How Silly Are We?

[Biggles]

67November, flattery will get you everywhere - don't you know ! I'm about as harmless as that hand grenade you claim that TQN is as bashful as ! Would have a **** of a time saying that under the influence !!!)

[Skidz]

Hey Biggs !

 

Heard you dropped in and I missed ya again... Drats !

[Biggles]

Yep, and the day I did you all ran off !!!! Ahhhhhhhh but I will reappear most likely end of week or early next. Dang nice outfit that has become, good thing I knew where it was cuz its looks nothing like the place I was in a couple years ago!

 

Will meet you sooner or later !

 

Cheers!

[transquebecniece]

Allow this redneck girl to help; she's been biting her tongue FOREVER on the differences between associations and unions anyway. Personally, I belong to a handful of professional associations that have been extremely beneficial to me with respect to networking (translate that to "always kept me working"). Not a single union. I like it that way.

 

as·so·ci·a·tion

Pronunciation: &-"sO-sE-'A-sh&n, -shE-

Function: noun

a : the act of associating b : the state of being associated; an organization of persons having a common interest : SOCIETY 1 : companionship or association with one's fellows : friendly or intimate intercourse : COMPANY

2 : a voluntary association of individuals for common ends; especially : an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession

3 a : an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one anothe

 

union

Pronunciation: 'yün-y&n

Function: noun

a : an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one; b : the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and independent units; c : something that is made one : something formed by a combining or coalition of parts or members; d : a confederation of independent individuals (as nations or persons) for some common purpose; e : a political unit constituting an organic whole formed usually from previously independent units which have surrendered their principal powers to the government of the whole or to a newly created government; e : LABOR UNION labor union Function: noun : an organization of workers formed for the purpose of advancing its members' interests in respect to wages, benefits, and working conditions

[heliops69]

I think that the Industry here should all standardize rates like back in the late 80s and early 90s when they didn't get work for being 10 bucks an hour less but they got it because of customer service. I like the old rule well maintained machines skilled drivers and no shortage of work, not having good machines and drivers sitting cause nobody wants to pay extra for them when they could just get an Astar for 1120 per hour that is just about DOM on one of those. If this keeps up the industry is going to bankrupt itself.

 

Got ranting there but I think machine rates and wages for drivers should go up 5% a year to stay close to inflation not down 5% to get work.

 

My thoughts anyways

 

Cheers

[fly_boyz]

All right...I'll bite (and probably get bitten - and not in a good way).

 

Firstly, hear hear biggles.

 

So here it is, am I the only one that's happy here. If you work a regular office job you will generally work about 250 days a year. I don't even come close to working that much. I certainly make much more money than any of my white-collar BA toting friends (probably even more than my MA toting friends). I have full control of my career taking the contracts or jobs that I want and not working when I don't feel like it. I even foresee 6 months off this winter on a beach somewhere. If I'm not happy where I'm at a few phone calls later and I'm off somewhere else (not something I've ever really done though).

 

Without beating a dead horse, my concern is that a union will take away my freedom and control. It's my career and I manage it the way I see fit. I don't need, nor do I want someone else speaking for me. I'm a big boy and I can talk to my OPS manager or my CP and deal with whatever issue needs attention. If they don't like it then go ahead and try to find another pilot (there's a shortage of good pilots - I don't mean hands and feet drivers I mean pilots that are also good with clients).

 

Furthermore, other than I few exceptions I've been well paid and well treated by most of my employers. Maybe I'm just very selective about who I work for (they need me more than I need them). It's not just what I bring to the table, I want to know what they are bringing to the table. Am I just an exception? Surely there must be others out there. I supose though that they have no reason to write.

 

Cheers.

[Blackmac]

Fly_boys:

 

The funny thing about all that you stated, I agree.

 

You did not read TQN's remarks about a union or an association.

 

Here it is:

 

as·so·ci·a·tion

Pronunciation: &-"sO-sE-'A-sh&n, -shE-

Function: noun

a : the act of associating b : the state of being associated; an organization of persons having a common interest : SOCIETY 1 : companionship or association with one's fellows : friendly or intimate intercourse : COMPANY

2 : a voluntary association of individuals for common ends; especially : an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession

3 a : an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another.

 

This in no way stops you from being an individual and doing what you want. Capice.

 

Cheers, Don

[transquebecniece]

This in no way stops you from being an individual and doing what you want. Capice.

Totally concur, Blackmac. Doesn't matter that I work in the publishing industry. My memberships to the professional associations in my industry helped me to launch my career, gain access to people and places I never would have had access to on my own (nor through a union), build credibility in a horrendously competitive industry, network with people in my same profession with ties all the way to the top (probably the biggest plus) and will continue to support me and my career efforts BECAUSE I am still a free agent and I have made all those ties. This I know because I will rely heavily on my association affiliations and Pally Pals as I close my present career chapter at the end of April. Association memberships have, in effect, allowed me to control my own destiny thus far and will continue to do so.

 

Conversely, I could paint you a horrid picture about the effect a union had on my own dad in the construction industry, but I won't. Suffice it to say that his experience taught me all I ever wanted or needed to know about unions where—more often than not—one forfeits control of their rights, thereby forfeiting control of their own destiny.

 

My 25¢, for what it's worth. That is all.

[67november]

TQN I'll take your 2 bits and raise ya 2 bits.

 

my sentament are the same regarding your post :up: :shock: :down:

[amodao]

Putting my anti-union stand off to the side for the moment; looking at the two existing aviation "associations" I currently deal with (neither of which I put any effort into admitedly), one grass roots and one considered "professional", I see very little reason to support them any more than I currently do. The thought of another redundant association seems even more pointless. So maybe those how want to start their own club, "association", should instead put those good intentions and support behind the existing organizations. It would spare you the headaches of the start up and provide you with an existing base of likeminded aviation groupies to mold as you like. Think of the possibilities! Yah!