I get it I’m trying to be brilliant and think it through this asking questions and trying to take what I see and apply it to myself.

 

You broke the law. Granted, as mentioned, the law can be applied unevenly, but you broke it. Are you on the younger side? If so, often times a transgression can be overlooked when the person is young, and has since had a clean record, which leads us to...

...you continued to break the law? You didn't learn your lesson the first time, and continued to do what was knowingly wrong. IOW, you have a demonstrated habit pattern of breaking the law and having issues with authority.

 

Stop getting arrested, if you’re passionate about a cause get involved in the actual hard work, IE fundraising and lobbying. It’ll build your resume (assuming your cause isn’t too radical) and it’ll keep you employable.

 

Airlines as a general rule don't want to hire someone who will result in a newspaper article talking about how "Clazzy, a _____ airlines pilot, was arrested for _______." If you have had one arrest and that's it and you keep your nose clean you may be ok. If you've had a couple already it's a tough question. Regardless, you need to not do things that are going to get you arrested if you want to be an airline pilot. You will be reporting that arrest on every job application you fill out, and you will be answering questions about it if interviewed. If you have more than one it will be tough to make it past the computers at a major (I expect one doesn't stop you from getting past hat point at least). You may still be able to go to a regional but the longer a timespan you have showing repeatedly doing things to get you arrested the harder it will be.

 

And let us consider how the HR hiring mavens are going to parse THIS statement:

1. Did something I’ll-advised.
2. Doesn’t regret it.
3. In fact, wants to do it again.
4. If he/she can get away with avoiding consequences.

So the HR maven has to ask him/herself:

Is this the guy/gal I want to out in charge of a $100 million aircraft and the lives of 200 customers? Someone who wants to know how close he can push the envelope?

And many of them actually read this website.

You might want to change your board name, assuming they aren’t already combing Google to find environmental activists that have been arrested in state capitals that they can rather easily check against the FAA airman database.

 

What if your airline encouraged the police to indiscriminately arrest you at your contract picket line?

 

This is spot on. I'm not a protest guy myself, but I've been front and center to many National and International protests. Most were benign, but some got out of hand. Don't even expose yourself to that kind of risk when you have something to loose. Facts, data, and dispassionate discourse with decision makers is and has always been the most effective way to drive change. I.E; Sierra Club vs. Green Peace vs. Earth First. Just FYI.

To answer your question, i don't think one will matter as long as you own up to it. Make it a "political statement" during the interview and it will probably be a problem. Remember, the employer doesn't know you any better than you know them. All they see is one guy with a record and one guy without. The guy that learned his lesson and is remorseful stands a chance...the guy that isn't.....

 

Yup save that kind of fun for the barrista class who have nothing to lose anyway.

Yup. Even old white guys can have an impact if you're a life-long member of say Sierra Club.

And this is how our system is supposed to work. Doesn't always work how it's supposed to, but it is incumbent on us to try to make it work, by exercising the processes. Hopefully that will keep our system humming along.

You can only get away with anarchy and emotional tantrums as long as the OTHER side keeps their cool... push them too far and you get: civil war. For example you would not want me (plus 20 guys like me) conducting violent counter operations to your violent protest. I've been to parts of the world where civil society doesn't exist any more (or never has)... it's worth compromising a little to preserve what we have, and IMO it's a little more fragile than most people take for granted. You need to go overseas and see what failure looks like to appreciate fully that.


Problem? You'd be escorted out the front door.


With any derogatory background issue, they want to know that you regret it, learned your lesson, and don't blame anyone but yourself. Any hint that you're missing any of those concepts and it's over with.

And it's not "beyond a reasonable doubt"... they're already suspicious enough to not hire you, and you have to overcome that.

Also... I suspect many airlines will flat out simply refuse to hire a climate radical, since that camp's official position is now "ban airplanes". Maybe a regional, they just need meat in the seat, but there is no way in hell that any major (with thousands of apps on file) is going to hire someone if they learn about his politics. They would honestly probably suspect you were trying to gain insider access for nefarious purposes... in an industry where lethal force is authorized So the OP, if he has to disclose the arrest should probably try to keep the political particulars out of the discussion (if possible).

 

What???...

 

What has THAT got to do with my comment? This WASN’T someone legally picketing his employer it was someone ILLEGALLY interfering with the conduct of his/her state government who desires to know how close he can skate to the edge without repercussions.

Why would The HR guy not assume, for example, that such tendencies might carry over to risking landing at BUR with a tailwind in a thunderstorm? Is this really a profession that needs people that will act precipitously first and THEN ask more knowledgeable people whether or not they have dodged a bullet and how many more bullets they might be able to dodge in the future without disqualifying themselves from the career field?

We’ve all had our youthful indiscretions - well, I certainly have anyway - but unless you are rich enough to fund your own airline you are gonna have to play the cards you are dealt. Do you really think the HR people at a major WOULDN’T look askance at this person? Particularly if there was a recurrence?

I certainly think they will.