You have nailed it man! Many of the ALPA apologists on here see a career at ALPA as the better choice. Lots more money, lots more perks, no accountability and a clear path to a DC lobbying job. None of that can happen for them unless ALPA remains a huge and bloated bureaucracy. This is why they fight so hard.

Just like watching the protestors being dragged out of the Wisconsin legislature: When people see their gravy train threatened...they pull out all the stops.

Carl

 

From your perspective, the last six years have been pretty darn good for you. You finally made it to the big leagues. The money's not great, or even what you expected when you got into the career... but, hey, at least you're finally here. You're a really good networker, and you've established quite a reputation as the great "dot connector" here on APC. Wouldn't want to do anything to rock the boat with any possibility of making things less stable and having some kind of glitch that might hamper whatever ladder you're trying to climb. How am I doing so far?

As for the APA. This is the same crap that the ALPA apologists bring up every time. I think I've been pretty clear that, while I like APA's former focus on objective, I'm not a fan of the "burn down the house" mentality. I think a combination of proactive engagement and assertively advocating that our profession be returned to its appropriate place (and a willingness to stand our ground) is the strategy that is most likely to yield results. Right now, we have the former without the latter.

This is all a big load of crap. Sorry. We've been out of bankruptcy for almost half a decade. And yet we're still being compensated as if we are still in bankruptcy and in danger of liquidation. This is a no brainer. The right thing to do is to increase our compensation NOW to bring it to an appropriate level. SWA, as our soon to be biggest competitor in ATL, provides a decent benchmark for what the market will bear for pilots in the airline industry TODAY. This shouldn't be our ultimate objective. But it would be a good start... a partial pay restoration that would bring our average W-2's in line with the W-2's of SWA pilots. I cannot think of ANY valid reason why ALPA would not be pursuing this ASAP. Heck, we even had a couple of resolutions passed to this effect. And ALPA basically ignored them! If the company says yes, then we get a good start towards restoration. If they say no, then we know where we stand, what kind of management we're really dealing with, and how to better proceed going forward. Instead, you ask us to all put our careers and our family's financial futures in the hands of what some other pilot group may or may not do? You're going to pin all our hopes to "pattern bargaining" and how it might benefit us 2 or 3 years from now? Holy cow! What are you thinking, man?? I want the people representing me to be advocating that we are compensated appropriately and that Delta pilots fly Delta passengers. The best way for this profession to be advanced is for the largest airline pilot group to achieve restoration. This kumbaya, group hug stuff you're advocating for our entire profession is just not going to translate into real results... for the pilots. It might for ALPA, the organization/business. But not for the pilots.

Sorry for the rant. This stuff just really ****es me off, and I'm reaching the absolute end of my patience with ALPA and their crap.

 

He absolutely NAILED it and you know it. The only thing red is your complexion for being described so perfectly.

Of course not. But ALPA and your career at ALPA are mutually exclusive. Anything that threatens ALPA threatens your career there.

No, it's about scamming your fellow pilots so you can further your own ALPA career.

Ah yes...those famous "issues" with ALPA. The truth is that ALPA is the best mechanism for you to further your career. I understand your panic and frustration over this.

Carl

 

Really, really well said.

Carl

 

This is a result of who is elected as reps, which also elect the MEC...if we don't like it we need to change up the reps. I think the threat of DPA has forced the MEC to look inward, maybe not enough...but I just see the same type of individuals being elected under DPA. There are going to be elections, correct?

The cronyism comes right from the top of the company and moves downward...I don't know how you change that, until upper mangement changes completely nothing will change there...but DALPA can be changed by the reps. FWIW

 

Carl, I doubt a single poster on here works for ALPA or has any plans to work for ALPA. Your statement has zero validity.
The people who would prefer to keep DALPA believe they will provide the best overall contract. Certainly DPA is not the answer. They can't even get organized enough to even meet their own time lines let alone actually try and represent the Delta pilots.

 

No amount of biblical length rants on your part will change the following acl:

You support an organization that wants to grow the regionals while representing both regionals and majors.

You support an organization that states its highest priority in negotiations is to use all of its resources to ensure that local contracts aren't selfish and improve the entire profession as defined by ALPA.

You support an organization that tried to bust a union.

Utterly shameful.

Carl

 

Ask your FedEx friends what they think of ALPA now that ALPA is trying to jam a TA down their throats with fear tactics. Sound familiar?

Carl

 

No, Carls does have validity and your statement is completely false and misleading at best. Semantics is the game you prefer. We have moderators....perhaps not posters, that have ran for office and lost. They have also ran for committee positions and lost, and we have those that currently occupy committee position who moderate and post here.

 

Point #57 from the ALPA talking points: "Equate any attempt at an in-house union with USAPA."

You state talking points well johnso.

Carl