Busboy

It's not a free country. Try not paying your taxes, if you don't agree with what your government is doing.

I really don't care if someone doesn't want to join our union. But, I do care very strongly that a freeloader would benefit from the same contract that I am paying for.

I love to see non-members paying their agency shop fees. Rest assured, they wouldn't throw a nickel in the pot if they if they weren't forced to.

Gunter

Instead of political theory lets focus on practical application in the mixed pilot culture we have at FDX. Scattered among the "good guys" we have non-members hired since the late '90s. These guys are hardcore ME ME ME with no sense of fraternity that you and I take for granted. IMHO, that had to stop. If we can stop one more new guy from buying a sports car with his dues money it was worth it.

I don't want to see folks quit in their last year to shield their paycheck either. Or quit because their panties are in a wad about whatever pet issue. That seems to be popular in modern politics and is disgraceful. It's cancerous to ANY union that may represent us. Agency shop protects us from freeloaders and hot heads.

We have a lot of guys who think of themselves as private contractors but most now grudgingly pay dues. You know, some of the guys who protected carryover when line averages were cut and were happy their 777 and 757 lines were 25 hours more than A300 and 727. Some of them are almost totally oblivious to everyone around them. They couldn't even spell 4a2b. But they know how to spell VEBA and retroactive age 65. Those are the guys ALL OF US need protection from with agency shop.

RedeyeAV8r

FDX

The thing about being an FO wasn't a quip. But to answer your question, someone who has been here 10 years or less doesn't know or didn't experience the History before we had ALPA 2 and our First "Negotiated" Contract.

I did not imply that someone with 10 years can't make up their own mind.

Here is the rub. Before we had Agency shop we had a lot of non members.
That was their Choice, but many of us chose to pay dues and support whatever Union was on property. Many sacrificed personal time and effort to achieve better conditions, pay, benefits. That cost each of us paying a lot of money.

When we achieved all these improvements.
It took over 10 years and 3 attempts at a UNION.
*Large increase of Medical benefit Cap from 1 Million to 2 million.
*A Real Contractual A Fund (which would have been frozen 8 years ago if not for a UNION Contract!
* B-Fund (now 7%)
*800 Million Life Insurance Policy
*LTD benefits
* Pretty Good Pay raise from 1993
*Jump-seat and Captain's Authority

There were other improvements and yes there was some take away by MGT.

At one point since FPA contract #1, we had over 400 non members. Now we have 50. The vast Majority of our ACP's and Instructors are good members. That wasn't true before.

I agree it is a Free country. A Pilot should be free to Choose.

I also feel that if a Pilot chooses not to belong or pay his/her Fair share, that the UNION SHOULD BE FREE TO CHOOSE if he should continue to get the benefits the UNION secured for him in the Contract, ie. no more B fund, no more A fund free it when dues payments are stopped. No VEBA
Furthermore the Union should not have to defend them during Discipline or contractual issues.

But alas, the Department of Labor or DOL says this cannot happen, that would be illegal.
Non members get everything the paying Members gets in other words Free loading on the Backs of Dues paying Members.
The Non member gets Union representation during Disciplinary hearing.

The Union has gotten more than a few Non members's jobs back.
There was a large amount of Dues Money spent on Non members because it is required by the DOL under Duty of Fair Representation or DFR.

So in a Nut shell it is Not a Free Country for there Union either.
It costs money to Administer the Contract. It cost Money to Negotiate a Contract. It cost money to run the Union day to day.

The Union has to pay, meaning US (or most of US).
Everyone gets the benefits, they should ALL have to pay.

Can you go Play 18 Holes at TPC without Paying?
If you were a Member of an expensive C/C what would you think if someone who wasn't a member or Guest just cut in and played in front of you?
Would you be a little Upset? Would the Offender be asked to leave or would the Members just say sure "it's a Free Country your Honor"?

skeebo2

OK I'm not an F/O. I have the been here a while I remember the PARKING LOT contract. And some of our old leaders like Frank Fat@o0. Who by the way left FPA/ALPA with unpaid dues. Union history at FDX is good if you are a revisionist.

RedeyeAV8r

and I believe he retired before we had Agency Shop

skeebo2

Still a dirt bag move

Ok move recent history how bot DW and not bidding the 777? And what did he do.

Wasn't there 2 vps ago the union rep who worked so hard with not flying and getting association buy backs he went NOQ.

Yea we have had some at gems at the union

RedeyeAV8r

Didnt We have the same issues at FAB, and FPA?

not defending anybody, but. Wasn't the 777 filled with pilots before DW bid it?

If DW didn't bid it would everyone have avoided it?

Sounds like your issues are with specific individuals rather than Agency Shop

skeebo2

* B-Fund (now 7%)
*800 Million Life Insurance Policy
*LTD benefits
* Pretty Good Pay raise from 1993
*Jump-seat and Captain's Authority

$500 a year co match 401k joke
Life insurance in lieu of a pension style death benefit we got bought out cheap
Pay raise over 19 year 1993-2012 eliminated by inflation not even close or funny
911/tsa did in the jump seat. Block out with a MX item/ T/O with+1000lbs fly direct loads of authority now.

FDXLAG

And I still say bull on the membership and free loaders. I will bet 99% of the guys hired between 1999 and the 2006 contract joined and stayed. The only freeloaders of consequence here were probably pre alpa 1 FPA or alpa 2 hires. The union shop has not made more than a 2% difference in dues collected.

PastV1

It has because the "1 issue wonders" can't quit.