The United Airlines pilots union is having one meltdown of a month. After literally turning their backs on CEO Scott Kirby, who came out to speak with them about their grievances – and right after going on TV to talk about the need to pay his airline’s pilots more – they’ve elected a man to head their union who is unfit for the job.
The Air Line Pilots Association negotiated a new contract with the airline. Seeing pilots at other airlines getting more than they had negotiated they ripped up the agreement rather than sending it to their members. And many United pilots now want a fight with the airline.
But just-elected Captain Neil Swindells is the wrong person to lead them, because he cannot represent the full membership of his union.
As documented by Live and Let’s Fly, Captain Swindells lacks the temperament to lead. He has taken to online forums – including very recently – making misogynistic and heterosexist comments about his fellow pilots.
His online commentary includes gems such as,
Continuing to get your gay man on today, I see. Brava! And if my Aunt had a penis she’d by my Uncle!
…And I’m sure EMIRATES had NOTHING TO DO with the EMIRATES MALE CAPTAIN being flanked by a UNITED FEMALE FIRST OFFICER, either, right??? EVERY SINGLE OPTIC was DESIGNED with a nod to EMIRATES’ DOMINANCE OF THE CODESHARE, while giving UNITED their desired DEI money shot!!!
He’s also written in incendiary language I will not reproduce, describing the graphic and gruesome painful death he wishes upon United’s controversial pilot class of 1985 which was hired in the midst of a strike over 37 years ago (many of which have since retired).
Regarding CEO Kirby, he wrote “continuing to get your gay man on today” and he’s denigrated other union leaders as “A Paddy, a WOP and a Jew.” (Similar comments forced President Reagan’s interior secretary to resign.)
These aren’t youthful indiscretions, they’re comments made over the past several months that Captain Swindells hasn’t sought to walk back. Instead he’s known among his colleagues as intolerant in the cockpit, and he was elected based on a bare majority vote of the union’s executive council not of the membership. And no one is suggesting he lose his job (although intolerance in the cockpit could well represent a safety risk, given the importance the union emphasizes in two-person cockpits where pilots work together). Instead he simply should not continue as Master Chair of the union.
As the Master Chair of the United Master Executive Council of ALPA, Swindells gets a board seat at the airline. Not only is he unable to represent all of his pilot members equally, he shouldn’t represent shareholders in the board room.
At Live and Let’s Fly, a number of commenters rushed to Captain Swindells’ defense – suggesting that a rogue ‘woke’ pilot was out to smear the man with ‘out of context’ comments he made (though that site reproduced full messages). In fact the idea that he’s universally supported, except by a few rogue pilots, is false. His election was controversial even inside the pilot union itself. Here’s a message just sent to members from Captain Noel Ojeda (Chair, Council 34), Captain Jake Eve (Vice-Chair, Council 34) and Captain Amy Jayo (Secretary/Treas., Council 34):
Council 34 Pilots,
As you know, we are in special session at the MEC this Monday and Tuesday, electing a new Master Chair (MC), and conducting other critical business. In what we consider a rushed process for recruiting, only two candidates, Captain Rick Cameron and Captain Neil Swindells, had any support at the MEC.
Both candidates had five minutes for a speech and ten minutes for questioning by MEC members. We received hundreds of calls, texts, and emails opposing Capt. Swindells and none in support. The common thread among the communications from you was Capt. Swindells’ postings on various forums and his treatment of pilots not agreeing with his personal opinions. At your direction, we asked Capt. Swindells very direct questions concerning his offensive posts. We were not satisfied with the answers.
In yet another disturbing twist, the questioning of Capt. Swindells was cut short by the majority element of the MEC supporting him. They knew they had the votes to elect Neil and decided to cut the process short. We simply did not have the votes to stop them.
Immediately after the vote to end questioning, the election resulted in a 9-8 vote with Capt. Swindells as our next MC. Mike Hamilton resigned and Capt. Swindells took the gavel immediately.
While the election is not the outcome you directed or we desired, it is reality. We work at your direction and Capt. Swindells works at our direction. Collectively, you’ve told us our focus shall remain bringing you an industry leading contract as well as continued representation of C34 pilots.
