ALPA/USAPA /West thread 4/6-4-12

[KTM300]

Hopefully he does pony up the dough so his voice is heard.

Though I have heard that many of the USAirways pilots based in PHX and LAS have said otherwise when USAPA is their CBA, I would hope they will follow your lead for the very same reason. You will have a voice with USAPA.

 

[prechilill]

I just got my ALPA magazine today. With 3 airlines going broke, over 600 former dues paying members on the street, who makes the cover? Why US Airways, of course! It's much more important that they don't lose 5500 dues paying members! Gotta keep that cash coming in so that they can support their $150K secretaries and $500K president!

With union support like this, hope our pilots never need that kind of assistance!

Thinking ALPA can predict the next airline to go broke is a stretch. Obviously you have departed the real world and try to link ALPA to anything and everything. Heck, let's blame Prater for Tibet!
Realty is oldtimer it takes a few months between the editing and publishing of a book or magazine like Airline Pilot, for example. Perhaps you should try turning over another rock, but if you think you are on to something Clouseau, go for it!

 

[SegmentKing]

I find it interesting that ALPA is shoving DATE OF HIRE seniority at Aloha now...

hum..... why does it seem that DOH is only pushed when its convenient?

 

[EastUS]

Thinking ALPA can predict the next airline to go broke is a stretch. Obviously you have departed the real world and try to link ALPA to anything and everything. Heck, let's blame Prater for Tibet!
Realty is oldtimer it takes a few months between the editing and publishing of a book or magazine like Airline Pilot, for example. Perhaps you should try turning over another rock, but if you think you are on to something Clouseau, go for it!

Tsk, Tsk Dear; No need to defend the fine Alpa magazine. Many have long deemed it the finest literary achievment known to mankind, sometimes even forsaking People magazine in favor of it. Why..even the very editor of it makes more than most of our line pilots, so it certainly should be. I've no notion that anyone much thinks that Alpa, despite it's vast cadre of "Advisors", can predict much of anything, so I'm certainly not disappointed by their latest edition on that basis. Besides..who could want more? There "we" are..."with our smilin' faces on the cover of the Rollin' Stone".

I additionally got a good chuckle from the cover print: "USAirways Pilots Decide"...A bit serious so far, but the hilarious bit was the punch line: "This union has, I believe, the experience and, more importantly, the motivation to SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, and given the chance, I believe that our union will." Ummm..refresh my memory here folks; Didn't "our union" actually CAUSE..."this problem"? Hasn't it had almost a year to fix "this problem"? And..btw; what exactly IS.."this problem"? They can NOT be implying that ANY imperfections exist within the "Merger Policy", nor anythng else of Alpo I'd think...so: where can there possibly exist any "problem"?....Surely; they can't be talking about the Nic monstrosity. They've already "Blessed" that fine piece of work. Perhaps they meant the wholesale lack of usefull actions for many years, inclusive of the pension giveaway-with-glee. Nope..that can't be it either as they've long since "Blessed" all of that as well, and had many years to address any "problems". Alpoids are always good for some great laughs 😉

 

[EastUS]

I find it interesting that ALPA is shoving DATE OF HIRE seniority at Aloha now...

hum..... why does it seem that DOH is only pushed when its convenient?

I didn't know that they were doing that, but: We see again the interesting little differences between political convenience versus actual principles in action...nothing new there for those guys.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

Thinking ALPA can predict the next airline to go broke is a stretch. Obviously you have departed the real world and try to link ALPA to anything and everything. Heck, let's blame Prater for Tibet!
Realty is oldtimer it takes a few months between the editing and publishing of a book or magazine like Airline Pilot, for example. Perhaps you should try turning over another rock, but if you think you are on to something Clouseau, go for it!

You mean that paying all those "industry experts" at ALPA doesn't give them the benefit of clairvoyance? I would swear it did based on all of the email and snail mail propaganda I've received over the last 2 weeks.

I would have pulled tha magazine IMMEDIATELY and had it address the MAJOR issue in the airline industry. But, then again, that won't keep the money rolling in now, will it?

 

[EastUS]

You mean that paying all those "industry experts" at ALPA doesn't give them the benefit of clairvoyance? I would swear it did based on all of the email and snail mail propaganda I've received over the last 2 weeks.

Hey! That's not fair! They didn't have time for Aloha, and anyway: The last issue was needed to reiinforce a major "Truth" Look what it says right on the cover:"ALPA has an infrastructure set up and refined over 76 years to support every aspect of your professional life." If that's not enough for you, oh heretical one, it's followed up with a promise to "solve this problem". Harrumph Sir!..If Alpo says so..that's good enough for me. 😉 They've NEVER lied to me before... 🙄

 

[john john]

You mean the fact that ALPA ditched the scope provisions and allowed alter ego airlines (like, for instance, the "fee for departure" companies like Mesa, which owns "GO") thrive and prosper, all the while representing BOTH groups of pilots? These companies have wrecked the airline "experience", with late departures and arrivals and poor service for years. All the while ALPA has stood by and watched the deterioration of the pilot profession as it evolves into just another mass transportation system (how long ago was it that being a cab or bus driver was considered a good career?). Now, Mesa has caused the demise of Aloha, flooding the Hawaiiian market with crappy, low cost air service, just like here in the "lower 48".

