The Straight & Level

Prior APA DFW Chair CA "Josey" Wales: APA Cannot Silence Its Stakeholders

In this episode of the Straight & Level podcast, DFW 787 Captain Josie Wales discusses his experience serving on APA’s Board of Directors and the decisions that led to him collecting cards in the terminal. Listen to his perspective here.
 
“When our merger committee came back, and had the recommendation that we continue to discuss a merger with ALPA, the Board of Directors shut them down,” Wales said. “Basically we got 20 people that are sitting there saying that the pilots don’t have a right to get facts from ALPA and facts from APA to compare apples and oranges and to make an educated decision. At the end of the day, we need to get the facts. We need to make the decision. We’re a very intelligent group of people. And the Board of Directors is not allowing us to do this.”
 
Many long-time AA pilots are signing and collecting cards, passionate about pilots of American Airlines having an informed choice in representation.
 
Print, Sign, and Mail a Card: https://files.constantcontact.com/ad763251901/392a8c99-e851-41a7-9964-6af8e4f1c4aa.pdf?rdr=true
 
APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee's Report: https://storage.googleapis.com/production-constantcontact-v1-0-3/583/1295583/3ovvC4NI/ab3cc0b01e3f44889524ae6508cf3b87?fileName=APA-ALPA%20Merger%20Exploratory%20Committee%20Report%20No%20Attachments.pdf

New AA Pilots: You Deserve AA Vote, Too

In this episode of the Straight & Level podcast, ORD B737 First Officer Matt Skowron discusses signing a card while on probation. Listen to his perspective here
 
Many newer AA pilots inquire whether they can sign a card and what signing a card means. As a reminder:
 
Probationary pilots are eligible to join the call for AA vote through The Pilots’ Choice for representation. Signing a card will not jeopardize your future at American; it's your right protected by federal law and is confidential. 
Signing a card is a petition for AA vote. Signing a card IS NOT a vote for ALPA or a vote to decertify APA. It also does not remove union representation from our pilot group, nor does it change our contract or accompanying agreements. 
Triggering AA vote with a strong majority of cards provides an opportunity for you to make a business decision for your career. Hearing directly from both ALPA and our current union will allow us to collectively decide which union provides the best representation, value, and future for our professional airline pilot careers. 
 
If you meet a probationary pilot who is interested in having an opportunity for AA vote, then you can let them know this survey will provide a card mailed to their house with return postage.

The Pro Pilots' Choice Candidates: Captain Drew Coleman for DFW Vice Chair

Listen to DFW Vice Chair candidate Captain Drew Coleman's podcast episode to find out why he is running, why he signed a card, and why he deserves your vote.
 
You can vote electronically here or request a mail ballot here .
 
To vote electronically, you will need a pin that should have been mailed to your address on file with APA several weeks ago. If you never received a pin, then check your address on file with APA and request another pin from APA Election Coordinator Kathy Lazenby at 817-302-2175 .

The Pro Pilots' Choice Candidates: Captain Brian Smith for DFW Chair

Listen to DFW Chair candidate Captain Brian Smith's podcast episode to find out why he is running, why he signed a card, and why he deserves your vote.
 
You can also listen to his first podcast episode discussing his time in terminals here: https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-r4en2-15177a4
 
You can vote electronically here or request a mail ballot here .
 
To vote electronically, you will need a pin that should have been mailed to your address on file with APA several weeks ago. If you never received a pin, then check your address on file with APA and request another pin from APA Election Coordinator Kathy Lazenby at 817-302-2175 .

The Pro Pilots' Choice Candidates: First Officer Tom Lawler for DCA Vice Chair

Listen to DCA Vice Chair candidate First Officer Tom Lawler's podcast episode to find out why he is running, why he signed a card, and why he deserves your vote.
 
You can vote electronically here or request a mail ballot here .
 
To vote electronically, you will need a pin that should have been mailed to your address on file with APA several weeks ago. If you never received a pin, then check your address on file with APA and request another pin from APA Election Coordinator Kathy Lazenby at 817-302-2175 .

The Pro Pilots' Choice Candidates: First Officer Brandon Lighty for DCA Chair

Listen to DCA Chair candidate First Officer Brandon Lighty's podcast episode to find out why he is running, why he signed a card, and why he deserves your vote.
You can learn more about him by visiting his website: http://Brandonlighty4dca.info
 
You can vote electronically here or request a mail ballot here .
 
