Originally Posted by Jack Bauer (Post 1429897)

The TA passes. Later, all the scenarios that "likely will never come into play".....come into play. The true believers defend the sales job to the bitter end with twisting and turning spin, asking to always look around the next corner for Shangri-La.

Originally Posted by Purple Drank (Post 1429885)

I have come to the same conclusion.

Emirates just dropped a ton of cash to sponsor NYC's major league soccer team. They are gunning for our bread & butter.

I detest ALPA, its bureaucracy and pretty much everything else about it.

I hate that my money will be sent to slimeball politicians in both parties.

But let's not kid ourselves. Money talks. Bullsh!t walks. We've got to play the game.

Originally Posted by iaflyer (Post 1429830)

I think in this instance ALPA was thinking like a business. Perhaps airline management or a consultant said that overall, ALPA will get more dues $$$ and more political power by expanding the regionals.

ie - rather than say (completely made up numbers) 20,000 well paid pilots, 40,000 pilots who are paid moderate wages will result in more dues $$$ and more power for ALPA.

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar (Post 1429776)

A couple of points about the foregoing posts.

ALPA had (and has) a role in the furlough of Delta pilots and the "regionalization" of work rules. They both stem from ALPA leaders who allowed and fought for a different, lower, standard of Delta pilot called Delta Connection.

Once we (ALPA, our union) allowed management to enjoy a lower standard (as we just did with Pinnacle) on our property we lost the moral high ground on scheduling, rest and compensation. If the lower standard is good enough for one pilot, management will want the less expensive option applied to all pilots.

The furloughs of the last decade were completely unnecessary and avoidable. Delta hired more pilots within Delta's brand than were furloughed.

ALPA failed by breaking unity. ALPA has not learned from the mistakes of the past, yet. We should be fighting for one, higher standard, for all pilots. Not separating those within the class and craft of Delta pilots.

This is not a pro-DPA post. The DPA does not address this failing either (and lacks the tools ALPA enjoys which would be needed to restore true unity). We need to lean on our Reps not to accept a different, lower, standard to be enjoyed by Delta management on our property.

Originally Posted by DAWGS (Post 1429891)

Another great post. ALPA lost me along with many in my seniority block because of those furloughs. They facilitated MGT. All I have seen is more of the same ever since which is even more amazing. ALPA is not capable of slaying the dragon they have created. Not sure if anyone can, but personally I would give anyone else the opportunity. After this last contract, it is even more obvious they are simply an extension of MGT that we are forced to pay 2% to. I think the threat of unionization would would be a bigger hammer than ALPA!

Originally Posted by forgot to bid (Post 1429538)

PARIS: Embraer sounds battle cry with launch of new E-Jet

PARIS: Embraer launches E-Jet E2 with deals for 365 aircraft

So the little jets we never wanted and divested any relationship with now are going to seat 118 passengers. Sweet.

http://www.flightglobal.com/Assets/G...x?ItemID=51244

Originally Posted by shiznit (Post 1429918)

You are doing bad math:

DAL 717 CA: $184
DAL 717 FO: $112

AVG RJ CA: $75
AVG RJ FO: $38

mainline CA payrate is 2.45x more* than RJ
mainline FO payrate is 2.94x more* than RJ

*not factoring in improved work rules, benefits that mean more pilots getting paid at the higher rates

If it was about "more dues" only, it would STILL be beneficial to have mainline jobs instead of RJ jobs.

Originally Posted by FlyZ (Post 1429938)

Up next from ALPA: the next Scope Improvement Opportunity. We think we can get management to eliminate the rest of the 50-seaters if we let DCI fly 50 of these new ones at 118 seats apiece!