Originally Posted by
throttleweenie
I've said it before, often; for me and a lot of others, the UAL forum was entertainment mostly. And there were a TON of pilots that had no idea how to even access it. The Vocal Majority whom frequented it were mostly venting, pontificating, opining, chest-pounding and saber-rattling. There was, for sure, some good info there occasionally, but I don't think that outweighed the negative impact the aforementioned venting, etc had, and potentially had. Pure and simple, management used it to keep their finger on the pulse of UAL's pilots. They wouldn't hesitate to use it against us, or use it again.
The MEC has to treat a lot of info as if it's public if it's on the forum, and thereby keep it under wraps until it's fit for public consumption. Management loves it because silence fosters rumor-mongering, and management has always believed that a good juicy rumor, born of speculation and wild imagination, is a great way to divide any employee group.
I'm not an MEC member, sympathizer for any one of the categories of UAL pilots, as were so succinctly yet so incompletely and inaccurately described on another thread, or manager, instructor, or anything other than a 24 year UAL pilot who's seen more crap EVERYWHERE that the guy who cleans out the horse stalls. I'm probably in some group or another, but the one I thought I was in wasn't even listed.
While our MEC has made it's mistakes just like everyone has and they're not perfect, they are without a doubt doing the best they can for every old/young/narrow/wide/junior/senior/furloughed UAL pilot. There's a lot of truth to the old saying, "you can't please all the people all of the time", so there will always be some who believe their own or someone else's conspiracy theory, but then again, if they think it's so ℉℧℃ƙℹɳ easy, maybe they should run for an MEC position and fix everything.
Really, we're either part of the problem or part of the solution. The forum was part of the problem a lot more than it was part of the solution. I'll miss the entertainment but not very much.
TW
TW,
I would have to disagree with regards to shutting down a means of pilots communicating amongst themselves. I think it hurts in the long run. JMHO.
Now as to the legal ramifications of having an MEC sanctioned forum, I'll give you one there. I can definitely see that side of the coin.
Fact is, many lurked on the forum, which was far from all the pilots. Nonetheless, it was an avenue for communication. How one chose to value a post is not any different than this forum. Take it for what you will. Value the position or information with whatever grain of salt you choose to.
If the MEC is hoping that shutting down the forum will somehow increase meeting attendance, well that is a pipe dream. Granted, LCO slugs aren't doing 10 day off reserve/95 hour months anymore. But, folks are wrung out still. Seems the same folks always attend the meetings. They can run the agenda, like it or not.
Seems the cell phone or email is the only way to be vocal with your LEC. It is what it is. Attempts to put meetings in an internet format will never come to be. Too many legal hurdles.
The forum was never going to solve anything but did have some useful purpose many a time. What is fact is that now those that at least cared about what was going on, no matter how wrong in their opinion, aren't connected.
That leaves you with the majority of pilots that really have no idea what is going on, by their own doing (apathy), and those that just now get a sterilized MEC email update, voting for what?
MEC now operates in a controlled environment. Information is only that they approve and endorse. What does that sound like?
And, they have done nothing with regards to pilots getting together and spouting whatever they want. Just no MEC guidelines regarding the new forum. Which by the way is quite civil.
While the MEC has no legal issue with that forum since it is not sponsored, the fact is it is no different than 2172.com was regarding mgmt getting the info.
Stalemate.
Frats,
Lee