Originally Posted by Airbum

I haven't read all of this thread so forgive me if I am repeating what others have said.

TP, It would seem to me that if ALPA pilots performed the job of a Flight engineer for Eastern then that would be doing struck work. If the ALPA Eastern pilot performed a job ( like being a pilot not a flight engineer ) then that would not be performing struck work.

Haven't there been times when say the Flight Attendants went on strike but the pilots did not. The pilots flying the plane did not scab unless they became Flight Attendants.

Some unions go so far as to not cross other union's legal picket lines. This is to show support and not necessarily out of concern for becoming a scab.

Originally Posted by B727DRVR

Hey RJL,

Respectfully, I really don't understand what you are questioning... If you cross a picket line and fly equipment, callsign, or flight number for an airline that has a striking pilot group, you are without question, a scab. If your country is invaded and you help or assist the enemy, then you are a collaborator or even a traitor.

Scabbing has nothing to do with Christianity, Judiasm, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc, or even athiesm. You have good and scumbag members of all these religions... Scabbing comes from selfishness and a "me first, screw everbody else" mentality.

In nearly every case (aside from the above mentioned stupidity from green card pilots who didn't know better), someone who scabs intends to get ahead of another by "pushing the striker and their family out of the lifeboat" so that the scab may benefit, regardless of the cost to the worker making a stand. This isn't even really a conservative or liberal issue, because Trade Unionism IS the American Way and the Right to organize is something that most American workers have... Rush, Hannity, O'Reily are ALL union members. CEO's have one of the most powerful unions of all, their B.O.D. Lawyers have the BAR, Doctors have the AMA. And of course, politicians who vote in pay raises for themselves and get the best health care, but want NO minimum wage and fight health care for those they represent, have the best union of all.. Themselves. And the Airlines themselves even have their own union, Airlines for America (formerly the Air Transport Association, or ATA), which fights anything, including safety, that affects their bottom line.

What you got from the AMERICAN labor union movement is the much beloved: end of indentured servitude, end of forced child labor, paid vacation, paid sick time, workplace safety, 40 hour work week, the American Middle Class, and too many other things to mention. Remember, prior to trade unions, America was a third world Bangladesh-like low cost labor country with ridiculous disparity between the classes. Our Forefathers fought the Robber Barrons, who owned 99% of the Nations wealth to help create the American Middle class. They, in turn with the GI Bill, helped educate millions and paid for their children's educations with good-paying union jobs. How about FMLA? Guess who fought for that? Certainly no the scabs... You're welcome....

What pilot union representation has gotten you is the safest aviation industry in the world. Pilot unions fought for our safety and paid for it with their blood. Most of the regulations we have were again, paid for with blood. Like the NASA form? Like TCASII? The airlines cost benefit analysts determined that it was too expensive, and that it would be better for the bottom line to just pay the claims after the mid-air collision. FFDO, CRM, fixed distance markers, standard airport markings, lightings, etc., ARTCC, TAWS, GPWS, standard instrument panels, Terminal Doppler radar, cockpit wx radar, etc. are some of the many things that pilot unions fought for years to get. You are safer, not because of the good wills of the Robber Barrons or various airline management teams over the years, but because of the many pilot unions that fought to make things safer DESPITE THE COST. Again, you're welcome.

Yes, we are all dealing with the "new" economy of post September 11, but that doesn't allow us to scab for an airline and push wages and working conditions down. That is being a scab, or better yet a traitor to ones profession.

Originally Posted by NEDude

Typically the MEC of the striking work force decides what is scabbing and what is not. What would happen if a Teamsters group were to strike (RAH for example) but ALPA decided it was okay to cross their picket line and fly their struck work? I know, it is not very likely, but let's speculate. Would the ALPA pilots be scabs or not?

Originally Posted by OnCenterline

I was with Comair for an 89 day strike in 2001. Our MEC wanted to stipulate that ALL CVG flying would be struck work, and specifically city-pairs that had be specific to Comair, so that DAL could not add "segments."

The ALPA National folks and DAL MEC refused to accept that. But that was okay. Because they said so.

Not.

Originally Posted by Hixdog

OnCenterline you could not be more wrong!!!! I was in the Delta ALPA strike center in MCO during the Comair strike. We closely monitored all flying that Delta was doing and there were not any extra mainline segments added to cover struck Comair flying. I walked the picket line with your fellow pilots and can say DALPA worked to help support the Comair pilots.

Originally Posted by Airbum

I haven't read all of this thread so forgive me if I am repeating what others have said.

TP, It would seem to me that if ALPA pilots performed the job of a Flight engineer for Eastern then that would be doing struck work. If the ALPA Eastern pilot performed a job ( like being a pilot not a flight engineer ) then that would not be performing struck work.

Haven't there been times when say the Flight Attendants went on strike but the pilots did not. The pilots flying the plane did not scab unless they became Flight Attendants.

Some unions go so far as to not cross other union's legal picket lines. This is to show support and not necessarily out of concern for becoming a scab.

Originally Posted by OnCenterline

Please do not confuse this with accusing anyone from DAL as being a scab. I am NOT making nor implying such an assertion.

Originally Posted by Purple Drank

That's very generous. Speaking of "generous," didn't Delta pilots lend some financial help to Comair pilots during the strike?

And how were furloughed Delta pilots repaid by Comair pilots?