One issue that may not come up here is that in ALPA an MEC is not recognized by the US Department of labor as having any authority. An MEC doesn't exist as far as the US DOL is concerned. Only ALPA Herndon is listed as the entity of Union governance.

On the other hand the Teamsters give their locals a lot of autonomy and authority. A teamster local can go on strike without permission from Teamster headquarters, they can have a dues increase or reduction they can also levy an assessment. They have a great deal of freedom of action. On the other side of the equation they are also liable in court at the local level.

When you look at any case where ALPA was a defendant or plaintiff it's always Herndon, when you read case law for the teamsters it's always Teamster Local XXX v. Someone. Teamsters have more autonomy but also more responsibility for their actions. If you screw up and get sued by the company for an illegal job action it is only your pilots who are going to pay.

On the flip side Herndon can't constrain your contract or force you to do something the ALPA way if you are not so inclined, the Teamsters will abide by the determinations of the Locals.

If you are big, I would rather be a Teamster, if you are in a smaller airline the assets and experience if ALPA are better, IMHO.

That's not entirely accurate.
Each MEC is essentially its own union. They operate by agreement under the rules of the national association.

As an LEC officer I filed many annual mandatory reports with the US Dept of Labor. They most certainly recognized the LEC.

The easiest explanation is ALPA is an association of many technically separate unions all operating under the national umbrella and rules.

The reports you filed were then collated at Herdon and filed under one LM-2 report. It's one of the largest reports filed by any labor organization. But I can tell you that your MEC is not recognized as the bargaining agent. Your MEC chair cannot sign a contract with the company without the President of ALPA signing.

If you are sued by the company or by a member it is ALPA national that is the defendant. ALPA gives you as much autonomy as it can but the Department of Labor does not recognize your MEC as a local.

All you have to do is look at the signatory page of your contract. Who signed will tell you who's responsible.

The point was that each pilot group is free to act in their own best interest. The ALPA President can't approve a contract without the MEC Chairman also signing.

exactly. Both National President and MEC Chair sign....

Seems incredibly short sighted.

Nothing would benefit this profession more than an industry wide, well funded ALPA. Even when they goof up, the positives of a heavyweight in D.C. would far outweigh the negatives.

To compare the Teamsters to Alpa is kinda like comparing the Bloods and the Crips out there in Los Angelos. Basically you have two big smelly turds but they wear different colored capes. That's it, at the end of the day after you strip them of their cape, you're left face to face with a gigantic turd.

Having worked at two airlines represented by ALPA and one airline represented. Y the Teamsters and after having gone through contract negotiations at all these airlines AND bankruptcies at all three, without question ALPA.

Additionally ALPA has medical and legal assistance for members (as well as other resources) that the Teamsters simply doesn't have for pilots.

Teamster has both. Well at least my local.

I’ve worked ALPA and Teamsters. I think more depends on your specific MEC/EXCO than anything else. The benefits of being an ALPA member were a little better with ALPA. For example the aeromedical assistance provided by ALPA was a little better than Harvey Watt, but they’re still decent.