Pat,
The food (hot-dogs) was delivered by an Atlas pilot Friday afternoon. Saturday I had it in my truck on my way to the line but there were no picketers in sight - turns out they are only picketing when an Atlas airplane is inbound or outbound. Why pick on Atlas pilots only; especially in ANC where there are many many other cargo aircraft that may be carrying Polar cargo.
The Atlas pilots are merely going to work flying their own aircraft. Because you are concentrating only on Atlas aircraft you have, however, managed to let other cargo carriers (Southern Air, Tradewinds, FedEx, UPS, JAL, ANA, Dynasty, and many others) past your line without taking their pictures, asking them "not to carry Polar cargo," and giving them a blast of crap. Why is that?
Atlas pilots are close enough to this and have told you many times that they support you and are doing everything in their power to prevent carraige of Polar cargo. The fact is, there is no Polar Cargo to carry. See for yourself, call a Polar Cargo office - I have. No Polar sales office will currently accept any cargo. So I wonder where all this cargo that Atlas pilots are supposedly carrying is coming from.
Remember, this is your strike, not Atlas'. So if a crewmember passes through your line, he is not "crossing a picket line" as he is not flying your aircraft nor carrying your cargo. If an Atlas pilot chooses to "honor" your picket line, that is his choice. Yesterday morning two Atlas Pilots chose not to "honor" your picket line and were called scabs and given a verbal blast for "crossing a picket line" to fly their own aircraft. I dare you to do that to a FedEx NWA or UPS pilot. In fact, one of your picket stations in ANC is right where the NWA pilots must drive through to get to thier freighters - are you going to call them scabs for not honoring your picket line and for flying their own aircraft?
While this is a "rumor" board, everything I told you has been verified. If you want continued support you better find a way to get your guys (Bob) to focus a little less anger on the only pilots in this industry that can really help you.
I hope to do breakfast in HKG with you again sometime
Good luck to all of you.
BD