Sorry, but that's just plain wrong. There are two types of pension plans:

1. Defined benefit pension plans (what Delta used to have), and;

2. Defined contribution pension plans (what Delta has now)

Both are pensions. They just operate differently. A 401k is a completely separate kind of plan that falls under different regulations.

 

Yet, even if all the baloney above was true (which it isn't), what do regional pilots (or mainline pilots for that matter) have to show for the last decade ?

Jack Squat.



Someone like you judging my credibility on ALPA is laughable. I'll let objective evaluation of past historical facts be the judge. The saps who expect anything different from ALPA in the next decade vs. the last will be rewarded with just as little. The senior Herndon fat cats get salary, expenses for cars and housing and pensions that exceed $400K and for a few, I've heard it's in the high $400K range. The facts of the TWA trial and its revalations are damning. AFAIC, regional pilots should run like hell.

 

More angry rhetoric, unsubstantiated claims, and hateful accusations. And not a bit of it backed up by facts. You are certainly consistent. I'll give you that.

 

...and it's rare to find someone who expends so much energy defending ALPA to your obsessive degree. Considering your fervant, almost pathological efforts, I can only conclude you're an upper eschelon minion. I have no anger as I pay no money to ALPA, only the feeling of freedom.

My opinion that regional pilots should expend all possible efforts to distance themselves from ALPA and form a union as quickly as possible that represents their interests as primary is valid. I don't see why this should upset you so much, as obviously it does.

 

eaglefly, if anything is "pathological," it's your irrational hatred of an organization of which you claim not to be a member.

 

Considering the repeated clumsy fumbling of scope over the last 15 years, abandonment of several pilot groups like Midwest and the TWA disaster, describing my assertions as "irrational" is in fact, irrational.

Have you read some of the trial transcrips of the TWA debacle ?

Clearly, it goes well beyond simple failure to represent. Considering ALPA was found by a neutral and impartial judge do be in violation of their duty to fairly represent the TWA pilots, perhaps you could explain LOGICAL reasons why ALPA won't be financially penalized for that and why no dues increase or assessment will be required to offset those damages ?

If you need to place a quick call to your chums in Herndon for the politically correct answer, l understand.

 

Scope decisions are made by individual pilot groups, not by ALPA International.

ALPA represented both the TWA and MEH pilots to the absolute greatest extent possible. Expecting the impossible is not a reasonable expectation.

Yes, all of them. And I feel horrible for what happened to the TWA pilots. But their anger and blame are misplaced. The APA and AMR are to blame for their predicament. Not ALPA.

A judge didn't make the ruling. A jury did. And I think we all know how intelligent juries can be about very complex cases.

This is a two-stage process. The first stage is over, and it can't even be appealed under after the second stage is complete. I have little doubt that ALPA will prevail in an appeal, making the second stage irrelevant. But setting that aside, it's likely that the second stage won't result in an award of any significant damages, anyway. A prior DFR ruling against ALPA resulted in a damages award of $1. Not $1 per pilot, just $1. Total. The jury decided that while ALPA had violated its DFR obligation, that no financial consequences resulted. Therefore, no big monetary award. The same sort of ruling is likely in this case. While a jury ruled ALPA in violation of its DFR obligation, a second jury is very likely to see that nothing that ALPA could have done would have resulted in the TWA pilots receiving anymore money, so a monetary penalty isn't justified.

But even if one was awarded, ALPA does have a significant amount of insurance to cover DFR liability. I don't suspect that ALPA will end up needing it in this case, though.

 

Your level of denial is staggering, but the apparent guidance you received from Herndon above is not surprising. Complete B.S. of course, but not surprising. Obviously, you're a proud baton twirler for the ALPA parade band, but that parade band is exactly like the one in Animal House that is led right up a dead end alley all smashed together and yet is too stupid to stop playing.

Terrible sounding parade band, but amusing to watch all scrunched up in that alley from a distance.

 

You've got to be kidding me. You can lay the blame on Duane Worthless. He tried to cut a deal to bring APA into the ALPA fold, and he (and the TWA pilots) lost. Big time.

The TWA pilots were layed at the alter for APA.

 

He's not kidding you.........he is THAT delusional. In the TWA trial, apparently the TWA lawyers lied and the jury was "confused", there will be no damages and ALPA will win on appeal after not having paid damages.

Lunacy.

Wasn't ALPA sued by UAL pilots and paid a settlement out of court (if they were innocent, why pay ?) and I heard something about some AirTran pilots next in line. I wonder who will be after them ?

Nope, if you are a regional pilot ALPA is your anchor and I'll stand by that assessment.