Our reps did not ask us at all......they just told everyone they were all going to vote for it. Some great representations.

 

Its YOUR responsibility as a dues-paying member in good standing to TELL your elected leadership how you want them to vote.

 

One explanation I heard on this issue from an ALPA national guy actually made sense.

Let's say there is a pilot who is married with four kids. He can't afford to put anything into the 401K because he is too busy trying to feed his family.

Then there's another pilot from the same company with the same income who is married with no kids. His wife makes a lot if money. He and his wife both max out their 401K plans.

The pilot who is struggling financially is subject to more dues than the pilot who effectively shelters a substantial amount of income from dues through the 401K plan.

I don't like paying more dues, but I believe that all income should be subject to dues not part of it. If ALPA needs the cash they will get it from you by raising the rate. At least this may have prevented a rate hike by evenly distributing the burden accross the entire pilot group.

 

At a time when Airline Pilots have collectively taken huge consessions, lost large portions of their retirement (most of whom are represented by ALPA), the union has a lot of damn gall asking for a dues hike.

 

The constitution and by-laws do not allow that.

Being a representative requires leadership. And leadership sometimes requires doing what you feel is right rather than just doing what your constituents want. It actually took political courage to go against their constituents.

 

Boiler,

I agree to a point. However, when it is subject such as the one we are discussing here, the reps have a "common sense" obligation to go get the answers as we all know that the membership as a whole doesn't stay informed. There needed to be a LOT more information that what was offered and a membership vote should have happened at every property.

 

I don't disagree with your statement on most situations (but I would definately NOT call that action courageous. I would say narcissistic), but not on topics that have an effect on every member such as this. No MEC should stand above a membership vote at the local level on something that every member will feel.

 

I disagree. These types of votes is precisely why you vote for representatives. It not different that your representative in the House of Representatives, Senate, State Legislators, Board of Supervisors, City Councils, etc. They are there to vote on issues that effect all their constituents every time they cast a vote. This is why its extremely important to do your civic duty to make yourself informed, tell your representative how you feel, and vote for people that feel the most like you do on the important issues to you. But when it comes down to it, the representatives should always vote what they feel is best regardless of how their constituents feel. And if the constituents don't like the way their representative voted then they can recall them or vote someone else when their re-election comes around. This is why I said it was politically courageous. It is not narcissistic. In fact, many of the people who voted for this were going to be negatively affected by it anyways.

 

While I know what you're trying to say...but if the membership can't be bothered to keep themselves informed, then why should the elected leadership seek their uninformed opinions?

Members of Congress don't ask their constituents what they think about every single issue (or even major issues) before voting, but if a constituent or group of constituents voices a concern, its the rep's duty and responsibility to listen and consider their position.

In theory, representatives are elected to further the agenda of the people they represent, not their own. While every union rep should have their finger on the pulse of Joe Line Pilot, its the responsibility of pilots who have concerns to voice them to the people that represent them. All the crew room lawyers in the world can't change something once its been done...

 

Guys,

Comparing a local MEC to congress or lawmakers is way too far of stretch that I'm willing to concede. I appreciate your input but respectfully disagree.