1 week to go! I thought I would see betting by now.

I beg to differ!! New reps are "in town" and don't need to be shamed into anything. If you haven't picked up the phone and called your rep, or e-mailed him or her "shame" on you. I've replied to EVERY input I've gotten. I'll be waiting for yours!!:cool:

I hate to say it's a waste of time but I heard that the MEC met over dinner at an east Memphis Italian restaurant during their last regular meeting. It's already a done deal. But the continued solicitations makes us all feel good. I'd be satisfied if they waited to interview the candidates before deciding and exercised their responsibilities by picking the best qualified candidate - regardless of who I like best. Time to lead.

Maybe you can fill us all in on exactly what happened at this dinner. I'd love to hear it. I guess the MEC should be banned from ever going to dinner together again for fear that somebody might think that we might be........eating together??? You ever call your rep on this? I doubt it. PM me, I'll give you my number (it's also on the website), and I'll expect a call.

Micro,

Sounds like you do some good work. But not all the reps are new. And one, or more, need to be shamed into voting for the right candidates.

I can't tell you how another rep would vote and I would only hope that they would listen to the crew-members they represent on any issue. However, you will have absolutely no say if you don't write you rep, call your rep, or grab them by the collar and tell them what you want and expect. Remember they work for you not the other way around.

I did just that, and got an excellent reply from my block rep. (#3)

Thank you, Fred!

Micro....

Were the big fat MEC cigars tasty?

How was the Dom Perignon?

Did TonyC make a pass at you?

Did you chortle at the naivete of the crew force and the Tea parties?

Dinner.....sounds like a good conspiracy theory! :D

Thanks for what you do Micro.....hold their frikin feet to the fire.

I'd like to piggy back on your comments. Add additional info if you will.

Anyone who knows the "older" reps please pass along this vote is really not secret after all. When almost all the reps share who they vote for, the vote of those who wish their vote to stay secret comes to light. There is nowhere to hide. And, if you vote for wrong candidate, it may dash your hopes for a long MEC career.

You know I'm not talking to you Micro, but I am 'splainin' the reality to one or more other reps...

The cigars were fantastic.
It was single malt scotch instead.
He's not my type but I could be persuaded.
Of course. we always do that.:D

hey Micro. Has anyone come up with a good reason why #2 & #3 had to go to New Zealand or where ever they went on our dime?? Last grand hurrah??

Or has that story grown lets and run amuck.

To be truthful, I can't answer that for you. We are part of IFALPA and the meeting happened to be in NZ this time around. The union has sent reps before to these meetings. Why #2 and 3#? I really haven't asked.

It's been pointed out to me that this info was passed to me at some point. I didn't recall it. However, I will get that info and pass on the exact details and reasons our union attended when I receive it.

Hey I gave it a shot too. I don't expect every rep to vote the way I would hope, but at least they can't say that I didn't give them my input.

And I didn't even have to answer a survey! :)

Thanks for your work Micro, Albie and the rest of the reps.

Why can't WR just run on his qualifications? Is it a bad thing that these other candidates have FLOWN THE LINE? I guess those three pm out and backs and two flights with one leg (DH), and one two leg flight - IN TEN MONTHS -give him a real idea of what things are like now... The other candidates live the current issues - WR reads about them.

Also what kind of leadership does vote with whatever DW votes show? Can we say rubber stamp?

From WR's campaign e-mail - I only posted excerpts but read the whole e-mail you should have received.


The only other candidate that possess anywhere near the level of experience that you should demand out of your MEC Vice-Chairman
is Captain TH. And while he has been a representative, a committee chairman, and an officer like myself, he has been absent from the process for almost four years now and has not had any involvement with our issues in that absence. While the other two candidates have been good union volunteers, neither Captain DS nor Captain TM has even been the vice-chairman of a committee, let alone held any other position of leadership. ... ... For us to put members with a lack of any kind of leadership experience in our Association into any of the Officer positions would bode ill for our short and long term careers at a critical time such as today when the very core of our collectively bargained agreement is under assault by management. ....

