GoForIt,
Very good post! Unfortunately I disagree totaly on the SCAB part. We will have to agree to disagree.
I do want to clear up one thing that you mentioned. I too was an ALPA member for over 20 years. You said "You can't take your American ALPA expectations with you when you go to Emirates." I must tell you in the most forceful way possible that I HAVE NO AMERICAN ALPA EXPECTITATIONS!
ALPA for me was nothing more than a $200 a month magazine subscription. Obviously it was a medical insurance and license protection insurance policy in my back pocket, but I did not have to use either. It was nothing more than political wanabees playing a very dangerous financial game with the future of the other 7000 pilots in my old company. If you do not believe me ask any U pilot how the retirement terminaton, the last paycut, was handled. The only ones who got anything from ALPA were the MEC members who were paid trips missed for union work. One of the most pleasureable days of my career was the day that I stopped giving that corrupt systam any money!
My views are based on what I consider to be right and wrong. I have been in this profession for over 25 years so you can assume that those views are very strong, and that in this case I am too old to change them. Being an American or former ALPA member have nothing to do with it. If you take an upgrade from a well qualified First Officer who is not allowed to upgrade because of economcal reasons, it is wrong and you are a SCAB. I, like you made the same decision regarding picket lines in 1984. I was left seat on a turboprop commuter and intervied at Contenental. They offered me a job and I told them I would take it when the strike was over. For some reason they never did call back. I guess Frank took it personal.
Regards,
330 Man