Originally Posted by
DAWGS
This letter is a day late and a dollar short. ALPA felt the heat. That letter is nothing but damage control because other unions were making this a priority, because it was a priority to its members (something ALPA has forgotten). Even if they want to move on a national issue, there are so many layers of bureaucracy, it takes forever and their response is limp. How long did it take APA, CAPA and Sully to comment on the proposed FT/DT. I would bet it was within 24 hours. ALPA gave the usual we have to look at it. It looked almost just like their initial proposal, except ALPA proposed 9 hours. Now they say, buried in one of their blathering letters, there is no scientific evidence that 10 flight hours is safe. How long did that take, a week or two? Guess what, there is no scientific evidence 9 hours is safe, which is what ALPA proposed. Insert camel's nose. Hard to hold the line on 8 now huh? We have some of the most important regs in front of us in a generation. ALPA is not getting the job done. If they have such connections in DC, why in the he)) have we been subjected to this BS over the past 9 years?
Sailing, sometimes a slap to the face is exactly what is needed to get someones attention. Maybe if we had a union that did a little more slapping and less kissing, more would get done. Maybe if their responses were consistently "swift and certain", more would get done. What has been coming out of ALPA these days is neither consistent, swift or certain. I have no idea what side of the argument my union is going to take on any given issue. I used to think safety, since it is in their motto, was a sure bet. Not anymore.
Other unions are making this a priority? The other unions have not done a single thing other then a couple of press releases. Only one union is actually spending money and working the people who can make a change. The others are riding ALPA's coat tails and hoping they solve the problem and they don't have to spend a dime.