January 25, 2012

Dear Fellow FedEx Pilots,

Today I find myself in the unfortunate and regrettable position of publicly answering the recently published LEC 7 letter written by Block 1 Representative Captain Chris Baker and Block 4 Representative Captain Tony Hauserman. I find this regrettable because airing internal FDX ALPA issues in public, especially what I consider baseless issues, can hurt our collective unity, waste time, make us look weak to FDX, and ultimately hurt us at the negotiating table. They have forced my hand and for that I am truly sorry.

While block representatives are obviously allowed and encouraged to offer their insight and perspectives on what they view as our union’s issues, concerns and challenges, they have, however, leveraged claims and opinions on the actions of myself and the rest of the dedicated volunteers that conduct the Association’s business on a daily basis. Point counter point arguments are best left to the MEC Board room, but now that they are public, we simply cannot let them perpetuate unanswered. I will answer in macro and Secretary Treasurer Sean McDonald will be sending a follow up communication.

Unity must start at the top, from the MEC. Unfortunately, that is not what I have witnessed in some of the LEC 7 letters or actions by MEM Seniority Block 1 and Block 4 representatives, Captains Baker and Hauserman. I have seen these gentlemen utilize often what I interpret as divisive, damaging tactics, spun information and personal attacks in what appears to me to be working towards their personal political agenda. This typical form of rhetoric usually concludes by finding a way to blame someone else; usually one within a leadership role. Their most recent LEC 7 letter, unfortunately, goes down a familiar politically driven rhetoric road.

·         Example of actions that potentially damage our unity.

o    Misleading information example: Both representatives referred to being former MEC Secretary-Treasurers. The hypocrisy in their words on what was done under their watch as opposed to current day is just short of absurd. As any current MEC member can attest to, each of their supposed allegations of wrongdoing were asked and answered in great detail at the time to their collective satisfaction. Furthermore, many of the policies that they themselves instituted seem now to fall short of their demands (this is but one example).    

o    Unity: Their LEC letter comes on the heels of the last MEC meeting, in which the MEC unity message was agreed to by ALL of the MEC representatives with their individual signatures attached. Following the publication of this message, the unity commitment was immediately abandoned by the Block 1 and 4 reps the next day in their LEC letter. These actions are directly counter to the unity message that we sent to pilots as a coordinated MEC plan to prepare for the next leg forward in negotiations following the relief valve decision. (Click here to view the MEC Unity letter)

I will not go line by line on what they wrote in their latest LEC letter, but the phrase “politically spun rhetoric” fits well for all of it--- also and most importantly, there are long standing, democratically based, internal processes that can and should be utilized by any ALPA MEC member should they seek policy changes or have concerns. Thus, if they had an issue, there are procedures to solve the issue internally; after all, they are on the MEC. So one would have to ask, why would the Block 1 and 4 representatives go down a route of publically airing, what I consider very misleading information, that is divisive instead of the normal internal constructive MEC process?

·         Causing distractions by airing such information while we face such other important issues, forcing us to waste time while other very real issues march on. I believe that there is no logical way to rationalize such actions.

·         Creating division and harming our number one asset - our unity. Again, I believe that there is no justification for such action.

These types of actions are unfortunately consistent with what I have witnessed in some of their prior actions since being elected and before. You can reach your own conclusion of their motives. I personally believe the collective goal of the Block 1 and 4 reps since being elected and before, based on their actions, to be to manufacture issues, create division and distraction, purposefully “stir the pot” and ultimately blame these perceived failures on the current leadership. It appears they are doing all of this in an effort to take back control of the Association. In my opinion, if they succeed and take control, we might as well turn the back the clock 10 years.

In addition, they now seem to have targeted some of our hard working union volunteers, most of whom may not happen to agree with them politically; targeting committee members who are the heart of FedEx ALPA. It is unconscionable that a Status Block Representative would attack fellow ALPA volunteers in such a public venue without regard to due process or even a semblance of professional courtesy. I point them to Article 4 of the ALPA Code of Ethics, where it states “…He will not falsely or maliciously injure the professional reputation, prospects or job security of another pilot…” Some of our hard working committee volunteers have reached a critical mass and will only take so much. These unfounded actions are making it harder to attract or retain great people to volunteer for committees and other positions.

I am honored to represent FedEx pilots, but also, at times, embarrassed when we are our own worst enemy, doing the bidding of those who sit across the table from us by dividing ourselves. This is one of those times brought on by the actions highlighted above. However, rest assured that there remains a large contingent of very hard working MEC members, committee members, officers and staff working tirelessly for you each and every day. These are individuals who have your best interest at heart. 

I have shown great patience and have tried everything that I can think of to work with these individuals as a team and will continue to do just that. I will also make another plea to your representatives to issue communications that serve to unify us as opposed to create questions of trust that are unfounded, divisive and baseless; communications that support our valued committee members. And again, I regret having to address you like this in a public manner. I feel that I have a responsibility as your Chairman to tell you the facts as I see them.        

In Unity,