You must confuse truth with speculation. Stick to the facts please

 

Unionized pilots feed off the fear that airlines are out to fire their employees on a whim and change the work rules constantly.

I have worked at union and non-union airlines and for the most part the differences were minor. The biggest differences were the non-union carriers were a lot easier to deal with.

The fact is unions typically exist to take care of the 10%, and fishfreighter is clearly one of the 10%.

 

Well said, NEDude.

 

I guess that's how you justify your lack of ancillary benefits by working non-Union. Unfortunately, it just isn't true.

One of the things MY Union has done for me was to serve as the "second opinion" from ALPA AeroMedical when I had a license threatening issue. In fact, with the support of Dr. Hudson and the ALPA AeroMedical office, I got the issue resolved and my certificate back AND DIDN'T LOSE ONE DAY OF FLYING. What's VX gonna do for you?

There are numerous examples of pilots with completely clean records having ONE incident then having to defend themselves before the Company and/or the FAA. They get free ALPA Legal Representation. What's VX gonna do for you?

NEDude, you seem to think "It can't happen to me". Guess what, Ace. It can happen to you. When it does, I hope you have plenty of money stashed to pay for the Doctors and/or Lawyers you'll need to protect yourself.

I regard my Union dues as insurance premiums. All the services ALPA provides are there when and if I need them. And if I don't, the money is still well spent if only for my peace of mind. Believe me, I want ALL pilots to have that same peace of mind. Even you.

 

Ask a Midwest pilot how they feel about ALPA and how well they protected their jobs when it came down to the wire. There are good things about a union, and ALPA has some of them like you mentioned above. The organization as a whole is not a real union - it is an association of disjointed work groups sometimes fighting against each other.

Ask a Pipefitter or a Steelworker about their union and the real power of a union becomes apparent.

I was an ALPA member for 14 years. When I was a member I went on strike for higher wages and watched all that we had gained go down the toilet when my company was forced into bankruptcy. I knew that our power was directly related to our solidarity. I watched ALPA do some good, but I mostly viewed it as a necessary evil that came about because the company would not treat us fairly.

If the company treats us fairly, I don't see a need for a union. The jetBlue pilots agreed and have one of the better contracts in the business. If we are treated unfairly when the company becomes consistently profitable, we will follow the path that many have before and organize. From those that I have spoken to, it will most likely be an in-house union.

 

In 2001, when I was at Piedmont (dch-8) they never made mesa stand up for a decent rj contract. So they allowed the fight to the bottom to begin on the rj front. the rj's were awarded to them instead of a wholly owned airline where the wages and benefits would have been tons better. I never got off reserve in over two years and got displaced 5 times in 13 months.

In 2004 when United went bankrupt I was at Air Wisconsin Airlines. Where was alpa national to fight the Startup Gojet and the nonunion carrier Skywest from undercutting our work and bypassing the transstates contract. I was displaced and we lost our industry leading contract.

In 2008 where were my alpa brothers at Delta and Northwest when they bought Midwest Airlines. It took Delta and republic just over 3 months to destroy us with no word or action from any branch of alpa (natioanal, DAPLA, NWALPA). Everyone at the company lost their jobs.

Now I'm at Virgin. I am loving my life, and have never been treated better. If ALPA ever shows it's face around here you have one guaranteed NO vote right here. Alpa is a farce of an organization. They don't stand for anything unless your are a top ten percenter at a legacy. There is no national voice, now common action. Just a bunch of selfish *******s trying to screw everybody else so they can keep whats "rightfully theirs". I am done hoeing the high road for a group of people that don't give one crap about me or my family. They have not done one thing that has benefited me in my whole ten years of dues.

You want insurance? Buy Aflac! Its cheaper!

Rant over...

-4

 

So let me get this straight...

You guys blame ALPA for:

1. Age 65. You think that somehow ALPA was going to stop the ICAO steamroller that was heading America's way?

2. Your old contract was gutted when your company used the OLD bankrupcy laws to abrogate it. And yet, you give no credit to ALPA for aggressive lobbying to CHANGE those old bankruptcy laws so it can never happen again.

3. You were furloughed by your COMPANY. ALPA was at fault. Not oil prices, not 9-11, not poor management...ALPA.

And because of that you fly an A320 for less than regional turboprop wages to get back at ALPA.

God, I hope your wearing goggles while you've got your head stuck in that sandbank.

 

AOPA Online: AOPA Medical Services Program

AOPA Online: The AOPA Legal Services Plan

Cheaper than ALPA dues.

I had a friend at one of my previous non-union airlines who faced an FAA investigation, and yes, the company DID provide him legal representation and saved his record and certificate. All at no cost to him, not even union dues.

 

4 and counting,

Make that 2 NO votes. Similar situation here. Hope to join you at Redwood someday.

AU

 

And because of that you fly an A320 for less than regional turboprop wages to get back at ALPA.

I don't know about this, how many regional turboprop operators start you off at $44/hr, or pay 1st year Captains $100/hr? Let me refresh your memory...look at B6 pay in 2005 (similar to above numbers) and look at them now. Add me to Redwood's seniority and I'll
help with the BOS base and parking so we don't need to park in Chelsea.