Special Magenta Line ALPA 43rd Biennial BOD Meeting
One definition of insanity is repeating the same behavior and expecting different results.
Today is Thursday, October 14, 2010 and there are Five Items for your Review
Item One Election of National Officers and Executive Vice Presidents
The following National Officers and Executive Vice Presidents were elected:
President Captain Lee Moak (DAL)
First Vice President Captain Sean Cassidy (ALA)
Vice President-Administration/Secretary Captain Bill Couette (EGL)
Vice President-Finance/Treasurer Captain Randy Helling (DAL)
Group A Executive Vice Presidents: Larry Beck (CAL)
Bill Bartels (DAL)
Joe Fagone (FDX)
Mike Hamilton (UAL)
Group B Executive Vice Presidents:
Group B-1 Tom Maxwell (EGL)
Group B-2 Bill Patterson (ARW)
Group B-3 Todd Ortscheid (ATN)
Group B-4 Mark Segaloff (CJC)
Group C Executive Vice President Dan Adamus (JAZ)
The MEC passed a resolution 9 to 0 supporting the candidacy of Fed Ex Captain Scott Stratton for ALPA President. Captain Stratton received the highest number of ballots in the first round of balloting and the second highest number of votes during each subsequent round of the remaining five balloting rounds that were required for a candidate to receive over fifty percent of the votes cast.
Please join us in congratulating long time Council 170 member Captain Larry Beck, for his election as our Group A Executive Vice President. Captain Beck brings many years of dedicated union leadership experience, good judgment, knowledge and integrity to this position. As EVP, Captain Beck becomes our voice and representative at the national level. Additionally, his experience and knowledge will be a stabilizing voice at our future MEC meetings.
We also wish to extend our sincere thanks to Captain Chris Dowell, both for his service as our Executive Vice President, and for his many years of service to our union, our pilot group and our profession.
Last, but not least, please join us in thanking Captain John Prater, both for his service as ALPA President, and his many decades of union service. Captain Prater took office during one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of our union and our profession, and his steady hand has helped our profession begin to recover. He deserves our respect and praise for all he has done.
Item Two Captain Jay Pierce
After receiving an endorsement from the CAL MEC, our MEC Chairman Captain Jay Pierce became a candidate for ALPAs First Vice President during the BOD meetings. In a fiercely political move, during the final minutes before the election took place, two members of the UAL MEC nominated Alaska Captain Sean Cassidy for the position. This was immediately followed by a seconding speech in favor of Captain Cassidy, made by UAL MEC Chairman Captain Wendy Morse. This division helped Captain Cassidy win the election. Captain Pierce's term as our MEC Chairman continues through next March.
Item Three CAL MEC Resolution for Large Base Representation
Your MEC voted 9 to 0 in favor of a resolution seeking Large Base Representation for Council 170 and Council 171. This would increase our status (voting) representative number from 9 to 13, by adding one Captain Representative and one First Officer Representative to each of our large domiciles. Large Base Representation will allow us to provide better service and representation to the pilots of our two mega-hub domiciles in EWR and IAH. It also better balances the number of voting status representatives to the number of pilots in each base. Finally, as opposed to Seniority Block Representation, Large Base Representation will allow us to increase the total number of voting status representatives.
The resolution was immediately presented to and debated by the Executive Council (the four National Officers and ten Executive Vice Presidents), but it was tabled until their next meeting. The next regular meeting of the Executive Council is scheduled for January, 2011, but there may be a special meeting called before that time.
Item Four Stability
Over the last several decades, Continental pilots have faced much adversity and controversy, but we have always managed to survive as a group. This time, we face a merger that is, paradoxically, both a tremendous potential threat to our careers and a tremendous potential opportunity. The greatest threat we face comes from our own ranks: any lack of unity, created by distrust, fear, and anger.
This BOD meeting has, unfortunately, seen both a fractured CAL MEC leadership and a fair number of our own members directly contacting elected representatives of a large number of other airlines. The
only result has been an appearance of disunity and weakness amongst our own pilot group and our own MEC leadership. It is not too late for us to recover from this debacle, but please know the following: This is not a game. This is not an internet forum. This is not personal. This is business. Serious business. All of us need to think like unionists, not anarchists. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We have a very strong team in place, with experienced, dedicated and intelligent members of both our Merger Committee and our Joint Negotiating Committee. Both committees are making great progress for our pilot group and our profession. Our other committees are filled with dozens of additional superb Continental pilots. It is absolutely essential that you support this process constructively. Our careers depend on it. Our profession depends on it. Failure is not an option.
Item Five All Furloughed Pilots have been offered recall class dates
We are delighted to report that all of our furloughed brothers and sisters have been offered recall class dates. For those pilots who currently accepted recall, the latest possible recall date is in February, 2011. Please join us in welcoming them back home.
That is all for today. Please remember our 148 furloughed brothers and sisters and their families.
Chairman Captain Jayson Baron
[email protected]
(610) 442-3817
Vice Chairman First Officer Tara Cook
[email protected]
(610) 220-8904
Secretary/Treasurer Captain Tim Boyens
[email protected]
(305) 519-5588
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