Originally Posted by
Reroute
It's a democratic organization, anyone can run, anyone can vote for who they choose. The "Grand Poobah" doesn't set the direction, your elected reps do, whether at the MEC or BOD.
On paper, that's how it's supposed to be. In reality, the Grand Poobah did indeed set the agenda. Lee arrived into union meetings last. When he did, all fDelta pilots stood up until Lee sat down. The fNorthwest pilots did not, but that's another story. All of my
first hand accounts from reps during Lee's tenure was that the MEC Chairman set the agenda and executed it.
Originally Posted by
Reroute
I think I'll stick with the national union that's dedicated to this profession,
As THEY see the future of this profession. That future vision doesn't agree with mine. I don't want RJ growth because I don't believe it when ALPA says it's good for the majors. I don't want my employer using Delta's revenue to guarantee the profits of regionals. I don't want my union using my dues dollars to support the union efforts of a pilot group dedicated to growing THEIR airline.
Originally Posted by
Reroute
has the resources and structure needed to represent 12,000 Delta pilots,
Yes it has the resources...paid by Delta pilots. Only 30 cents on our dues dollars are returned to us as "resources." I don't like that. I want a far higher percentage returned to us locally. I want NOTHING of ours going to help support the efforts of regional pilot representation.
Originally Posted by
Reroute
the experience and capabilities independent unions are unable to obtain on their own without coming to ALPA for a service agreement,
Pure ALPA spin and BS. Call David Bates (President of the APA) and describe their service agreement with ALPA the way you just did. He'll tell you that it's simply incorrect. He'll tell you that using ALPA services is being done in conjuction with their very capable negotiators and economic analysts. APA is still running the negotiations 100%. ALPA is just PART of their team.
Originally Posted by
Reroute
a representation department that is capable of representing and protecting its members interests,
It's capable of representing, but it's not doing so equally. They are actively pursuing the growth and health of regional airlines using our dues to do so. They believe that major's growth has peaked and our salaries have all but peaked. They believe the way to improve our profession is by raising the bottom, not raising the top. I firmly disagree. We need to do both. Delta pilots need to raise the top using
our dues money, and the regionals need to raise their bottom using
their dues money.
Originally Posted by
Reroute
and leadership that is democratically elected and accountable.
Democratically elected...Yes. Accountable to the members...not even close. ALPA national does what they want, when they want to do it. If DPA is beaten back (as it looks like it may), ALPA will return to it's old ways of telling you what you'll get and ignoring your wishes if they don't happen to align with national.
We'll at least have the comfort of knowing that acl65pilot will be changing ALPA from within.
Carl