ALPA

Fellow Pilots,

Thank you for the support you have shown during this undertaking. This is all for you; the hardworking and deserving individuals who have gone too long without adequate representation.

No doubt, this will be a life-changing event for the pilots who work at GoJet Airlines. The decision to move forward with this was not taken lightly. In the end, we know it will be worth it.

We know the momentum for our cause was not caused by, base relocations, union dues, or the reorganization of our mainline partners. Mentioning these as motivators only proves how out of touch our union is with the concerns and needs of the pilots whom they claim to represent.

Now is the time. The National Mediation Board allows certain windows to Decertify your representation. The contract date of signing plus 3 year is the window we are in now. We must take advantage now to implement these change before we begin negotiations.

Your Questions

Will ALPA represent us?

Yes.

We would not have started this journey if we did not have a sound belief that ALPA would represent us.

Historically, ALPA has never failed to represent an airline who writes them in on an election ballot by a majority. Therefore, we believe the answer is yes; ALPA will represent us.

During a conversation with ALPA, we let them know we would like to leave the IBT. Their reply was that they are not able to assist in the process for various reasons however, they informed us Kalitta recently did the same, and it worked out well for them. Again, they have never turned anyone down but cannot assist us in the process.

ALPA instructed pilots to ban GoJet from jumpseats?

ALPA never instructed carriers not to allow GoJet Pilots to ride on their jumpseats. This statement is just a false fear tactic.

The jumpseat sharing program was actually started by ALPA, and this would undermine the principles behind it. Anywhere you go, there are rogue pilots who may have their own opinions, but, this was not a practice implemented by ALPA. This was simply not true- more misinformation from our union.

Is GoJet Blacklisted from ALPA?

When asked about this absurd notion, ALPA replied, “No, of course not.”

This is a misconception that has been partially spread by union leadership for years.

Would anything change if we went to ALPA yet we were still represented by GoJet pilots?

Absolutely!

We are an outstanding group of aviation professionals. However, over the last 15 years, the Teamsters have sent only one Steward to training! ONE! One union member from all the stewards and committee members over the last decade and a half!

Committee members are put into place and told good luck! Even if one Steward was to ensure they are trained today, there is no system is in place from the Teamsters for future success or follow through.

As an organization centered around aviation, ALPA recognizes the importance of training for all of its members. Each representative and committee member can expect to initial and continuing training that ALPA has created and maintained.

Air Line Pilot Monthly is a magazine published that discusses issues and topics that actually pertain to us. When have we received a Teamster communication that was consistently delivered, informational or possessed any sort of redeeming quality?

ALPA Legal

We also believe we will gain great value from ALPA lawyers who confront major airlines daily. Why has it taken 3 years to even look into the pathway program? Do we have a flow list? Why does it take nearly 2 yrs to settle a grievance? How can a hostile work environment continue to exist? Where is our legal hotline?

The latest Steward communication….

Releasing a second communication from the Local with the same information released by the stewards make us wonder how little they have to work with?

It may seem like a grand idea that we are a “bottom-up” organization, but it is not without problems. There are times when we need guidance and resources from a group who has experience and an interest in advancing our interests.

The Bottom-Up philosophy utilized by the Teamsters seems to be more of a “you’re on your own” philosophy. We require the systematic support of a like-minded national organization.

If the Teamsters were ever going to work, they would have worked by now!

We need ALPA! The organization who goes toe to toe with major airlines every day and who represents sixty thousand PILOTS! Not to speak ill of the truck drivers and constructions workers represented by Teamsters but, pilots should not represent them and they should not represent us!

Teamsters may represent 1.4 million workers but how many are affected by our rest rules or safety concerns and working conditions? How important are 600 employees when it comes to 1.4 million. Teamsters may not put United and Delta ahead of our interests but they can certainly put their own.

Have you researched how well other regionals are represented including our sister companies… are they represented better than us?

Yes. And, Yes! ( Of course we have)

A portion of the dues collected by our ALPA majors, go to supplement the representation of smaller entities. ALPA is for the professional pilot. Not for a particular airline or CEO. From what we have observed, Teamsters are out for themselves and not a larger cause - certainly not us or the safety of our passengers or aircraft.

ALPA represents the well-being of the entire industry. Personally, we would rather have our union looking into policies and practices on behalf of a mainline carrier than looking into truck driver rest rules. One benefits us; the other is a waste of our dues.

UNION DUES

“We are ‘fighting’ to get the services”… that you have been paying for this whole time. We are naïve to believe, that conveniently, during a de-certification push, we are finally going to get the attention and services we have been paying for all this time? Stewards, take your empty words elsewhere.

Ø Do we have loss of license coverage?

Ø What adequate training for all of our union members?

Ø What if we lose our medical? Is this even a concern for teamsters?

Ø What about a legal hotline?

Ø How can I get someone to answer the phone if I need help?

Ø How much of our dues go to supplement other industries?

Ø We are probably the highest earner for the local, why are we not treated as such?

Ø The business agent won’t even answer the phone…yet claims he’s there for you?

Ø How was your new hire visit? Informative? Or, give me your dues or lose your job?

Ø When will be actually be represented and informed?

