ALPA Reps Whoring Themselves on VO

[Insanity]

Why Voluntary Overtime (VO) by ALPA MEC Representatives is a Problem:

1. Union work should be the priority

An elected MEC Representative is a demanding role. The work is relentless: meetings, committee work, member calls and emails, DART responses, grievances, and countless day-to-day issues. On top of that, you're still expected to fly the line several times each month to stay connected to the operation. If someone consistently has enough spare time to fly significant amounts of voluntary overtime, it raises a legitimate question: is the representative role really receiving the attention it deserves?

2. ALPA days were negotiated to support union work—>not create opportunities for more overtime

ALPA days were negotiated so representatives could effectively carry out union business. They were not intended to free up schedules so representatives could maximize voluntary overtime. Using negotiated union time primarily to create additional earning opportunities undermines the purpose for which those days were secured.

3. It weakens our credibility during bargaining

During negotiations, the company often highlights the highest pilot T4s to argue that pilots are already well compensated. When one of those highest earners is also an elected union representative who has aggressively pursued overtime, it becomes even easier for the company to make that argument publicly.

Whether fair or not, it weakens our credibility when we are simultaneously arguing that compensation or working conditions need improvement. An A220 Captain making $400k plus a year will be terrible optics.

4. ALPA time is a limited resource

There are only so many ALPA days available. Every day allocated to one representative is a day that cannot be used by another representative or committee. If representatives maximize those days, benefit from the scheduling flexibility they create, and then use that flexibility primarily to fly voluntary overtime, it is difficult to argue that those resources are being used as intended.

5. It creates a poor message on fatigue and safety

ALPA rightly advocates for fatigue mitigation, sustainable schedules, and safe operations. That message becomes harder to defend when some of our own elected representatives routinely fly at or near monthly maximums through voluntary overtime.
Even if they remain within legal limits, the optics are difficult. Our representatives should lead by example and reinforce the safety principles the union advocates on behalf of all pilots.

[Canadaflyer46]

Interesting. This isn’t allowed at WJ. For ALPA paid days off it’s a huge NO. And for AD0s (GDOs for union work unpaid) it’s still not allowed by WJ mgmt, you’re told to have the day off removed with a reason from your schedule before you can pick up.

[CPU2000]

120 hours from the YVR FO Rep last month.

Top VO Whore for the whole airline out of 6000 pilots.

[rudder]

Here are some of the tricks used by ALPA ‘volunteers’ to access a volume of overtime that would never be accessible to a line pilot:

1. Favourite manoeuvre (supported by an MEC) - take ALPA time as a single carry-in credit rather than ALPA DAYS therefore more published DAYS OFF in monthly schedule.

2. Per #1 - no recording of duty time for ALPA work which might otherwise have CAR’s FTDT implications restricting access to overtime. Some volunteers are more than pleased to do a couple of hours of ALPA work in the morning then do overtime in the afternoon.

3. NEVER go in to the ALPA office. ALWAYS work from home. Keep uniform by the door just in case that overtime call comes.

It is sad that 95% of ALPA volunteers do the job for the right reasons. 5% do not. But any ALPA MEC that enables this behaviour is complicit. Unfortunately that is a lot of the MEC’s.

[3rdWorldClassPilot]

120 hours from the YVR FO Rep last month.

Top VO Whore for the whole airline out of 6000 pilots.

Lol...this guy was a big Yes Vote for the TA.

If the deal was so good...why does he need 120 hrs of VO a month??

[Man_in_the_sky]

120 hours from the YVR FO Rep last month.

Top VO Whore for the whole airline out of 6000 pilots.

Lol...this guy was a big Yes Vote for the TA.

If the deal was so good...why does he need 120 hrs of VO a month??

well VO is part on the contract.. i'll complain when we're not getting a new contract after sept 31 2027

[crystalpizza]

VO at this company is a borderline scam unless you know you're going to be above 900 hours for the whole year. Not worth it for many people unless they fix the MMG issue next contract.

[CodJockey]

Top VO Whore for the whole company is a ALPA Rep...lol

You can't make this stuff up...

[Nick678]

I was never found of the 90 Credit raise they gave themselves. That was before the group got anything. I assume they were working hard but it should have been temporary. If buddy has time for 120 hours I don’t think he needs the 90.

I also assume he’s upgrading soon and won’t be in the position much longer.

I’m naive to most union business, but at meeting, can anyone stand up and ask for a motion to be voted on as long as there is someone supporting? Can we cut them back to DBM’s?

I’m a commuter and I have never made it to a meeting.

[Avcanada123]

I was never found of the 90 Credit raise they gave themselves. That was before the group got anything. I assume they were working hard but it should have been temporary. If buddy has time for 120 hours I don’t think he needs the 90.

I also assume he’s upgrading soon and won’t be in the position much longer.

I’m naive to most union business, but at meeting, can anyone stand up and ask for a motion to be voted on as long as there is someone supporting? Can we cut them back to DBM’s?

I’m a commuter and I have never made it to a meeting.

Everyone has a right and should to be upset over this guy, but we shouldn't pull a management attitude of screwing over the 95% to punish the few. Remember the buddy passes? A few bad apples abused it so everyone gets to suffer as a result.

Also the 90 hrs helps make up for the loss of per diems, it's not just greed in the lense of logic. Let's make sure we vote the YVR rep out and take it from there.

