Quote:
Originally Posted by chairmanmow
For the record, JA has many years of ALPA service prior to his arrival at Spirit. The idea that a new person should not be in a leadership position just because of his lack of experience in that position at that particular property undermines a core principle of democratic governance.
It's not about his experience for me, although I think the Spirit group has been around long enough, and seen enough, that a study of our history should be part of new entrance. For example, we went through a rough time when a single carrier group of pilots ruled us lead by a very charismatic rep. Croneyism was a problem then, as were dissenting opinions, and phrases like "nothing is going to stand in my way" meant trouble. It's the behavior that gives pause, not JA's experience, because it reminds some of us of some dark days. The fact that the majority of this group comes from a single carrier...
Having said that, it's incumbent on newcomers to work within our union and be effective, not try to remake our union in the image of a former carrier. Our union is functional and has been getting better with every new group and every passing day. The direction change should have been a control input, not a control movement.
[/QUOTE]On another note, the recent LEC 77 communication states specifically that the MEC voted 6-0 on a particular resolution, and yet Amongero refused to act on it. Among other things, given that one of his prime responsibilities is to carryout the policies of the MEC (his feelings aside), I would call that a dereliction of duty.[/QUOTE]
Again, at their very first MEC meeting it was incumbent on them to sit across the table from the MEC and achieve consensus or give fair warning that the end is near. Arguments and threats should have been won or lost on the strength of their convictions. If C and P failed to comply then they could have easily been recalled at MEC meeting number 2. The conference calls they conduct weekly are a place for information to flow between all the officers and some general business, but they don't count when it comes to issues of this magnitude, and they weren't attended by all the reps consistently. Sometimes you just can't replace sitting across the table from folks getting your crazy out in the open. People don't have to be in the same tribe to achieve consensus, but we're better off when they do. Doesn't matter now, that part is done.
Lastly, no matter his experience, it is never a good idea from a human nature standpoint, or one of accountability, to be cut off from the herd. The entire MEC should have attended him, introducing him to Bendo, presenting a unified front even if things were rocky among the 6 of them. The charismatic leader I referenced above was famous for spending too much time with our managers who were definitely not on our side. It doesn't matter that there's no malfeasance, nobody at this airline has ever believed/trusted one of our leaders with the exception of Trimble or Sytsema from the way way back