In my experience speaking with union reps, most of the time they cite what a nonstop job it is, and how flying ends up being easier after filling a rep position.
I buy that. I have no doubt that the job is a big PIA, so I usually don't carp when they get a few perks. I don't want the job, so there have to be some upsides to doing it.
Having said that, it cannot be the haven of people who just don't want to FLY anymore. They represent FLYING f/as. It is incompatible to not want to do the job that you represent.
I also know, and everyone else who flys knows, that we work with a minority of train wrecks and THEY are who union reps talk to and interact with the most, because they're the ones who need representation. Some of them are idiots, some have just gotten in over their heads, some got sick and never got their life back together, some. . . You get the picture. We have reps that painstakingly and compassionately help these people, and we should value them.
What is highly offensive is when a f/a with a stellar work record approaches the union about being jerked around and is greeted with the cynicism and put upon attitude that can be acquired by union reps. If that's where you are, GET THE HELL OUT OF THE OFFICE.
But what is also offensive is intellectual laziness. After the bankruptcy contract was implemented, f/as woke up to what they really agreed to, and of course, it wasn't pretty. Holding local union offices responsible for LTO is not realistic or acceptable. Nor is the fact that you have 20 yrs and are still on reserve. All the union can do is fight specfic violations of an abysmal contract. There are no solutions within that agreement.
Where this union took a left turn is that their cynicism took over. They began submitting to a certain outlook and refused to consider other views, worse still, they allowed one viewpoint to prevail as they negotiated. The worst sin they committed however (IMHO) is that they refused to listen to their membership, and worse, they abandoned key parts of our agreement without having the authority to do so! Who said we wanted PBS? Where's the survey? Who said we wanted a CSD program? Where's the return concession on the company's part for that? Who said to come down to below industry standard pay rate?
So, in the final analysis, we want them out not because they aren't intelligent, dedicated or decent human beings, but because they have FAILED. The documentation is there. That tentative is a FAILURE. They can give every reason in the book as to why. It doesn't matter. It's over, they had five years. We don't h. ave to accept their failure just because that was the best they could do.
Now, if anyone knows the nuts and bolts of what we can do to undo their mess, I would love to hear it.
