Dear Fellow Pilot:
Today I had the opportunity to attend the MEC meeting, which could have become a watershed event for ALPA and US Airways.
I have attended many MEC meetings and what occurred last night according to many eyewitness reports and what I witnessed today was astonishing. I saw the RC4 refuse to answer questions, walk away from pilots who wanted to express their thoughts, display general disrespect, and a total lack of decorum.
Two particular noteworthy discussions (of many that were heated) occurred between many line pilots and the Philadelphia Secretary/Treasurer, who was holding the proxy for the Captain Rep. When confronted with difficult questions, the Proxy Rep refused to answer questions and said he would only communicate via email. Then when the conversation became “heated†the Rep simply walked away ignoring constituent concerns.
What good is it being a Rep if you refuse to answer difficult questions or refuse to be held accountable by the membership?
Probably most telling was a confrontation between a group of about 7 or 8 pilots and the Pittsburgh Captain Rep in the hotel lobby. The line pilot’s were extremely vocal in their disappointment of the Pittsburgh Captain Rep after last night’s code-a-phone update and let him know it in no uncertain terms.
"This was not our finest hour (last night’s MEC meeting)," said Bill Pollock, chairman of the MEC, in a message to pilots. "Critical negotiating time will go by without the MEC directing further action of our negotiating committee ... the MEC recessed after being in session for less than six hours. You unequivocally deserve better. We are running out of time and wasting opportunities." In the rest of his message, Pollock went on to blast the negotiating committee, telling them to "cease with postponing and stalling tactics and address the work of our pilots" and encouraged the rank-and-file to attend meetings "to witness first hand what your MEC does, or ... may choose not to do."
During the exchange in the hallway between a group of pilot’s and the Pittsburgh Captain Rep near the hotel lobby, in front of the news media, the Rep refused to engage dialogue, he was very disrespectful, and said he would only talk to Pittsburgh pilots. When the Rep asked if a pilot was Pittsburgh based and the pilot said “Yesâ€, the Rep continued to walk away disrespectfully yelling down the hallway. In response some of the pilot’s called the Rep a coward because he ran to his room versus facing a hostile group of pilots who have seen their MEC hijacked by the RC4.
From the observer’s perch, we need leaders willing to make the tough decisions who possess courage and integrity versus one’s who I saw today elect to run and hide. These are just two stories, but I repeatedly witnessed this type of communication today by the RC4 or maybe now they would be better called the C4 (Cowardly 4).
Separately, the Negotiating Committee (NC) and the Company are currently meeting this evening (August 30) and it is anticipated by the MEC/NC that the parties will reach a TA probably late tonight. In response to these discussions, US Airways spokesman David Castelveter told the AP earlier today company negotiators would reconvene for a resumption of talks. "We expect to reconvene our meeting with them this evening. We're willing to work around the clock to reach an agreement," Castelveter said.
The MEC now expects to reconvene its special meeting tomorrow morning, which I believe will be a defining and watershed event for US Airways, thousands of pilots, and 28,000 employees. In his second August 30 code-a-phone message, ALPA Communications Committee Chairman Jack Stephen said, “Given the language (in the NC charging resolution) that states as any agreement deviating from our proposal of August 28 may fail at the MEC level, this next meeting could very well determine whether or not you get to vote on what the Negotiating Committee brings back to the MEC.â€
I strongly believe no truer words have been said and I strongly encourage every US Airways pilot to do whatever is necessary to attend the August 31 MEC meeting and tell the RC4/C4 exactly what you think. To attend the meeting, fly to DCA and then go to the Metro Station. Take the Blue Line north to the Rosslyn station and walk one block north to the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel. The meeting will be held in the basement immediately below the front desk in the Georgetown room. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
Respectfully,
USA320Pilot
Today I had the opportunity to attend the MEC meeting, which could have become a watershed event for ALPA and US Airways.
I have attended many MEC meetings and what occurred last night according to many eyewitness reports and what I witnessed today was astonishing. I saw the RC4 refuse to answer questions, walk away from pilots who wanted to express their thoughts, display general disrespect, and a total lack of decorum.
Two particular noteworthy discussions (of many that were heated) occurred between many line pilots and the Philadelphia Secretary/Treasurer, who was holding the proxy for the Captain Rep. When confronted with difficult questions, the Proxy Rep refused to answer questions and said he would only communicate via email. Then when the conversation became “heated†the Rep simply walked away ignoring constituent concerns.
What good is it being a Rep if you refuse to answer difficult questions or refuse to be held accountable by the membership?
Probably most telling was a confrontation between a group of about 7 or 8 pilots and the Pittsburgh Captain Rep in the hotel lobby. The line pilot’s were extremely vocal in their disappointment of the Pittsburgh Captain Rep after last night’s code-a-phone update and let him know it in no uncertain terms.
"This was not our finest hour (last night’s MEC meeting)," said Bill Pollock, chairman of the MEC, in a message to pilots. "Critical negotiating time will go by without the MEC directing further action of our negotiating committee ... the MEC recessed after being in session for less than six hours. You unequivocally deserve better. We are running out of time and wasting opportunities." In the rest of his message, Pollock went on to blast the negotiating committee, telling them to "cease with postponing and stalling tactics and address the work of our pilots" and encouraged the rank-and-file to attend meetings "to witness first hand what your MEC does, or ... may choose not to do."
During the exchange in the hallway between a group of pilot’s and the Pittsburgh Captain Rep near the hotel lobby, in front of the news media, the Rep refused to engage dialogue, he was very disrespectful, and said he would only talk to Pittsburgh pilots. When the Rep asked if a pilot was Pittsburgh based and the pilot said “Yesâ€, the Rep continued to walk away disrespectfully yelling down the hallway. In response some of the pilot’s called the Rep a coward because he ran to his room versus facing a hostile group of pilots who have seen their MEC hijacked by the RC4.
From the observer’s perch, we need leaders willing to make the tough decisions who possess courage and integrity versus one’s who I saw today elect to run and hide. These are just two stories, but I repeatedly witnessed this type of communication today by the RC4 or maybe now they would be better called the C4 (Cowardly 4).
Separately, the Negotiating Committee (NC) and the Company are currently meeting this evening (August 30) and it is anticipated by the MEC/NC that the parties will reach a TA probably late tonight. In response to these discussions, US Airways spokesman David Castelveter told the AP earlier today company negotiators would reconvene for a resumption of talks. "We expect to reconvene our meeting with them this evening. We're willing to work around the clock to reach an agreement," Castelveter said.
The MEC now expects to reconvene its special meeting tomorrow morning, which I believe will be a defining and watershed event for US Airways, thousands of pilots, and 28,000 employees. In his second August 30 code-a-phone message, ALPA Communications Committee Chairman Jack Stephen said, “Given the language (in the NC charging resolution) that states as any agreement deviating from our proposal of August 28 may fail at the MEC level, this next meeting could very well determine whether or not you get to vote on what the Negotiating Committee brings back to the MEC.â€
I strongly believe no truer words have been said and I strongly encourage every US Airways pilot to do whatever is necessary to attend the August 31 MEC meeting and tell the RC4/C4 exactly what you think. To attend the meeting, fly to DCA and then go to the Metro Station. Take the Blue Line north to the Rosslyn station and walk one block north to the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel. The meeting will be held in the basement immediately below the front desk in the Georgetown room. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
Respectfully,
USA320Pilot
Maybe I'll be re-encarnated as EyeInTheCorn.
