Rhinodriver said:
I've spent years away from my family and friends while on active duty in the military, and I did go straight from the military to a major. What's your point? You think I should've started at a regional?
Maybe. I do not think that all military flying has a direct relationship to airline flying. I do not think that all military pilots are better prepared than I to work at a major airline. Flying a single seat fighter or attack aircraft relates to airline flying about the same as piloting an LCAC. I was in the military. I too spent time away from friends and family. My service was in the enlisted ranks and therefore is of little use in getting hired by a major airline. If the majors want to give preference to veterans, then make it apply to all veterans.
ALPA national does much good in the political and safety side of the house, but they can't support both of us on the line type of issues at the same time. I don't want a union that isn't solely looking after the interest of my workforce.
I got it. You are putting the “I” back in union. I think you make too much of the “differences” between mainline and regional flying. Both involve complex aircraft under Part 121 rules. The only differences are aircraft size (and that is narrowing by the day), pay, and work rules.
Go to Europe, even Canada and take a look at "how good" national health care really is. It's miserable. It's a beauracratic nightmare. We have the greatest healthcare system in the world.
Right. Rush and Hannity say this all the time and it is nonsense. In Canada they spend a much lower percentage of their GDP on health care and their life expectancy is higher.
Maybe our system wouldn't be so messed up if we didn't fund the entire immigrant population or the masses that flee their own country's "National Heathcare System" for care in the US....We treat anyone and everyone. No person in need is ever turned away from the ER and there TONS of free clinics that our system already funds and has funded forever....a woman from Nigeria, Nigerian citizen, doesn't even live or work in the US, and your tax dollars just paid to support the final 3 months of her pregnancy and her delivery. Oh, by the way, that kid is now a US citizen. If that isn't incredibly stupid and unbelievable, I don't know what is.
You sure have a lot of gripes about the “best health care system in the world”.
I'm really not for "screwing" anyone else in this industry. I've said it before that I would do anything I could to help out another pilot in need or help someone achieve their career objectives.
I do not know what else to call it when you want to divide our union into smaller unions and create what you think will be an organization that will focus only on your immediate needs. You would do anything to help another pilot except belong to a union large enough to represent both of you.
There's a fight brewing within this industy, and we're coming to get our jobs, aircraft, and routes back that belong at mainline. It's nothing against you, and it's nothing personal, but enough is enough. This will make this profession, as a whole, better.
You will never be able get a major airline to agree to pay pilots $200 hour to fly 100-seaters. Not in this economy. You are right; regionals are flying aircraft the majors should be flying. That horse has already left the barn. You will not be able to rewrite history. From a union stand point, the best way to improve the situation is to have contracts that apply to regional and major airlines, and preferably a national contract that covers all airline employers. Negotiate true “flow-up/flow-back language that provides furlough protection to major pilots and career progression to regional pilots. Establish rigid scope clauses at the 70 seat mark. Negotiate reasonable, increased rates of pay for the larger regional aircraft and have them flown by the major carriers.
Because I am unclear where I would fit into the aftermath of your “coming to get our jobs, aircraft, and routes back”, and uncertain what help I could expect from your seperate union for the members of my seperate union, I will definitely take it personally.
Last edited by TheDashRocks; 02-17-2009 at 10:57 PM.
Reason: seplling