My 2 cents: I find this thread highly entertaining and a little scary. I don't care who represents me but I do care on what they can deliver. The rhetoric sounds much like what i heard in DFW when the now ousted APA hardliners took over, restore pay rates (30-40%), better work rules, no PBS bidding, etc etc. They got absolutely nowhere,AA stonewalled them and the mediators told them to get real. There is a time value of money and the APA lost sight of the big picture. The silent majority then stepped in and elected a new administration that sounds very similar to our present (DALPA) administration, wonder why ?
How about political clout ? Most everybody on here thinks ALPA blew it on age 65 but the fact is once the ICAO passed 65 it was going to happen in the US, just a matter of time. The APA fought as hard as they could against age 65 spending time and money in DC trying to influence congress. How did that work out ? they couldn't even persuade their own congressman from the DFW area to vote against it. If we vote ALPA out then we will have to start from ground zero to get any political influence and these are not good times for that.
If the company calls me in or I have a medical issue I want ALPA on my side. What will the DPA offer ? Will they be as good or have the resources to do this. It takes time to build up coffers to offer all these services and negotiate a contract, where will the up front money come from ? I guess we all sign an iou to get something we already have.
My problem with DPA is they have noble ideas and their hearts are in the right place but I don't believe they will improve my lifestyle one iota. What is their plan to replace all the good things ALPA does and how are they going to pay for it in the near term.