Let me say that as someone with a degree in Economics and a strong business background, that I USED to agree with your sentiments. I have always felt that unions simply served to protect the lazy and incompetent. My perception was that all the unions did was drive up labor costs and make it impossible to navigate the stringent rules when someone truly deserved to be fired/reprimanded.

That USED to be my stance. Now, as a pilot for a non-union regional. I have to say that if we had a union vote, I'd probably vote in favor of the union.

Being at a non-union carrier, let me tell you the differences that I notice from my friends at union shops:

1) we are regularly scheduled for stand-up overnights, flying home on less than 4 hours of sleep.

2) We aren't paid per diem for those overnights, even though we still spend the night and have to come up with food out of our pockets.

3) 10 leg 14 hour duty days with 15 minute turns ALL DAY with no scheduled breaks (When are you supposed to eat or use the restroom? Food and anything other than water in the cockpit is against co. policy).

4) Our pay is significantly less than union carriers flying the same equipment.

5) No professional standards committee to go to if you're put in the cockpit with someone who blatantly violates co. rules or even the FARS. Try reporting them and sometimes you're rewarded by nothing happening to them and it being publicly known that you're the "snitch." Imagine what the does for your life in the crew room and you'll understand why NOONE ever reports anything for fear of reprisal.

6) Captains being told to fly airplanes with issues they don't feel comfortable flying and threatened with their job if they refuse with no union lawyers or rules to protect them. Let something go wrong on that same flight and the FAA will have no sympathy on that captain for his flying anyway under duress. Yet, how many of you are willing to quit your job in such a situation?

I could go on, but let's just say that the work rules and safety suffer at an airline without union protection behind the pilots. I'm not a union fan in all jobs/circumstances, but I can say without a doubt that I can see the value that they provide for safety in the airline environment. Pay is one thing. We all know what we're getting paid at an airline before we start and can make a decision whether or not to work for said pay. But the added safety and the protection you get from being wrongfully terminated for making a stance on safety issues are extremely valuable assets that you receive in exchange for your union dues.

JM2CW,
Str8nlvl