NWA Pilots working to regain our fair compensation, our quality of life, our future, and our dignity.
What is ALPAWatch? What is it for?
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Who are the members of the ALPAWatch?
How does an NWA Pilot, use ALPAWatch to improve our future?
ALPAWatch is a grassroots organization created by everyday NWA line-pilots for the purpose of helping NWA ALPA restore the fair compensation, quality of life, the future, and the dignity of all NWA Pilots. ALPAWatch is here to make certain that the NWA ALPA leadership focuses on its primary responsibility “To protect and enhance the careers of Northwest Airlines Pilots.” The objectives supporting that mission include improving the performance of NWA ALPA leadership, improve solidarity by strengthening the relationship between the membership and the leadership, improve membership involvement in the union process and improve the effectiveness of NWA ALPA in general. Methods to achieve those objectives place ALPAWatch in the combined roles of News Media, Over Site Group, and Lobbyist Group...all on behalf of the membership. ALPAWatch is not part of NWA ALPA. It is an independent, grassroots organization.
My name is Kevin Jones. I am a DTW320FO with a love of flying, a background in business, an intense sense of fairness and a dedicated desire to help repair the damage that has been done to our careers. I helped start ALPAWatch. I have no ALPA political ambitions. I have no NWA management ambitions. I have no hidden agendas. What I do have is a strong belief that we, as a group, need to work hard to repair the damage that has been done to our profession. I did not find this career in the poor condition it is in today and I don’t think it is right to leave it in shambles for the next generation of pilots. That is what motivates me and the rest the permanent members of ALPAWatch.
ALPAWatch is a grassroots organization essentially made up of all NWA pilots. The permanent members are all regular line-pilots willing to do selfless volunteer work. They have all agreed that it is more important to put the needs of all NWA pilots above any personal ideas or needs that they might have. They all realize that achieving the objectives of ALPAWatch is a long-term project. While hopeful of immediate results, it is accepted that this process will take as long as it takes. ALPAWatch is not part of NWA ALPA. It was not created by or with the blessing of NWA ALPA. It is independent of ALPA and all other organizations, web sites, causes etc. It is not another debate forum. ALPAWatch is apolitical. ALPAWatch is here to work with ALPA, not against it. ALPAWatch’s mission is to make certain that NWA ALPA focuses on its primary responsibility “To protect and enhance the careers of Northwest Airlines Pilots.”
ALPAWatch started as an idea shared by several pilots. The idea centered on this concept. To repair the damage and begin the rebuilding, we need a strong union. The options are to start over with a new union or work with the one we have. It was quickly decided that the logical choice is work with the one we have. ALPA worked well for this pilot group in the past and there is no reason it cannot do the same in the future. However, for NWA ALPA to produce the successes in the future that it has enjoyed in the past, a couple of things must be put into place. The union must have good leaders. The pilot group must have good reasons to believe, trust and follow those leaders. Securing strong leadership and ensuring group unity is the first crucial step, the foundation of repairing the damage. To begin this first step, The Pledge was created and presented to the candidates running in the October 2006 Council 20 and 55 elections. Today, Fall of 2007, that process is represented by the 5% Goodwill Resolution.
ALPAWatch was born out the process of creating "The Pledge.” While drafting the Pledge, many pilots were asked for their input--what they thought should and should not be included in the Pledge. That is how ALPAWatch started and how it operates now. Ask all the questions you can. Look for ideas. Get input from as many pilots as possible. Take that information and run it through the filters of the Mission and Objectives Statements and then take appropriate action when necessary. ALPAWatch will ask any question, including the questions that NWA ALPA will not, cannot or should not be asking. It will investigate any issue that needs investigating, so long as those issues are germane to moving in a positive direction toward the overall objective. Because ALPAWatch is an independent, apolitical organization separate from the union, it is able to ask some questions and come up with suggestions that NWA ALPA cannot. ALPAWatch will publish the responses to those questions and the results of those investigations without reservation but always with positive suggestions for solutions. ALPAWatch subscribes to the doctrine of “don’t criticize without offering positive suggestions.” Ultimately it is always the MEC’s responsibility to take whatever action it deems necessary. It is up the membership to grade that action. ALPAWatch gives the membership a forum to collectively make those grades known. Your input to ALPAWatch and every NWA pilot’s input, ideas, participation, and comments are not only encouraged but essential. ALPAWatch will do all the heavy lifting, but to be effective the pilots of NWA must participate. The easiest way to participate is to Subscribe for the ALPAWatch Newsletter.
Who are the members of the ALPAWatch?
Well, the short answer is, you are. This is a grassroots organization. Every NWA pilot is encouraged to participate. You can participate by interacting with the web site, taking the polls and surveys, reading the published results of surveys, articles, etc, submit subjects for future pilot polls/surveys/articles, giving ALPAWatch feedback, asking questions, stating your concerns, etc. The subjects ALPAWatch will peruse will be those that support the Objectives. Those Objectives in turn support NWA ALPA as an organization and help the leadership focus on the primary responsibility of NWA ALPA, “To Protect and Enhance the Careers of Northwest Airlines Pilots.” Your input will be directed to that purpose.