Captain Swindells must resign his position immediately, because he cannot effectively represent his membership. He clearly doesn’t have the best interests of some of them in mind. He fails to hold his tongue, making him an ineffective leader. And he needlessly antagonizes leadership of the airline which will make him ineffective both at the bargaining table and in the board room. Of course, United pilots don’t have a recent history of electing the best or brightest.
Out of curiosity, do you know what ID he uses when posting in the comments section here?
Wow, to say you take things out of context is an understatement,
First you simply repeat another bloggers information and don’t bother to research It or even add new information , amazed I am not. Do you consider yourself a writer or a blogger or just a traveler who writes about aviation, I am deciding how much leeway to give you based on that answer.
Next you are engaging in union politics which after my long tenure in airlines makes Republicans and Democrats look like amateurs.
Further do you even know the joke he made was about two of his very close friends of his, of course you don’t.
I will say just like I did on the other site you are being played by one faction of a union over the other or you are helping one side over the other. The truth is in the middle and you as the other guy did not even bother to call the guy you are writing about for his side of the argument , so that answers one question you are not a writer. But it will get you clicks or is it money, yes I see its the money from the clicks, for your outrage.
You post a comm from one of the sides, by the way did you point out the comm from that SFO LEC that they all were nearly recalled by their own pilots in SFO but survive by 15 votes out of more than 1000. Do you really believe 543 pilots said nothing to support Capt Swindells ? That 543 pilots voted to remove Capt Ojeda (the SFO rep) for voting for new contract that 94% of the pilots ultimately voted against and you want to believe none of the 543 pilots support Capt Swindells for master chairman who was on the other side who was against the tentative agreement. You lack information and logic.
The west coast of the pilot’s union and east coast of the pilots union has been fighting for control of the union at UA for my entire career, that goes back to Rick Dubinsky’s days, you were probably not even born yet when this started.
Last, don’t bring up scabs to a union member, those are fighting words. Unless you have been in a union where there has been a strike you have no idea what you are talking about.
[off topic redacted – gary]
As far as the pilots union, it’s a union for the pilots, they don’t care what you or anyone else thinks, and threats of boycotting them is laughable and they know it.
@Jared this isn’t even what the union membership thinks, it is what a 1-vote majority of the executive council of the union supported
Now THIS should be an interesting session of comments. I’m preparing the snacks right now.
@30west – new information is absolutely added, such as union leadership disavowing the man and the board seat that the union holds. And I didn’t take anything out of context, they are quotes from fully available social media posts that are entirely in context.
And what on earth makes you think I wasn’t born yet during Rick Dubinsky’s tenure?
“And what on earth makes you think I wasn’t born yet during Rick Dubinsky’s tenure?…”
Yeah! Gary’s an old guy. 😉
Always entertaining when an Aviation related blogger grabs that third rail that is airline union politics. Crankyflyer got inundated by comments one time a few years ago when he waded into that hornet’s nest.
Having been in a union for many years (and through a strike), none of this surprises me. Most of us grunts that aren’t tied to leadership just do our job but wonder why we put so many backbiting, gossiping, agenda pushing, old boy network imbeciles with very little real accountability in charge of our livelihood. Sometimes they get it right but sometimes they’re just plain embarrassing.
Do you expect anything less from these “I’m better than you” children. A bunch of arrogant fools.
Gary
You posted one LEC comments out of nine LEC’s. By nature the LEC comms are often inflammatory its supposed to be that way , then the MEC takes a more even keel in its comms, much like the house of reps saying crazy stuff then the senators reel it in.
I guess your youthful picture had me gauging you around 40 as I am much older than that that is where I come from and I spoke with Rick a few months ago, the guy is still as sharp as ever and still does not suffer fools easily. I don’t think Rick would be able to operate in todays world of union politics with social media.
Gary
I have noticed this is blowing up by several outlets and seems to be almost a concerted effort and well thought out attack on a new union leader.
I am now wondering if UAL labor strategy has teed this all up to undermine the new leader, the pilots contract over due by 4 years goes down in flames 94% of pilots voted against it. Next the pilots recall numerous reps and mass resignations and a large voice that was against the deal from the beginning ends up getting elected as master chairman.
