Ditto here......Same crappy treatment, same shi!!y result. Makes one wonder what the real priority here is.

 

One of the better options I have heard. I can't see a national seniority list happening but this would solve many of the problems inherent with the decision to fly for a different carrier.

For those of you who are fed up with your representation, do some research and find other options. I know there are some small unions out there that would be willing to take up new clients and fight hard to make a mark. As someone said earlier, ALPA, Teamsters etc. are more concerned with collecting dues than putting up a fight. This is what the pilot group/unions need to do right now. No matter how intense the media coverage is or how concerned the public is, no airline is just going to pony up better pay and or work rules without a fight or concessions from the pilot group. Find someone who will.

We felt like the Teamsters were giving us poor representation here at Lakes so we went through the process to replace them. Will that change anything? Time will tell, but at the very least International is now aware of the fiasco going on in the 747. And I must say that I am more confident that changes that need to be made here will come with Sowell and his cronies out of the picture.

As the compensation in this industry continues to decline we need to ask ourselves if our current representation is equipped to get it back or if someone else may be able to do it better.

Or maybe we're all screwed no matter what.

 

I'm sure you'll be first to show us all how it's done by withdrawing from the union in protest... You are not required to be a member.

 

Wow... does this ring a bell.. My new hire class in 11/07 never got an ALPA presentation, and I've never belonged to a union before. This has been one hell of an eye-opener for me. So far, the ONLY thing I see them caring about is getting my money. I figured out on my own when to turn in my paperwork so they could start taking that $42/month out of my paycheck... well, they neglected to do so for the 1st and 2nd month... and I guess on top of that they want some stupid ass $120 merger fund or assessment as they call it. I have no clue.. no one ever told me about this... So, before I know it, I get a bill for around $200 that they want payment for... I was absolutely incredulous... so I called them, e-mailed them and told them that I am a 2nd year FO who made $18,939 last year... and you expect me to cough up $200 at once? Then they tell me, well, if you fill out an application to make payments of $25/month you can do that... I basically told them to stuff it, that I'm not applying to make payments on a debt that in my opinion, I did not incur, they forced on me... I told them I'd pay whatever I could when I could and sent them a check for $50 as a good faith gesture... what did I just get in the mail? A letter stating that if they don't get the rest of their money within 30 days, they are going to kick me out of the union... and I'm already in "bad standing"... this is a friggin joke... There was a time when I couldn't wait to be an airline pilot and be part of ALPA... I still love being an airline pilot, but I absolutely hate what I'm seeing from these people... I also told them that how can they expect someone who makes poverty wages to just come up with $200 because they say so?? I'd love to hear other stories and know other opinions, but this union is a joke if they're going to treat their members like this...

 

I'm quite certain ALPA was the one that engineered most of the CBA stuff we have now - meaning they helped set our pay and accepted the rates we get. If they could've gotten more, they would've taken more. The airlines aren't going to budge and there is little anyone can do about it.