Saw this and thought I'd pass it along...
CRIMI RECALL EFFORT A SHAM
July 8, 2010
Fellow Pilots,
The EVP election campaign saw some good old fashioned dirt plying the ethernet. It seems that some folks just can’t pass up the opportunity to latch onto the first bit of unsavory intel that they can get their hands on, especially when it furthers their political objectives. Steve Crimi’s lapse of judgement in taking a job with Freedom Airlines offered them a tantalizing morsel.
Enter Mark King and Doug Mowery.
Mark, while justifiably lauded for his role as a USAPA founder, and Doug are viciously critical of many of the policies and practices of USAPA and are open opponents of the current leadership. While the bulk of this disdain is aimed at low level items such as whether officials stay at the Sterling in CLT rather than the Sheraton (now a crew hotel BTW) they have also long been proponents of getting a quick deal (contract), read Kirby Proposal, and living to fight another day. Where have we seen that “live to fight another day” theme before?
Regardless of Mark’s and Doug’s clear right to express their opinions, the policies and practices of USAPA are a direct result of the process that Mark helped put into place as a founder. The plain truth is that Mark and Doug are not satisfied with the answer that this democratic process has produced. In their minds the will of the Pilots expressed through their vote and the consensus of the BPR, duly elected, does not stand up to their own sense of reasoning. Their solution is to circumvent the very process which Mark himself espoused as a founder so that they can place their own will ahead of yours.
Mark King and Doug Mowery have taken it upon themselves to launch a recall effort aimed at Steve Crimi. They claim to be doing so out of righteousness, taking great liberty with labels like “union buster” stating that Steve’s employment at Freedom - that is to say going to Freedom, getting a type rating then resigning - mandates his immediate recall from elected office. So lets look at the only facts that are germane to the recall issue.
While Steve openly admits that if he had it to do over he would not have gone to Freedom, he is NOT a SCAB and his actions do not rise to the level that Mark and Doug would have you believe
Steve was fairly elected to represent the will of his constituents and is doing so in a demonstrably self-sacrificing fashion - any BPR member will attest to this
What seems abundantly clear is that Mark and Doug view the Freedom issue as an opportunity to make political hay. Doug Mowery ran for office and was soundly defeated, his ideas for the direction of the union have a distinct history and are contrary to the will of the Pilot group as expressed through their vote. Mark has been exceedingly vocal in expressing his dissatisfaction with the current USAPA leadership only to have the very process that he helped put into place refute his thinking as a matter of the consensus of the BPR at a minimum. So for all intents and purposes they are now pursuing an avenue outside of the democratic process to advance their political goals
If Crimi is successfully recalled Mark and Doug are certain to have their own ideas as to who should be elected replace him. Maybe they themselves have an eye on the prize but in any event it will be someone who engenders their political philosophy. If Mark and Doug want to have someone in Steve’s seat beside Steve then they need to respect the democratic process and run their own candidate during the next regular election. Disappointingly it appears that they lack both the patience, and respect for you, to do so.
If we endorse this politically opportunistic circumvention of the democratic process in Crimi’s case then we guarantee that more such maneuvers will follow and the effectiveness of your union will suffer for it. We are winning the endurance contest on the important fronts ladies and gentlemen and we cannot afford to have our momentum disrupted by political Machiavellis.
It gives me no pleasure to shed light on the situation that Mark and Doug have chosen to place themselves in, both men have worked hard to be involved. Nevertheless, the action in which they are engaged represents a danger to the very system which they endeavor to be a part of, therefore it must be addressed.
Get the word out that this effort to recall Steve Crimi must be put down convincingly, and the actions of its perpetrators recognized for what they are really about.
Fraternally,
Captain Jeff Davis
PHL E190
