WHO: We are four pilots from across the industry, and all fly for what are considered “major” airlines. Three are former military. Three are first officers. One is furloughed. All four of us are share a common belief that our careers are salvageable, provided we can create unity across the profession. We are of the opinion that your careers are likewise salvageable for the same reason.
We are flying the line and sitting in the cockpits with you.
WHAT: By operating a “sit down” protest of the government policy regarding these issues, we fall outside the RLA and squarely under the First Amendment right to speech, petition, and assembly. This protest will effectively shut down the air transportation system of the United States, should it come to that.
This is what happens when you abuse people for 30 years and give them no recourse. Eventually, the pressure builds and you get an catastrophic explosion to bring about equilibrium. Our catastrophic explosion will be entirely peaceful; in fact, our protest will literally be the quietest one in American history. We will all just sit quietly in our homes.
WHEN: That is entirely up to the pilots in this industry. The faster we gain a critical mass of pilots that will ensure Phase IV (the shutdown protest) is successful, the quicker the actual events can take place. You have to raise your army before you charge into battle. Our goal is for the latter part of 2011. Getting the word out is the single most important thing at this point in the operation. The faster we get a critical mass of pilots, the sooner we will be taken seriously by policy makers in our government. The faster we gain pilots identifying with OPERATION ORANGE 2011, the faster we will attract pilots through the safety in numbers.
WHERE: There will most certainly not be a gathering of pilots for many reasons. First, is the obvious logistical problems with such an event. If we are all going to meet in Washington, how will we get there? Think about it. Any gathering of pilots in the Capitol will be very small, since the air transportation system needs the pilots at the controls to get the protestors to DC. We won’t be taken seriously in such an instance.
Second, even if we could have a large gathering, picket, or demonstration, management could easily hire people to start violence. That gives government the pretext to crack down and the industry public relations departments a chance to portray us as “union thugs.” We are going to deny them that opportunity.
Third, demonstrations are ineffective. Nobody cares.
WHY: By 2020, this will have been decided. By 2020, management will have the ability to replace us. We will not be able to fight, regardless of the circumstances. Life is a fight. From your first breath, to your last, everything living is fighting for its survival. We fight because we can. We fight because we are still alive. Be thankful we still have the luxury to fight for ourselves and our passengers. Soon, pilots won’t have that ability. Terms will be dictated and we will have no option.
Not on our watch
If the pilots who are presently in elementary school wish to destroy this industry, that is up to them. Our duty is to give them an industry and profession better than we found it, and dare them to do the same.We have been in a 30 year, losing battle. It is time for us to bring the fight to their doorstep in a manner for which they are unprepared to engage.
HOW: Our premise is that our Founders gave us the freedoms for such action. The Bill of Rights prohibits government from quashing our speech, peaceful assembly, and petition for redress. We are protesting the current laws and actions of government with its mal regulation of the industry.
By having a critical mass of pilots willing to apply the only leverage we can lawfully bring to bear, we will be taken seriously by those who make policy. We can not afford political sympathy because the going rate for representation is well above what our traditional lobbying efforts can afford. We will also lose any arms race of lobbying money in Washington, to say nothing of the time it would take to make such an effort possible. Airline management will simply outspend us and run out the clock.
Please take the time to view our “Basic Strategy” post or .pdf, for information about how we will implement the SOS.
Basic Strategy posting
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