The very next day the press is all over the guy for some at best bad language , sorry not buying its a coincidence. Maybe you were not involved , maybe UA Labor Strategy Management did not call you or maybe they did. You get perks from them like all the bloggers.
It clear to me UA management wanted the other guy running against Swindells, he was more amicable to them, they do not want to deal with a true Unionist that Swindells is. If UA management wanted the other guy I want Swindells period.
Ever consider the thought you are being used ?
@30west “I have noticed this is blowing up by several outlets and seems to be almost a concerted effort and well thought out attack on a new union leader. ..Ever consider the thought you are being used ?” Considering that no one at the airline or union reached out to me on this, that seems… unlikely.
“maybe UA Labor Strategy Management did not call you or maybe they did. You get perks from them like all the bloggers.”
I get zero perks from United, I do not take status or free travel (when there’s access to something I cannot get on my own, I make a charitable donation equivalent to the value of what I receive). And as far as I can tell I’m on their *$@!# list in any case.
“the press is all over the guy for some at best bad language”
No, the union *membership* is unhappy because the guy writes racist, homophobic and sexist things and they feel that he does not and cannot represent them. But this because more than just a union issue when the union gets a board seat at the company.
What is it about United that their employees feel compelled to elect really crappy union leaders? First the flight attendants and now the pilots? Sheesh.
If you don’t have a dog in this fight then move along.
@Steve – this isn’t an ‘internal union matter’ the union gets a board seat at a public company
Like Steve said….. if you don’t have a dog in this fight move along. Geeze Gary this site is going downhill…. I implore you do stay away from topics that really don’t concern you then try to gin the crowd up to try to get them to care (which they don’t). Stop scrounging for content! It’s all internal stupid MEC/LEC politics…. Every pilot group has them almost all the time… recall efforts, reps, committee chairs resigning in protest, MEC purges…. Par for the course. Nothing that affects the average traveler 99% of the time.
Wow, those are some terms I’ve not heard in years! Last time I heard “WOP” was… *checks notes* ah yes, West Side Story, a classic that debuted in 1957!!!
This guy is a real racist throwback! What a leader!
@Sosongblue – defend this all you wish but the union gets a board seat at the airline so this is much broader than union racism, homophobic, and misogyny
@ Gary Leff
“And I didn’t take anything out of context, they are quotes from fully available social media posts that are entirely in context”
Gary, it’s a pity that in seeking to purge some of the disgusting commentary on this blog, you didn’t go the next step and hold yourself to a higher level of account for the content of your articles.
Your statement above is wantonly specious (and you probably know it).
For starters your claim “are quotes from fully available social media posts” is incorrect. For example, your one source for your article (another blogger’s article – please!) cites social media posts which are protected and supposedly only intended for approved followers – if you had even bothered to go to the original source rather than parroting another blogger’s article, you would have found that the dissenting voice of Captain Coleman is from a protected group on Twitter and not from currently publicly available social media.
Now the supposed Emirates-United event sexism claim. Emirates is represented by a captain and United by a first officer – that in itself infers dominance (why not two captains?) – also female pilots globally are in the minority (reportedly around 6%) so picturing a female first officer next to a male captain also could be taken to infer dominance. But hey, let’s take the comments out of context and declare the comments are necessarily claiming that the woman is inferior.
Similarly, with the claimed “racist” post about the “Paddy, Wop and Jew” – go read the original, Gary, it’s a joke referring to candidates standing for Council 5 supported by himself – the joke is advocating diversity (“Council 5 would become the new model of diversity on this ticket!”). But hey, let’s wantonly take the comments out of context and declare these comments are demeaning to certain groups.
Now, remarkably, in your abject arrogance, you demand:
“Captain Swindells must resign his position immediately…[blah, blah, blah redacted]”
Small problem, Gary, you are just a travel blogger, you don’t get to demand such – this person has been elected by due process within the framework of the organisation’s process.
By all means report on the “controversial” nature of the appointment, ideally with balance and without over reach, and advisedly only after you’ve done your own research rather than relying on another blogger’s work (no doubt fed by the dissenting voices).
