No, you are definitely catching my drift. Nicely done. Just add in some pieces about the TPA and you can come up with some interesting outcomes. That's all they are for now.

 

ALPA sucks. However, putting UPA in place would effectively be; Same Clowns, Different Circus.

Until we can get a union that has leadership that is interested in representing the pilot group, versus their own personal agendas we are doomed to mediocrity. Just take a look at the candidates running for current positions at the MEC and LEC levels. I wouldn't want to share a layover cocktail with them from past experience and darn sure don't want them running the union. But what are the options? The best and brightest don't want this job due to the soiled reputation ALL the MEC members seem to drag with them.

We have corruption at all levels of ALPA. Local and especially National. The salaries are absurd, the governing rules are archaic and the entire national union is driven by a desire to recruit more RJ companies to the party.

Gone are the days when I could read an article about the hard work ALPA has done to get a piece of important safety equipment installed on an airplane or where they have intervened to make an airport, arrival chart, departure procedure etc safer through sound reasoning and lobbying. Instead ALPA has sat on CREWPASS for 9 years, they have increased the retirement age but not the retirement benefits. The union no longer represents pilots, it is corporation that is dependent upon dues dollars to keep it running. It is sad to see what our union has become.

For the downfall of ALPA at UAL I lay it at the hands of guys like Glawe, Whiteford, Gallud, Barton, Swindels, Briggs, Benson and Wallach. These individuals put their interest and agendas before that of the pilot group as a whole. As a result they weakened the association and have given birth to the idea of kicking ALPA off the property. Had we had true leaders and forward thinkers running our union we would not be having this conversation right now. Instead these people have created a pilot group that doesn't trust ALPA. I would hope we could escape getting rid of ALPA and just return it to its former state of being a leader in safety and integrity. Currently it lacks both in vast quantities.

L

 

Lambourne, I've had a lot of anger toward both UALALPA and ALPA national. Your post does a great job of expressing exactly how I feel. I am realizing more and more that it is the f$king self-serving individuals that we've elected rather than the entire union.
I'd rather see an inhouse union but I don't want to see any of the clowns you mentioned in any union position. There are some good people in the union but there are a lot of manipulative self-serving aholes who don't care about the membership. It reminds me more of the corrupt old Hoffa Teamsters than a representative union.

 

I KNOW that! It still doesnt change the facts!! I personally have a problem with my union leader making 3 times what I do, and secretaries making a 757 Captain pay! I mean YGBSM here!!

How do you justify that??

J

 

When talking about self-serving, you have forgotten to include Paul Rice, an ALPA drop champion.

 

My apologies. I had forgotten about Rice. Yes, he is the poster child for ALPA overindulgence. Had a chat with him in ORD many years ago, he was on his way to some far flung 4 star hotel in Asia to "promote" ALPA. I am sure it was money well spent

L

 

Patiently waiting for you to elaborate further on your cryptic analogy of "JP vs. his Trojan Horse".

 

There are a lot of ALPA fundamentalists who will not tolerate any criticism.

 

Yes, see USAPA and THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES and explain how that relates to UniCAL's SLI?

Unless of course you are using their definition of "binding" already?

 

SoCalGuy,

Don't let the ALPAistas from UAL ruffle your feathers. They are definitely the fringe element these days. More and more pilots spend almost as much time bashing UA-ALPA as they do UA-MGMNT. In fact the line of distinction between the two is very faint when it comes to motives.

My pure and simple take on Jay Pierce is he is infinitely better able to lead the combined carrier than our short list of misfits waiting to step up to the plate.

In fact I would suggest a question for the pure ALPAites from UA would be to ask them their opinion of our MEC Vice Chairman Gary Kravit. The pure and simple fact that this piece of human excrement has floated to the top of the ALPA cesspool speaks volumes about how dysfunctional we are as a group.

We now have a public airing on the UA side of inside bickering and infighting at the MEC. What a disgrace this group has become.

On a brighter note. Had the chance to get together with some CO crews on layovers recently. Great group and really had some good laughs and look forward to sharing cockpits with you guys. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

L