Nitty-Gritty,
>Having been present for a fair chunk of what was commented on by the author makes me question how much you work with Capt Walsh and in what capacity.<
I'd say you weren't there. We don't have a dog in your fight, therefore I'm not wasting a lot of my time to duel here. However:
>I’d like to point out that this is the same Pat Walsh who not only worked feverishly to revoke our access and membership in favor of Polar’s in GCAP (the Global Cargo Pilots Alliance)<
Not true. Walsh did not work to "revoke" anything. He does however, think that the Polar folks should be represented in the GCAP while they are still a separate pilot group from the Atlas boys. Considering DHL's ownership is in Polar, not Atlas, and for the moment there is still a Polar pilot group, it makes sense to do this. At the time of that hornswaggle, the 1224 was in charge of GCAP. For reasons that I won't go into they aren't now, and one of our guys at Astar is.
>The same Pat Walsh who joined the Prater/Helling/York/Luby bandwagon and called Dave Bourne a “scab” a “mobster” and a “union raider.” Whom, when I challenged him about his comments at the May ALPA Executive Board, said he was “just repeating what he had heard from higher ups at ALPA.” Real class act.<
Not totally accurate. He did say Bourne was a union raider. Which considering he made a run for the ALPA Presidency and lost, then went to Teamsters and got a job from them running the airline division, seems a pretty fair charge. He didn't say that Bourne was a "mobster" or a "scab". Also, never stated to anyone at the EB that he was "just repeating what he had heard from higher ups at ALPA". What's really classy is editing a letter and posting it without giving them an opportunity to defend themselves.
>You were made aware of Bob Henderson’s comments in January 2007 in Miami when he said in my presence and others that he wanted Polar to be owned by ASTAR so they would not be “scabs” like Atlas was to them or ABX was to you. You’ve said nothing to refute this.<
Interesting. What precisely would anyone expect the Astar MEC to say when he/they were not at this meeting in MIA? Go off on hearsay? Pretty foolish to do that, I'd say. Since no part of your author's other claims as to what Pat said is correct, why would anyone take that as truth?
>DHL had just been forced to suffer through a week of no flying by ASTAR because the weather was below their minimums.<
And this would have anything to do with the topic? Incredibly childish. Further, DHL makes the call on what a/c are operated in their system. Hurray for us though, we've been certified CATII. Finally. DHL had till last year refused to either upgrade our fleets, or pay for CATII certification. We've lectured them about the need for it for years. The weather being referred to had ducks walking for 3 days. This included CATII and most of the time, CATIII capable a/c as well. To whine about something like that shows "no class".
>Given the train wreck that has occurred during Pat’s tenure and that of his predecessor, it would be better to ask their last real MEC Chairman Dan Brannan, to comment.<
Having worked for every MEC that has been on Astar property, I can say that Dan had his good points and his bad points, as does everyone. Dave and Dan had a political alliance. That is why they were best buddies, and formed their own Mutual Admiration Society. The goals they had for themselves didn't work out. I'll let you read into that what you will. If you are really as "involved" as you say, you know exactly what I'm talking about. As to train wrecks, in my opinion there is nothing anyone can/could do to right the ship of DHL. It's like Emery turning in their certificate. If someone ceases to operate, it's game over.
I'll be signing off on this topic now. Engaging any Atlas/Polar thread is like messing with the Tar Baby. The only reason I got on this is for whatever bizarre reason, you decided to try to drag Astar into your Whirlpool of Doom.