It's too late for Aloha, I'm afraid. It's not too late to examine LCC's labor groups' association with unions like ALPA, that will represent anybody for a buck! Principles? What principles? As long as the money flows!

DAMN this post brings it home

 

[ableoneable]

April 3, 2008

Fellow US Airways Pilots,

I have decided to retire from US Airways after 20 years of service and will leave the airline industry. My much-delayed retirement will be effective April 12, 2008. Because I will also be leaving USAPA, the name assigned to the interim VP position must change.

Because we are not yet the bargaining agent, the VP replacement can not be directly elected by all of you. Accordingly, when USAPA convenes its first meeting of the Board of Pilot Representatives on April 11, 2008 the interim representatives will select my replacement.

Once the NMB election has passed and the dust has settled, periodic elections will occur until the interim officers and representatives have been replaced with pilots selected by all of you. By this time next year USAPA will be guided solely by base representatives you have elected officers elected directly by the pilot group as a whole.

The past several months have been a marathon sprint for the USAPA volunteers. For my small part in all of this it has been an honor to work with some very smart and hard-working people whose only goal has been to offer each of you a choice in representation. It has been a great pleasure to have met so many of you.

My departure is unrelated to our airline or the representational issues that face us. It was my desire to help us get into the NMB election and now that we are here, my work is finished.

I wish all of you the very best and trust that the intense focus a single-carrier bargaining agent offers will deliver the career every US Airways pilot deserves.

Sincerely,



Mark Thorpe
Interim Vice President - USAPA
CLT 757 F/O

 

[Bear96]

I just got my ALPA magazine today. With 3 airlines going broke, over 600 former dues paying members on the street, who makes the cover? Why US Airways, of course! It's much more important that they don't lose 5500 dues paying members! Gotta keep that cash coming in so that they can support their $150K secretaries and $500K president!

And if the magazine hadn't prominently featured the USAirways issue, no doubt you (or someone similar) would have posted how ALPA is trying to ignore the issue, is downplaying it, is sweeping it under the rug, is in denial, etc. . . . 🙄

 

[oldiebutgoody]

And if the magazine hadn't prominently featured the USAirways issue, no doubt you (or someone similar) would have posted how ALPA is trying to ignore the issue, is downplaying it, is sweeping it under the rug, is in denial, etc. . . . 🙄

Truthfully, it usually goes right into the trash. This time, however, the cover caught my eye. It made me look at it for a few seconds before throwing it out this time.

ALPA is a travesty. A VERY EXPENSIVE travesty!

 

[nostradamus]

If alpa is ever to survive, besides needing a new leader, it needs to take care of its pilots. When your airline company goes under, you show up with pilots, that never had an airline job before, as an equal although you have years of experience and paid dues.

If you are a gutless alpa concerned pilot you will be given a job with national. John Prater, leader of alpa, is a perfect example. He was flying around the Grand Canyon cleaning puke out of airplanes in the early eighties with Scenic Airlines. Then he worked with a bunch of scabs at Continental and brought them back to alpa. He was rewarded with many alpa flight paid loss jobs along the way.

alpa's number one problem, career seminars vs jobs.

Note in the link that free parking is provided, paid by alpa. Nice humane touch. If your dues are not paid up, you will not be welcome.

If you are a pilot for america west, your past dues are forgiven if you vote for alpa.

 

[FlyDCJets]

Um. Not really. The NMB called for the vote not ALPA. The NMB controls the ballots not ALPA. The "polls" have been open since March 20 and he waited until 10 days before they close to get a valid ballot. It is a "cheap" $18 dollars however to help decide the direction of this group. Hopefully he does pony up the dough so his voice is heard.

Out of frustration with the whole process, and having to pay $18, he is not voting.

 

[FlyDCJets]

He doesn't have to spend $18 to vote. In fact, it is free if he wants to get in his little car and drive on down to K street and pick up another ballot. Maybe you should get a few correct facts before posting next time??? What do you say partner?

I'm not your partner, only a messenger from a 20 year captain, who gave me the facts as he stated to me. He should not have to get into his car and drive around town to vote. Out of frustration he is not voting.

 

[nostradamus]

Kit Darby, is a alpa cheerleader, his business is set up to make you think if you go with him you will get a nod by alpa, he is a phoney.

Kit Darby, is given a contract by alpa to provide career assitance to alpa pilots that already had an aviation career. If you have a child who wants to get in the airline business ask american airline pilots and southwest pilots, they are not part of the alpa union.

Look at this banner posted above. It explains alpa. Would you like your child to spend years in the business and have his union only provide resume consultation after the fact? Kit Darby is an alpa shill.

Ask pilots that have worked for airlines that did not declare bankruptcy. All alpa carriers have. Ask American Airlines, Southwest and other non alpa carriers.