One of the main purposes of ALPA is pattern bargaining, yet they almost never engage in this practice. The recent Spirit Airlines contract is a perfect example of this. Sure the Spirit pilots wanted to keep their work rules and take lower pay. The result is some decent work rules and crappy payrates. How does that help pilots at other carriers, who fly similar aircraft on similar routes, bring their rates up?
My point is that ALPA will sign whatever $hitty contract your pilots agree to regardless of the effect on other properties. That is not pattern bargaining. Taking it one step further, ALPA will attempt to strong arm your negotiators and MEC in to a bad TA, and then try to get you to sell it to your pilots! I have seen it first hand as a negotiator and MEC rep.
What ALPA should be doing is setting standards for contracts and not signing those TA's unless they meet the standards. That is pattern bargaining! Instead, they simply want to get a deal, get their dues money, and move on to the next property.
I think the time has come to show them the door.