Delta MEC Maneuvering, aka coup
11-05-2013, 09:36 AM
#21
veut gagner à la loterie
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Light Chop
Posts: 23,286
An interesting piece sent to council 108 CVG pilots from the former MEC chairman and friends. The same former chairman who was not reflected in the latest MEC election.
Friends,
As fellow Council 108 pilots, we’re writing to ask you to take action in our current Council 108 election due to the circumstances that took place last week when the MEC Chairman was recalled by the Delta MEC. This MEC remains split into two distinct groups.
The minority group, for some time now, has been pandering to the pilot group, advocating to “just say no,” claiming that the economic circumstance of individual pilots would greatly improve if we just took a hard line. It’s a popular argument to make, but every pilot group that pursues this strategy in recent memory has failed, and failed miserably. The actions of the pilots in this group speak much more to their desire to be in charge than their commitment to the betterment of Delta pilots’ lives.
The majority group, recognizing that bad things happen to pilots in this economy, has been working since bankruptcy to improve the circumstances of individual pilots at every opportunity, incrementally, as the economics of the Company and the industry improve, which makes this particular point in history a critical one for us to be unified. This strategy has been working for several years, but it’s not as sexy as torches and pitchforks. We’ve worked with these guys for a decade, and they have the right strategy. They have a lot of experience and can get things done.
Here’s a brief summary of the recall of the MEC Chairman, without recapping the political BS. The minority group put the MEC Chairman in office. The majority group tried to work with the new Chairman for 10 months. After numerous attempts to work constructively, they ultimately lost all respect and trust in his ability to lead or to get anything accomplished. This ultimately forced their hands in the decision to pursue his recall. The minority group then put the other three officers up for recall to obfuscate the problems with the Chairman.
After two days of discussion at the MEC meeting, it was clear to any rational LEC rep that, in the best interests of the pilot group, only the Chairman should be recalled, and he was. The MEC is split right down the middle. There are only 19 voting members that control the futures of 12,000 Delta pilots. A 10-9 majority shifts with one vote. Therefore, the two votes that Council 108 has are very important.
Our understanding is that Ryan, our CVG F/O rep voted both to retain the MEC Chairman and to recall one of the other MEC Officers. He was dead wrong. We believe the actions of the Chairman definitely warranted his recall, and that the other three officers are solid, hardworking volunteers whose recall attempts were wholly motivated by petty politics. CVG currently has a ballot open for the next three year term. We will be negotiating a contract beginning next year. Ryan is running again as F/O rep unopposed. We don’t think he should represent us for the next three years.
If you are equally concerned, this is what we suggest you do:
1. Make sure you vote. The turnout is usually only about 15-20% in an LEC election, it only takes two minutes, and this election is important.
2. For Capt. rep: Vote for Buzz Hazzard. He is very experienced, gets things done, and doesn’t play political games.
3. For F/O rep: WRITE-IN John Wolf (#0952341). He is a solid, practical guy who has participated in CVG LEC business for 20 years.
4. For Sec/Treas: Vote for John Wolf again. It’s OK if John wins both elections. There would be a subsequent election to fill whichever office remains unfilled.
5. Finally, you have to get your like-minded friends to do the same. Talk to them; share this email with them if you wish. As long term CVG residents, you know other responsible pilots in CVG you can contact and encourage.
This election is important, and it will affect your next contract. This will only take a little bit of your time. The ballot is open until November 10th. Click the link below and sign-in with your ALPA number and password.. If you have already voted, you can go back and change it.
Click here to cast your vote.
Tim O’Malley Jerry Timmerman
513 257-3022 859 466-4341
Rich Harwood
Don Wykoff
Friends,
As fellow Council 108 pilots, we’re writing to ask you to take action in our current Council 108 election due to the circumstances that took place last week when the MEC Chairman was recalled by the Delta MEC. This MEC remains split into two distinct groups.
The minority group, for some time now, has been pandering to the pilot group, advocating to “just say no,” claiming that the economic circumstance of individual pilots would greatly improve if we just took a hard line. It’s a popular argument to make, but every pilot group that pursues this strategy in recent memory has failed, and failed miserably. The actions of the pilots in this group speak much more to their desire to be in charge than their commitment to the betterment of Delta pilots’ lives.
The majority group, recognizing that bad things happen to pilots in this economy, has been working since bankruptcy to improve the circumstances of individual pilots at every opportunity, incrementally, as the economics of the Company and the industry improve, which makes this particular point in history a critical one for us to be unified. This strategy has been working for several years, but it’s not as sexy as torches and pitchforks. We’ve worked with these guys for a decade, and they have the right strategy. They have a lot of experience and can get things done.
Here’s a brief summary of the recall of the MEC Chairman, without recapping the political BS. The minority group put the MEC Chairman in office. The majority group tried to work with the new Chairman for 10 months. After numerous attempts to work constructively, they ultimately lost all respect and trust in his ability to lead or to get anything accomplished. This ultimately forced their hands in the decision to pursue his recall. The minority group then put the other three officers up for recall to obfuscate the problems with the Chairman.
After two days of discussion at the MEC meeting, it was clear to any rational LEC rep that, in the best interests of the pilot group, only the Chairman should be recalled, and he was. The MEC is split right down the middle. There are only 19 voting members that control the futures of 12,000 Delta pilots. A 10-9 majority shifts with one vote. Therefore, the two votes that Council 108 has are very important.
Our understanding is that Ryan, our CVG F/O rep voted both to retain the MEC Chairman and to recall one of the other MEC Officers. He was dead wrong. We believe the actions of the Chairman definitely warranted his recall, and that the other three officers are solid, hardworking volunteers whose recall attempts were wholly motivated by petty politics. CVG currently has a ballot open for the next three year term. We will be negotiating a contract beginning next year. Ryan is running again as F/O rep unopposed. We don’t think he should represent us for the next three years.