ALPAWatch operates as an organization dedicated to a set of objectives and principles. Those objectives and principles identify ALPAWatch, not the personalities that make it work. Other organizations operate the same way, such as the news media, which is one of the functions of ALPAWatch. NWA ALPA’s existence is based on the By-Laws of ALPA National and The NWA ALPA Policy Manuel. ALPAWatch’s existence is based on its Mission Statement and Objectives. One of the problems is that many have come to identify NWA ALPA by its personalities over its purpose. NWA ALPA should be thought of as the union for all the pilots on the NWA seniority list. More often, it is thought of as the personalities that are doing the work of NWA ALPA. That can be a problem. The stated purposes of organizations such as NWA ALPA and ALPAWatch must be more important than the personalities doing the work of that organization. Organizations function best when this concept is practiced. To lead by example, ALPAWatch is focused on its stated objectives rather than the personalities associated with it. This organization makes every effort to lead by example, therefore the purpose, objectives, and achievements of ALPAWatch acting on behalf of the pilot group are the focus. Focusing on personalities is a distraction. We can give you this reassurance. Every permanent member working at the core of ALPAWatch agrees that any action or position ALPAWatch takes, must support the Mission and Objectives. They have no hidden agendas. They have no ALPA political ambitions. They have no NWA management ambitions. They expect no personal recognition for their work.
The first action of ALPAWatch, presenting the Pledge to the October LEC election candidates is a good demonstration of its actions supporting the ALPAWatch Mission and Objectives.
The Pledge Click here to read The Pledge
ALPAWatch 's first act was presenting the Pledge to the candidates of the Council 20 (DTW) and 55 (ANC) October '06 Elections. The purposes of presenting the Pledge are these. (1) Promote better leadership in the union. (2) Promote better performance from union leaders. (3) Give the membership additional information about a candidate’s positions and philosophy so they can make a more informed decision on their vote. (4) Improve the level of trust in our leaders and in doing so, help bring the pilot group back together so we can go forward in a more positive direction with a greater chance of success.
The Pledge was presented to the candidates with three options of action. They could sign it, refuse to sign it, or ignore the Pledge. Three of the twelve candidates signed the Pledge. All three lost. Any meaning that might be gained from those results is still open for debate. To be fair, that fact that very few pilots every saw the website during that time had to be the overriding factor. Click here for more on this story>>>
ALPAWatch congratulates the new Council-elect representatives on their successful campaigns and expresses its gratitude for all those that entered the elections process. Any pilot willing to do volunteer work on the behalf of the pilot group deserves to be recognized for their contributions.
How does an NWA Pilot, use ALPAWatch to improve our future?
If you have read this far, you have already done a lot. Next, it is important that you take a few minutes to visit the Survey page and take the surveys that are presented there. ALPAWatch needs the input of the pilots. As ALPAWatch goes forward, it will peruse its objectives with as many creative and productive methods as possible. Many of the topics to achieve those objectives will come from you, the membership. Feedback from the pilot group is essential. Click here to email ALPAWatch with your feedback. Send an email with suggestions for future Survey Topics. Click here to go to the current list of Proposed Topics. Subscribe to the ALPAWatch Newsletter. Your email address will be kept confidential and will not be shared with any other group. You can Un-Subscribe at anytime. Send an email describing what you believe are the issues preventing NWA ALPA from being as productive as it can be. Send an email to ALPAWatch with your opinion of ALPAWatch, as an organization. It is also very important that you send an email to other NWA pilots with a link to the ALPAWatch.org web site and encourage them to participate. You can also send us an email if you would like to work for ALPAWatch.
The future of NWA pilot’s careers rides on the actions of our union leadership. That leadership needs the support, ideas, and direction that the membership can provide it. ALPAWatch was created so the membership would have an organized, coordinated, effective method of giving the leadership that needed support, ideas, and direction. Your participation is crucial if you want our future careers be better that what we are living through today.
ALPAWatch is conducting surveys and polls designed to identify the problems and perceived problems that are dividing this pilot group. Division of the pilot group, real or imagined is the first issue that needs attention. Every pilot should agree that if the pilot group is divided we are unlikely to be capable of improving our current condition. More concerning, a divided union is susceptible to further losses. Improving pilot unity and improving the strength of our leadership are the top issues for the forseeable future.
ALPAWatch is also watching the action and at times, the in-action of the leadership, along with positive activities and achievements. Activities worthy of comment or action will be published. ALPAWatch will research issues and report on them as necessary.
Currently, late 2007, we submitted a resolution that is designed to address many of the issues important to the pilots and the objectives of ALPAWatch. If you are not up to date on it, please inform yourself by going to The 5% Goodwill page.
We realize that some NWA pilots, in leadership positions and regular line pilots may see this organization as unnecessary or unproductive. Despite such misconceptions, ALPAWatch remains committed to its Mission.
Thank you again for participating in ALPAWatch. With the participation of pilots such as you, ALPAWatch will be successful in obtaining the Union Leadership that the Pilot Group deserves, and in doing so regain our fair compensation, our quality of life, our future, and our dignity.