If someone feels they can do something better or wants to make a change there is a 2 step process for this.

1. Volunteer. Pick something you are interested and you will find at least 1 committee you can make a difference at.

2. Support the PAC. If you want political change you need to support the efforts. Even if you hate politics- you gotta pay to play.

There is a LONG way to go for regionals and ALPA. Do I blame ALPA?-somewhat. Too many people have the notion of "Hey, I'm only here a few years- let me just have a little raise and it's better than nothing". If we really are going to "take it back" there needs to be a national and international campaign where everyone is in the same boat. QOL and benefits should be the same regardless of if you have a family of 4 and work at Delta, or a family of 4 and work at an ALPA regional. Should you get paid more to operate a larger aircraft?- yes. Paid more for longer longevity?- yes. Some sort of national list to allow those who are furloughed to get the first dibs at another ALPA carrier?- yes (but that gets very complicated).

Personally, I want to see a payscale that is by weight. FO's should make 60% of the CA rate. The pilots should have equity in the company (through ALPA national) and a seat on the BOD. Profit sharing for all groups- management, shareholders, and employees. If everyone has some "skin in the game", everyone works together- regardless of the economic or political climate. I know where my opinions are with mgmt's decisions and also feel that many of the mistakes WOULD NOT have been allowed to happen if there were representatives of the various employee groups involved in the decisions from the beginning and the potential for gains in the execution phase would have been much greater with the strong starting foundation.

Currently the morale at my company is the lowest I have seen and I would venture to bet our performance numbers will show direct lineage to morale and the "extra effort" that was once put forth from the pride and desire of being Professionals- but not treated as such. Now it's all about "safety", just as it always has been- the difference is that the pilots (and other labor groups) are not going above and beyond to get the job done in leu of management's mistakes.