One of the most level headed messages I have seen to date, forwarded to me today.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
To this point, I have not entered into any debate over the merits of ALPA vs
USAPA, nor is it my intent to do so now. I will, however, share with you
some thoughts I have on our present representational predicament; thoughts
which aren’t likely to make supporters of either union very happy.
Realize that I am neither an ALPA cheerleader nor a USAPA bandwagoneer. One
Association has led us to where we are today and the other appears to have
no realistic prospect of arriving where their “leadership†promises to take
us in the future.
To tell you the truth, I find no solace in voting for either.
Understand that I do not believe changing associations is necessarily a bad
thing so long as that change would be to the right association, under the
right circumstances, at the right time, with support of the vast majority of
East and West pilots. I have no thoughts on what the “right associationâ€,
under “the right circumstancesâ€, “at the right time†would entail; but
USAPA doesn’t appear to qualify for the job under any of those prerequisites
I’ve made a cognitive effort to reconcile variables which one must attend to
when change is proposed; since initiating change without attempting to
foresee as many long-range implications as can be envisioned, will often
lend a person to venture off onto a fool’s errand. I wish I could tell you
otherwise, but none of the long-range indicators appear to impart a belief
that USAPA has any chance for long-term survival as a bargaining agent.
No doubt you remember the statement, “No bucks; no Buck Rogers!â€
It’s a quote from the movie “The Right Stuffâ€.
That statement highlights the most basic of organizational needs…M O N E Y!!
I have little doubt that money will be the most serious problem among many
for USAPA.
It will, however, likely be a rather short-term problem; but not in the
sense you might be thinking.
I keep asking myself the following questions in relation to money and USAPA
and as of yet have realized no good answers:
1. “If USAPA wins, where is the money going to come from to run the
organization, pay the bills and defend against the lawsuits when 2000+
pilots refuse to pay their dues and assessments?â€
2. “How does USAPA intend to collect monies from the 2000+ pilots who
refuse to pay their dues and assessments?â€
3. “How loud will the laughter emanating from the top floor of the
Tempe Tower be, when USAPA leadership attempts to invoke Section 29 of the
working agreement and ask Al Hemenway to terminate almost one-half of the
pilot group for non-dues & assessment payment?â€
I see little hope of long-term survival of an organization that can neither
pay its bills nor fairly represent all of the “indentured†membership it
will “enslaveâ€, especially those out West. A person has to be obtuse to
believe that this pilot group will ever be “one†under USAPA.
Let’s be clear about one thing; the day will come when we as original East
pilots have no control over what happens within our own union no matter
which union triumphs in the election, and that day will come much sooner
than most people realize. As retirements kick back in, the cross-over point
for a majority power shift to the West should occur within the decade.
If anyone thinks that the West won’t exact a measure of revenge upon the
remaining East pilots when they have the numbers to decide who the
Collective Bargaining Agent will be, as well as the content and context of
the language to be negotiated into any Working Agreement; has naïve notions
of what their future prospects here entail.
When the West has the majority numbers and has had its fill of USAPA (which
will likely be the day it has majority numbers) ALPA National will commence
an organizational drive and provide the majority West pilots with every
available resource to return AAA to “the fold†as they did with Continental
and FedEx. You should expect ALPA to be voted back onto the property at
that time (assuming, of course it is voted off in the first place). That,
my friends, would mean that our current emotion-filled representational
electoral process will end up historically as nothing more than an exercise
in futility.
Hope is a great thing, and the prospect of a new union brings hope to those
who have none based on the egregious nature of the seniority award. It is
quite likely short-sighted false hope which is destined to lead our East
pilot group down the path towards one of the most ill-conceived strategic
blunders in the history of organized labor.
USAPA may win the representational election by a narrow margin, and get to
“play†bargaining agent for a little while…a very little while in historical
terms. Regardless of that possibility; no matter how many times I “click my
heels†and wish I was “back in Kansas†with those of you dreaming of a
better place (seniority wise), I can’t conceive how USAPA will be able to
absolve us from Nic2.
I pride myself on being a positive thinker and try not to let what goes on
around here affect me too much. I’ve stayed pretty well detached from the
representational situation because when I look out into the future I don’t
have any warm-fuzzy feelings concerning what’s about to happen no matter
which way the election turns out.
One thing however is crystal clear to me whether ALPA remains or USAPA
reins:
Nothing good is going to come from any of this nonsense.
Absolutely…nothing.
Scola