[Yellowbelly]

Lost per diems? Lol

They claim per diems from memberships dues every time they travel. Including mileage. Ie paid commutes.

Plus their $2k per month allowance. Plus VO now apparently.

$$$ bling bling

[Daniel Cooper]

Our ALPA web page has a massive list of open grievances, and a reverse doomsday clock since our last contract was agreed upon. A contract the company has largely ignored. Perhaps if we just flew our blocks and did no more they would be willing to respect our contract?

[Dash.Trash]

I was never found of the 90 Credit raise they gave themselves. That was before the group got anything. I assume they were working hard but it should have been temporary. If buddy has time for 120 hours I don’t think he needs the 90.

I also assume he’s upgrading soon and won’t be in the position much longer.

I’m naive to most union business, but at meeting, can anyone stand up and ask for a motion to be voted on as long as there is someone supporting? Can we cut them back to DBM’s?

I’m a commuter and I have never made it to a meeting.

Still so many misinformed individuals here thinking every status Rep is getting 90hrs.

They are not. Only the MEC Executive (Chair, VC, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Administrator), CASC Chair and Negotiating Committee Chair are on FT-FPL at 90hrs.

LEC Reps get UP TO 8 ALB days per month at 4:25/day.

With regards to his overtime? For one, look at his schedule from before June, you’ll see basically 0 overtime for 2 years prior. So the claims of “whoring himself out” are incredibly misleading if you look at the entirety of his term. Why is he at the top of the list then? Because the list resets on June 2nd! So it is skewed towards anyone who picks up extra flying over the past 2 months and balances out over the year.

Also as a freshly minted captain on a completely different A/C type, I don’t blame him for picking up a trip each month to get more comfortable in the seat given he was an RP for so long before and every flight on the 220 is basically a LOFT these days with all the issues they have.

I’ve had numerous phone conversations with this individual over the years and he always answers or calls back right away and isn’t shy to tell it how it is. Some of the bullshit these guys have to deal with is truly unbelievable, we have some truly idiotic pilots out there (as this thread demonstrates perfectly.) His term is up March 1 and elections are soon, and has a Captain he can no longer run for re-election as FO Rep. So if some of you geniuses think you can do better, by all means throw your hat in the ring. I know some of the individuals who’ve been heavily criticizing him and chomping at the bit for his seat and let me tell you, they are completely unfit to hold any sort of representative position based on their actions and statements in the past.

I for one will be disappointed to see him go.

[FNGYYZ]

Translation from above:

He is my union drinking buddy so its ok to pillage. 120 hrs of VO in one month while taking ALPA days is kosher. If an ACPA rep did this, I'd sure as hell be outraged but since its my buddy and we are ALPA now...nothing to see here folks.

[crystalpizza]

You also do not need to pick up VO every month to "get comfortable" in your seat.

[Dash.Trash]

“Every month” aka 2 months in 2 years.

Flame away. Can’t wait to see some of you gems on the ballot next month.

[pussmet]

“Every month” aka 2 months in 2 years.

Flame away. Can’t wait to see some of you gems on the ballot next month.

Lol...before the VO Whoreathon, he was the longest ever RP pay activated to FO. He bid reserve, never flew the line for literally half a decade. Like 1 overseas trip every 6 months. He leveraged being his position on the union to avoid being put on course saying he would vote No if they ever did. Surprise surprise, he voted Yes, finally switched out of his RP gig, then took those ALPA days to the bank and become the leading VO artist of the airline.

Many reasons why this is bad. Hopefully we see some better Reps in the future. Luckily Im outta here soon and onto retirement but man the more things change, the more things stay the same. Can't believe people defend this stuff just because it is ALPA and it is their drinking buddies.

[crystalpizza]

“Every month” aka 2 months in 2 years.

Flame away. Can’t wait to see some of you gems on the ballot next month.

... I don’t blame him for picking up a trip each month to get more comfortable in the seat ...

"A trip each month" aka 5 trips in June comparing his Globe with his block release and 3 trips in July bringing him up to 117 hours and 109 hours respectively.

Precision is important in this business.

[BigGreen]

Is it all surprising that this Rep's drinking buddy is coming out to defend him?

Isn't that what this MEC is? Just a drinking click where they chow down on steaks and bully outsiders?

[Oxi]

Is this drinking buddy also surprisingly holding an FI spot well out of base seniority.

[Hangry]

FI positions have nothing to do with seniority.

[GeoffPilot]

FI positions have nothing to do with seniority.

There are ways for FIs to get captain upgrade out of seniority. Probably what he is talking about.

[ZackMorris]

At least if guys like this can't negotiate an industry leading contract that gets beat by broke ass leisure carriers, cant implement what they negotiated anyways, and then turn around & take their Rep $$$ gains to milk the membership with VO, then the least we can get is some union dues back. Because at this point that is the only saving grace. If you are going to be shitty, at least be cheap.

[flying4dollars]

Is this drinking buddy also surprisingly holding an FI spot well out of base seniority.

What fleet?

[altiplano]

FI positions have nothing to do with seniority.

There are ways for FIs to get captain upgrade out of seniority. Probably what he is talking about.

Which ways are those? Contract article please.

The only way to really get a position "out of seniority" and get paid for it is go to management.