As I've said before, I'm very upset over this whole thing. And yes, I keep coming back, because I keep thinking that people are inherently reasonable and will consider information that challenges their understanding of an issue.
There is so much misinformation here that it feels like there's industrial-strength gaslighting going on. Everyone blames SAPA because it's cool to hate SAPA, and saying anything negative about the non-union carrier is fair game, apparently; after all:
Here's the thing—this isn't just SAPA. A year ago, when this issue was first pushed, it was basically all of UAX. Even this time around, it's YX and OO (And kinda sorta not really YV).
Union/anti-union hate aside, why do you think these carriers were up in arms?
JS Disagreement - Airline Pilot Central Forums is a partial thread from the last time this came up; the referenced thread in the United subforum has apparently been deleted, but was filled with justifications (and hubris) from UA pilots, who felt the jumpseat priority on all UAX flights should be:
1. Own metal
2. UAL pilots
3. UAX pilots
4. OAL.
This was a big issue at the time—the current jumpseat chair posted on the SAPA forums discussing it, and his update there was leaked, mocked, satirized, etc. Even then, it was a recurring issue from as far back as 2008, and it's always the same basic thing—UAL pilots attempting to increase their priority on express flights, typically because they're angry about a pilot from a carrier who flies UAX flights getting priority based on TOC when that pilot was operating/is to operate a flight for another carrier.
My understanding, based on the SAPA jumpseat chair's statements, is that the jumpseat agreement UAL asked UAX to sign in May read like this:
For ALL UAX FLIGHTS:
1. Own metal
2. UAL pilots
3. UAX-exclusive pilots
4. UAX-non-exclusive pilots
5. OAL
SAPA claims to have reached out to discuss the issue with UAL MEC, but was told:
Here's the thing—for many reasons, my confidence in SAPA is rock-bottom, except for one single place—the jumpseat chair. That is the only issue that the organization has shown any significant competence in, and that individual is the one person I have heard former reps praise as honest. In my few interactions with him, he's been direct, honest, and friendly.
What you're telling me is that, in spite of all their prior attempts to grab priority over UAX on UAX metal, this time UAL MEC was offering a fair agreement that dictated UAX and UAL TOC on UAX non-exclusive carriers? And, further, that the one person in SAPA I actually have any faith is literally just straight-up lying to the entire pilot group for effectively no reason except to start a jumpseat war*?
I don't trust SAPA, but in this they have operated in a way that appears to be transparent, up to and including a facebook exchange between SAPA reps and an (alleged) UAL MEC rep on the JS committee, where the SAPA reps were stating that they gave permission to post all emails and correspondence relating to the subject, and asking said reps to do it, and the UAL MEC rep demurring under changing (and dubious) claims of 'privacy.'
All the information I have is second-hand. But you're telling me that I'm being deliberately, blatantly lied to. Not just mislead, but actually directly—and passionately—lied to, by several SAPA members, one of whom is passionate, outspoken, and has strong pro-ALPA ties.
I'm not buying that without proof. Statements/press releases from UAL's MEC don't meet that bar. General opinion doesn't meet that bar. The sneer of ALPA airline pilots who view us as "step brothers" at best doesn't meet that bar.
And I'm still a yes vote for ALPA, and have offered my services to the OC. But treating a group of 5500 airline pilots—doing the same job as most of you—like they're beneath you in some way is no way to achieve solidarity. And this issue is really highlighting the divide in stark relief.
-Kysh
* - I am aware of the fact that driving a wedge between pilot groups is a strong union-busting tactic. If I am shown sufficient evidence that this was the case here, and if 'cassus belli' is falsified, then my position will flip-flop completely.
(NB. I am still
very unhappy with SAPA about all of this, as I've said before. Instead of jumpseat denials, we should have simply moved UAL/UAL-X with OAL by TOC, and left it there. Even if it was a longer course, I feel it would have made the point more clearly, without all the screaming and bloodshed. Furthermore, many of the statements by SAPA reps, chiefly concerning certificate action, pitting the FOs against the CAs, etc... were a complete disgrace. As were the blacklist threats, the doxxing, etc., by the United pilot group. And there are so many distractors being thrown out in all directions that it feels like the middle of a propaganda fight.)