Originally Posted by
MD340
I agree we need representation!!! However we need a union that will represent us, THE COLGAN PILOTS and not have any aliegence to the Pinnacle pilots.
ALPA cannot represent us without worring about what the pinnacle pilots want!!!
ALPA made a big mistake with US AIR when they did not favor the bigger pilot group and US AIR voted them out. It cost ALPA over 10 million per year. If ALPA were to represent Colgan they would always favor the bigger pilot group which happens to be pinnacle. They are not going to make that mistake again.
The scope language that the Pinnacle pilot group wants to put into their new contract will limit us Colgan Pilots to flying Aircraft with 34 seats and that is one of the issues that the mgm is fighting. If the Colgan pilots were to be represented by ALPA I do not think the management would care who was flying the aircraft and let the pinnacle pilots have them and ALPA will again favor the bigger pilot group and that will leave us with just the SAABs.
There are just to many issues between the two pilot groups that will at some point have to be addressed to have one union reperesenting both of us.
ALPA will do for Colgan what ALPA did for US Air
You have no clue what you are talking about when it comes to ALPA.
If you vote ALPA, you will vote for your representatives. These will be Colgan line pilots. They will represent Colgan pilots at their MEC. ALPA national does NOT tell any MEC how to decide anything. Each individual MEC acts in its own best interest.
You are right about ALPA national not favoring the bigger pilot group in USAir. Nor did they favor the smaller group either. Each individual MEC made its decision independently of each other or ALPA national. And it didn't cost it $10 million per year. Where did you hear that?
If ALPA were to represent Colgan pilots, its MEC would do whats best for Colgan pilots. ALPA national has no authority to make decisions for the Colgan MEC.
As for scope, the best thing you can do there is combine both pilot groups.