If you are equally concerned, this is what we suggest you do:
1. Make sure you vote. The turnout is usually only about 15-20% in an LEC election, it only takes two minutes, and this election is important.
2. For Capt. rep: Vote for Buzz Hazzard. He is very experienced, gets things done, and doesn’t play political games.
3. For F/O rep: WRITE-IN John Wolf (#0952341). He is a solid, practical guy who has participated in CVG LEC business for 20 years.
4. For Sec/Treas: Vote for John Wolf again. It’s OK if John wins both elections. There would be a subsequent election to fill whichever office remains unfilled.
5. Finally, you have to get your like-minded friends to do the same. Talk to them; share this email with them if you wish. As long term CVG residents, you know other responsible pilots in CVG you can contact and encourage.
This election is important, and it will affect your next contract. This will only take a little bit of your time. The ballot is open until November 10th. Click the link below and sign-in with your ALPA number and password.. If you have already voted, you can go back and change it.
Click here to cast your vote.
Tim O’Malley Jerry Timmerman
513 257-3022 859 466-4341
Rich Harwood
Don Wykoff
Was there a response from Ryan?
Was
11-05-2013, 09:40 AM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: DAL FO
Posts: 2,192
To me, what is important to consider is the concept of replacing a very much broken beyond repair ALPA with an independent pilot's union representing only Delta pilots. No guarantees, but I think that outcome has much greater potential to get this pilot group back on a track for restoration of this profession and our careers.
I predict that we will be back to the very same spot, with guys complaining about an "entrenched establishment" within a few years MINUS all the good stuff that ALPA does for us, as Bar alludes to.
88, how do you propose we avoid ending up in the same exact spot? What's to say that we don't end up with mostly the same faces running the show, albeit with less national/international influence and support?
As I hear you, you feel there are really 2 arguments that you're combining into one:
1. We don't need to waste our resources supporting, or be hindered (my take on how you feel about it) by a national organization that the DPA asserts is unnecessary
2. The individuals and/or the structure is corrupt and self-serving.
For #1 I disagree. I see ALPA national as an essential tool for defending/advancing our careers.
For #2 I think you're going to have the same complaints no matter who is running the show, or how it is structured. Pilots, in general want to complain, but rarely pick up the shovel. Those that do pick up the shovel are labelled "establishment" or "old guard." I don't see that changing if DPA were to somehow take over.
11-05-2013, 09:41 AM
#24
At home on the maddog!
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Position: ATL MD-88A
Posts: 2,874
11-05-2013, 09:44 AM
#25
veut gagner à la loterie
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Light Chop
Posts: 23,286
Again, you have to focus on individual actions. Not directing this at you, but let's say DPA gets voted in. Will guys magically start attending meetings? We can't outsource our opinion, then complain when things don't turn out to our liking.
I predict that we will be back to the very same spot, with guys complaining about an "entrenched establishment" within a few years MINUS all the good stuff that ALPA does for us, as Bar alludes to.
88, how do you propose we avoid ending up in the same exact spot? What's to say that we don't end up with mostly the same faces running the show, albeit with less national/international influence and support?
I predict that we will be back to the very same spot, with guys complaining about an "entrenched establishment" within a few years MINUS all the good stuff that ALPA does for us, as Bar alludes to.
88, how do you propose we avoid ending up in the same exact spot? What's to say that we don't end up with mostly the same faces running the show, albeit with less national/international influence and support?
11-05-2013, 09:46 AM
#26
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: DAL FO
Posts: 2,192
As CVG pilots, TO and JT are perfectly within their right to write such a letter. Any other CVG pilot is perfectly within their right to embrace/ignore those opinions as they see fit. This letter is just the opinion of a very few pilots - if the majority of voting CVG pilots disagree, then Ryan would carry the day.
I really could care less who CVG sends forward. It's up to them to decide.
11-05-2013, 09:46 AM
#27
veut gagner à la loterie
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Light Chop
Posts: 23,286
Again, you have to focus on individual actions. Not directing this at you, but let's say DPA gets voted in. Will guys magically start attending meetings? We can't outsource our opinion, then complain when things don't turn out to our liking.
I predict that we will be back to the very same spot, with guys complaining about an "entrenched establishment" within a few years MINUS all the good stuff that ALPA does for us, as Bar alludes to.
88, how do you propose we avoid ending up in the same exact spot? What's to say that we don't end up with mostly the same faces running the show, albeit with less national/international influence and support?
I predict that we will be back to the very same spot, with guys complaining about an "entrenched establishment" within a few years MINUS all the good stuff that ALPA does for us, as Bar alludes to.
88, how do you propose we avoid ending up in the same exact spot? What's to say that we don't end up with mostly the same faces running the show, albeit with less national/international influence and support?
11-05-2013, 09:48 AM
#29
Can't abide NAI
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
Posts: 12,049
IMHO the "old guard" is a real dichotomy. They are effective, the do good work and at the same time; they are exclusionary and divisive.
I'm a results guy. Based on results, the "old guard" delivers. They would be more effective if they would flex up and be inclusive. They could achieve the same goals more cleanly without the dead bodies (those they have angered and alienated).
11-05-2013, 09:51 AM
#30
No longer cares
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: 767er Captain
Posts: 12,109
Sorry if I misread your intentions. But I think this is hardly a coup. It seems to me that everyone in the LEC has a right to write a letter about anything he sees fit. If these two aren't happy with the performance of their rep, they can make that displeasure known, and two guys is not a "coup". If Carl and company ever take control, I will write letters daily, but that wouldn't be a coup either by even the most liberal of definitions.
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