Bad blood on both sides almost at every turn it seemed to me. Double furlough for many of my generation. Lack of working together on anything. Senior guys get all the candy. I know it takes two to tango but it's not something I want to see in my career again. Saw a lot of that mindset in some of the guys who frequent this board in the TA discussion.

 

"The last thing we need are more Moaks"? That's quite funny, considering the fact that few knew Moak.... until he ran for MEC Chair... against John Malone. You can probably classify JM many ways, but as a "Moakie" probably not.

 

If they did Malone would likely get 82% of the votes. Just kidding. Not unless it included another 30% pay raise. But he would get a clear majority of the votes. The way it works now it's like the Senate deciding who the President will be. Too much political insider back stabbing going on as a result. As always.

 

BB was hired a month before me. I met him when we were 757 FO's and by no means senior. He was doing ALPA work then and he rode our jumpseat to San Diego, right after his house burned down -- and I mean right after. He talked to us about union stuff and our pilot group the whole flight.

Senior guys get all the candy was not the NWA-ALPA style when we got rid of the B scale in 1998. We also negotiated pay raises a few years after 9/11 when the company was losing money.


The NWA style of negotiating wasn't what many people make it out to be. Most of the angst came from management and us resisting, that's all.


Give the guy a chance. Let's see what happens.

 

That is utter nonsense. The people "in the back seat" revolted against the manifesto delivered by Roger Goodwin. You don't get to claim that your horrible, no good, very bad idea to burn the place down somehow resulted in a businesslike outcome.

Bill can get a consensus on the MEC (even if they all voted for themselves, as you see), but his skill set runs smack against a wall when the task involves an actual decision with accountability afterwards. You can kiss the mid-contract opportunities goodbye for a while, he doesn't know how to chase those while keeping his legion of backstabbers happy.

The TA vote shows it plain and simple. 82 percent of the Delta pilots supported the deal and the means by which we achieved it. The twelve had NOTHING to do with that effort, and had to be frightened into doing it by their own electorates. They have no standing anymore.

 

You know when its time to act when the constituents compel you to act. AIPs are a perfect example. They were modified after being chiseled in stone. Why?, the constituents compelled action. TA1 failed and those responsible where ridden out on a rail. Why?, the constituents compelled action. That's how you know the time and the deal are right.

Your desire to put it in a box and wrap it in a bow neatly, so as to be "business like" is your flaw. You've never worn two different socks or folded a map wrong and just put it away, and left it be, have you? If a picture on the wall is a little a skew or something is left unfini

 

Did four reps just vote themselves into a cushy good deal? Talk about I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. I'm hearing that another rep who voted for these four is getting a full time gig as well. Lots of vote trading for jobs.

 

Very interesting debrief from a respected rep on CC. He voted for the TA, but against JM. His thoughts on the job he did are a very eye opening read. Based on the sausage making process, I'm not surprised they showed him the door.

 

Will said rep post it here as well?

 

It was a public update... so here it is:

MOUNTAIN TIMES

Members of Council 81,

Yesterday, MEC officer elections were held and Captain Bill Bartels was elected to replace Captain John Malone as the MEC chairman.

I voted for Captain Bartels, while Nate voted for Captain Malone. It was a difficult decision, but one that I feel was correct and necessary. My vote was based on several factors:

* I have a fiduciary responsibility in representing you. My resolve to meet that responsibility was continuously challenged by an administration that on many occasions failed to provide me requested information to base decisions on.

* We (the LEC reps) were told to use polling data until it didn’t align with the narrative coming from the administration and the Negotiating Committee.

* Moves were made during negotiations that were outside the direction of the MEC body. When we attempted to stop the “bleeding,” we were accused of micromanaging. When we gave leeway, we surrendered contract language.

* We were told that the AIPs were not final, but when they didn’t meet your needs, as evidenced by polling, we were told we couldn’t change them.

* I’ll describe John’s leadership style as autocratic. The MEC chairman, by Policy Manual, works for the MEC. I felt that the process leading up to the TA was more of a manipulation to get us where the chairman thought we should go.

The input I have received from pilots post-ratification overwhelmingly support the theory that although the TA was voted in by a margin of 82 percent, that percentage does not mean that all those pilots agree with the way we came about getting a TA. Many feel as if there was absolutely no viable alternative and voted accordingly. My decision to support a change of leadership was based on my belief that a more involved MEC is necessary. A majority of MEC representatives came to the same conclusion. This was not a decision I took lightly. I ask that you support Captain Bartels and his team. We will move forward conducting your business.

Fraternally,
Mike Poggi
Chairman, Capt Rep