I noted the locals President, J. Muckle, came out with a statement. Most likely to counter the back alley attempts by the Polar TEC to shoot the local and negotiation's committee in the foot, let alone violating the agreement of the negotiation terms. The Polar TEC wants to blow it up and this is their chosen method as they have attempted in the past. I guess they want to roll the dice with an arbiter making all the decisions on the contract for both groups during the upcoming merger arbitration. Alaska Airlines crews didn't do very well with an arbiter making the decisions and it cost them. The Muckle statement seems to put to rest a lot or at least as much as could be during ongoing negotiations of the purposely selected portions of the sect. 25 TA released by the Polar TEC to create more useless animosity again.
What B.K. and D.D. on the Polar side spread around behind the scenes seems to be select pieces of information for their group to start or get a reaction and create more discontent. Not something useful like, discontent in the management ranks but between the union groups again. Seems to be a repeat of history on how the Polar union side wants to conduct business inter-union again.
Listening to the Polar group during scheduled conference calls only confirms the Polar TEC separatist actions. It is clear the Polar group is given the wrong information. Many calls by the Polar side during conference calls are "when are we going to be able to strike!" Which is not an option in this merger at all. You guys need to realize that you have been told a lot of BS consistently through the years. History has proven this out also, which also has driven us to this point.
- History such as why we decertified ALPA because of Polar's inequivalent representation purchased by Polar voting for Prater.
- History such as why the Atlas crew group got Battle Star's under your ALPA for conducting the only sympathy strike in ALPA history for another cargo carrier, but nothing but scab accusations by Polar when others flew your freight.
- History as the mentioned, "No Strike" clause at the risk of Atlas crewmembers jobs not crossing a line was determined by a federal judge that we didn't have to cross if someone at Polar held a legal picket line instead of just putting signs in the dirt around the airport which your MEC failed to mention to you.
- History of the Polar MEC lying about the three temporary restraining order's against the Atlas crewmembers by a federal judge. Of which, one upheld the particulars of the "No Strike" clause allowing our crewmembers not to cross.
- I can go on with documentation on much more such as their actions against Atlas crewmembers and not just strike stuff, but I'm tired and need another beer.
In the end, I'm a trade unionist. I want us to work together, but I realize that it is not possible with some. If I could, I would kick Polar to the side of the road and move on after their actions and they have attempted that many times already to us. That is not an option in this situation. So I guess you guys need to either work with us or get to the back and shut up since you are just a fraction of the whole. In my opinion, Polar has been alloted more representation in proportion than you should be allowed considering your numbers. This is not a winner take all situation, but I hope we take advantage of the Polar work rules as much as possible. No one is magically going to buy you despite what your TEC says. If you think you are more righteous, your documented history doesn't say so.
Always enjoy first time posters when new issues internally come up from the Polar side of the argument. It's almost like we have seen the writing before somewhere else.