Can anyone post what they wrote to their senator? I am looking for a good template and want what I say to be correct and effective.

We did bring this on ourselves. We have to be careful not to say professionalism and pay are related.

If you follow the link in the email from ALPA it takes you directly to a site where you can view the template ALPA has. If you click Take Action, it will take you directly to a page with everything filled out, and will automatically send it to your senators. Here's the link if you didn't get the email.

Legislative Action Center

Done,
I also threw in the comment of "If you wish to lead by example and allow us to listen to every word during your work day and punish you for what you say"...

Not like McCain will actually care about an Airline Pilot, after all

"McCain also contrasted pilots' salaries with those of other Americans,
comparing the 1998 per capita income of $20,120 with the $342,000 per year that top pilots at United would make by 2004 under the tentative contract."

He is a little out of touch

Aren't they all? (congress)...

Sigh, Yes...

Can someone put the boiler plate letter ALPA has on the board. I am not exactly sure how to tackle this issue in a letter and would imagine there's would be worded better. But I am a dirty teamster so don't have access to it. I would be happy to send it to my senators (who actually responded last time) and my representative.

You can also read into this that my plate is extremely full right now and I legitimately don't have the time to write an appropriate letter for addressing this issue :)

Template
 

As a professional air line pilot, your constituent, and a member of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), I urge you to oppose S. 3048, a bill by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) to mandate the use of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) information for discipline, rather than its intended use for safety investigation.
This bill seeks to use CVR and FDR information to punish individual pilots, rather than to promote and support the proactive safety culture that our industry needs to protect passengers, crews, and cargo. This bill will threaten aviation safety, compromise the accident investigation process, and squander financial resources that could make established and proven aviation safety programs even more effective.
Every airline flight is unique due to weather, equipment, distance and other operational factors. Pilots are expected to work as a team, communicate effectively, and supplement one another’s skills and experience to continuously evaluate and adapt to the changing operational environment of each individual flight. The chilling effect of having conversations and flight data monitored and evaluated out of context for possible disciplinary action by corporate managers who may have motivations other than safety would be substantial.
Pilot performance is currently monitored randomly through the Line Oriented Safety Audit (LOSA) program which uses trained observers in the cockpit. As a commercial pilot, I must also pass at least two annual check rides. Existing safety programs such as LOSA, Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) and Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP) are voluntary, nonpunitive initiatives that use data and pilot reports to detect safety issues. These programs are critical to aviation safety and misusing recorder data will jeopardize these proven programs.
I urge you to oppose S. 3048 and any legislative attempts to use CVRs and FDRs for anything other than their intended safety investigative purposes.

I think we need recorders in the Representatives' and Senators' offices to make sure they are doing their job right.

Message is sent to both Senators and my Representative.