How does ALPA convince management to open up the contracts for renegotiation? Don't you think that if they did, with the current economic climate, the end result might not be a pay raise?

 

Lawmakers work for the collective good of the whole general population.
Lawmakers are paid for their work.. even if nothing gets done.
Lawmakers number one job is being re-elected.
Lawmakers have EVERYBODY as a customer/client/constituent


ALPA is supposed to work for the betterment of just one profession.
ALPA MEC & LEC are volunteers... and expect to accomplish things
ALPA reps number one job is bettering the profession... if that is done, the re-election takes care of itself.
ALPA reps have just their own airlines pilots as customers/clients/constituents

Yes, we do have internet access to information now, can get onto email lists, can listen to teleconferences but that does not absolve ALPA from this issue. Something such as a constitutional change should have been an all out campain by staff to ensure EVERYBODY knew this was going on, and so that everybody could contact their reps, by voice, phone, email or in person. Was there any directive from ALPA national that this be posted on ALL union bulletin boards for XX number of days? Things could have been handled much better... I am just glad it failed, although I am surprised at how many wanted this to pass.

If you are saying that we as ALPA paying dues members should not expect anything more than we do from any run of the mill polititician, then you should not be in office.

 

Politicians have ways of getting the pulse without directly polling their entire constituency. They typically know what the people they represent want and their core values when they go into a vote. For example, my Grandfather was the School Board president in very small town America back in the 50s. Whenever there was a big referendum up he didn't bother going from door to door to find out what people wanted because he had a full-time job outside his elected position. He chose instead to go sit in the barber shop on Saturday morning while grandma went to the town's restaurant. Nobody knows the pulse of a town better than the man who cuts its hair and the woman who keeps its coffee fresh, so even though not everyone got to have their say, the general consensus could be arrived upon.

Its not necissary for every LEC rep to talk to every pilot to find out whats going on (it could take months for the DAL ATL folks) but sitting around the crew lounge during a thunderstorm and talking about the details of the proposal would have done the trick. My fear (from talking to former ALPA higher-ups) is that this was a calculated effort by ALPA to railroad this thing through and a lot of back-room handshake deals were done to get it passed. Fortunately I don't think this is the case since the measure failed but it should be a wake-up call for those of you who's reps didn't vote the way the pilots would have. Keep it in mind when they come up for re-election lest we want history to repeat itself for the worse.

 

It is NOT the responsibility of the rep to keep you informed. ALPA national did put out a lot of literature, video and conference calls on this. You don't have to search for this material if you would have signed up for the blastmails or check the 'My ALPA' section of the ALPA.org website. I don't feel this was back doored at all. ALPA went out of its way to educate evryone, especially those who were to vote on this. As far as this requiring a vote of the masses, the constitution and by-laws do NOT allow for that. The good news is that you can do something about changing that if you feel that strongly about it.

ALPA actually postponed the vote to give them time to put out literature and a video on this. They didn't do any of that for the last two votes to change the constitution and by-laws. If the "union people" weren't talking about it, were you asking about it?

I don't think anyone hinted that union members aren't permitted to dissent against their reps. As for increasing dues income by negotiating better contracts, ALPA can do NOTHING about the economic conditions of the particular airline that is in section 6 negotiations. Opening any contract negotiations at this time in our economy might actually produce a weaker contract in the end.



I agree that this could have been handled a lot better and that ALPA could have done a better job of informing its members. But all members always have the ability to contact their reps by phone and email. You don't have to wait til you fly with them or you run into them in the crew room to ask them questions.

And this is why I think some reps were political courageous to vote what they felt was right rather than to worry about their next election.

 

Okay Nevjets so I went back through all of my emails that I have recieved from both ALPA and my MEC. By the way I save every single one of them in a file, and I read the ALPA magazine every month that it arrives, so I can make a safe assumption in saying that I am proactive in keeping up with things. And in NO place in any of these publications or any of the emails (I could post every single of one of them if you want) did it say anything about this issue. Once again if ALPA wanted the money they should have asked, not attempted to take. We can agree to disagree as I am not going to change your mind, and you arent going to change mine. As for the political courageousness, that is utter garbage. Most of this vote was based on the premise of fairness, how we should all share the burden responsibly. Now you might have convinced me there, but how is it fair that one airline has a good contract, one has a bad one, and others are furloughing as their flying is shifted to another airline, with all of these airlines belonging to ALPA. Explain to me how that is fair, and while we are on this 'ALPA has done so much for you, and wants whats best for you kick" why is it that ALPA doenst have a union sponsored pension plan? I can name quite a few unions in much less desired fields that have pensions, and therefore have a secure future. I wish I could say the same for us. RANT OVER!!!

 

Here is the blastmail. It even gives you a link to a video of the VP of finance and the VP of Administration explaining the reasoning behind this:

ALPA Board of Directors Considers Constitution Change

Starting July 28, the ALPA Board of Directors will be voting on a change to the ALPA Constitution and By-Laws. If approved by two-thirds of the BOD, this change would make all pilot salary deferrals to 401(k) pension plans subject to dues. This would replace existing policy—currently pilot contributions to 401(k) plans are exempt from dues only if the 401(k) is the pilot’s only pension plan—and would both clarify ALPA policy and ensure that it applies consistently to members across the Association. The proposed revision was strongly endorsed by the Executive Council and Executive Board. Please watch this video outlining why this vote matters to all ALPA members.

Not to mention all the resolutions brought to the Executive Council and Executive Board that all members have access to on the 'My ALPA' section of the ALPA.org website.

ALPA did not attempt to take your money. There was a vote in which the reps were asked to change the constitution and by-laws and it failed. If ALPA wanted to take your money there would not have been a vote or blastmails and resolutions put out on it.

As for political courageousness, obviously it was since its pretty fair to say that probably the majority of the rank and file were against this and yet some of their reps still voted in favor of it. I don't see that fact as being garbage. Some of them may pay for that in the next election.

And I've never spoke to the fairness of one contract versus another. Every single section 6 negotiations take place in distinct economic realities of tha particular airline at that particular point in time. How is ALPA supposed to control the economy of the situation?

As for your union sponsored pension plan, I have no idea. Direct that question to the Chairman of the R&I department. You can find his email on the ALPA.org website.

 

AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, INTERNATIONAL
105Th REGULAR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

August 19−21, 2008

SUBJECT
ALPA, International, Employee Pay and Expense Cap

SOURCE
Vice President-Finance/Treasurer Randy Helling (05/08 EXCL, AI #2)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The majority of ALPA pilots have made extreme concessions and suffered major pension loss. Some ALPA, International, employees have very generous pay and expense packages.

At the January 2008 Executive Council meeting, the NWA MEC submitted a resolution requesting that the issue of ALPA Employee Pay and Expenses be capped and/or indexed according to ALPA pilot
pay.

At the direction of the Executive Council, the President established a subcommittee to study ALPA employee, including management, compensation programs. After the subcommittee reported at the May 2008 meeting, they were directed to present a written report to the Council at its August meeting, whose findings will be reported to the ALPA membership.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION
1 To be developed.