acl65pilot

Not going to argue with you on that one T, but how do you propose fixing it from within?

BlaineFaban

I'll offer some input to the plus side of DPA. Right now, Delta pilots receive about 30% of their dues in order to do business. That equates to $XX, XXX, XXX dollars per year in order to do their business. So take $XX,XXX,XXX divided by .3, and you get about 3 times the dollars working directly for the Delta pilots.

So the question begs, where does 66% of our dues dollars go now? Bloated infrastructure, overpaid office staff, and most importantly to councils containing the likes of JoeMerchant whos dues cannot support their infrastructure on their own. I personally don't need to be paying for the CMR MEC to be on FPL, or the ASA C/A to drop trips in order to go fight battles for ASA senior captains who want more and more flying in larger jets.

Fix the dues structure, and that will solve some of my angst with ALPA. Probably isn't going to happen. Then there is the issue of representation. Not just from a union standpoint, but also from legal, aeromedical. It would be a blow to lose these ALPA services, no doubt. With almost triple the dues income, however, I think that we could surmount that obstacle with plenty to spare.

Then there is the conflict of interest within ALPA. Gone, kaput, vanished- instantaneously. ACL makes a valid point that this raises unexpected consequences. For sure it does, and perhaps this is the kick in the rear that Delta pilots need to close all loopholes in scope--as well as paving the path to do it legally via no "fair representation" to our regionals. Lawsuits trying to circumvent our CBA, gone.

Of course, it isn't this simple. I am not sold on the idea of an independent union either--especially these guys. Nothing wrong with opening our ears either. We could just maybe light a fire under some apathetic pilots, solve representation issues, use Delta money for Delta issues, <gasp>legally take back some scope, and maybe even <gasp again> effect a dues reduction.

Then you have to look at what happens in a Delta"less" ALPA. Hold on for that one, as 30,000,000 disappears from the annual coffers. Ouch.

NERD

NewKnow has more then a pair. Probably 2-3 pair, should see him in his gold thong on the Minot layovers strutting around the indoor pool Back to the subject at hand. I agree that Alpa national has a huge conflict of interest but we should not be the ones leaving. My list to change Alpa would be something like this:

1. Find a way to remove any pilot group that takes more dues to operate than they contribute. Your group does not cover their costs their dues go up or they are out. Remember that WE ARE ALPA, our airlines started ALPA and we have the power and right to change it. Including every Tom, Dick and Harry was a big mistake. Rectify that.

2. Because of #1 above we would probably lose many of the smaller/lower paid members. So be it. A major push for AA, B6, UPS, Luv. Prove to them that we have more to offer them than being independent.

3. Membership stop voting in crappy contracts which give away flying to the regionals. To my knowledge every give back by both Alpa mainlines and AA were given back by the membership.

to be continued: Diaper to change

Superdad

How about changing the structure to do what I previously suggested? Why can't the average line pilot have more of a say on more issues. We don't need a pure representative democracy anymore. Lets face it, almost every line pilot has a smart phone and can receive information instantly. Said pilot can also respond instantly with an opinion or idea. As pilots, we have plenty of time on our hands to provide our input on a daily basis, if only we were given the chance. As it stands now, few pilots vote in officer elections, the reason is that they are disillusioned with the current system. I think if you provided the pilots with the ability to vote on the actual issues, then over time more and more would participate.

Maddog Waddle

Wow!! Somebody has actually decided to move forward and bring an in house union??? This may be answered inside of the previous 35 pages, but the question I have is this: Who is pulling the strings behind DPA? That is the only answer I need. Thanks

1234

I am guessing that the amount of money we spend on smaller airlines that can't cover their fair share is minimal compared to the over inflated salaries at National and our executive staff members.

I would love to conduct a process improvement analysis for the entire National office group. Maybe we could get Mr. Steanland to conduct some cost cutting measures over there.

TheManager

ACL, I 'd really like to get a hand on some of these that you are concerned about. Come on, throw them out there for us to consider and examine.

Carl Spackler

Exactly!





Carl

1234

T

I agree but if we are just going to hear more empty promises or promises that are not possible, I would prefer to keep the status quo.

DAL 88 Driver

Okay, I admit that I've had to skim a little reading through this thread... especially the really long posts. I'm trying to keep up, but it's tough! So, I apologize if this has already been posted and I missed it... but exactly what "unintended consequences" are you talking about? Can you provide a list of at least some of these? Since you keep mentioning this over and over, I'd really like for you to clear it up. Otherwise, it comes across potentially as fear mongering. Again, my apologies if you have already covered this and I just missed it.