What follows is information about which USAPA does NOT want you to know! I believe it is imperative that you DO know; you have a right to know because you pay for this union!
Regardless of where you're domiciled, USAPA was to have operated openly, honestly and transparently; to run based on founding principles which place the line pilot at the "top" of the organizational chart; where the elected Board of Pilot Representative Officers (BPR) are lawfully obligated to act as the servant of the pilots and execute policy based directly upon those wishes while acting within, protecting and enforcing our self-ratified law; and where the National Officers were to act legally and with custodial (limited) authority in executing USAPA operationally on a daily basis. In other words, the exact opposite of our predecessor and, in fact, opposite of what has been happening since the National Officer elections.
Further, all actions taken on behalf of, or within, our organization, by any member of USAPA is to be accomplished within the confines of U.S. Department of Labor law and solely with the best interest and efficiencies of the line pilots (and your dues dollar) as the fundamental basis.
Having known Dave Ciabattoni for a number of years, I will attest to the fact that he is probably the most knowledgeable, honest and hard working advocate our line pilots may have ever had. He has never betrayed a trust placed in him.
That Dave would make such serious charges (read his letter!) must not be taken lightly. These are serious charges of criminal acts. It is not surprising, therefore, that your elected "elite" don't want this information out. Indeed, I fully expect for Dave's action to be minimized as a "non-event" in typical fashion to what we have come to expect. But this is no longer about "getting along" or hiding issues for political purposes. It is about the law and how no one is above it.
Your USAPA Constitution and By-Laws contains "conflict-resolution" instruments in the form of authorities granted by you through ratification of the document.
The first level of resolution responsibility is the BPR. If they fail to adhere to, and enforce, the C&BLs (the law you ratified as the "owners" of the union), charges are filed with USAPA on an "official" level and proceed through a very specific avenue. This results in the USAPA "Appeals Board" superseding any, and all, BPR and National Officer authority by assuming jurisdiction over the conflict for judgment and final decision and action if such is required. The Appeals Board has the authority to enforce the C&BLs as it sees fit - up to, and including, recall of anyone. If the Appeals Board subsequently fails to act to enforce our C&BLs and the law, the D.O.L. will become involved!
Unquestioningly, as one member of our Appeals Board is a named co-defendant in these charges, in this instance it will require recusal: disqualification from participation on the grounds of personal involvement. Since the Appeals Board is an elected position, the resolution becomes incumbent upon the remaining members of the committee to determine the final outcome as no one may be "appointed" on a temporary basis.
The D.O.L. has little tolerance for any ongoing criminal behavior within the confines of any organization under their jurisdiction who fails to enforce the law - including our own.
Please read the attached. I find it alarming that we are progressing right back down the path of "what you don't know won't hurt you." I, for one, don't like people "glad-handing" me to avoid truth. As you'll see in his letter, Dave reminds us all of the losses we incurred when such conduct is tolerated.
You need to know what's going on and I urge you to contact your representatives directly and without delay to find out exactly why you have not been informed! (This may well be only the tip of the iceberg.)
I don't know specific details of what's been going on any more than you do. What I do know is that many people that I know and trust are now excluded from USAPA activities. This isn't what I voted to achieve. I will not endorse, or help underwrite, a small group of elitists who may be persuaded, or feel they are above, doing their jobs or respecting the law: our law!
This is no longer about politics; it's no longer about "getting along." This is about what we're paying for and the law. It's time to get involved!
Ardenian