My experience with ALPA is that dues are not required for the first year. Representation by the Union is at the discretion of the Union.

 

Dave,

I believe Check6 is correct in that the first year is usually a probationary year, one in which the company can fire a person for virtually anything. Usually the union would have gotten involved prior to a termination procedure, but a new hire is an employee at will, and as such, is not provided for (except in pay scale) under the "contract." There are no dues required or expected during the first year. Being a 24 year Air Force pilot, I'm sure you're not 100% excited about working in a union environment, but hopefully you'll see the need and realize the benefits you gain from working in a union shop.

 

While I'm not sure why Dave's leaving the AF, if it has anything to do with the QOL and pay aspects he's heard about from his squad buddies then the very reason he's leaving the AF is b/c most every mainline carrier is a union shop.

The QOL and pay is the result of decades of collective bargaining by union pilots FOR union pilots. Over the last 75 years, union pilots have made this job what it is, ALPA or whomever.

As Ben Franklin said, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

 

I don't want to hate on the CRJ drivers. As I said in another thread, I have nothing but love for XJet. I guess I understand (as a guy that is new to the majors) that we need commuter jets to get pax from smaller airports to the main hubs and larger equipment. I guess it falls to ALL of us to not let management divide us as a pilot group by utilizing the 50+ seat issue in contract negotiations.

Sniper...what a great quote re: Ben Franklin!

 

Two stories:

First: Sometime in the late eighties, after the TWA Flight Attendant strike, a UAL new hire gets the jump seat on a TWA LGA-IND-ORD flight.
On the first leg he starts ranking on a flight attendant, calling her a scab, then he ranks on the pilots saying their concessions are ruining the industry. The flight attendant is in tears.
Guess who spent the night in IND because there were no more flights out that night.

Second: The classic story. Eastern was the first airline to offer jump seats. One night a DAL pilot was jumping BOS-LGA. The EAL Captain asked, conversationally, "When is Delta going to offer jump seats?"
The Delta pilot responded "At Delta our people consider it unprofessional to allow other airlines in our seats."
The EAL pilot is suddenly overcome by a wave of professionalism and says "Get the **** off my airplane."

 

When I was a new Capt. on the 737-300 an elder 767 Capt. wanted to jumpseat ( waive $5.50 pass ) knowing there were 4 firstclass seats available from ORD to SMF. A young commuter guy came down and the old 767 Capt told him he had the jumpseat. My F/O and I being former commuter guys wanted to take the young man with us. I asked Bill " can you write a pass so we can take him with us?" He said; " I'm already writing a pass for my wife". I told him that if he wanted the jumpseat that he was entitled to it " but if I have to leave him behind your going to sit IN the jumpseat". The big spender ran up to the gate to write a pass.

 

When non-ALPA pilots pay " maintenance fee" for the contract they work under, ALPA must also represent them in any dispute with the company. So that is what Scabs and non-members are paying for in their dues.

 

I don't believe you're correct in your statement above, but maybe I'm reading it incorrectly. The union, in this case ALPA has a responsibility to represent any pilot, other than probationary pilots, in labor-management disputes, regardless of whether they are paying a "maintenance fee" or not. We had that very situation happen a few years ago at FedEx. I believe the pilot in question, a non-member, got himself into trouble and was either fired, or given a bunch of time off, with no pay. The union went to bat for him and lo and behold, he got his job back. Needless to say, he's now a fully paid-up union member.

 

Yep, that's called Duty of Fair Representation (DFR). All Union officers, if they're smart, carry insurance to fight DFR suits is a rank and file guy decides they didn't do their job and takes them to court.

 

Not to divert the discussions from the original point of "worst jumpseat stories".
However, I'm finding it extremely interesting, the amount I learn from all of you and these threads.
I'm a Lear driver, wanting to someday fly big iron.
Can someone quickly explain what a "scab" is?
Apologize in advance for the corp dude chiming in and rolling everyone's eyes!