Why I voted NO and why others voted YES
Being on the GC is a representative position. Due to the last decade's perception of intimidation, very few FOs and almost no SOs have the courage to join the GC. That is sad as ideally the GC should reflect the demographics of the membership. Instead you are stuck with many very senior pilots as many junior guys/gals feel too intimidated to join maybe?
So what do we do on the GC? We try to think FOR the membership, rather than thinking LIKE a member...we try to think what is right and fair. Sometimes that leads to controversial decisions such as the RP04 extension.
I can assure you there is no 'group think'. The RP04 extension and this recent company proposal were internally debated to death. So you can rest assured your view is probably being represented.
Whilst I agree in collaborative negotiation on contentious issues, with this proposal I could not agree to what I thought was an unfair discrimination of bypass pay vs domicile. Fortunately(IMO!) the GC has decided NOT to recommend this deal. I want to make something clear. If we(the GC) had voted as individuals with no regard to others who knows how the vote would have gone...maybe have got recommended because, to be honest, I personally have nothing to lose from the deal and most of the GC are in the same boat. But instead, we all try to work out for ourselves what is in the best interests of the membership. We often disagree on that...viva la democracy!
Those that voted to recommend the deal are as passionate for the deal as I was against it. Who was right? Who knows! I had the same view as the majority but that doesn't make me right, it just makes me a sheep;-)
So no matter what else comes out of this please rest assured there is passion, commitment and unselfishness acting on your behalf in the GC. If you don't believe me I am more than happy to give up my position to you;-)
clear as glass?
Last edited by Numero Crunchero; 14th Aug 2007 at 17:36.