Having an MEC officer get "hired" by management is a slap in the face to every pilot at xjt. The rest of the MEC is so disconnected from the average line pilot that they applaud this person for going over to management. Our MEC has proven through lack of communication, ignorant communication (calling us unprofessional for sick calls July 2010 and the above mentioned), and the constant barrage of information telling us how they caved to managements every whim that they do not represent the average pilot at XJT.
Heres the problem as I see it. Too many people are apathetic to what is going on. As riled up as you are there are probably 3 pilots to your one who could not care less what happens with our MEC. This is where we need our LEC's to come in. The LEC's are made up of line pilots who should be hearing their pilots opinions. If the LEC's inform and educate their respective pilots about the happenings at the MEC level I think more pilots would get involved. Those pilots then have to support the LEC in making a stand against the MEC.
I think change is coming. I like the reps at my local level and have hope that change will happen. I dont think running away from ALPA is the answer. I think ALPA has a lot to offer but having a weak, disconnected MEC is killing us. We need leadership from a line pilot who wont cheer-lead for management.
I dont want an email telling us they are upset at the loss of pass benefits. I want an email telling us they have stopped negotiating on a JCBA, SLI, and have frozen all talks over the AQP training until pass travel is settled. Not just settled but settled in a way that does not offend every pilot who has bent over backwards to provide a good product to CAL passengers.
Giving us 36 hrs to use our vacation passes in the next two weeks even though those passes dont expire till the end of 2012 is complete and utter BS. Giving us SA3 pass class on our own aircraft is completely useless due to the fact the CAL employees can simply burn one of their vacation passes and bump us. Putting us behind unaccompanied pass riders on CAL equipment while we are trying to get to work is one more poorly thought out rule. When we are traveling to move CAL passengers who is more important? Lastly this "manual fix" to move us from SA4C to SA3 on our own aircraft??? *** Why was this implemented when they couldnt even give us what they were offering. Why rush this poorly thought out, poorly implemented, and moral crushing program? Did our MEC answer this or did they give us an email patting our newest member of management on the back for his "years of service in our union."