I know, I know it's all ALPA's fault, But, let's look at some facts.
- USAPA has been sued in two different federal district courts by two different plaintiffs – the West pilots and now the company. Both plaintiffs sued to enjoin (stop) USAPA from consciously harming the respective interests of the plaintiffs. In both suits, the plaintiffs prevailed against USAPA.
- Recall that Lee Seham boasted early in our suit that “DFRs are notoriously difficult to win.” Judge Conrad writes, “[p]reliminary injunctions are an extraordinary remedy whose primary function is to protect the status quo and to prevent irreparable harm during the pendency of a lawsuit”.
- Twice now USAPA has lost on claims which should have been easy for a union to prevail on had they followed the law. It is astounding that a union could face two different claims and lose on both, all within three and a half years of its creation.
- In addition to losing a DFR and an injunction, in its short lifetime, USAPA has also sued its own members under a civil RICO theory, lost, appealed and lost again on the appeal. In addition, USAPA has allowed grievances to become backlogged to levels unheard of under ALPA; spent over three years in Section 6 negotiations with virtually no progress; virtually eliminated West representation on committees; burned through millions of dollars of pilots’ dues money in other frivolous investigations; and now faces the prospect of dozens of pilots being terminated as a result of USAPA’s illegal job action. USAPA rabidly uses its Section 29 powers against its membership, unlike anything seen before under East or West ALPA.
The common denominator in all of USAPA’s experiences since its inception is the habit of doing the wrong thing, even when the right thing to do is glaringly obvious. The mentality appears to be, “[w]e will get what we want, right or wrong, no matter what it takes!”
I particularly found yesterday's comment by the DCA Reps astounding. The DCA Reps said, "The questionable spin presented by the President, that people are attempting to “overthrow officers” and have “secret phone calls” with legal counsel, demonstrates a large part of the problem. Legal counsel represents USAPA, not the President. Because the President usually operates in a secret mode.”
I know describing a person's management style as the Führer is wrong, even though Dictionary.com describes this word as a "leader", but what word would you use to describe a union's president who BPR Reps said, "usually operates in a secret mode"?
What ever happened to the new and improved democratic and transparent union?"
Make no mistake about it USAPA's reckless actions have placed every pilot at risk.
There is the Preliminary Injunction, a USAPA Communications Committee individual told me the union has been told that the NMB has indicated it could park our new contract negotiations, BPR Reps indicate USAPA's president “usually operates in a secret mode," we have brand new attorneys about to present USAPA's defense in the DJ lawsuit, and the union cannot pay its bills because it's budget has about 18 percent or $1.8 billion deficit.
At least some east pilots believe at least we don't have the Nic with some of our pilots are counting the days until they get an attrition-based 35% pay increase while thousands of other US Airways pilots get zero and are placed at risk by their own union.
I know, I know...this is all ALPA's fault...
