DPA supporters want it in the majors section, and DALPA supporters want it in the union talk section.

Yet another thing they can't agree on.

 

You're right, but I don't think most people care where it's held, as long as it's held, and we move on. It's OK if there is disagreement, but it's not OK if it lingers. It's been what, four, five years?

I figure we have it right next to the L&G, make it easier.

 

I know absolutely zero about the DPA/DALPA conflict (other then what I read here.) and have no "dog in the fight." I am a believer that going after the hearts and minds of the "young ones" has many future benefits.

Therefore the question: Why hasn't DPA made overtures to Endeavor ? Is illegal, unwise, or pointless ?

 

Because the DPA blames Endeavor and the other express carriers for all of ALPA's ills. The DPA is founded on the belief that representing more than one pilot group results in a structural conflict of interest.

In contrast, I believe having one union representing everyone in our profession facilitates our coordination so that we can work together to raise our pay and working conditions. Unity is how we've raised the standards of our profession to the best in the World before. Unity is how we will do it again. We are already making significant progress. Further, our Profession is best served by speaking to issues of national and international importance with one, authoritative, unified voice.

The question in a phrase is, do you believe in coordination, or conflict?

I believe ALPA must be reformed or else it will eventually fail as a result of it's flawed strategic decision making. A generation of ALPA leadership effectively went to Harvard School of Business (as taught by McKinsey and Co. consultants) during bankruptcies they could not control. They learned the tools and techniques management devised in the prior two decades to destroy organized labor. ALPA did the best it could in a terrible situation. However, some adopted and incorporated the new economic logic of outsourcing while forgetting the tried and true fundamentals of trade unionism. Frankly, that is a political problem with a political solution. Politicians come and go. They are like summer thunderstorms, they can pack quite a bit of fury, but you wait them out and it's safe to go flying again. Fundamentals and structures don't change, or they evolve slowly. It is foolish to throw out the structure just because you don't care for today's politics. Do we elect a President every four years, or have another American Revolution? What's more practical and best for the population? Same holds true with ALPA. (.. and this isn't an anti Lee Moak rant, he's actually been very effective and every ALPA President has done something someone has issue with ... and I see a lot of very positive things going on at Delta ... in my Council we've got very good Reps and our MEC Chair, although he fundamentally disagrees with me, is very intelligent and has a lot of integrity).

In my view, Endeavor serves as a perfect display case for the facets of this conflict:Of course, it might just be the fact that, having graduated from a competing School of Business, I just think Harvard stinks.

 

Delta Pilot's Association wishes to represent Delta Pilot's only. They feel a conflict of interest exists as ALPA represents Mainline pilots and Regional pilots. Because RJs are essentially outsourced jobs, DPA feels that ALPA can't represent both parties. There are other claims they have made, but it's been over 3 years of campaigning and they've yet to accrue an adequate amount of interest required to call a vote.

 

Yeah that was hitimefurl responding to me:

Imagine my surprise when I found out what twerking really meant.

As to your questions about dues, I think you've got it just about right. I know for certain that ALPA will be keeping all money from Delta pilots put into the MCF, and all dues money budgeted for use by Delta pilots. Since the DPA dues will be roughly similar to ALPA's, and DPA won't have to subsidize regionals, the net effect of financial stability will be about the same. With DPA not subsidizing regionals and hosting rather lavish meetings, those extra monies will be spent rebuilding war chests.

I'm with you in that its never been a key issue with me. I've never kicked about the amount of dues, only how my dues dollars were being spent.

Carl

 

Don't you just know it. I've been twerking with throttles, bleed air and all sorts of things on the MD88 for years to keep it from quitting, crashing, getting me violated, or going KABLOOEY.

Who knew if I had just disrobed and shaken my stuff at it the thing would have behaved?

 

Great question. First off, DPA needs to get elected. Making overtures to anyone outside of Delta pilots when you haven't been elected yet is probably getting a bit ahead of yourself. It's certainly not illegal, and I do think the idea has merit as long as Endeavor pilots understand any overtures would not ever be for the purpose of representing them someday. DPA believes that type of activity to be a fundamental and fatal conflict of interest.

Our outreach would probably consist mostly of ensuring Delta pilots work harder to stop outsourcing Delta flying, and hoping you would see that as a good thing requiring more major pilots to be hired from the regionals instead of trapping pilots at the regionals.

What are your thoughts about those kinds of non-representational overtures?

Carl

 

Carl,

Really?

 

Bar, you're not helping me shake off the morning cobwebs!

Carl