One might assume that these appointments are a hot bed of politics (as others have suggested) and probably subject to all sorts of internecine internal battles of which you have virtually no knowledge.
As to the language in the cited posts – IMHO there’s some nasty stuff.
The problem is that there are few standards of decency in social media discourse in modern day USA (and other countries) – as evidenced by the output from our politicians, travel bloggers and the commentary they solicit. You yourself have only reluctantly and recently elected to redact the most vile commentary on your own blog and are still want to publish articles of a potentially political and / or incendiary nature (e.g. the anti union articles still keep coming). Many herein champion “free speech” when its hits their political persuasion only to rile against those who exercise such free speech when it suits their political persuasion – hypocrisy at large!
Gary…… wasn’t defending it, infact I was against this individual…..I’m trying to tell you for your own sake and the sake of this site … no one on the outside cares.. Swindells will probably step down or be ousted within 2 weeks, even without the publicity …. Again nothing to see here, move along! Come up with real content!
@Gary
-what Platy said!
Neil should resign. I’ve known him for 20+ years and was stunned to see him selected. His comments represent him perfectly. The union is saying these were taken out of context. I keep asking in what context are those acceptable? He is horrible person and a horrible choice to lead our pilot group.
Racists and other kinds of bigots on publicly-traded company boards? Been that way for as long as we’ve been alive and long before. So another such person getting a board seat on a publicly-traded company is business as usual.
Let’s keep in mind that this is in the country where a racist, sexist, homophobic Islamophobe became president only a handful of years ago — that person being the very same Donald Trump who even got more votes in the 2020 general election than in the 2016 general election.
@ Gary Leff
“this isn’t an ‘internal union matter’ the union gets a board seat at a public company”
It is an internal union matter because it is the due process of that union that is being applied.
For your (tenuous) central argument to hold – that this guy is incapable of representing the diversity of the membership – you need to validate the logical connection between social media comments (subject to interpretation) with the proof that he will not champion the advancement of women pilots (which are under in a minority) or certain racial or other groups because of a presumed implicit discriminatory position.
After four years of attempted negotiation with the airline employer, you might want somebody “controversial” on your team…???
Gary
I believe last I saw the side that supported Swindells an agenda item was to split the board seat from the Master Chairman position as they see it corrupting the Master Chairman, so if they follow thru with the Master Chairman being Swindells and some other person is on the board holding that seat, I guess your argument goes away then huh ?
Well that won’t sell many credit cards….
@ Gary
For balance, a statement attributed to Swindells on a pilot’s forum:
“Good evening. My name is Neil Swindells. I am a 787 Captain based in Chicago and I was just elected as your new Master Chair.
As you know, Captain Mike Hamilton resigned last week, pending the election of a replacement, due to a serious family emergency. I have known and worked with Mike for over 30 years and I will take this as my first opportunity to speak on your behalf by saying we all send Mike and his family our very best wishes, and thank him for his decades of dedicated service.
As United Airlines pilots, we are all keenly aware that not only is our current UPA almost four years past its amendable date, but also that the Company’s last offer fell short of your expectations by an historic margin. The strength of that 94% No vote was vitally important to your MEC in helping them understand not only the standards you have set, but also the standards we must meet. That pilot unity, coupled with MEC unity will stand us in good stead going forward.
Speaking of unity, I must address how important it is for United ALPA to speak with one voice…a strong voice that is backed up by 15,000 pilots who are tired of being taken advantage of, tired of a Company that fails to keep their commitments for an industry leading contract, and tired of seeing their own union treated with disrespect. I am tired of it too, and I have been elected to help change that.
Thankfully, some of this work has already begun, as evidenced by the outstanding informational picketing events currently taking place throughout the system. In just the past few weeks, we have had pilots turn out in the hundreds at the Denver Training Center, at the United Airlines Board of Directors meeting in Houston, and at our Chicago and Newark hubs. I hope you can attend one of the upcoming events and picket with your fellow pilots, and even our union brothers and sisters from other airlines and employee groups who walk with us in solidarity.
