Letter from John Malone on Facebook
 

Sent to the MEC today.
To: Delta MEC
From: Captain John Malone
Subject: A Path Forward
Gentlemen,
I’ve spoken to most of you recently and hope to hear from all of you before the election for MEC Chairman. Your candid input is appreciated. As promised, I’d like to offer my vision for a path forward for the MEC to regain the trust of the pilots.
The pilots are demanding action and change, and I’m convinced the MEC has the capacity to deliver under strong leadership with an actionable plan. Whether I’m elected as your Chairman or you chose someone else to lead you and the pilot group, I offer the following steps as a path forward:
Communications must be completely transparent
Allow our MEC budget to be accessible to all members without restrictions
All ALPA business must be above reproach
Create an Ethics Committee to address any ethics issues that arise for ALPA representatives, committee members or volunteers
Ensure no pilot on FPL has any financial advantage over line pilots
Disengage from attacking DPA
These are our fellow pro-union brothers and sisters
Harness their enthusiasm for change to our collective benefit
Focus on improving our ALPA business model and we won’t need to fear competition
A successful TA with a functioning, responsive MEC will render alternative representation efforts pointless
Live stream all MEC Meetings in Open Session
Social Media is here to stay
Pilots are now live blogging; let’s make this easier for everyone to see the serious business we conduct on their behalf
Minimize moving to Closed Session as much a possible
Have ALPA E&FA provide a rough costing of the pilot group’s concessions over the last decade for use as the negotiating committee needs
Establish a broad ranging PR campaign
Educate the pilots, management and the traveling public regarding the huge sacrifices of the pilot group to help position Delta as the leader it is today
Highlight our professionalism in day to day operations
Augment our Negotiating Committee with outside professionals, just as we did for C2K
To the maximum extent possible, MEC and Company table positions should be shared with the pilot group throughout the process
Ensures they have ownership of the final product
Allows the MEC to use instant line feedback to repel management overreaching
Clarify the Policy Manual to ensure the MEC first approves any TA before sending it to the membership. Then avoid high pressure sales- the pilots are adults and can make up their own minds
When sections of any new contract are agreed to in principle, first present that language to the MEC, then post on the ALPA web page for all pilots to view
Release the TA details to the MEC and the pilot group simultaneously so they may provide input to the reps during their seven day window
Reinstitute the Pro/Con paper
Reorganize P2P back to a primarily volunteer force (little to no FPL)
P2P should be on receive mode, and when in transmit, transmit only facts
Post-TA information sharing
A good contract will sell itself
Elected representatives should be the primary source of contact with the pilots in the crew rooms for questions and answers
Use modern day technologies to get accurate information to the pilots at a fraction of the cost
In light of our Profit Sharing originating as mitigation for loss of our pensions, take steps to remove dues from Profit Sharing payouts
And, while we’re doing all of the above, get the pilots a contract they can all be proud of. No one ever imagined Delta making $4 Billion, $5 Billion or, as some predict, $10 Billion in profits. Despite the chaos created by the rejected TA, you still have the tools to make the Delta pilots the envy of the industry once again and you have the power to make the changes the pilots demand if you exercise the courage to do so. Change isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. The pilots have spoken.
If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work – together – I am ready to serve.
In the meantime, I will provide one more letter prior to the election to address specific concerns you’ve raised in my conversations with you.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions. In the interest of transparency, a copy of this letter will be sent to the pilot group via the ALPA email system.
Fraternally,
John Malone

^^^^^We need a like button^^^^^

This guy is even better than I hoped for.

This guy sounds even better than we hoped for, but let's make sure the actions match the words, as he is still an ALPA insider, albeit from a different clan. Three of the four ATL reps up for recall sent out some great sounding emails when they were campaigning as well, and look how that worked out.

Not knocking Malone, and I support him, but let's remember to judge actions, not just words.

^^^THis. I dont like to recycle the same people in and out. I think it is madness. Unless you like the results.

TEN

While Malone's earlier statement telling pilots not to submit DPA cards rubbed me wrong this list rubbed me right. Well done Captain Malone. Of course implementation and execution will be the pudding's proof as it were.

I would add a few items from the DPA checklist such as allowing the general membership to elect their MEC president and the ability to more easily eject reps that are under performing or who catch a bad case of "smartest guy in the room syndrome".

Ball Flag: While John Malone seems to have the right idea, let's not forget DALPA is still connected to ALPA who I feel are completely out of touch with the wants and needs of their constituents.... not to mention their rather large conflict of interest representing competing entities vying for the same flying.

On a completely separate issue, I am concerned about Sam Derosa's willingness to horse trade away another work rule even if he said he didn't support the version in POS15. Sam Derosa is a good friend of John Malone

What work rule did Sam say he was willing to trade? I missed that, but I've been busy working.

This question was posed to Sam on FB:

"I've got a question for Sam Derosa, who is running for ATL Captain Rep. Sam, what do you think about the LCA Trip grab provision in the last TA taking 75% of the LCA trips away from FOs? A good friend told me you told him "I don't think FOs should sit at home getting paid to do nothing." Is that true Sam?

Why should we get rid of "choice?" Why do some people want to get rid of "good deals?" If this is how Sam actually feels, then my previous support for him is dropped. There are certain issues that are important to different groups within our pilot group. This one is important to ALL FOs and junior Captains. Please respond Sam."

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Although in Sam's response (below) he defends against selling the LCA line grab it appears he is open to selling it in some form. As we get ready to bring on new reps, it's one of those situations, "speak now or forever hold your peace"...we need to be clear on what we expect before these guys get into office. Read on and you decide.

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"I thought the change of the LCA trip pulls in the recent failed TA was a terrible idea. I remember flying with your good friend and I told him I thought it was a terrible idea. I also told him all of the following things behind my reasoning. We also discussed how it probably came to an item for negotiations.

I said if this became a big issue for the company from a manning perspective, I could see how management would seek a solution.

From a public affairs perspective,and a business perspective, it is very hard to justify why it makes sense to pay employees to sit at home and receive full pay. And that I believed there is a sensible compromise solution. I don’t know exactly what that solution is but I’m sure there is a much better solution than what was put in our TA.

And, I said, that if this item were to be modified the value would have to be recouped in other areas of the contract. I also said that as this becomes a bigger problem it creates greater leverage for us to modify this rule to our greater advantage. NOT to the company’s greater advantage.

I will add to what I previously told your friend, I do believe we all signed up to fly airplanes for compensation. I also believe in utilizing everything possible to create leverage to increase our compensation (Pay, Work Rules, Benefits). Both parties approach negotiations needing things. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't. What matters is not to have one group of the membership unjustly take burden for the rest. The idea of extracting complete (or greater) value for a particular item is not off limits to me. Would I be interested in simply giving that away absolutely not. In fact, I voted no on the TA in part because I thought this provision was not fully thought through."

"....I hope to hear from all of you before the election..."

Wait, isn't he running for office? Shouldn't he contact every rep? It seems a bit presumptuous to imply that reps should reach out to him.

We MUST have more than one candidate. Where is KW? AA? BB? Please step up, gentlemen!