I just got a "chubby" seeing DFW + IDF voting the loser's, in EVERY catagory, while JFK/LGA voted the Winner's in EVERY catagory(as some other bases did as well)
That SPEAKS volumes to me !!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe I'm wrong, but this Glading chic, being based in NY must have something "on the ball", I mean "BS ing" a base like that, I'd Imagine would be hazrdous to your "health" ??
I'm just a ol' retiree bag smasher, AA flight Attendants,.....but you know what,....we as a country are VERY soon going to TAKE BACK this country from that ABYSMAL(Texas) RECTUM HOLE,.......So WHY NOT take your UNION BACK, from those Bastards in HDQ(and their sympathizers)
Maybe I'm "in the dark" with this observation, but the analysis of the voting pattern shows that with the right LEADER, there IS Strength just below the surface .
I'm a real no BS new yorker from birth. I voted for Ward. Taking our union back doesn't involve giving it to Glading a career APFA, trip removed, lifer.
You want to see a union at work? Have you read Lloyd Hill's speech to the APA board? Now THAT'S a leader. VERY impressive. I'm jealous. I'm ready to pencil his name in for President of the U.S..
Lloyd Hill, president of the Allied Pilots Association, spoke to the union's board of directors Monday as the board kicked off its winter meeting. An APA representative kindly forwarded his speech, and we're printing it below.
A lot of it will require some industry understanding for such terms as cabotage and MEL items, etc.
But he also discusses some comments made last week by American Airlines chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey.
Mr. Hill's speech:
Good morning and welcome to APA's Winter 2008 Board of Directors meeting.
While a quick and successful conclusion to our Section Six bargaining is first and foremost on most pilots' minds, there are many unique challenges, and even perils, that lay directly in our path. Industry consolidation; US-EU open skies; ICAO alignment issues; cabotage; foreign ownership and foreign control, to name just a few.
With respect to our more conventional challenges, on the safety front our recent dealings have been excessive carrying of MEL items; poor stocking of spare parts; inferior parts; repetitive failures of the same parts; landing gear that won't extend; landing gear that won't retract; smoke in the cabin; smoke in the cockpit; in flight fires; hydraulic failures; electrical failures; inferior management functional flight check procedures or no functional flight check tests at all; aircraft immediately out of Tulsa ferried into position but found not ready for revenue service on first scheduled duty, resulting in unnecessary cancellations; aircraft leaving Tulsa being ferried into service that have to RTB for maintenance issues, sometimes via emergency; inferior composite testing policies and procedures; management's questionable handling of composite structure failures; management failure to comply with maintenance directives; and even management cover ups.
In their infinite zeal to cut costs, management has created an aircraft maintenance program dependent on duct tape, deferral placards and hope. And not to only to the next destination, but sometimes for multiple legs or until there is mechanical failure, sometimes catastrophic. Those of us who deal intimately with these problems everyday wonder what it's going to take for management to alter their approach to safety.
We're also dealing with pattern sick and sick frequency (although management has refused to define what either is); zero tolerance management rules of conduct that aren't zero tolerance at all when a manager's conduct is called into question, giving credence that these rules exist solely for employee intimidation purposes; management's reprehensible medical disability policies and punishment; management's creative contractual interpretations and unilateral implementation; management's often times unwillingness to explain how they arrived at their creative interpretations or what they mean; management's desire to have us cost share for a third party neutral in order to hear the basis for their creative interpretations; and management letters and actions that challenge if not flagrantly defy clearly stated contractual language, and particularly frustrating, language that has already been decided at arbitration.
We're still reeling on the training front from the merging of divisions and associated qualifications; reduction and even abolishment of training at Special Qualification airports; video replacement of quality schoolhouse training; distance learning; pink page changes, sometimes significant, that management implements without any associated training; significant reduction of our Check Airman corps; management reluctance and even unwillingness to provide a check airman when necessary or requested; and the ongoing ASAP saga, which after looking at management's dismal safety record, is something they should want a whole lot more than what they are feigning otherwise.
We are also dealing with several aspects of management's new toy - the electronic Docking Guidance System or DGS; along with insufficient and poorly adhered to ground equipment and jetbridge clearance procedures that have resulted in numerous unwanted aircraft "contact" events.
On the Governmental Affairs, Security, FAA, and NTSB front, we continue to challenge the recently introduced Allegheny-Mohawk provisions imposed onto APA; the adverse impact of several Age 65 ramifications; Long Haul and Ultra Long Haul, crew pairing, and management's repeated overrun on understated schedules that avoid prudent and safe cockpit manning; a litany of Flight Time Duty Time issues including the 8-hour max flying rule, Rest, Reserve Rest, Fatigue and ensuring the rightful consideration of well documented Time Since Awake studies; secondary cockpit barriers; operating rules for foreign carriers that operate in US airspace or at US airports; and several potentially adverse aspects of ICAO standardization. We are also still at work on crewmember screening issues; FFDO enhancements; and other security topics more suitable for private discussion. We are working with other unions - on this property and elsewhere, CAPA, industry analysts, Wall Street analysts, subject matter experts, legislators, and in general with whomever we believe can make a difference.
And then there's our number one priority - an industry leading contract. Considering all of the above is nothing more than a Cliff Notes layout of what your union deals with practically daily in addition to representing your career interests at the bargaining table, it's not terribly difficult to see that we are working harder than ever on multiple fronts to protect any and all of your career interests, wherever they may be.
At the bargaining table we are dealing with an unwilling and intransigent management team. And while we graciously welcome the involvement of this National Mediation Board, we cannot deny their history of anything but facilitating a timely negotiating process. We are nonetheless bound to engage in this process with an open mind, a willingness to listen and guarded optimism. And so we will.
As I close these Presidential comments, I would like to share an interesting but not unexpected recent development. During a meeting last week, Gerard Arpey made a plea for a better relationship, something he purportedly desires. When reminded about relationship problems caused by the constant onslaught of management discipline, punishment and even terminations, often times for miniscule reasons, not to mention the enormously divergent management/employee participation in our company's success, Mr. Arpey commented simply that the employees should just put all of that aside so labor and management could discuss other things. That was the extent of Mr. Arpey's epiphany. Labor just needs to set aside management's relentless persecution so management can discuss their other needs.
This maligned vision of how we get to a healthy relationship continues to weigh heavily on me, if not elude me entirely.
Mr. Arpey was reminded that if he truly wanted a better relationship, that earnest negotiations needed to commence post haste and the ridiculous employee floggings needed to cease immediately. Not unexpectedly, Mr. Arpey had no response.
Our challenges may be many and diverse, but we are up to the task.
Remember that your union is you, the membership. The leadership can lead, but the membership must be involved.
Thank you.
