As an Eastie, I am sick and tired of the attitiude SOME of the East pilots have displayed. We can go round and round about this issue, but it IS over! You can work somehow in the future to make changes, but had the East MEC been intelligent in the slightest way, they would had seen the constant deterioration of respect towards the concept of senority.
I have had to ponder how I feel as an airline employee and I have a few thoughts.
I too was once 24 and brand new. I was hired at the perfect time and luckily have been able to always hold a line of time...granted still low in senority. We as f/a's in AFA took control of the senority issue by simply stating DOH in the bylaws. That was challenged by the AWA f/a's who sought to have that policy changed. Needless to say it was shot down as national AFA is pro DOH. The AWA f/a's tried to undermine the East f/a's by crying to AFA national for a change. THEY FAILED!! Did THEY whine? Oh yeah! Were they rude to Eastie? Some were. BUT they were NOT allowed to change the rules in the middle of the game. Unfortunately, my opinion of Doug Parker changed when it was learned his management team actually instigated the entire scheme.
The same has/is being done by the East ALPA MEC. National ALPA doesn't have a DOH policy because of the nature of the complexities of the entire left seat, right seat...different aircraft thing that most outside the pilot's group simply dont understand.
A f/a is payed the same rate no matter what a/c. As we all know, pilots are paid by the size of the a/c and position, so this is an entirely different situation. As much as I hated seeing 15-18 year pilots on furlough, I would dare say most of the furloughees have moved on. It IS unfair to expect the West pilots to sacrifice for the East pilots. Is it their fault for the poor managements that helped contributed to our demise as the old US Airways? Absolutely not!! I dare say half of the East pilots have no right to argue this decision as the Piedmont pilots were seeking the same protections as a more junior pilot group during the USAir/Piedmont merger and for THEM, it failed. Did they complain? Sure, but they got over it and moved on.
It is not beneficial to go the route of name calling or statements read here that suggest some conspiracy by the US East ALPA to somehow take over the pilot world by having DOH across the board. Having said that, the East ALPA needs to realize they have nobody to blame but themselves. They DID roll the dice and lost. But to go crying to the national ALPA because you lost when you AGREED to honor the final decision shows a lack of character. I am embarrased by their actions but can understand their plight.
The East ALPA can fight all they want, but they WILL meet the same fate as the AWA f/a's and you too will get shot down in your attempts to undermine the West pilots. It has been said over again, but it IS time to get over it and put that frustration into the energy you're going to need to fight the REAL enemy....MANAGEMENT!!
WE ALL need to understand that we are now playing into the hands of Doug Parker and Scott Kirby. Keeping us divided keeps us seperate and keeps the WORST of both contract in ALL labor groups. These two are fakes and liars and will say anything behind their boyish "Awe shukes" charm!
The EAST vs WEST CRAP must stop NOW!! This Eastie knows who the real enemy is and will ALWAYS welcome a Westie ANYTIME ANYWHERE!!
