Years ago, before the first contract, as we were waiting to go into the sim for our PC, our 727 Flex saw on of his Flex buddies in the hallway and asked him, "hey, do you think this 'not flying extra' applies to us?"

We were shocked. That guy is still a Flex. Not saying they are all that way, but this kind of attitude does hurt.

 

I've seen Flex Airbus Captains flying as right seaters, too.
It's not the official non-members that hurt us, it is the dues-paying non-team-players flying extra who amaze me. Wearing a lanyard, affixing bag tags, and having your dues automatically deducted ... we are way beyond that if you want to play a part in securing an improved contract.

Personal responsibility means thinking about the short- and long-term effects of your actions. Vacation buy back, draft, volunteer, increasing BLG with SOF ... that's not being an active union member during prolonged negotiations. Fly your line, learn how to say no, and before you know it, you'll have a fat Retro Pay check to deposit. Contract in hand? Feel free to return to max blast flying and scamming the good deals at 150%. Until then, be part of the solution....

Meanwhile, just keep educating (and tracking) those who aren't on the same sheet of music.

 

I could be wrong, or saddled with faulty memory, but I think ALPA gave the Instructors a 'special deal' in the 1st contract.

Someone correct me, but I think the 1st guy was right. They don't 'have' to pay dues .. . according to my sometimes imperfect memory.

 

I think that was management guys who didn't have to pay dues?

 

Well, if it all goes thru, they agreed on an agency shop. So if you don't join the union, you still have to pay an assessment, the same cost as the dues. But not sure if that included instructor types.

 

They do have to pay dues. Unless they want to be a non member.

 

"Captain who knows better"

. . and the rest of us don't?

I guess that settles the matter, unequivocally

 

Well, obviously some of you don't. One of my best friends was a flex for 4 years, and payed every 15th of the month, just like the rest of us. And as for those who think just paying dues doesn't make you a union member, my buddy's ALPA pin has a "Battle Star." Bet most of you angry young pups don't even know what that is.

 

Hey Drew, what's up your a$$. I answered a question that was out there. By the way, you don't have a clue what you're talking about when it comes to pay. There are no deals about paying dues. The management pilots were Executive Inactive and paid .95 percent until one of them went to ALPA and got their status changed to Active, thus incurring another per cent of dues. Check out your facts before you start spewing.

 

Name’s not Richard Gere; nothing up there that I am aware of . .'cept maybe the hemorrhoids from pulling too many 'Gs'.

if you go back and read, I fell all over myself with caveats and 'I could be wrong' . .and 'my memory might be faulty' .. don't recall ‘spewing’.

I do question your 'Captain who knows' signature. Like everyone else doesn't know anything? Why don't you say something like 'Captain who's been there' . . .it evokes less haughtiness. . .or patting one's self on the back attitude.