As your new Master Chair, I will devote my time to returning this pilot group to the top of the industry. That will start with an industry leading contract that reflects what CEO Kirby says he wants to achieve…the best airline in the history of aviation flown by the best pilots in the history of aviation. As pilots, we are already there. It’s time for the Company to catch up and recognize our continuing contributions.
We will not be distracted by Shiny Jet Syndrome, nor seduced by fancy speeches on CNBC. What we will do is demand the professional respect we deserve for the “Safe, Caring, Dependable and Efficient” service we provide every day for this Company.
As your Master Chair, I will personally reassess the next UPA proposal we slide across the table to the Company to ensure it contains not only the economic value required for it to be ratified by you, but the values needed to promote a safe work-life balance and rid us of decades old, bankruptcy era, work rules that are completely inconsistent with the CEO’s stated vision of the best airline in the history of aviation.
Like you, I am looking forward to the future with excitement and enthusiasm. I believe we are at the airline best placed to leverage not only our global network, but our greatest asset: the employees…and not just pilots…every employee. However, as brilliant of a concept as United Next may be, United Next cannot come to fruition without a Contract First.
I thank you for your time and I look forward to speaking to you more in the days, weeks, and months ahead. For now, though, it’s time for me to get to work!
In Unity,
Captain Neil Swindells
UAL-MEC Chair”
Readers can interpret that in any want they want…but, ultimately, it’s a matter for the union and its membership and not the grandiose demands of travel bloggers…;)
What bothers me more than the content of anything he said is the tone. That bullying, thuggish, angry, monster tone. How can anyone think this demeanor works well in the cockpit? How did no one complain?
I guess he mentioned himself how he earned his stripes by keeping his mouth shut, and I don’t envy a junior pilot who had to work with him.
Of course, he makes sure no one complains by being an overbearing brute.
At least we now know to avoid flying 787 from Chicago with United, if you want do avoid the extra risk. What a guy!
@Gary. That’s how unions usually operate. Executive boards usually appoint the president and other executive members.
Unions all want better working conditions, and as much money and benefits as they can get. They don’t care about the general public, doesn’t matter if it’s an auto union, pilot union, police union, government union, etc.
And the 1st paragraph was not off topic either Gary. It’s accurate and 100%. It reminds me of Mike Judge’s movie called Idiocracy.
@platy- I have seen the posts myself, and confirm Live and Let’s Fly reproduced them in full. Nothing was taken out of context.
It does not matter if he supported ‘the wop and the jew’ or opposed them. That’s how he speaks publicly.
And the statement you reproduce, about the need for unity, he clearly doesn’t have it within his own ranks and he is uniquely unquified to create it given the way he writes and reportedly treats others in the cockpit. His own election was hardly unifying.
@30west – if the board seat is split from his role and he has no way to influence who is selected then he will simply undermine the credibility of his union (which often seeks to speak publicly) and thus the cause of his members, but the damage may be more contained.
Directors do not represent shareholders.
fascinating considering how uber-woke United is.
Why don’t you stick to comments about travel, & experiences, etc. Butt the hell out of airline politics., “Leff Wing”.
What’s fascinating is how ALPA has done everything it can to delay a contract then blamed UAL for the delay. Same old dirty business from a corrupt union.
@ Gary
“Nothing was taken out of context.’
That only holds true if you wantonly choose to define “context” in the narrowest of definitions to defend your hatchet job.
Pretending certain comments are discriminatory when they are advocating diversity is an example of your bias and intent.
“It does not matter if he supported ‘the wop and the jew’ or opposed them.”
Clearly, sufficient union members / executive members of the United MEC disagree with you. A gentle reminder that the MEC are voted in by the membership (based upon representation from the various cities habouring United Airline’s operations) before executive selection of positions.
You just don’t know whether this person will or will not be a vociferous advocate for “all” members in the pursuit of a better employment contract and workplace safety once installed. He could be highly effective in addressing his scope of work, or he may not.
If he used his executive powers in a manner specifically to disadvantage certain groups (religions, races, genders, etc) then that would be clearly problematic.