Flying the line does not mean you have no leadership qualities. WR is grasping at straws in the eleventh hour. To say anything negative about other candidates shows his true character.

I was very disappointed to read the Jet Flyer tonight, full of nothing but 5 or so recs for WR. It sounded more like a political move he had been planning in advance than a true grasp of the beliefs of the crew force.

I have never figured out why the MEC guys sit in the office on Kirby, instead of bringing their laptops over to the AOC for the afternoon hub turn, and hanging out with the crew force. They could get some work done, and show a presence. Surely they can spare one of them for a few hours, one day a week to meet and greet the underlings...... oh wait, then who would be able to go to Owen Brennan's for lunch?

What was on Jetflyer?

Who knows. WR has just now put out his campaign letter because he has been busy with his wife in NZ on our union dollar. When times are tough and everyone needs to cut back on spending, WR and DM are living high on the hog in New Zealand. I'm sure some great benifits for FedEx pilot came out of them being at this international convention. Kind of like Vegas. What has the membership gained from these conventions. A better interpertation of 4a2b?

Was there a Jet Flyer tonight? I used to get them..anyone know how to sign back up?

I couldnt agree more. When I read WR's campaign letter, it kind of made me ill. Then when I got the Jetflyer with these guys vouching for his abilities, etc, etc, I was ill. Pure politicking, with no substance, IMO.

Nothing more than a last minute desperate attempt by the status quo Webbites to stay in power. We need a clean sweep and some fresh ideas. SS is a no brainer. TM is the guy for VC. It is time to welcome DM & WR back to the line... even if it is for the 1st time!

I've emailed and called the block reps. Some are still hiding behind the "it wouldn't be appropriate to publicly endorse" a candidate at this time... IF NOT NOW, WHEN? You will be asked how you voted! Represent your block!

As I said, I would post the information that was sent to me.

The annual Conference of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) was hosted this year by the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association and was held in Auckland. Normally, our Executive Board member (Chairman) and Executive Council Member (Executive V.P) would attend. However, in light of the negotiations at hand, Our Vice-Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer went as their proxies. They participated on committees to represent the pilots of FedEx, as well as all ALPA pilots in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as those committees dealt with serious issues of importance to us all. At the same time, their in-person presence helped forge and strengthen relationships with carriers throughout the globe where we operate daily. Having a healthy liaison, for instance, between our pilots domiciled in Hong Kong and those of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA) should prove quite beneficial to us.

The reason I was asked about the trip is that a trip to New Zealand sounds like a boondoggle, and the question was “Who is paying for this?” As you may know, we have committed to foot the costs of all of our National Committee representatives, and we have challenged the other large MECs to do the same. In these times of tight budgets all around, we are better equipped to bear the cost, and we reap a specific benefit by having “our” people in the key positions. Similarly, we pay the way for our representatives to this key IFALPA event. I am led to believe that ICAO actually listens to what IFALPA has to say, and it’s imperative that we avail ourselves of every opportunity to make inputs into the policy and decision-making processes.

Why didn't we get any sort of update from them? Or were their meetings so mundane as to not warrant any sort of communique?

Once again we are left in the dark as they do what's best for us...To save us from ourselves. That is the hallmark of their leadership style.

Its not just us they are afraid of. Don't forget the boogieman hiding around every corner just waiting to sue us if we have the audacity to put, I don't know, a secure webcast of a public meeting out on the web.

I think they were busy writing their latest communiques to the crew force imploring us to ask the MEC to keep their invaluable integrity, honesty, and experience working for us. That or they were too hung over to give a $^&@ to let us know what went on over there.

Good post Micro --- thanks!

Valid question/criticism Gunter!

Any good staff officer knows he has to write-up a good after action report to justify the next "planning conference" in the Pacific.

This gets back to better com to the dues paying line pilots --- which, as of late, has been improving significantly.