sheep in Utah
Quote:
3) Besides being mad at ALPA, a lower monthly dues, and local support what does Teamsters have to offer? Yes, I've been on the website and I can't see a reason to vote Teamsters in when ALPA has finally got the ball rolling with negotiations. It seems we would be further delayed by switching unions and I'm sure everyone understands that to delay is only costing US . . . not the company . . . money. end quote
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For 9 years Atlas pilots have been paying 2% for help in finding fair and adequate pilot representation. They have never recieved fair and adequate representation. Also, in every ALPA-influenced decision between Atlas and Polar, the Atlas pilots lost, like a red-haired stepchild. Although ALPA is capable of great things for pilots when facing the non-pilot world, ALPA does, and continues to, get an "F" grade for fairly settling in-house matters, and has put the ALPA stamp of approval on possibly the worst labor contract that has ever been foisted on a bunch of trusting, naive pilots.
The years of unfair or ambivalent ALPA has left Atlas pilots with a complete unwillingness to continue paying 2% tribute to ALPA. It is not that the Teamsters are so good, it is only that ALPA has burned a bridge, poisioned the well, and smells like a a rotting, fetid sheep carcass in the Utah desert. "Anything but ALPA" is a strong feeling in the Atlas ranks; Atlas pilots have never agreed on anything, and to get 90% approval (just getting more than 50% to even vote) is remarkable. So Atlas pilots voting for ALPA is like Nelson R. Mandella voting for a blond president of SA; not likely this decade.