Now, you are demanding the resignation of a duly elected union executive member. Surely, such positions should not be determined by the arrogant perceptions of a certain travel blogger stirring the matter up publicly and referring to dissenting posts that weren’t intended for the public domain.
“That’s how he speaks publicly.”
Well his social media posts uses language, which is undoubtedly controversial – can you actually reference similar language when he’s publicly speaking (as you claim)?
A pilot friend has previously posted arguably inappropriate materials on Facebook – in one case a picture of a Golliwog with the caption “let’s see how many times we can get this copied on FB before it gets banned – and on another case a meme denigrating a Muslim woman. Should she be flying an aircraft?
FWIW, in the first instance, I referred her to the historical symbolism of the item and encouraged her to listen to Obama’s speech responding to the Charleston Church Shooting. In the second case I pointed out the many obvious presumptions being used to discredit a woman in a scarf in a meme.
I also pointed out that (rightly or wrongly) a current or future employer may find some of her social media activities to be contrary to her role.
On the other hand, she is a fierce advocate for women in aviation and serves as a mentor to younger female pilots. In the event that she butted a few heads in the industry to support greater diversity (based on merit), I’d be cheering her all the way.
“And the statement you reproduce, about the need for unity, he clearly doesn’t have it within his own ranks”
Does he have unanimous support? The evidence is no, since the voting of the executive was split. But he did win the majority. An election and selection process determined the outcome, whether you like the person or not.
“and reportedly treats others in the cockpit.”
Gary, if you are going to make such statements you really need to back them up by citing your evidence. Do that, and your readers really can’t disagree with specific elements in your argument.
FWIW my pilot friends are always grumbling about one captain or another that they do or don’t like, but they apparently still manage to get the job done. The same stuff happens in all workplaces. That’s not to excuse bad behaviour (a certain right wing media personality in Australia just lost his job for exposing himself at the office Christmas part amongst other unfortunate acts!), but let’s not lose our sense of reality in an hysterical witch hunt.
“His own election was hardly unifying.”
What is your claim, Gary? That he is unfit for the office he has been elected to, because….what…there wasn’t an unanimous or clear majority decision in the executive??? Unanimous elections can be problematic (only one or one very dominant candidate or party)
I’m not great fan of a certain airline CEO. I would imagine that a fair proportion of the Australian public have sounded off about him in private conversations and I social media posts, perhaps in very uncomplimentary ways referencing his Irish heritage and sexual preferences in the process – I doubt most of those people do so because they are inherently racist against the Irish, or intrinsically homophobic – they just can’t stand the man and have suffered cancellations, lost luggage and AUD600 million of unredeemed travel credits at the hands of a problematic CEO!
I might also point out the hypocrisy of writing articles that are wantonly controversial, at times factually absent, at times misrepresenting other countries and their peoples, at times medically and scientifically misleading, encouraging dissent in online blog commentary, and then getting all self righteous about somebody’s social media posts!!!
To wrap up positively, I hope the third candle is safely alight and shining brightly on the health and good fortunes of yourself and your family at this festive time.
If this was a court of law, Platy would have sent someone to the guillotine.
Scott Kirby, for all of his platitudes, loves all of this. While Delta pilots salivate at an AIP worth more than double per year what United or American offered their pilots, Scott Kirby is doing all possible to fan the flames of United’s deep-seated union in-fighting and push back the payday that is all the vast majority of United pilots really care about.
@ Tim Dunn
Good to hear from you. Seasons greetings!
“If this was a court of law, Platy would have sent someone to the guillotine”
Nah, mate, when they did away with capital punishment in the UK and Australia, a career in law and the judiciary became oddly less compelling! My former drinking buddy, a Supreme Court judge of Victoria, always (jokingly) bemoaned such.
After a reported c.4 years of employment contract negotiations and in the wake of the DL agreement, how do you see this playing out for the United MEC and “executive team Kirby”?!
What ideal attributes would a United MEC Chair need to take on the airline?
and here in the US, the few states that still kill criminals can’t get enough drugs because….
so, an eye for an eye has become an eye for a lifetime of appeals.
As for this whole mess at United ALPA, I genuinely just feel sorry for the average United pilots.
