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It's only fair that I start out.
Over the past few weeks I've spoken to a lot of different people about the Union and what it can do. I've heard common themes from a lot of different people. There are a lot of people who are just on the brink of joining. They just need a little push. Most are hesitant because of the previous strike and the way the people who were in charge then handled it. They are concerned about a lack of transparency and don't understand what the Union can do for them. I think it's important to manage expectations, ensure people understand what is possible and what isn't. These are some thoughts I've put together and explain my reasons for joining. Hopefully it will help generate some ideas for discussions with others. I'd be interested in hearing what everyone thinks, what else we should add, get rid of, etc. Thanks in advance for the input.
We each have our own reasons for joining the union. I am joining the union to create another avenue of communication with Management to address my concerns. I have used the safety communication system, occurrence reports, and direct communication with managers and members of the operational leadership team without much success. I believe that an organized group can more effectively communicate and represent our concerns to management than we can individually. I am not naïve enough to believe this will solve all of our problems, but it is better than doing nothing. It is also better to solve some of our problems than none of them. One hundred, two hundred, three hundred or more pilots is harder to dismiss and ignore than one, two, or three individual pilots. A lot of people don't trust the union or have concerns because of the strike. I share that concern. I wouldn't go on strike and I wouldn’t ask others to go on strike. Strikes are counterproductive and short-sighted in all but the most extreme cases. I think we all benefit when PHI is successful. We should do everything we can to ensure it is successful. I know PHI can be successful without taking undue advantage of it's pilots. I believe creating and maintaining a cooperative, mutually respectful, and positive relationship with Management benefits everyone. We can accomplish this by increasing union membership, improving communication with members, and establishing clear positions on issues for our members and Management. Once we have these things, we become harder to ignore. The union has resources available to assist us including experience and legal counsel. Due to the current situation in the industry in general, and PHI in particular, we find ourselves at a moment in time where the opportunity to achieve a positive change has presented itself. We just have to be willing to take it.
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