Originally Posted by
Corny357
I have very little doubt that if Clowngress passes this, ALPA will authorize another SOS - and more pilots would be on board this time. I think (and I would hope) that this garbage would cause an uproar within the industry.
I'm getting sick of these people pretending to know things...just say, "You know what, screw it, you fly the damn airplane, Congressman. Let me know when you hit the ground..err, I mean land."
Spot on.
Regardless if your a regional/major pilot affiliated with ALPA, SWAPA, APA, IPA, Teamsters, ect....This is a movement that can have negitive ramifications on any pilot group in the worst possible way. What do WE have to gain from this Bill?? NOTHING but doom. This effort needs to be a collective effort by all groups regardless of Union name.
I agree with you on ALPA walking the 'political' line on this topic. If there are enough 'line flying' pilots from the membership's majority of ALPA (UAL, DAL, CAL, FedEx, ALA, EGL ect) who stand up and say "HECK NO" on this legislation, the Union best heed the collective voices of it's membeship. Last time I checked, T-Props, RJ's, Boeing, Airbus all have CVR's, thus any of us in the Part 121 would be liable to this bill's wrath.
I would tend to believe (or hope) that Union Leadership would have no choice but to go with the majority in telling the government absolutely NOT on this Bill, not in ANY FORM. Plain and simple, doing anything short of that would assist ALPA (and other unions) in loosing further credibility amongst the membership in selling out the group to the 'governmental machine'.
In the end, the Union Leadership's
ultimate responsibility is to represent the 'good' of the pilots who are part of their Union, not rub the backs of the "clowns on the Hill".
There are times and places to pick your fights, and this is the time.