I would be happy if the IBT helped enforce the contract currently in place. A great contract is of little value if the company can walk all over it. Besides putting together a lousy contract, the inability of Sowell and company to come to bat for the pilot group has been their biggest shortcoming.

 

Where do you work?

 

Here is my post from the other APC forum... It's about time!! Here it is:

Hey 15,

Not to say "I told you so".... But I have been saying this for the last ten years.

First unrepresented, then IBT 747, then In House, then ALPA, I can tell you that ALPA is the best in my experience by several orders of magnitude.

After becoming ALPA, my small group was on Capital Hill pressing the flesh with FAA, TSA, NTSB, and House and Senate members. The Teamsters never even responded to our "what should we do" calls during the UPS IBT strike 12 years ago. We only heard from them after the IPA pilots complained to IBT DC HQ that we were getting no support at all and we were the only IBT carrier based out of SDF! To top that off, they were MAD at US for going over their heads. What a joke they were..

Later, I visited the IBT office in IND. It was about the size of 2 hotel rooms and only had 3 or 4 full time staffers (I know that people like to poke fun at ALPA's staff numbers and pay, but boy are they nice to have when you need them.) Good luck with IBT as the staffers are mostly part time, working their best when they are not flying.

Finally, we publicly challenged IBT 747, Teamsters Airline Division, and Mr. Hoffa himself to be a better union for pilots and whether they were actually ready and willing to put forth the effort and resources to properly represent pilots. Sadly, our letters were never answered and IBT 747 spent its time, efforts, and resources to try to force themselves on pilot groups that didn't want them or that had already decertified them (UPS, ATA, NetJets). They would always brag about pay and working conditions at ABX, World, and NetJets, but conveniently forgot to mention that none of these pilot groups were represented IBT 747. To the best of my knowlege, IBT 747 never negotiated an industry leading or industry standard contract. In my humble opinion, this second trusteeship was a long time in coming.

15, I have read many of your posts that often make excellent negative points about ALPA... But I challenge you to name a union, or confederation like CAPA, that has done more for all pilots in the last 75, 40, 30, 20, 10 years (aside from the IPA, which does truly do a great job). As a fellow trade unionist, I truly hope that this house cleaning benefits the pilots at those IBT carriers and that they start doing a better job of representing those pilots they represent. They sure have a long way to go.....

In Unity,

B727DRVR
PS- Here is some interesting background on IBT 747:
(Type a title for your page here)

 

North American, previously Gulfstream

 

Corruption can exist on any level and I hear just as much griping about ALPA, if not more. Of course they are larger. I'm glad this is taking place and expect better things to come from it.

 

A union is paid for with dues and since half the guys at Gulfstream pay for their jobs I wouldn't expect the 1.78% to buy you much.

 

So because part of the pilot group (which didn't enjoy protection under the CBA in the first place) doesn't pay dues, I am not entitled to the representation I personally pay for and expect as a member in good standing?

Gulfstream bashing aside, my hope would echo your sentiments from an earlier post. I expect better things would come from this, not only for me but for all pilots under the Local.

 

I'm thrilled that GS is gone. However this adds at least another year until our new contract goes through. Its nice that you current captains care, but respectfully, you won't be here when this new TA matters. I'm a junior FO and this will hurt me far more than you. Awesome, another year of ****ty +3 year FO pay. FML...

 

Is that the same Brannan who was seeking the ALPA nomination against Prater?

Dan Brannan

 

The "new " contract was a red herring the size of a whale. RAH was at least 2 years from seeing a TA and when it did come out it was not going to be anything like the carpet of rose petals we all wanted (and many expected) to see.

More importantly, though: it doesn't make a bit of difference how good the contract is (will be) if the representation does not have the desire, initiative and/or ability to enforce it.

All the trouble the RAH pilot group has with the company does not stem from the wording of the contract, although some of the wording does lend itself to abuse. The trouble is that there was almost zero effort to enforce the contract and less than zero effectiveness in said enforcement. This falls squarely on the shoulders of the leadership of the Local.

Any delay in the negotiations will be a little bump in the road. I would rather have the current contract effectively enforced than have a new and improved one that is not. Will the new leadership understand this? Dunno. We just have to wait and see. But I know one thing for sure: as far as contract enforcement is concerned, there is nowhere to go but up.