Call me lazy, but I don't feel like looking through 38 pages of posts to see if this was already mentioned,
But the argument of pro ALPA vs. Pro USAPA should come down to one important point. What union will best protect your interests in the very likely event of a future merger event.
And ALPA is no longer that union.
Being as if US Airways merges with another ALPA represented airline, then you have to follow the oh so flawed ALPA merger policy, but if ALPA is voted off the property, then you MUST MERGE at Date of Hire. It is now Federal Law (as of DEC07).
So vote to retain ALPA if you like the thought of falling further down the list, or vote in USAPA if you would prefer to merge with a Date of Hire instead.
Here's the Law that ALPA really does not want you to know about (to the point of censoring it off their own webboard).
Enjoy:
SEC. 117. LABOR INTEGRATION. (a) LABOR INTEGRATION. -With respect to any
covered transaction involving two or more covered air carriers that results
in the combination of crafts or classes that are subject to the Railway
Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.), sections 3 and 13 of the labor protective
provisions imposed by the Civil Aeronautics Board in the Allegheny-Mohawk
merger (as published at 59 C.A.B. 45) shall apply to the integration of
covered employees of the covered air carriers; except that- (1) if the same
collective bargaining agent represents the combining crafts or classes at
each of the covered air carriers, that collective bargaining agent's
internal policies regarding integration, if any, will not be affected by and
will supersede the requirements of this section; (i.e., if a pilot belongs
to ALPA merger policy will be one that disregards longevity entirely) and
(2) the requirements of any collective bargaining agreement that may be
applicable to the terms of integration involving covered employees of a
covered air carrier shall not be affected by the requirements of this
section as to the employees covered by that agreement, so long as those
provisions allow for the protections afforded by sections 3 and 13 of the
Allegheny- Mohawk provisions (i.e., "fair and equitable" language which
historically uses date of hire as a starting point.)
(B) DEFINITIONS. -In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) AIR CARRIER.-The term ''air carrier'' means an air carrier that holds a
certificate issued under chapter 411 of title 49, United States Code.
(2) COVERED AIR CARRIER.-The term ''covered air carrier'' means an air
carrier that is involved in a covered transaction.
(3) COVERED EMPLOYEE.-The term ''covered employee'' means an employee
who-(A) is not a temporary employee; and (B) is a member of a craft or class
that is subject to the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).
(4) COVERED TRANSACTION. -The term ''covered transaction' ' (A) a transaction
for the combination of multiple air carriers into a single air carrier; and
which means- (B) involves the transfer of ownership or control of- (i) 50
percent or more of the equity securities (as defined in section 101 of title
11, United States Code) of an air carrier; or (ii) 50 percent or more (by
value) of the assets of the air carrier.
H. R. 2764-540
© APPLICATION. -This section shall not apply to any covered transaction
involving a covered air carrier that took place before the date of enactment
of this Act.
(d) EFFECTIVENESS OF PROVISION.-This section shall become effective on the
date of enactment of this Act and shall continue in effect in fiscal years
after fiscal year 2008.
