abirdytoldme

February 1, 2019

I am writing because I know there have been some questions about my retirement from FedEx, and I want you to know my thinking as I made this difficult decision.

Flying is my passion, and I’m proud to have had the honor of being a Marine aviator, a commercial passenger pilot, and an air cargo pilot. During my more than 30 years of flying, I always felt that my colleagues were more than coworkers; they always were—and always will be—friends and family.

As I wrestled with the decision to retire, I had to take into account the fact that I will reach the FAA mandatory retirement age of 65 during the spring of the final year of my term as President and would not be able to return to line flying when my Presidency ends. In addition, it became clear that there were practical impediments to my staying current for the next three years. As a result, I came to the conclusion that retiring from FedEx now would allow me to turn all of my energies without distraction toward fulfilling my role as your President and would be the most appropriate course to best represent all ALPA members. Again, this was not an easy decision.

As ALPA President, I will remain exclusively devoted to representing all ALPA line pilots’ views, and achieving the goals of our union’s pilot-driven strategic plan. For the next four years, I intend to keep as my sole focus making ALPA stronger, leaner, and more responsive, using my lifetime experience as a pilot to guide my actions and my decisions.

Just to be clear, I will not receive further airline income and will not be eligible for any further accruals into any FedEx defined contribution or defined benefit retirement plan. Further, as of the date of my retirement, I have been voluntarily forgoing any distributions from any FedEx retirement plan and will continue to do so while I hold the office of ALPA President.

Article X, Section 1.A of ALPA’s Constitution and By-Laws makes clear that retirement is not an eligibility bar or concern.

As your President, I am solely invested in ALPA. Now that I’m retired from FedEx, I wanted to make it clear that I am unencumbered by any perceived loyalty to my past employer and owe my entire allegiance to this organization and its goals, and to the interests of the entire ALPA membership—not just to FedEx or any other carrier or a specific group of pilots. For example, I am going to be wholly committed to our efforts to promote the piloting profession’s agenda and protect, defend, and advance the safety and security of our industry and the careers of our pilots, whether it be with regard to the threat posed by the ME3 subsidized carriers, atypical employment arrangements, or any of the other serious challenges we face as a profession.

As your President, I have a singular focus and standard—doing what is right by all of the pilots I represent, period.
In solidarity,


Capt. Joe DePete
ALPA President

ALPA President isn’t even a current and qualified pilot......

Flytolive

When Captain Moak flew he wisely did so with a LCA. ALPA President is an all-consuming job.

HoursHore

The head of the mlb, nfl, and nba unions isn’t a current player. Neither the nfl or the mlb union leader is even a former player.

Ben Kenobi

Yea, but this is not a national union per se. It's a member driven "Association" of independent representative bodies. A little different. But maybe not so much. Still kind of bad optics IMHO. But I personally dont have a problem with it. I mean, 30 years flying gives him a little cred I think.

BeatNavy

I think the biggest issue is that he told people during his campaign that he would stay flying, then conveniently retired the day before he started, and he is obviously getting a good deal out of it. I am willing to bet if he had announced a retirement contingent on winning, he wouldn’t have won. Doesn’t look good.

badflaps

In another thread they said that it was the only way FedEx would work it. Makes more sense.

BeatNavy

If they wouldn’t let him fly part time, or whatever the issue supposedly was, he could have taken an LOA and then retired after his term was up. And he certainly could have done the DD beforehand and asked FDX management what his options were prior to running/winning. I have no SA on how it actually went down, just rumors, but I don’t think it looks good no matter how you look at it.

Would I pass up a lot more money as I’m staring retirement in the face for simply being on a different status with my employer? I dunno...that’s a tough one. But this could have been avoided. Also, I think it’s appropriate he removes Capt from his signature block and stops calling himself captain. He isn’t a captain of anything. He was an airline captain and he gave that up to take a political position. Maybe he could add (retired) after it if he still wants people to know he used to be a captain, but that’s like a guy at jetblue I once heard about telling his crashpad buddies to call him Colonel Xxxxx, because that’s the rank he retired at. No Bill, we won’t do that. You aren’t a colonel anymore. Same holds true for Mr. Joe DePete, former captain and former airline pilot turned politician.

badflaps

Hmmmm...... I guess I have to refer to self as J-3 jockey (P/T).

Packrat

A couple things:

Do you have a clue how much you're paying the President of ALPA? You should research that.

More importantly, when you EARN a title you should be referred to as such for life. You don't call DR. Smith "Mr. Smith." A senior Navy enlisted person is entitled to be called Master Chief Jones for life.

Indeed, your crash pad mate was entitled to be referred to as "Colonel" Zoomie if he wants. Its a gesture of respect, if nothing else.

The ALPA President should be referred to as "Captain." Randy Babbit was and his airline had failed. He wasn't flying because he had no airline to fly for.

Lighten up, Francis. ALPA and ALPA members have a whole lot more important fish to fry than the President's title.

tomgoodman

Naw. You have lifetime rights to the title:

“His Airworthiness, Conqueror of the Skies, Idol of Flight Attendants and Scourge of Groundlings, the Right Honorable and Most Esteemed Captain Badflaps”.