Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltyDog
By design, I don't have a dog in your fight today, but as a military pilot who got a job at CALEX with a CAL number in 1993, I was called a Scab by a UAL Captain. Maybe it was you? Then Babbit comes in and wants us to go ALPA and supported Ornsteins Pay For Training. He stated so at our "Get to know ALPA". As a military bub, he forever painted ALPA in a negative light.
Having never crossed a line, and starting in 1993, was also turned off by the term Scab thrown around at the same time Babbit is trying to get the commuters into ALPA. Buffoonery at its finest. BTW, I enjoyed you selective use of revisionist history.
You are on the point then missing the point. Let's go over this again. In 1981 NY Air was called an "Alter Ego" Airline. New airlines of that sort were not called "Regional" or "Express" type carriers in those days. There was no such animal. Mr. Frank Lorenzo was one of the first airline executives (If not the first) to use a holding company owning Continental Airlines, NY Air, Chelsea catering, etc. as subsidiaries. Mr. Lorenzo took CAL DC9's went through the holding company (Texas Air), & changed the registration to NYAir. By law, not opinion, those airplanes now belong to NYAir. CAL ALPA / ALPA-N did not grasp this fact and insisted those airplanes belonged to CAL. A horrible illegal strike took place. Not opinion, fact. ALPA has since admitted a wrong/illegal strike. ALPA has forgiven NYAir and no longer officially consider them a "scab" airline. These "official" re-designations / forgiveness did not take place for many years. The reason being is to cope with (Out maneuver unions is more like it) deregulation. Airlines like American, CAL, etc. started up "alter ego" airlines that were now designated as "Regional" or CALEX, American Eagle, etc. ALPA saw the handwriting on the wall. If they called all of these new airlines "alter ego" or scab companies they would be at constant war. Therefore, they decided to join them rather than fight them. I.E., organize as many as possible. But, my friend. The intent of any Express carrier is the same. It flies mostly the same routes as the major air carrier for substantially less cost. I am not calling Express pilots scabs, but for years ALPA designated those doing these things as a "scab." The word does not just apply to those who crossed a picket line. The word "scab" is applied to any pilot who undermines another pilot especially when the flying is at the same air carrier (I.E. CALEX / CAL, etc.). Again, I emphasize, that term in this context DOES NOT OFFICIALLY APPLY TODAY.
But, having said that, I find it ironic that former CALEX pilots have issues with pay and work rules at CAL, yet it is their former company who are pulling down the industry by flying mostly former CAL routes at substantially less cost. This is classic management playing one labor group against another. What in the hell do you expect? One day I'm flying full B737 to PSP and the next day an RJ has taken over the route. As a CAL pilot, how do you expect me to react? My flying has gone away. My routes are being limited, my choices, days off, pay, etc. (I'm just using PSP as an expample. This happened to dozens of former CAL cities). To my knowledge, CAL pilots do not consider or call CALEX pilots scabs. I think CAL pilots blame the source (CAL) rather than the symptom (CALEX). By the way, I have a master's degree and am a former military pilot. I am hardline union and never crossed any picket line in my career. I too have been called a "scab" by UAL pilots. I also don't take their crap.
The Forums Administrator is sore at me for using names. It's ok for his little lackey's to use names, call the rest of us nasty names, etc. but if you are not in lock step with the CALEX gang, they have little use for you. I have been trying to point out to readers that current CAL union leadership is not properly representing our pilots. Current union leadership is in lock step with management undermining our seniority system. I have given much evidence proving this to be true. I have pointed out that CAL ALPA has a long history of corruption and self servitude. These things have not subsided. They are alive and well.
I have no personal agenda against anyone at CAL much least our union. I do not even know or have met our union president (I am not allowed to say his name). I do know the guy is a skunk. That's 45 years of aviation experience speaking to you. I'm at the end of my career. What he does will have minimum effect on me. My words are meant to help our junior pilots. Apparently, instead of helping, I seem to be offending. Which is a parodox. Most pilots that I speak to cannot stand our union leader and want him thrown out. There have been several efforts but to no avail. My point here was to educate and to get you to participate with your union. For that, I am guilty. If you don't support your union and you are anti-seniority / anti-union, then we are back to the "scab" word. What some of you are missing is that the same people helping with anti-labor / anti-seniority policies are RUNNING YOUR UNION. Surely, most of you are not that dense?