ALPA has lost sight of being our agent, and instead wants to please too many people at once. Almost 4000 people can't be wrong, and that number will jump up if the eventual TA stinks. Just keep saying to yourself "$952 million in bag fees last year.". It is time for them to perform, or get replaced.

For the DPA supporters, what must the next contract be in order for you to say that ALPA was successful in our contract negotiations?

No, it can't. Sadly. The only ting that makes SWAPA as strong as they are right now is their scope clause. That's it. It has forced management's hand to force a turd down the AT pilot's throats. SWAPA can sit gleefully back on their haunches and watch management do their bidding in their merger. DPA would have a huge hill to climb, and it cannot be done between now and openers.. nor during a single contract. I truly wish they could, but I don;t think it is possible.

That is a great question!

Agreed in principal. Not sure ALPA/DALPA gets it though. And while much of the end result of the 1999/2000 effort was noble, putting mainline seniority up for grabs to make it happen was always a non starter and always will be.

Besides, why would ALPA/DALPA or the pilot group as a whole agree to outsource half the airline precisely so that management could shop it to the lowest bidder, and then take that same outsourced flying, after its already outsourced, and reintegrate it, in the same contract that allows it to be outsourced? If ALPA/DALPA or the pilot group had the unity/scope desires to do that, they could just reclaim the scope in the first place.


1999/2000 was a potential unique opportunity in many ways though. Mainline and the vast majority of the regional lift that was at CMR/ASA, both wholly owned at that time and growing ferociously, and all 3 in section 6, with Leo very anxiuous to make a deal so as to avoid a UAL style debacle, CMR with strike leverage and ASA deep into their section 6 as well. We all know how that mess was mishandled (from all sides, including the ASA/CMR side), and the days of that bargaining snapshot are long over.

CMR is a smoldring husk of its once dominant self. ASA is part of the SkyWest Air Group along with Expressjet, and they fly for other airlines now anyway.

Then as now, anything that puts DL seniority at risk for one single number is out of the question. This is and always has been a DL problem requiring a DL solution. We have to start getting our scope back, and not just the RJ's. If we can do that with ALPA/DALPA, great...let's see the results. But if D/ALPA is unwilling or unable to do what needs to be done, they need to be replaced. D/ALPA needs to prove they are able and willing to fix our scope, now, or they are obsolete.

SWA+ rates and W-2's for small narrowbody planes and up from there, plus reasonable premiums to account for our higher per pilot revenue and significant, immediate scope recapture at all levels, with additional premiums for phase in agreements to allow bad management teams of the past a transition from their poor multi billion dollar mistake outsource desicions, and additional premiums for any remaining outsourcing left after that.

Hey do I get a "that is a great question" if I ask:

For the DP... ALPA supporters, what must the next contract be in order for you to say that ALPA was successful in our contract negotiations?

Unfortunately the answer is all to easy to predict. ALPA could never be successful in the eyes of some of these folks because they hate ALPA. No matter what, most of the DPA supporters will still want ALPA off the property at first sight of any TA.

Unless ALPA wants to revisit the seniority list, waste negotiating capital on getting rid of the hat, and some how get us leather jackets to wear, these folks aren't interested in anything ALPA has to say.

What must the next contract be for non-DPA supporters to say it was successful?

Does DALPAs opener limit the DPAs ability to negotiate?

Yours is a fair question, but in many ways it is different for different people.

For me, I see no intent or prospect of DALPA/ALPA to reel in scope, they have fought it at every opportunity...including no memrat for major contract changes. I dont find that acceptable.

Is a 9-15% increase in compensation with 3-5% per year acceptable? For how long? I dont find that acceptable.

Based upon no major medical problems, just normal health, does your health insurance cost you more than having no insurance? Contrast our insurance with SWA insurance.

Is recieving a letter for commuting difficulties for barriers you cant control good? Is being bothered while you are sick good?

Do we have a union or a collective bargaining agent that actually looks out for us, that actually tries to educate us with truth and facts? Do they spin facts? Do they hide facts (af/klm)? Are we not trustworthy to make informed decisions?

Is ALPAs goal to protect pilots and advance this profession or is it to protect the association and the MECs?

Personally, I like the idea of taking the entire SWA contract plus appropriate increases as a final outcome.

People who say that don't know the SWA contract.