Pools, opinions, and majority governance
 

Thank you Tony for providing a level headed explanation regarding the hows and why of ALPA leadership and politics. Too many (FedEx) pilots who strenuously disagree with with age 60 and/or retro seem to feel that just because a majority of (FedEx) pilots disagree with the impending changes, that FDX ALPA should take a stand that runs counter (in the opinion of) the leadership of what ultimately will benefit the most (or provide the least determent to) the pilots they've been elected to represent.

Age 60 is a no win to the majority of pilots for a number of reasons, not just because it will create some stagnation to all pilots not yet retired. No doubt those pilots advocating age 60 who are approaching the current retirement age and who wish to stay till 65, will benefit due to already being at the top of the seniority list when others (senior to them) were obliged to retire or move to the back seat, but the majority of pilots will suffer (varying) degrees of financial or QOL set backs due to slowed seat progression/relative seniority slippage or stagnation.

While the train wreck of the increased retirement age is a result of political forces ALPA did not support, ALPA and specifically FDX ALPA seems to be taking an undeserved hit for trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Everyone has a right to disagree with how its elected leadership deals with this age 60, it would be helpful it everyone with a axe to grind about this issue keep it all in prospective. FedEx has, till this point had the best career progression of any major 121 carrier. Career stagnation/retraction could happen for a number of reasons unrelated to retirements and we all would, to varying degrees, would suffer from them. While past performance is no guarantee of future success, FedEx seems to be poised to grow into the future and we all will benefit by such. Having said that, we need affective leadership and a unified crewforce so that we can build of recent gains and protect our careers from future known and unforeseen threats from within our company and from outside (FAA, legislation, cabitage, etc, etc).

What do we loose with Congress/FAA by not supporting the age 65 ... ALPA leadership feels that we will be in a better position to influence the process ... this is what I disagree with. I think in the end that Congress/FAA will use our support for the change too poke us in the eye later on ... Big picture IMO is voice what our position is with regard too the majority and still continue too be involved in the process/implementation of age 65.

Has anyone written / called their congressman or senator to see if the statement that we must change our position to have influence is actually correct? Has ALPA produced a letter from any of the politicians that have actually said this? I've written mine who is on the transportation committee and haven't gotten a response back. Calls will start soon.

Yea -- I guess we should just give up
 

To use your logic --- I’m against illegal aliens entering this country thru our southern border, but it looks like George W is going to give them all a pass anyway---so I might as well give up that fight too and try to influence the process. Makes perfect sense. I know that most American’s feel the same way I do, but obviously George knows what’s best so we should all just give up the fight and accept it.

Are you guys actually buying into this argument?

Come to think of it, I’m against Euthanasia too—but I’m sure some bleeding heart liberal who know’s better than I will win that battle. It’s obviously the right thing to do for all the terminally ill, so I’ll just give up that fight too and have some influence on the process. That’s the ticket, it may be the ultimate solutuon to this age 65 s—t sandwich ALPA wants me to eat.

While we are at it, let’s bring all the old codger’s who have had full careers back to the left seat. It’s the right thing to do. On the plus side, we have all those flying lessons to look forward to. This is going to be awesome!

Do we agree that it is right? NO

Do we all know that it is going to happen? Most of us have come to that realization.


Do most of want all these illegal aliens to be granted immunity. NO

Do you think you are going to stop it? Our Politicians have sold us out, I agree, but guess what, The BIG corpoprations, ie the BIG money in Washington wants the free flow of gauranteed Cheap labor and guess who is going to get their way?

Do you think it is you and me? or BIG MONEY Corp America?

Age 65 is no different. Big money wants it, they get it..........we lose.

If Bush's administration should announce, tomorrow, that they have come to an agreement with the Europeans and Asians allowing cabotage here in the U.S., should ALPA drop its resistance to that because its inevitable? I don't think so.

Look. A majority of the members at ALPA carriers that have lost their pensions want this to change. Their representatives should voice that. We, at FDX, don't want the change. Our representatives should voice that. Since when do we need unanimous votes on everything in this union. That's stupid.

It sickens me to see every vote in our own MEC, unanimous. That's surely not a democratic body. Is that how it should work in Congress? Its certainly not how it works on the Supreme Court! It doesn't need to. That's how a representative democratic body is supposed to work.

But, if that isn't what we want our union to be...Then why don't we just allow Prater(our ultimate leader)to change ALPA's policies without a vote from anyone?

I do believe that the age 6o rule is going to change. Maybe this year, maybe next week. But, this has been handled like a bunch of amateurs. From the top, at the national level to our own MEC.

But don't fight to make it even worse for ourselves by demanding retrospectivity(admittedly a smaller issue). But when you take into account:

1. Our seat progression is going to stagnate
2. Our industry-wide wages are going to stagnate substantially by this age 65 thing (less personnel loss for us and the pax guys--less of a looming crisis for the carriers, which was one of their reasons for wanting Age 65)--wages are all about attracting new talent as far as the company is concerned!
3. We are going to have to fight to keep from being penalized for retiring prior to the "new regulated age (65)"
4. We are going to have to fight to keep our B fund

Retrospectivity is just another factor in the equation that really hoses those of us with 10 or more years to go...

Look I agree with your sentiment. I am one of you, I am on your Side.

The reality of the situation is that YOU and the REST of US had our opportunity to fight this issue for the past several years.

ALPA has had the "Action Alerts" links on their website forever asking
us to email their Senators and congressmen concerning AGE 60.
How many of us actually took the time to write your leaders over and over?They ask for donations to the PAC.

ALPA only barely raises1,000,000 in PAC donations each year from 65,000 members. a whopping $15 per member. Maybe you donate $500 each year and good on you for doing so. I am willing to bet most out there just said" Let ALPA handle it" and probably those same folks didn't give a dime to the PAC...........because they are cheap or used the excuse that ALPA tends to support Democrats..........

What your ALPA leaders are telling is is that this fight is over. Now all that is left to fight about is how it is implemented. But the FIGHT over the Change in AGE is done my friend. I don't like it, you don't have to like it, but thinking we have any shot at stopping it is..............futile.

The current Adminsistration cut a deal with the EU on Open SKies.
That is a done DEAL.........do you want to fight it Now, WHERE WERE YOU 5 years ago when ALPA said Hey this is coming?

If you want to FIGHT, good on you, there are be many fights looming.

License Harmonization and cabotage is the next one, what are you and the rest of us going to do about it? These are fights that have yet to be decided.

What's really the right thing to do
 

Redeye,
No arguments that this is probably a done deal. But, if we really want to "do the right thing" ----We should fight this until the end. That shows a consistant position that the vast majority of ALPA membership supports. Most of the membership would be pleased that ALPA did the right thing by fighting this. To flip flop positions, and then throw salt in the wound by supporting retroactively bringing the old guys back is ridiculous.

The upside of holding the line is that it keeps us united. The down side is that we (or FedEx) face possible legal battles with the old codgers who want to "fly till they die." That's where the Euthanasia legislation comes in. It could be the "ultimate solution." Hypoxia could be the method of choice----quick and painless.

Excuse the sarcasm---I'm trying to keep a sense of humor here.

Yes it is.......no one is arguing that it won't. (with the exception of the B- Fund)

You seem to think there is a chance in H*LL in stopping what has already been decided.

My point is that we had our chance and we successfully fought it off for this long........but we have lost the battle on AGE 60. Do you really think otherwise?