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On the May 17th, 1985 United Strike Anniversary, a letter brought from one of the other forums written by United Captain David Smith.

The similarities, especially Kirby/Tumi TA, are thought provoking.



"The United Airlines Pilots Strike of 1985 may seem like ancient labor history to many. It is a vivid memory for some who still work here. There will be a total loss of this institutional memory once the last pilot hired during that time retires within the next five or so years. It would be very unfortunate for this pilot group to lose the lesson that we personally experienced so many years ago.

Many articles and a few books have been written about the United Pilots Strike that began on May 17, 1985. For example, Flying the Line covers this history, albeit in a somewhat abbreviated format for those of us that lived it. The overlying theme of this strike was this: Dick Ferris was going to replace as many United pilots as he could if they would not agree to an onerous B-scale pay system. Dick Ferris was the CEO of United Airlines at the time, and the B-scale was a two-tier wage scale that paid new hires half of incumbent pilot rates. The vision was to make this model the template for pilot pay in the industry.

Just writing it down on paper makes me cringe. As I go back, I completely understand why the United pilots of that day wanted no part of paying crewmembers in their cockpit half of the going rate. It would be a disaster to pay pilots that shared the same cockpit such disparate rates. The United Pilots knew this and decided the B-scale was a hill to die upon.

The history of how United Pilots got to this point is very important. You see, the UAL-MEC had gotten a little too cozy with their CEO, Dick Ferris. After the deregulation of the airline industry in 1978, Mr. Ferris had a vision that United wished to expand greatly to compete with lower cost carriers except for one thing. He needed a cost competitive collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Is any of this beginning to sound familiar? Well, continue to follow along as we get deeper into the story. Dick, as many United pilots called him, was a “buddy” to them and a really great guy. He promised immense growth and many new airplanes if the pilots would just understand they needed to have a “competitive” CBA. As a matter of fact, the United pilots loved him so much they gave him an honorary number on our seniority list, as Mr. Ferris indeed had some pilot certificates. That number was 6,000 as that was the number of pilots the airline was growing through.

This friendly atmosphere with Dick even infiltrated the union representational structure. So much so that the UAL-MEC Chair began to “sell” Dick’s reduced cost CBA desires to the pilot group. Heck – these union and company “leaders” even played golf together. That UAL-MEC Chair traitor was John Ferg. He later scabbed in the very strike he helped create.

There was much damage done by this relationship between the Union and the Company. However, just as in The Scorpion and the Frog story, the Company desired more and more to “break the backs” of the pilot group through unreasonable negotiations. At a most astonishing moment, the United pilot group woke up and began to realize the error of their ways. MEC Recalls, great turbulence and disunity resulted.

Again, do I have your complete attention? As we go on with this story, you may realize that history indeed repeats itself. I’ll admit many, many details are being left out of this history lesson that would paint an even more disturbing picture. I just do not have the time to publish a book on this May 17 anniversary – but it would be a great project before the history is completely lost.

Anyway, Mr. Ferris was bound and determined to negotiate a CBA in bad faith and stand on the B-scale issue amongst many others. He said he had a billion dollars (a lot of money in 1985) and would fight the pilots until they relented on the B-scale issue. In the meanwhile, the pilot group began to increasingly realize that the B-scale issue would destroy the profession. The pilots began to push back and push back hard.

The union structure and strategic plan for strikes had been dismantled under many previous administrations until a man named Roger Hall was elected as MEC Chair to replace Ferg. United Pilots witnessed their brothers and sisters at Continental Airlines go on strike in 1983 and become massively replaced by scabs. The Continental Airlines CEO was Frank Lorenzo. Dick Ferris wanted to compete with him to put labor in their place. It actually was kind of a sick obsession of Ferris’s to beat Lorenzo at his own game.

As the days of direct negotiations and then mediation dragged on, no agreement was in sight. The Company wanted the B-scale at all costs, and United Pilots did not want that cancer introduced into the cockpit. Sure enough, as we have all learned, the Section 6 process of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) ran its course, and the National Mediation Board authorized Self-Help at 12:01 am on May 17, 1985.

For the many that interviewed during that time leading up to the strike, including myself, it was obvious that United wanted to “stockpile” second officers (the group later known as the 570) so that they could operate the airline when a work stoppage occurred. What the Company did not expect or plan for was the overwhelming unity that was created by our entire pilot group. It began with the rudimentary structure of Family Awareness that sought to ensure all United pilot’s families were involved. The Strike Committee, predecessor to today’s Strategic Planning and Stike Committee (SPSC), was a well-oiled machine run by a pilot named Rick Dubinsky.

Boy does the name Dubinsky bring up strong emotions, even today, by many pilots who know little about the man. Strong leaders will do that – and Captain Dubinsky was a well-studied, smart, and forceful trade union leader. He did not suffer fools.