Teamster Dues: 1.56% of min line guarantee (75hrs)

Vs.

ALPA Dues: 1.95 % of gross

What does that mean per month?

Assuming you’re a 3^rd year Teamsters captain, your dues will be $84 per month. With ALPA, assuming an 85 hr average line, your dues will be $117.

This would be less than ½ an hour pay credit and, while that certainly is something, please look at the pay comparison below:

In nearly every case, ALPA outperforms their Teamster counterpart: They bring the value.

Bear in mind we may incur an increase in dues after our next negotiation with Teamsters. If we want to add services we are already paying for, they will want more money.

ALPA DUES

A detailed and transparent plan for where all of your money will go. This is the type of representation we need.

www2.alpa.org/.../ALPA_Documents/ALPA_DocumentsDownload.aspx?...

ALPA Dues

ALPA's dues are 1.95% of the member's airline income. That's the easy part. More complex is the manner in which the dues income is allocated to provide funding for all of the union's activities. This structure has been carefully honed over time and has served ALPA members well. All of the allocations are pieces of the gross amount generated by the 1.95% of each member's airline income. (As a reminder, the MEC is the Master Executive Council, the highest governing body at the airline level, and is made up of the elected status representatives from each domicile, plus the MEC chairman, vice chairman and secretary-treasurer.)

The first 0.35% of the 1.95% is allocated to the Special MEC Reserve Account (SMRA). SMRA funds are allocated directly to each MEC, which uses SMRA only after the MEC operating income (discussed below) is exhausted. The MEC has the option to budget and spend SMRA funds or save them for future use. The MEC may retain unspent SMRA funds for future years to support contract negotiations or special MEC needs, or the MEC can approve refunding the money to members annually.

The next component of dues - 0.10% of the 1.95% - is allocated to the ALPA Administrative and Support Account (A&S), discussed below.

After deducting the two components of dues allocation mentioned above, 1.50% of the 1.95% remains; it is called "operating income." This 1.50% is allocated to the MECs, the A&S account, and the Operating Contingency Fund (OCF). The MEC account allocation is 24% of the 1.50%, the A&S account allocation is 71.5% of the 1.50%, and the OCF account allocation is 4.5% of the 1.50%. The MEC account allocation (24% of the 1.50%) is distributed to each MEC, except that ALPA's largest groups are allocated 20% of the 1.50%.

The remaining 4.0% (24%-20%) of operating income of the largest pilot groups is redistributed to smaller MECs throughout ALPA. In essence, ALPA's larger pilot groups provide a subsidy to ALPA's smaller pilot groups to ensure adequate funding for their union activities.

The A&S account allocation (71.5% of the 1.50%, plus 0.10% of the 1.95% discussed above) provides serviced that are available to all ALPA pilot groups, including Representation, Economic & Financial Analysis, Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Communications, Engineering and Air Safety, Membership and Council Services.

In addition, the A&S account supports Administrative Services such as the National Officers, General Manager, Legislative Affairs, Governing Bodies, Finance, Information Systems, and Human Resources. When an MEC uses the services of the A&S departments described above, that MEC is not charged for the services provided by those departments. This is the ALPA "toolbox" of services that includes professional, technical, administrative, and clerical personnel. The central pooling and allocation of these resources has enabled ALPA to ensure the availability of highly qualified and experienced personnel to all member pilot groups on a cost-effective basis.

The OCF account allocation (4.5% of the 1.50% of operating income) primarily provides funds to smaller pilot group MECs during times of financial need, usually as a result of contract negotiations. Grants from ALPA's Major Contingency Fund (currently valued at $81 million) are also available for these purposes. A large portion of the OCF is allocated in advance to the smaller pilot groups' MECs during the budget preparation process based on anticipated negotiating schedules and other special needs. A portion of the OCF is also set aside for contingencies and other special needs of the union.

Teamsters Dues

From Teamsters.ORG: A vague way of saying your dues go to a lot of things, but we don’t tell you exactly what.

https://teamster.org/about/frequently-asked-questions-faq

How will my dues money be used?

Dues provide the resources to stand up for good jobs and benefits, decent working conditions and a better future for our families. That's why union members in private industry earn 38 percent more on average than nonunion workers. They also receive 54 percent more in benefits. None of this would be possible without the strength that comes from our Teamster dues.

Most of your dues, 78 percent, stay with your local union in order to fund activities that give workers more power at the bargaining table, in the statehouse and in the community. Some of these activities include:

· Organizing expenses;

· Office equipment and regular administration expenses;

· Attorneys to assist in negotiations, grievances and arbitration;

· Training;

· Research into companies and industries to gather information for negotiations and organizing; and

· Accountants to analyze the company's books.

Members receive information about how dues money is spent by their local at regular monthly membership meetings, and local unions also file annual reports with the U.S. Department of Labor. The International Union publishes its annual audited financial statement in Teamster magazine, which is sent to every member.

Essentially have no idea what we are getting for the “lowest dues in the industry”. We don’t even know if this is a true statement. Can any of us look around and thank the Teamsters for what they do for us on a regular basis?

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What we are hearing from the Teamster is “please don’t leave us for someone better… we know we have hurt you, but we will change.”

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