Wow. That's F'd up. I hope our new airline is treating our veterans better than that!

 

Nice summary here,

https://pilotlawcorp.com/under-construction/

 

To take it to another level, one of the biggest MEC douchebags (DM), at the time, was drawing a union, full time pay check and did not even have an FAA medical. He was at the root of almost ALL of these problems. F him.

 

Those are only some very small examples. I was in the guard/reserve for 22 years as a CAL pilot. I was harassed at my squadron by my CP and 2 ACP's. My Commanders who were also airline pilots at other airlines just shook their heads and laughed. It got to the point that I recorded all conversations with my CP and ACP's It was hard to tell friend from foe due to the inbreeding within the CAL-ALPA.

I am confident that the new airline is treating our military brothers and sisters more fairly and is now training their managers in what they can and can't do as it relates to USSERA.

I wasn't around UAL in the 90's, but as I understand it there were lawsuits as it relates to hiring practices. It took some time for the culture to change, but in the short term the remedy was more painful than the cure. Those suits didn't have to happen, but if they hadn't would the culture have changed? Now we go out of our way to cater to minorities, so much so, that UAL is like the LBGTXYZ airline of the century.

I don't recall, but Duffer was either the Chair or the Vice Chair of the military committee at the CAL MEC. He was not an original plaintiff. He was trying to get the union to act like a union and defend the rights of the pilots involved. At some point he got PO'd and left the tent due to stone-walling and double talk.

The Duffer suit is currently standing alone, but that is because the other causes of action and suits were settled or mediated (favorably I may add to the pilots). The main financial cause of action was moved to an Illinois court (change of venue) to facilitate faster movement of the case, more favorable landscape to litigate, and for the convenience of management. UAL thought the change of venue would be great because it puts the case in their back yard where they can use their influence. The plaintiffs liked it there because the court was viewed as more labor friendly. The main attorney for Duffer is a ALPA member and a legacy UAL pilot. He was very careful to leave ALPA out of it, and I think that's a good thing.

Smizek is the one who let this go too far. He knew it only affected about 300 to 400 pilots and he knew the money was small, about $1200.00 to $4000.00 per pilot depending on how much MLLV was taken. Sure would have been cheaper to just pay the folks what they were due in the first place. Sure would have been the decent and honorable thing since American already lost a similar suit and Fed Ex is getting ready to lose one (likely settle). Smizek tried to use the 5% holdback as leverage to manipulate (again) the CAL-MEC into pressuring it's military members. I think that back-fired on Ole Rumple Stiltskin-Smizek.

Has the suit taken too long to settle? Yes, but it would still be going on much longer had the other causes not settled and had the case stayed in Texas or a California federal court. The standing alone aspect of the re-file actually helps us get our money faster, and therefore it is a win-win for the UAL pilots and the aggrieved military members. Duffer won't be winning for Duffer alone. He represents the entire class and craft of aggrieved military members. He is simply picking up the baton and finishing the race.

There were some skeletons in the closet as it relates to the legacy CAL retirement plans. The company was pretty fast and loose with this stuff. It's goal was to put as little moneys in those funds as possible so it could use their moneys to fund their looming liquidity short-fall we heard so much about. Jacque LaPointe was the guy who doubled down on our A funds and lost big while simultaneously losing big on fuel hedging. Any moneys CAL management didn't have to pay was a way of "buoying up" DB plans in general. CAL management simply told the CAL MEC it didn't feel obligated to pay those military pilots the moneys owed to them and the CAL MEC didn't question it, they just went along with what their ole management buddies told them.

Isn't it odd that legacy UAL treated their military members one way, under the supervision of the UAL MEC and the legacy CAL management treated their military members another way under the supervision of the CAL MEC? Why two separate trains of thought? why the two separate methodologies? I tip my cap to the legacy UAL MEC they did things right, and it shows.... No court cases on military issues filed under their watch as far as I can tell. Their members got paid correctly.

We've seen the same thing on the CAL side with payrole. No one understands how they were paid. Ultimately grievances filed, and remedy payments issued, etc. If CAL payrole, or benefits was involved they were either doing it wrong on purpose, or playing fast and loose and saying "catch me if you can." As a former CAL pilot, I know payrole was cheating me, I just could never figure out how, and by how much.

 

Now, as time has passed, I would have to agree with you. At the time, I didn't see it for what it was. Now, as time has a tendency to both heal all wounds, and provide a maturity or perspective on the issue, I would agree with you 100 percent. The company was glad to let him work without a medical, likely used that as leverage to manipulate the relationship.

Interesting read:

http://repository.jmls.edu/cgi/viewc...text=courtdocs


Some of these comments are doozies.....

" “If you guys take more than three or four days a month in military leave, you’re just taking advantage of the system.”;
“I used to be a guard guy, so I know the scams you guys are running.”;
“Your commander can wait. You work full time for me. Part-time for him. I need to speak with you, in person, to discuss your responsibilities here at Continental Airlines.”;
“Continental is your big boss, the Guard is your little boss.”;
“It’s getting really difficult to hire you military guys because you’re taking so much military leave.”;
“You need to choose between CAL and the Navy.”

Original filing: https://cases.justia.com/federal/dis...?ts=1411574760

 

When I was a U-Hire in 2013, I noticed quickly the difference between CAL and UAL when dealing with military duty.

I would place military duty on my days off. Once it was inputted into my schedule, I noticed right away my MPG decreased despite being available for a full month (still had 18 days of reserve on my schedule). I went to my Legacy CAL buds in the squadron and called foul. Their response was that was how they always did it because you weren’t available for the entire month because they wouldn’t be able to roll into your days off if used for a trip (global fleet).

Of course this was a foul. Calls to ALPA reps were made and my MPG was corrected. I don’t know how long this had been going on, but I could have been significant in pay differential for some.


On a side note, I did see that they changed CCS to say MIl Leave “Request” to Mil Leave “notification.”

 

So of course it was a foul. Do you think you were the first person to have this ever occur? NO! This happens all the time, and the only way it is corrected is if you call and complain about it. It would typically take 3 phone calls and 2 emails and then a complaint to ALPA.

You would think that after the first time the company made an "honest mistake" they would come up with a way to fix it for the military member. Nope again. They rely on you to lose money and therefore provide a labor cost advantage to the company. The managers then take a bonus on the labor cost savings.

You think I am making this up?? Each department given a labor budget or man hours. You come in under the budget and you the manager and your sub-managers get a performance bonus.

Abbot found a way to run a slave shop and so did Debbie McCoy before him. Same goes for your pay. You think it was an accident that they intentionally ran a David Copperfield smoke and mirrors show on your pay?? It's bad enough for the non-military guys, because those pay discrepancies are easier to sort out. But, for anyone with any sort of leave (military or otherwise) you can expect a screw job.

 

Dude, are you off your meds?

Just get back to work and fill out those cards. And while you're at it, keep that APU off until just before brake release. Just carry the trash downline and move along. There is nothing to see here. Besides, this is probably ALPA's fault anyway.

You know, my neighbor would gladly do your job for free.

 

Thread drift. Just show me the money.

 

you bet....after the lawsuits