Many pilot teleconferences took place as the clock counted down to May 17 including on the evening of May 16 leading up to the midnight “release from mediation” and ability to conduct Self-Help. As the time counted down to midnight, the audience at the ORD teleconference cried, “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0!” The astonishing thing about the completion of that countdown was a very short round of cheers – and then the deep realization that the pilots of United were withholding their services. It was a striking moment (no pun intended). It placed a huge pit in each and every pilot’s stomach.

The Company had every intention of conducting business and replacing all the pilots who did not show up to work. The Company badly misjudged us. The strike occurred and pilots responded with strong solidarity. By the end of the strike (29 days later) only 4% of the pilots had crossed the picket line. An amazing display of solidarity for sure.

One of the most astonishing things I have seen in my life is a 59-year-old, Boeing 747 Captain get off his jet on the night of May 16, 1985 and grab a picket sign. Many United Pilots like this were potentially giving up a career for me! This Captain had nothing to prove and nothing to gain. The B-Scale would not affect him. Except that this was the legacy that he and others like him chose to leave behind.

Yet another eye watering event took place. Many striking Continental pilots from 1983 who were hired at United as one of the 570s placed their careers on the line for a second time. They joined in unanimous solidarity with the United pilots on their second picket line. Can you imagine walking away from two major airlines to make a statement? These fine pilots were truly my mentors and taught me the most about trade unionism.

Many of these striking Continental pilots have Flown West. These incredible individuals were willing to risk it all, yet again, to leave their legacy on this profession. This should never be forgotten.

As in any battle there are losses and fights that remain. Such was the outcome of the strike of 1985. In the end there were “hostages” such as “the 570” pilots trained prior to the strike, and even new hire flight attendants as well. All eventually regained employment, but not without a cost.

All economic issues from the strike of 1985 were solved in the early days of the 29-day strike. The sticking point became the “back to work” agreement. Ferris insisted on punitive actions against the 570 who had honored the picket line, as well as actions against the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA). As the days drug on, it became apparent that the company was willing to fight ALPA at all costs. The Company was willing to do permanent damage to our airline.

In the end, ALPA was forced to agree to an onerous “back to work” agreement and end the strike to save our airline. The Company even “rebid” the entire airline during the strike which allowed the scabs to hold seats and positions way out of seniority. This particularly harmful action of the Company was overturned in the U.S. court system who agreed this violated the law. To say the Company was acting as an adversary to its employees was a vast understatement.

The aftermath of the strike was many, many years of, at best, a dysfunctional relationship between labor and management that harmed our airline. The Company rewarded the scabs with management jobs and special “favors” while showing complete disrespect for the employees that had honored the legal picket line. Cases of employee discipline and terminations skyrocketed. The Company protected their “loyal” workers at all costs.

The best thing about the turbulent aftermath of the strike was the comradery and unity it created amongst those that were in the vast majority. It was actually fun coming to work to be with those that had put their United careers on the line for me. The unbelievable behavior of the Company simply pushed us all together even more. The relationship between the AFA and ALPA reached a high point; we all worked together and supported each other.

Those that chose to scab the airline were treated as you would expect. It is very difficult to forgive and forget someone who wished to destroy you and your family’s livelihood. While safety was always paramount, the scabs were shunned and not viewed as social equals. Such is what happens during a strike.

This history must be remembered! At the very least on May 17 each year, we should stop and consider that what happened then is still relevant today. Management’s play book versus labor is actually a well thought out, incredibly well funded, and laser focused assault on your lifestyle as well as your family’s. All airline management teams have a play book – even the one’s we “like.”

Buying shiny new jets, promises of expansion, short term upgrades, and incredible career progression plays well into their plan. It places us in a mode of not remembering about history or perhaps thinking it doesn’t apply, not realizing we remain labor and have blue collars. Most importantly, it may cause some to somehow think our good fortune is only the result of a benevolent management team.

This is where I usually start telling co-pilots and others about our profession and our trade. I’ll save you time and not do that. The reality is that we, collectively, have made this industry what it is. Schedule with Safety
is our charter. Our fellow pilots who proceeded us delivered us this industry. How can we foolishly think that men like Lorenzo, Tilton, E.L. Cord, Wolf, Ferris, Nyrop and others created what we actually built? Don’t be fooled into believing that the likes of Crandall, Six, Paterson, Munoz and maybe even Kirby are airline builders. They are all cut from the exact same cloth.

The former pilots at United, Continental and other airlines, including my father, and some of your parents and grandparents built this airline industry into what it is today. And now we are continuing to build this industry. Sure – we had help from management teams that realized if we could all share in the triumph – the entity would be more successful. The reality is that we suffer the consequences of terrorist attacks, pandemics, economic disasters, accidents and gross mismanagement. Management stuffs its pockets and leaves.

