I feel your sentiment, but ALPA is not a union. ALPA is an organization. Your union is your only union. It is time for people to stop calling ALPA a union, it is nothing of the sort!

 

ALPA National takes union dues out of my paycheck ...

 

"ALPA" (national) is not a union. It is an ASSOCIATION of independent MECs, and the Constitution & Bylaws of the ASSOCIATION are written in such a way that the local MECs are virtually autonomous when it comes to contract negotiations. The bar for an ALPA President to refuse to sign a PWA is even higher, (basically, it being a C&Bl violation) and would result in a lot more DFR lawsuits than bottom feeders undercutting each other will.

ALPA's "system" has been flawed since day one. Unfortunately this only became apparent after deregulation when "commuter" airlines arrived on the scene. The only solution is one industry wide seniority list and pay scale to prevent undercutting and back stabbing. Of course this will never happen. The second best option is a true union that represents regional pilots. That also will never happen. So as Joe Merchant likes to say, either play the game or don't. But don't whine that the game beats you. We all created this mess.

 

Which gets funneled right back to your MEC after National takes their cut.

 

ALPA doesn't represent you personally, they represent the card you carry in your wallet. It doesn't matter who sits in your seat, as long as they carry the card. When you finally realize that, you will want anything but ALPA, not matter how "good" you think ALPA is. For example, if Delta goes on strike, and you cross the line, as long as you are willing to carry the card(pay dues), you are now a DALPA pilot.