PFR Questions and Answers
Allegheny And Piedmont Pilots Standing Together For What Is RIGHT !
 

Question 1) If I don't contribute, am I still part of the lawsuit?

 

Answer: No, only contributors will be included as plaintiffs in the DFR suit. We may have an option of making our suit a class-action suit but have no intentions of doing so. Our plans are to include enough pilots to support the suit and then proceed with the pilots who stepped up to start and support the suit. It is not fair to sit by and let others pull the weight of the suit and then step in at the last minute and expect to be included in the award phase of the suit. We are not looking at this action as a business investment, but will be filing this suit in an effort to extract damages for predatory actions taken not only by the mainline MEC and Negotiating committee but duplicity by ALPA national.

 

Question 2) If I contribute and move onto another airline, am I still part of the lawsuit?

 

Answer: Yes. In the Duke-Spellacy DFR case all of the pilots listed on the suit were working for airlines other than Eastern and Pan-Am where they were all working when they were wronged by ALPA.

 

Question 3) If there is a cash settlement how much do I get? Will the settlement be divided up equally amongst the Pilots who have contributed?

 

Answer: Preliminary discussions have involved estimations of a nine figure reward as compensation for the many wrongs suffered by PDT pilots over the last ten years. A member of Pilots for Fair Representation will receive a portion commensurate with their contributions.

 

 

Question 4) What ís the use?

 

Answer: Aside from the obvious benefits afforded the Pilots who contribute and thus join PFR, a victory will benefit every regional pilot in the industry as it will force ALPA to change the way they do things or continue to be sued.

 

 

Question 5) If I contribute anonymously and there is a settlement will I be recognized?

 

Answer: If you contribute anonymously, a record is still being kept of your contribution. The decision that awaits an anonymous contributor will be when you have to decide whether you will become a plaintiff or not.

 

Question 6) I want to know who's behind this before I contribute.

 

Answer: We are the Pilots for Fair Representation (PFR). We started as a group of concerned pilots and other pilots have joined us by contributing. Each pilot who joins us becomes part of PFR and we will work together to support the suit. Our attorney Michael Haber will be making strategic decisions, not us and so it is not important to form a council or elect representatives such as ALPA does. We have decided from the beginning that we would present a faceless front to prevent politics and personalities from becoming a part of what we are trying to accomplish.

 

 

Question 7) What is our settlement goal?

 

Answer: Our goals have been clearly stated; we are suing ALPA for failing to fairly represent us. We are also exploring suing the Mainline MEC as individuals for damages to our individual careers. There will be some collateral benefits to many pilots outside of our group for sure, but our goals for now are listed above.

 

 

Question 8) What are Haber's thoughts on our objective?

 

Michael Huber's enthusiasm can be most clearly illustrated by his willingness and desire to work for us. Mr. Haber is very much in demand by many individual pilots and other pilot groups who feel that they have been wronged by other predatory pilot groups along with ALPA's duplicity and support and he continues to work with us in spite of the fact that we have not yet reached our initial goals.

 

Question 9) What are we hoping to accomplish?

 

Answer: The Pilots of PDT and ALG have undoubtedly paid a high price as a result of ALPA's collusion with the Mainline MEC in their predatory activities. We hope to collect damages from ALPA for what they have done as it is the only cure that the law allows at this point.

 

 

Question 10) How will this affect my ALPA status? Will I be blackballed by ALPA?

 

Answer: It is a myth that there is an ALPA black list. The very existence of such a list would expose ALPA to more liability than they could possibly afford. It is a fact that there is an ALPA SCAB list, but it hasn't been effective in keeping pilots listed on it from gaining employment at ALPA carriers and in fact many of those listed on the SCAB list have regained membership in ALPA as their airlines such as Continental have been courted for inclusion into ALPA. It will have virtually no impact on your status in ALPA because it is not wrong to demand that your union fairly represent you.

 

Question 11) How much do we need/$ to get the ball rolling?

 

Answer: An exact figure has not been agreed upon, but Mr. Haber is looking at our initial check to reflect the depth of support of PDT and ALG pilots much more than the depth of our checking accounts. We have been seeing an increase of both PDT and ALG pilots joining PFR, and will be increasing our activity aimed at enlisting our goal for participating pilots. At some point, we will close the door to pilots attempting to join after the heavy lifting has been done to prevent people from unfairly taking of advantage of the situation only after they have been convinced of our success.

 

 

Question 12) Could this cost $100,000 +?

 

Answer: It could cost more than that, depending on how long it takes for ALPA to capitulate. However, if you assume that we reach a very conservative goal of one hundred pilots between PDT and ALG the amount will not be too much of a burden on any individual pilot. Remember too that we are going to support the work of Mr. Haber as we go along over time, and he has been very flexible and understanding in helping us get started. If you assume 100 or more pilots, which would only be around a sixth of the pilots at PDT and ALG, then you can see that less than a thousand dollars of support over time will not be too much of an investment. Also, no pilot will be asked to give more than they can afford.

 

 

Question 13) Is Woerth and Mainline MEC aware of this lawsuit?

 

Answer: Undoubtedly they are. The question is what they are going to do about it. There has been an increase in ALPA's activity level in trying to undo what they have done, however we have all seen this sort of thing before and it is nothing more than an exercise in futility and an attempt to show that they are trying to resolve this. It is highly doubtful that they will do anything to mitigate their past actions, or that they will even make a sincere attempt to do so. We have all been witness to the meetings that ALPA has called our MEC into without anything being done to rectify the situation.

 

It is doubtful that ALPA would dare risk further exposure to liability by trying to intimidate any of the pilots taking part in PFR since it would be further proof that they are not representing all of their pilots fairly, as well as the fact that it is illegal to attempt to do so. Again, there is no ALPA blacklist and there is nothing ALPA can do to pilots who are seeking damages for their violation of their duty to represent us fairly. The law supports our rights, and prescribes a remedy which monetary.

 

 

Question 14) How do I get my money back if I decide against this?

 

Answer: Each pilot should seriously consider their commitment to their fellow pilots in PFR before contributing. Money collected will be sent to our attorney to pay for the lawsuit, and there will be no refunds unless the suit is dropped by us. At that time, all unspent funds will be refunded.