rjlavender

Dutch,

Thank you for the note and support. I actually posted my letter because of something you wrote in another thread about "moral authority." This board is like most; the flamers pretty much ruin it for everyone, and few good ideas get expressed. What we have here is the public "face" of unionism that has contributed to Labor's collapse; and, it is not pretty. Americans see the vile content that these obsessors put out, and decide that they want no part of it.

This is nothing new: We learned during the CAL experience that the biggest fist-wavers, chest-thumpers, and name-callers were the first pilots to cross the picket line. We can still name them, including the chairman of the Denver LEC. You find out who the true warriors are when the real pressure is on, not on a web board where almost no one signs their name. This is hardly a place to encounter manifest courage. By the way, this is what you get in places like Bulgaria where the void in ethical leadership goes on for years and the thugs are not reigned in. Such is the ALPA legacy.

Another contributor to the collapse of unionism is (drum roll): Agency Shop. So leery of union corruption and incompetence are Americans that they are reluctant to join a union organization from which they cannot withdraw. A 2004 Zogby poll showed that 73% of American think that people should be able to choose to join or not join a union, including 54% of union members! It is part of an overall trend that shows that while many Americans agree with the purpose of unions, they are not willing to join. To me, this is not the "customer's" fault. It is the fault of union leaders who have not made their product desirable. To the short-sighted, Agency Shop looks great. Over the long-term, it is a corrupting and weakening influence.

Here is an excerpt from one of my articles:

Agency Shop will be viewed as the closest thing to Marxism that we have in our society. Whereas, ALPA could [for instance] easily create a system that makes flying past age 60 "optional," such as at...Air Canada Jazz, it has chosen to impose a "single product, take it or leave it" attitude reminiscent of the market policies of the socialist Soviet Republic...in a nutshell, Agency Shop has allowed ALPA to get strategically lazy. In a single provider, single product environment, where customers have neither "choice" nor the ability to vote with their pocketbooks, there is no incentive for a vendor such as ALPA to improve its product. This is why the strategic ALPA of today looks and acts remarkably similar to the strategic ALPA of 28 years ago.

Entire article at: http://www.pilotunity.com/docs/Lavender_Rebuttal1.doc

ALPA's failure to adapt and remove obstacles to true unity is partly responsible for the fact that not one ALPA Legacy pilot group was able to pull off a strike or otherwise protect its pensions from corporate and judicial manipulation. Furthermore, it is the reason that FedEx management controlled the pacing and timing of the FedEx pilot negotiations, right down to the point that they were able to get the negotiating committee to close a deal just prior to announcing a 40% increase in corporate profits. Now, the pilots have no choice but to vote "Yes" on a TA that is markedly below its potential.

This board is so rich in raging obsessive behavior that I have actually gathered screen shots of the comments for use in a future article that should be some fun to write. A couple of them (including spelling) were amusing to me:

I you felt that stongly, you sould have stayed a F/O. Because, after all someone had to retire at 60 for you to moake the move to the left seat.

A few comments later came this:

Why don't you just upgrade already!

Maybe they can work on this a little more among themselves and decide what I really should do with myself.

As you have, undoubtedly, witnessed, virtually every single comment is a personal attack; there was not a single strategic idea expressed nor did anyone comment on the principles of the matter. They seemed more angry with a guy like former EAL striker, Bill Berman, who resigned on the 36th anniversary of his ALPA membership, than with the fact that unions have so utterly failed that they are nearly extinct. I trust that someone out there is reading this stuff and figuring out change is needed in our profession big time.

Bob

sandman2122

Waiting to see if you have any integrity and will return your signing "bonus".

pinseeker

Wrong again. I equated the principal of the matter to giving up your citizenship and not paying taxes because you disagree with one issue that either our Congress passes as law or our President issues as an Executive Order. You can't agree with everything they do or have done in the past, so answer the question, do you still pay taxes and are you still a U.S. citizen You seem to only have principles when it effects your wallet.

TonyC

I condensed the above post into its pertinent part.



If you recall, this is the same NON-MEMBER who wrote a lengthy article about the MEC's slogan, which he could not even properly quote.
(The slogan was "Two Years is Too Long")



I said it then, and I'll say it now: Too many words have been wasted commenting about a NON-MEMBER's rantings.



Oh, and another thing I'll repeat: We are strong, we are unified, and we are right. You're either with us, or you're against us.




Bob is obviously against us. As a NON-Member, he deserves no voice.





.

ClutchCargo

Well, the UAL strike of 1985 and the NWA strike of 1998 comes to mind. As for the pension deals, well given the current state of the control of Congress/the White House it's not surprising how things have gone. Just loook where the monies from the ATSB went. Not to any legacy carriers.

While our T/A may be less than could have possibly be gotten. There are a couple of factors that make it very difficult to see how any substantial gaines may have been extracted by prolonging the process. 1. The longer it takes to negotiate the harder it is to make up for all the lost time of b-fund, work rule enhancements, health care, etc. Retro Pay, signing bonuses just won't hack it. 2.) More importantly, guys like you who won't support the negotiating committee make it harder for them to have any real leverage at the table.

As for using aliases, back in 1995 I posted stuff on an aviation forum about our contract negotiations under my real name. Well, don't you know that a subsequent article in the Commercial appeal had my name in big, bold letters attached to my pro-union comments. My check ride with Sam Davis that day was a real joy, don't you know?

Why can't you get on board? By that I mean run for an ALPA elected position and try to effect change from within. Instead, you've been tilting at windmills for the 17 years that I've been here. Your positions are ridiculous and that is why you get nowhere, either inside or outside the union.

BTW- Thanks for trying to hold the line at CAL. But that battle was lost and it's time to move on. Much as Japan and Germany are now our allies, those who sought to undermine the profession must be brought into the fold.

Hey, who pays for those box stuffers any way? Fred's bag man?

Best Regards,
Clutch

CaptainMark

Since you are scared to upgrade can we change your name to Roberta or Bobbie????????? keep pouring coffee old man!

FXDX

Mr. Lavender: Just because you write and article with your OPINIONS doesn't make you the burning bush on airline unions and the industry.

Ever thought that maybe you were wrong? No, that couldn't possibly be.

Go stuff yourself, not my locker.

Booger

Bob,

I know you don't like an agency shop. I don't think anyone cares if you join the union, just pay your dues. I respect those that pay their money and decide against joining. They may have issues with the union, but pay their dues like the rest of us. Those that don't are freeloaders.

CargoBob

Bob, How long have you wanted the age 60 rule to be abolished?? Did it start just recently?

Tony, I'm surprised to find you on this side of the fence after your siding w/ AV84AA attacking military pilots serving their country...you have a big problem w/ reservists taking mil leave to fly combat in Iraq/Afghanistan and avoid 1st year pay. Wow, they make an extra $35,000 their first year but could sacrafice several hundred thousand dollars in their career. Go back and read AA's apology in the Majors forum...expecting your's any time!

MD11Fr8Dog

Bob, this is not a personal attack - I disagree!