Freighter Captain

The thought just occurred to me. Why is it that the same union that will yank its members out of a contracted hotel because its maids are striking won't honor a picket line at the most militant, anti-union management's airline?

Our union the IPA won't fly struck work, yet ALPA doesn't want to get involved. Just staying on the sidelines on this one.

So, who were the voices wanting to join ALPA?

mike734

ALPA pilots can not strike until released by the mediation board and then only after a 30 cooling off period. That is the end of that. I wish we could have one day "wild cat" strikes but the railway labor act is designed to "keep the trains rolling."

It sucks, IMO, but ALPA will not lobby to change it because they are afraid of what they might get.

Freighter Captain

Yes, but that's where "sympathy strikes" come into play. Back in 1997 when the UPS drivers went on strike, I and 2,000 other pilots went on strike for 2 weeks along with the Teamsters. This effectively crippled UPS air delivery for 2 long weeks. Can't ALPA pilots do the same, or are Sympathy Strikes a contractual deal?

FoxHunter

They could have but voted not to.

SWAjet

Imagine for a moment if Northwest's flight attendants and pilots staged a sympathy walk-out. How would the dynamics of this strike be different?

It would be huge, make no mistake. The airline would be grounded. Any questions?

ALPA, I hate to say it, has become effeminated as an entity for pilot solidarity. Dwayne Woerth and his cohorts at the NWA MEC don't have a clue about togetherness and brotherhood. What else explains why the only union that has announced that it will not cross the NWA mechanic picket line is a freaking cargo pilot union?

I'm sooooo happy I'm affiliated with an in-house union and not ALPA. Crossing a fellow union's struck work at such a critical juncture in management low-ball behavior is pathetic. Sorry I'm this blunt. But something deep down in my core soul feels that is is just N_O_T right.

Kill Bill

ALPA national has certainly undergone a self-induced castration under woerth-less. is it any wonder the NW pilots, formerly the most militant in ALPA, have caved, buckled, rolled over, etc by following the example of one of their own?

we had the chance to stop this runaway train a couple of years ago. now that chance is lost.

i look forward to the 9 years i have left. they will be filled with hopeless fights against management theft of my retirement, further erosion of my pay rates and living standards, continued gutting of my work rules, benefits, etc. oh, yes... GREAT fun.

mike734

Sympathy strikes are illegal, are they not? I think a CHAOS type slow down could happen but pilots walking off the job would be in serious jepardy. Now if we could get ALPA to start talking about a SOS! Now you are talking. I dont think mechanic strike would get enough support to achieve a SOS but surely the retirement debacle should have. Shame on you ALPA.

HSLD

I think we all know that it will never happen under the current "leadership". ALPA is quickly becoming less of a union and more of a trade organization that marshals competing interests among constituent groups (for 1.95% of the take).