bonuses for running their own companies into the ground. If that is not enough of a sound reason I think everyone should ask themselves "would I feel safe flying these aircraft if nobody was watching my back"? Unions have fought for years to increase safety and to provide relief to workers who would have been forced to fly aircraft that otherwise would have been grounded for damage.

One may tell you that it is your "choice" to fly aircraft that are unsafe for your passengers, cargo, and crew (while that is true), should you lose your job over that decision? Would you want your family flying on an airplane where the Captain had to make a go,no-go decision solely on how bad he was in need of a job instead of their years of experience? What if making such a choice prevented future employment at another airline?

Another question one might ask is about seniority at an airline. While upgrading and retaining pilots (and for that matter paying us) on merit alone might sound reasonable, what is to keep management from furloughing or even firing from the top of the list in order to save a buck? How would you feel if you invested 30-40 years only to be put out in the street in favor of a new-hire, by some CEO who has only been in the business and with the company for a few years and at the same time receiving a huge bonus for doing so?

The unions are facing many challenges ahead. A lot is based on public perception in which we have lost ground in recent years. The only way we can bring it back is through each member working together for a common goal. I'm going to volunteer more of my time to make this a reality.