I can’t believe this guy is the best that United pilots could come up with but we’ve seen over and over that the good “guys” aren’t willing to step into public leadership any more.
Just look at the last two occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
but it is up to United pilots to sort it all out and not the internet.
When I lived overseas, I committed to not getting involved in the politics of the country where I lived and alot of people here should learn to stay in their own lane.
@ Tim Dunn
“but it is up to United pilots to sort it all out and not the internet.”
Pithily put…..;)
Swindells? I thought that was Gary trying to be funny….
None of his comments are surprising. Typical union leader. Democrat (Biden) contributor and supporter to boot. These people will talk out of one side of their mouth and in private they paint another picture. I would be more supportive of union leaders like this and much of their rhetoric and even give them latitude in their crude speech if they didn’t turn the other cheek and speak out against people in a virtue-signaling and political manner.
@DaninMCI – while it’s always tough to generalize, overall pilots tend to skew more Republican than Democrat. And the only political donation I can find for Swindells is an end of 2017 $249 contribution to ALPA’s PAC, no giving to any politician that I can see.
He’s as Chicago democrat as they come and like I said the joke you referenced are 2 very good friends of his , who are Jewish and Polish on a PRIVATE forum but keep getting used by the side that just got recalled by the majority of the pilots, recalls and mass resignation are extremely rare at UAL that the real story
platy,
While the internet can be very unforgiving, UAL’s MEC knew of the comments that their new President made BEFORE they voted for him.
Let’s keep in mind, once again, that their former pilot leadership is in the midst of a wholesale recall effort due to their completely out-of-touch proposal which they agreed to in concert with UAL execs according to PUBLICLY accessibly pilot chat forums.
The vote for a new contract was dead months ago and it has taken this long just to seat a new MEC President and make plans for 2023 which Neil says will start w/ a survey of pilots as to what they want. UAL pilots are undoubtedly waiting for approval of DAL’s contract by its pilots to ensure they have a floor for what they will accept.
Again, the real losers are UAL’s rank and file pilots that want a union first and foremost to deliver economic benefits. Gary rails against pilot unions but they have been the most successful unionized workgroup in American business in keeping their salaries and benefits as elevated as they are.
as 30west notes, there is all kinds of private communication which has been aired in public. While he has posted PUBLICLY an apology and “I’m sorry I got caught” message, he recognizes that canning him and going back to the former MEC leadership will only hurt UA’s pilots and ultimately the company that has much less certainty about its future, might see some very upset pilots and other employees during 2023, all of which make United a much less attractive employer when UA desperately needs to recruit as many employees as it can.
Sounds like a typical United Captain who is representative of the entire group. They seem like total assholes and an embarrassment to their profession.
Traveling two days ago a Captain sat in front of us (aisle seat) in full uniform. He YELLED at a Delta pilot sitting in the adjacent window seat for opening his window shade! It was disturbing his sleep! He ordered the Delta guy not to open it again. I mean ORDERED. It was embarrassing to watch and hear. There were other incidences as well with this guy and I wonder if he was fit to fly.
Arrogant assholes.
I don’t really care one way or another about this guy, but find it ridiculous that people are saying that because someone that saying something in a “private forum” that is offensive, racist, homophobia, sexist or otherwise makes it okay because it was private.
“When someone tells you who they are, believe them” That goes for whether they say it publicly, and doubly so when they say it and think it’s private.
He’s toxic trash
Chris T
No one has said what he wrote is ok
I have said that ‘he who is without sin (or fault) should cast the first stone
He was elected by their MEC and indirectly by the pilots
It is their problem and they need to decide if removing him serves their economic ends which is the primary reason why unions exist
Just like a million other topics discussed here, there are a multitude of views. This one just doesn’t affect us if we aren’t United pilots as much as some want to believe otherwise
This is an issue for members of the union, it’s not public office.
If you think that having that UA female pilot in the ad with Emirates was just a coincidence, and that to point out the unlikeliness that it was is sexist, then you are suffering from terminal wokeness.
In any case, it’s nobody’s business but the union’s rank and file as to the employment of their leaders.