Cruise

Ok, so let's try to get this straight. You complain you haven't seen any communication. It was clearly pointed out to you that communication is occurring. To which you reply, that's not your concern....instead you want to see financials. So which is it, you're not getting/ reading the communications or you aren't happy about the financial transparency? You complain about one falsity (no communication) and then shift your displeasure over to another topic (financials)??? This is a common theme among those with weak arguments: continue to misdirect until something sticks. Then you wonder why people don't listen to the endless conspiracy theories some try to generate around here.

So here's your stick: I do agree with you about the financials, budgets should be published, trip drops too. That is something that should've been corrected a long time ago. But just because someone an aviation-lifetime ago was abusing their volunteer authority by using excessive drops/ trip pick ups, doesn't mean it's still going on.

Newsflash: at a minimum, the MEC Chairman SHOULD be out on a full buy doing union work for all of us. We should have between 1-3 people out on full buys right now serving our pilot group. As we continue to grow, more people will be out doing union work....at the moment I don't believe that's happening because of the hatred some in our group have for FPL. Union work is time consuming! Ideally, we should have several out on partial buys as well. AND, as we roll into negotiations, there should be at least another 1-2 people out on full buys doing negotiation work for all of us. Our dues money is there for us to use for the group, not just hold in reserve for a war chest. That's how a fully functioning ALPA group works. All this said, it's important those on a full buy remain current....just because you're on a buy doesn't mean you should never fly. Furthermore, any trips picked up while on a full buy should go to reduce their FPL obligation, not pad their monthly credit. That helps keep everything on the up and up.

Qotsaautopilot

^agreed^^^^^

Qotsaautopilot

LIM. Acy need not apply. Just stick with your Orlando turns and we'll come see you if we need help capturing a gS from above. Men are working here.

ManFlex

Agreed. And sadly to my knowledge, we have nobody on full FPL at this point. Thanks for trying to explain things to our colleagues on here.

A320Flyer

Agreed. Having done ALPA volunteer work here and other airlines, I can attest that it is certainly tireless work and that reps should be allowed the opportunity to drop trips to work for the pilot group as necessary (including to attend certain "appreciation" social functions). Absolutely no issue at all with that! HOWEVER, it is also vitally important that this information be made available to all dues paying members. We do have a SPA ALPA website. It should be published periodically there. Who's dropping, how much and for what. "September: Rep XYZ, 22:30 4-day, attended ALPA Jumpseat Chairman's meetings in Washington D.C." This is one of the duties of the MEC Secretary-Treasurer. Keeping track of the drops, authorizing FPL payments and keeping the books open to the membership.
Now, let us understand why so much suspicion about "closed books" ensues amongst the ranks. Do you remember a couple of years ago a certain committee chairman, while out on a long-term medical (inactive status) doing ALPA volunteer work at home, and receiving full FPL month after month? If you recall, this scheme was only uncovered because of one pilot, with big cojones, personally went to Herndon to see the books. Why was this happening? Is this happening now? We don't know. Transparency leads to accountability which leads to cohesiveness and an effective functioning organization.
Trust, but verify. Tell me, am I wrong?

GetReal

*IMPORTANT SPIRITBOARD SIGNUP INFORMATION!*

From the newest iteration of the Whiner's (oops I mean alternative viewpoint) Cartel of Champions. Here's all you need to do to register:

"Important Registration Information:

Username: What you want to be displayed on the Board.

Email: Your Spirit E-Mail - IMPORTANT - Must be "[email protected]" to receive activation e-mail."

So let's get this straight...in order to start the activation process to scurry to the "anonymous" whiner board one MUST use their Spirit email address...you know...the one that happens to be your ID number, the ID number that corresponds to YOUR NAME.

Of course you can change it any time after activation...thanks whinerboard moderator, I'll get right on that!, I'll just go ahead, bury my head in the sand and keep my fingers crossed you're not that gentleman/lady on everyone's no-fly list, (or a communist ALPA Henchman)...and that you pinkie promise not to remember my ID number!

Get Real

The Juice

Haha, thats awesome

ALPAshutusdown

exactly...but I think asking for accountability is way too much. Trust us? I don't trust anyone where money is concerned. If everything is as it should be then why not open up the books.

ManFlex

Do you recognize that giving rank and file access to all financial data also gives our management access to all of our union's financial data? Shareholders are not entitled to access to proprietary financial information of a company, so why should all union membership be shown all the inner financial workings of their union? That's why we can choose our representatives via elections and we should trust them to be custodians of all of our union's resources.

Your charges of impropriety will never be quelled no matter what information you have access to. Let's be real about that.

ALPAshutusdown

Because its our money!