To vote electronically, you will need a pin that should have been mailed to your address on file with APA several weeks ago. If you never received a pin, then check your address on file with APA and request another pin from APA Election Coordinator Kathy Lazenby at 817-302-2175 .

Check Your Mailboxes: You Deserve AA Vote!

We recently sent a large number of American Pilots this information with cards and return postage to ensure as many pilots as possible have an opportunity to add their voice to our petition for a representation vote. Listen to this podcast episode for more information.
 
If you have any doubt whether your first card made it to our PO Box, then please send us this one. Postage is already included! 
 
Line pilots like you funded the data marketing research, postage, envelopes, flier, and cards in these mailers. Thank you for your continued support!
 
Please consider additional contributions to ensure we show the strongest unity possible for AA vote.
 
Fund Mailers for Your Fellow Pilots: https://donorbox.org/pilots-choice
 
You can find my form "Want a Card? Request One Here" at: https://form.jotform.com/232675272521051

What Comes Next?

As we continue toward 100% of American Pilots signing cards, one question continues to bubble up: what happens once we are ready to submit the cards to the National Mediation Board?
 
AA Pilots for ALPA’s lead organizer, Jeff Kerr, discusses what the next steps will look like for our pilot group.
 
“We’re seeing really strong support on the line. I have no doubt that we’re going to have an election. We’re going to have an opportunity to vote on ALPA representation. The closer we get to 100% sends a very strong message to our current representation and to the company about our pilots being ready to have a choice moving forward. I challenge every single pilot: don’t think about it as 50% +1, think about it as 100%. Let's vote, and let’s put this issue to bed, so we can move forward as a united pilot group.”
 
In this episode, Jeff and Garrett discuss the details of the National Mediation Board process. They also set expectations for an apples-to-apples education process so AA pilots can choose which group can best represent their interests as professional airline pilots.
 
Want a Card? Send Us Your Address: https://form.jotform.com/232675272521051 
 
We Need Your Help to Get to 100%! Sign up here to be an advocate for a vote for more professional representation.  https://form.jotform.com/231586809135159 
 

Tales from the Terminal: Captain Heather Boulanger, CLT 320

We’re back with more Tales from the Terminal, one of our most popular segments on the Straight & Level podcast.
 
This week we’re in Charlotte with Captain Heather Boulanger, who shares her “lessons learned” collecting cards and training advocates in AA terminals: listen to our pilots’ journey.
 
“I think a lot of people here at American now have such varied backgrounds as to where they have come from and because of that, their journey to where they are now has been really different. What I try to do is listen to what that journey was because I think it’s important that they’re heard. And then I explain to them that we’re asking for people to sign a card to petition the National Mediation Board for a representation election, and most of the time, they don’t have any further questions. They say, ‘I think it’s a good idea that the pilots get that choice.’” - Captain Heather Boulanger, CLT 320
 
As a lead organizer for AA Pilots for ALPA, Heather brings valuable experience to other pilots as we build momentum to bring the AA pilots a vote. 
 
Listen to her experience for quick tips, including the easiest ice breaker ever and how pilots can easily spot you in terminals. Follow and share our pilots’ experiences by spreading the word on social, listening to the podcast, and discovering just how easy it is to help out the cause.
 
Send us your card-collecting stories.

Tales from the Terminal: Captain Dan Scola, Charlotte 777

We’re back with more Tales from the Terminal with the interim Charlotte rep candidate Dan “drop the Captain, call me Dan” Scola. 
 
He shares why he’s stepping up for CLT rep consideration: He wants to ensure AA pilots have the opportunity to choose their representation moving forward.
 
“Right now, signing a card is the only opportunity you have to vote. The board took away that opportunity with the byproduct of the Merger Exploratory Committee back last summer when they elected not to move forward with Phase II. They all but challenged the pilot group and said, ‘hey, you know, we don’t believe that this is something that’s real.’ The only way you’ve got, right now, to express yourself is to fill out a card, cast that vote. That way, we can find out whether or not the majority of the pilots are interested in having a true say as to whether or not they want to have APA continue as their representation, or some other representation body going forward.” - Captain Dan Scola, CLT 777
 
Dan brings valuable APA and ALPA union experience to the table. He identifies the issues with APA’s governance structure and highlights the decisions facing AA pilots today. Listen to his take, including how AA pilots have the opportunity to become the biggest voice in the industry.
Send us your card-collecting stories at https://form.jotform.com/232685361721053
 
CLT pilots, don’t forget to send in your interim CLT Chairman Election ballots!
 
Need a card? Request one here: https://form.jotform.com/232675272521051