Attn: US Airways Express carriers
02-22-2013 | 04:24 AM
#51
Banned
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 0
From: Pilot
You just proved my point. Out of all the APLA carriers only two didn't want it.
02-22-2013 | 05:00 AM
#56
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 0
I'd take DAL over AA or any other non ALPA legacy....
I'd take FedEx over UPS and theirs......
02-22-2013 | 05:28 AM
#57
Banned
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 8,350
Likes: 0
Union Dues; They Booze & We Lose
In January of 2012 the MEC meet to discuss numerous pilot issues. One of these topics was the purchase of alcohol by union leaders when they attended a group meal that was to be paid for by union dues monies. This was brought about in part by the shock of a newly elected LEC representative who was attending his first of these group meals. He was surprised by the free flowing alcohol and the numerous bottles of expensive wines that continued to appear - as if by magic - on the table throughout the evening. He remarked that he would have to fly four hours to pay for just one bottle. This was followed by the many shots of Patron to round out the event.
This prompted a resolution by a few MEC members to stop the excess. The resolution was not well received by union representatives who believe that the nightly cocktail is a well-earned perk of a union volunteer. After much debate the resolution was passed by a 9 to 4 vote and made the law by which your MEC agreed to live with in the future. A simple rule: “do not use Eagle pilot dues to pay for alcohol when union members participate in a group meal.” At no time was this attempt to force moral values on union officials. If you want to drink, buy it yourself and enjoy. But it doesn’t stop there, it gets better!
With rules there comes accountability, and soon the union secretary-treasurer asked that after a group meal the person who would claim reimbursement to submit a detailed receipt of the meal. This would be a simple check and balance to the rule. Easy enough right? Not on your life. The outrage from the union leadership, your negotiating committee and some committee members was alarming. They vocally objected the need to provide a detailed receipt and saw that as questioning their ethics. Your leaders then went on to claim that the restaurants in the DFW area where they choose to dine do not provide detailed receipts. As a result this would require them to eat at location unfitting their status a union official.
Now that it is clear that your union leadership is using every opportunity to avoid the any means of financial oversight. What will they think of next? Well, I will tell you. Buy all the booze they want and hide the expense under a different name. Why not call it “snacks.” Clever, I’ll say. Just tell everyone that they are performing the work of the union late at night and needed some snacks to sustain them.
What is tragic is that we know this is not a one off event. It is happened multiple times and from the information that we are receiving this conduct has continued unchecked for some time. All of it with the approval of the MEC chairman. As more details become available we will share them with you.
The non itemized receipt which was enclosed in the expense report.
After the secretary treasurer inquired as to the amount in the expense report the SPC chair responded saying it was for snacks.
Wanting to see what kind of snacks you can get for 4 people the secretary treasurer called the restaurant and got an itemized receipt.
After exposing this the MEC chairman removed the Secretary Treasurer from full time Union Leave. (Even though he is the only member of the MEC who actually flies the line; the chairman and vice chairman haven't flown in over a year and a half.)
In January of 2012 the MEC meet to discuss numerous pilot issues. One of these topics was the purchase of alcohol by union leaders when they attended a group meal that was to be paid for by union dues monies. This was brought about in part by the shock of a newly elected LEC representative who was attending his first of these group meals. He was surprised by the free flowing alcohol and the numerous bottles of expensive wines that continued to appear - as if by magic - on the table throughout the evening. He remarked that he would have to fly four hours to pay for just one bottle. This was followed by the many shots of Patron to round out the event.
This prompted a resolution by a few MEC members to stop the excess. The resolution was not well received by union representatives who believe that the nightly cocktail is a well-earned perk of a union volunteer. After much debate the resolution was passed by a 9 to 4 vote and made the law by which your MEC agreed to live with in the future. A simple rule: “do not use Eagle pilot dues to pay for alcohol when union members participate in a group meal.” At no time was this attempt to force moral values on union officials. If you want to drink, buy it yourself and enjoy. But it doesn’t stop there, it gets better!
With rules there comes accountability, and soon the union secretary-treasurer asked that after a group meal the person who would claim reimbursement to submit a detailed receipt of the meal. This would be a simple check and balance to the rule. Easy enough right? Not on your life. The outrage from the union leadership, your negotiating committee and some committee members was alarming. They vocally objected the need to provide a detailed receipt and saw that as questioning their ethics. Your leaders then went on to claim that the restaurants in the DFW area where they choose to dine do not provide detailed receipts. As a result this would require them to eat at location unfitting their status a union official.
Now that it is clear that your union leadership is using every opportunity to avoid the any means of financial oversight. What will they think of next? Well, I will tell you. Buy all the booze they want and hide the expense under a different name. Why not call it “snacks.” Clever, I’ll say. Just tell everyone that they are performing the work of the union late at night and needed some snacks to sustain them.
What is tragic is that we know this is not a one off event. It is happened multiple times and from the information that we are receiving this conduct has continued unchecked for some time. All of it with the approval of the MEC chairman. As more details become available we will share them with you.
The non itemized receipt which was enclosed in the expense report.
After the secretary treasurer inquired as to the amount in the expense report the SPC chair responded saying it was for snacks.
Wanting to see what kind of snacks you can get for 4 people the secretary treasurer called the restaurant and got an itemized receipt.
After exposing this the MEC chairman removed the Secretary Treasurer from full time Union Leave. (Even though he is the only member of the MEC who actually flies the line; the chairman and vice chairman haven't flown in over a year and a half.)
02-22-2013 | 05:47 AM
#59
Line Holder
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
I have no problem with union dues being used to purchase dinner (reasonably priced) and would even be ok with allowing one drink with dinner, but the examples shown above are incredibly excessive and basically fraudulently stealing from the dues coffers.
I'm no hard-nosed person... if you put in a full day at negotiations or something like that and go to dinner as a team, I have no problem with each person ordering an alcoholic beverage. But when I say "an", I do in fact mean one.... and not one for every person in the restaurant for those trying to find a loophole.
I'm no hard-nosed person... if you put in a full day at negotiations or something like that and go to dinner as a team, I have no problem with each person ordering an alcoholic beverage. But when I say "an", I do in fact mean one.... and not one for every person in the restaurant for those trying to find a loophole.
Last edited by Tartan Army; 02-22-2013 at 05:48 AM. Reason: added reasonably priced dinner, as I don't think people should be eating filets on dues
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