80ktsClamp

I assume it has to do with frustrations with the malfunctions of NavTech access the last couple of days.

EdGrimley

A breath of fresh air or just more hot air? I do agree with most of what she writes and will be interested to hear more from her follow up letters. Having direct elections would definitely be a move in the right direction and long overdue. Anything is better than "SJP outsource Moak".

"Oberndorf for President 2014
Standing up for Labor!


Dear fellow ALPA members:

Throughout the past two decades, I have witnessed and studied the inability of our association to protect and enhance our careers. Certainly, you would think that our very livelihood and security would be the upmost concern of the world’s largest pilots union…RIGHT…? This is exactly why I have decided to run for ALPA National President this fall. In the very near future, I intend to take you on a journey by delivering a series of letters which will highlight the major reasons “why we are where we are,” and how we got there.

It is vitally important that we get ALPA back on track. Immediately, this means that our association must revert back to the Labor Union that it is supposed to be, and set aside the role of being merely an “advocate” for our careers. Furthermore, we need to take back our coveted Safety department from management politicians and restore it to the preeminence that former ALPA brethren worked tirelessly to maintain. The ability of ALPA Safety to be autonomous and neutral will enable the membership, the flying public, and all other stakeholders to feel confident about the product that we deliver.

In contrast to our current leadership, I intend to bring together all major pilot union organizations and legislative authorities to work for our collective benefit. This is exactly what should have been done decades ago. ALPA may not be the nation’s largest union, and we may not be the biggest legislative force in the United States, but by pulling together our strength, we will parlay our effort into tremendous success. We can solidify our goals, thus ensuring that ALPA more effectively represents you as a union, rather than consistently bending to the will of management’s Airlines For America (A4A) trade association.

You have heard the preaching about ALPA as a “bottom up organization” from “top down” leaders so many times; it’s as if the more they say it, the more you should believe it. Most of us agree that ALPA is anything but a “bottom up organization.” The lack of a true member-driven association creates apathy and a sense of helplessness. This has not served you well. When I’m elected this fall, your voice will be my top priority. Here is my promise to you: I will do everything in my power to change the ALPA Constitution & Bylaws to affect membership voting for your MEC Officers. YOU deserve to have the vote that decides so much of your fate in your chosen profession!

Enabling the membership to elect top leaders will create a system similar to our US government, with much necessary checks and balances. An executive branch voted in by the individual members will allow true leaders to emerge. These representatives will have to campaign for your vote, thus forcing candidates to address common sense agendas and publically present goals and platforms in order to gain your support. Much more importantly, this system establishes credibility and value in its members.

In most recent history (proportions remain the same), MEC Officers have been chosen in secret by 8 people from a 7,500 member airline, or by 22 in a 12,500 member airline…REALLY…? That is problematic at its core. I will work tirelessly to change this and bring about a more respectable, credible and transparent process to your representation.

The Board of Directors Meeting and National Officer Elections are in October. This will come about sooner than we might think. With your help, I will make a difference. Attached, you’ll find a resolution that proposes changing the ALPA Constitution and Bylaws. It will allow membership voting for MEC Officer positions. I encourage that WE get this submitted at each of ALPA’s local councils! This will not be easy, but with a little perseverance on your part, it is definitely achievable. Changing deeply rooted institutional protectionist policies takes commitment and tenacity.

When I launched an exploration for a campaign a few weeks ago, I asked you to email and/or call with your concerns and thoughts regarding the state of our union. I have received an overwhelming response from ALPA Pilots who are very supportive of getting ALPA back on track. I thank you for that. Please visit our website to see how you can help with our campaign. oberndorf

With your participation, we will make the changes necessary to defend and enhance our careers. This is our duty. We will forevermore protect the profession for those who follow.


Faithfully and Fraternally,

Heide Oberndorf
Candidate for ALPA President"

Sink r8

When's the last time you saw someone run for that position that didn't represent a group, or an agenda? We just don't know what she's trying to do... yet.

Alan Shore

I'm not sure what you're saying. Are you suggesting that giving up a pay cap is related to using PBS to bid for monthly schedules? SWA has no cap or PBS. I believe that a pilot group can have a cap, PBS, or both, or neither. They are two unrelated sets of work rules, each of which have value.

So you're thinking that there's an analysis somewhere in some deep dark vault in ALPA's Area 51 that our reps will not show us for fear of a revolt of some kind? Really?

Et tu, Brute?

I did not characterize it as minor in any way. Giving up what was reported to be 5% of our pilot staffing, particularly when we had pilots on the street, was in no way minor. Add to that the other reported 10%, and we had quite a give in our effort to "do it once and do it right."

I agree fully with the great leverage our reps got from the DEX experiment when it came time to negotiate our current PBS.

Gomerglideslope

I agree...I was very apprehensive when we agreed to it but from day 1 I have been a huge PBS fan; and wrt to help line wait times, I have called maybe 1/2 a dozen times and never waited more than a couple minutes.

gzsg

The fact that she bothered to send her letter to the line pilot scum says it all.

The other candidates running only sent their letter to the voting reps. ALPA is top down and this is a great example.

To bad she has no chance. Same stuff, different day.

tsquare

Nothing so nefarious as an area 51 kinda thing, but I think that the effect of PBS has been trivialized from the beginning. I cannot prove it, it is a gut feeling, but it seems very logical to me. Nd as I said, the percentages add up, and they are all linked. To say that PBS was a merely a 5% concession is disingenuous.

EdGrimley

Agreed. The typical political maneuvering and calling in favors from the usual suspects will likely cut any "we the people" candidates out.

80ktsClamp

My primary concern is whether or not she can grow a mustache.

Free Bird

I recall hearing that in 2007 we flew roughly the same block hours as we did in 2001. The big difference was that we were doing that flying with 7500 pilots instead of 10,000.

It would be interesting to see what each concession given in BK contributed to the reduction in pilots. I agree that PBS must of been responsible for a significant reduction in pilots required.