In just 38 years here at United, I have seen how we do not learn the lessons so that history does not repeat itself. We are no different than the plumber, the electrician, the lawyer, and the doctor when it comes to a profession. I fully realize that we have a great occupation, however that honor was because of a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

We find ourselves in a time where history may repeat. Our management team has reminded us of lessons from the past. This creates awareness if we keep our eyes open and truly understand our chosen profession. We need not repeat history if we pay attention. As the saying goes, “Management is the best union organizer out there.” This is true and playing out right in front of our eyes at United today.

United Pilots are gaining a new level of solidarity and management is teaching a new generation of pilots about history. We are gaining more and more educated trade unionists every single day. Why do 3,000 pilots of all seniority levels come together for a day of picketing just five short days ago? We are all learning together, and some of us yet again.

The reality is that management fears our solidarity. The peculiar part of this solidarity is that management can use our unity for their benefit. If we have been hoodwinked, yet again, I will take responsibility. I moved away from ALPA participation and let the union atrophy. I did it with the knowledge that it was the wrong path to take. I did it with 38 years of experience. Shame on me.

Our pilot group knows that ALPA has many, many “warts.” ALPA has done many things wrong. The only problem is that ALPA is not some external entity that “does” anything to us. The stark reality is that ALPA is us! When we allow ALPA to do something wrong, we must take action. This occurred on our property in June 2022 when 94% of United Pilots voted NO and made a mid-course correction regarding the previous tentative agreement. It is an ugly affair to admit responsibility and take action. There is dramatic fallout. It is painful indeed.

Soon, the torch must be passed to a new generation of ALPA volunteers. There is so much work to be accomplished to ensure that this profession will deliver what you and your family deserve and have earned. It is so very easy to sit on the sidelines and let someone else carry that torch and then belly ache from the sidelines about “ALPA.” Get involved. There are so many volunteer jobs open in our union. Starting at the local level is the way into ALPA. Political aspirations will derail that service to your fellow pilots if you allow it. Do it for the right reasons – to help your fellow pilots.

The day will come when I will have to look back over my career and ask, “Did I leave the profession better than I found it?” That is what allows one to get up and look in the mirror and know the answer. I hope when you look back, you can answer that question clearly for the next generation of pilots.

David Smith
Proud ALPA volunteer"

Nucflash

Respectfully, there is no way a 570 should be writing a book about of the 85 strike as he appears to want to. There’s too great a propensity to engage in revisionist history. Having said that, he does admit here that he was specifically hired to scab the airline and he knew it full well.

JackReacher

So this guy is a “570”??? Anyone with any semblance of a clue should have known they were being hired to “scab”. 🤔🤔🤔

Spartacusbob

I wouldn’t have known. I’d just be happy to be there, open to learning and excited at the opportunity. If you are trying to discredit the value of his words by questioning his character, I think you do yourself a disfavor.

ClappedOut145

Quick question, how would one be regarded who has been contacted to enter training at Westjet when the strike takes place? If they complete training but don't cross the line, then are they a scab? Or are they considered a scab by virtue of being hired as a replacement worker?

Spartacusbob

This is easy I think. If they don’t participate in any revenue generation for the company they aren’t a scab. Being hired and going through training is a cost to the company, not revenue generation. So, not a scab. In fact, since they’d be on probation, younger and new, not inculcated into unionism, having the awareness to not cross that line and generate revenue would be a virtuous thing.

Vernon Demerest

Not so easy. Each MEC can define what “struck work” is. A good example would be the Continental strike of 1983. Anyone who was hired and showed up on property to attend Indoc was placed on the list. Any existing pilot who walked through the airport doors was placed on the list. In 1982 Braniff shut the doors and a lot of ALPA pilots there felt like ALPA didn’t do enough for them and crossed the Continental picket line in the Fall of 1983. This was demoralizing for those out on the picket line. The strike lasted almost 2 years and hundreds and hundreds of scabs flew for the airline with some still here. UAL learned from this demoralizing event and therefore to be placed on the list you had to “turn a wheel” which meant that the 570 who were in training were not put on the list like they would have at CAL two years earlier. This allowed the strike committee to talk to them and encourage them not to continue working when the strike was called. It worked.

togaflaps

They aren't a scab. We have pilots here right now who fall into that category that are not scabs. They are the 539. These pilots continued training at the direction of ALPA during the strike, but never turned a wheel. They are not classified as scabs.

Bahamasflyer

WHY on Gods Green Earth would anyone who finishes sim training but then doesn’t start IOE be even remotely considered a scab?

They should be given an ‘effing metal! I mean they got the absolute maximum squeeze out of the company without generating a single nickel of revenue.

Seriously…

ClappedOut145

What if you are hired specifically to replace pilots who went on strike but that strike is averted?