Quote:
Originally Posted by sarcasticspasti
Nice post Old Timer.
Everyone should take note of the threats on this thread. This is SOP for unions. Intimidation. Never mind about the fundamental right of a person to choose where he would work, or when, or for how much.
This type of behavior, threats and intimidation is despicable. It is this dishonest and shameful behavior that permeates unions that has convinced me to never join a union. Unions despise individuality, free will and independence. You must follow the union or you will be branded a scab, you will be harrassed, intimidated, and threatened. You think working for a non-union company puts your future at risk? Try flying a PC with a check airman/union boss that knows you voted against a MEC recommended measure. You won't be there long unless you follow the union's every dictate.
Consider if this behavior were directed toward a person who disagreed with the group about religion, politics, or race. It would be unacceptable. But among unions, anyone who disagrees with their socio-economic theory must be thrown down.
First, let me say simply that the above poster is so far out in left field (or should I say right?), so far from the truth and reality, that no amount of reasoning or presentation of facts could possibly return him or her to a more moderate and accurate viewpoint regarding avaition unions. Too bad.
GoJets wouldn't be possible if the TSA union had better scope provisions. It's too bad that they don't and I hope that they can find a way to survive and remedy the situation.
While it's true that the GoJets pilots are not technically scabs, I think it is also true that they are selfish and despicable and deserve all the derision and ostracism that knowleadgeable and conscientious pilots can provide.
It is easy for us to forget, in these times of generally high levels of safety and good wages, the way that this industry began. Airlines are just companies, like other companies, whose one and only raison d'être is to make money. They have no regard for fairness to their employees nor safety for the public (except and until the point where profitability might be affected). ALPA's long, hard struggle to improve airline safety and wages is something every traveler and pilot should be grateful for. Now that so many pilots have achieved reasonable, or, in some cases outstanding, wages we forget how bad it could be and is, in fact, becoming.
The TSA pilots are simply trying to achieve fair wages and working conditions. Their company is using an unfortunate flaw in their contract to eliminate and replace them with GoJets. Anyone who works for GoJets is complicit and is enabling the replacement of the TSA pilots. GoJets pilots are, in effect, stealing the food from the mouths of the TSA pilots' families. In the long run they will reap what they sow.
I turned down employment with GoJets when I was furloughed from Independence Air (I was interested until I learned what they were doing) because I couldn't live with myself if I accepted employment with them knowing what I was doing to fellow pilots.
Unfortunately, in the big scheme of things, this will only turn out to be a tempest in a teapot. It's too bad that airline pilots aren't more unified. But those of us that know what GoJets is will never allow GoJets pilots into our jumpseats and we will view GoJets pilots with the contempt that they so richly deserve.