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(a personal note--Happy New Year to all those virtual reality-connected
people at COG--Steve Nieman)
Dear Buddy Stewart, Bill Rainey, Sean Cassidy and Tom Lent
(and all interested recipients):
I received email responses (read below) from four Horizon/Alaska
union leaders regarding my contention (and many others) that Buddy Stewart, the
Chairman of the QXTeamsters who represent Horizon Air Pilots, has moved on to
very shaky ground as he pursues his personal lawsuit against Horizon Air and CEO
George Bagley. I have taken my reply into the HACECA arena, because this
exciting discussion demonstrates why myself and others started this non-profit:
To speed reform in organized labor and corporate governance
at our two companies so that employees and customers can truly succeed in the
workplace and marketplace.
As is typical of much standard union rhetoric, all four
never responded directly to the ethics of what Buddy is doing, and by extension,
what all of our unions do. Readers have to rely on what's implied. The
implication is that he's on holy ground. Another common feel is that entrenched
institutional attitude, where they are so sure of themselves that they are accountable to no one. One more observation: They totally
ignore the concerns of our precious customers. Our customers have witnessed
first hand what employees do daily--our unions will not
hesitate to make them suffer so they can build up their power. Our
customers pay our paychecks every two weeks so we and our families can
enjoy life. For that they deserve--A LOT MORE
THAN THEY'RE GETTING FROM ALL OF US!
Horizon/Alaska just announced significant expansion East, taking
advantage of many business opportunities that have evolved since 9/11.
This move promises the growth of jobs and service to our customers as we
grow. Any growth in the airline industry is wrought with significant risks.
What are our six unions doing to help shoulder this
risk? What are they doing to address high and growing fixed costs
that prevent us from capitalizing on new opportunities? Can they see how
promoting workers and customers partaking together in capital side rewards will
more broadly distribute risk so that all true stakeholders can
benefit?
In order for Horizon/Alaska Airlines to be successful
reform has to occur in
several critical areas. The revolution of the Internet promises to be the
engine that powers these reforms. That's why HACECA will soon announce its
liaison with the Virtual Union,
a company on the Internet where among other services, polling of union members,
customers and shareholders can occur quickly and accurately. All of our unions
are two votes away by its members of 50 percent plus one of being unseated
by another union that understands and promotes the reforms that are necessary
and occurring.
And management--the customer and shareholder
reforms that you refuse to address? Don't sell short the power of the
Internet to communicate with and organize customers and
shareholders. There are thousands of employees, customers and
shareholders who are fed up with this conflict model of
management, with various union leaders and executives taking turns
applying a variety of choke holds as accepted business behavior. These
stakeholders are ready to listen to groups such as HACECA that promote responsibility, accountability, and rewards based on what
individuals produce or contribute to the corporation to provide jobs and
services to our customers, communities and nation.
To Buddy, Bill, Sean and Tom: You cannot
stop change. Reform powered by broader ownership by employees and
customers championed by many throughout the world is moving forward. This
dawning millennium promises many exciting adventures and opportunities. What
future roles will you play? What will you learn?--Steve
(Received Jan. 5, 2002)
Steve,
The EXCO meeting, on
the date you have heartburn over, began at 5:00PM and lasted until
midnight. Several of the EXCO members had problems with schedules, so we
had a late meeting.. This allowed me to attend both events. Just
like our flight schedules, our meetings don't always begin during regular
buisines hours. We were well prepared for our meeting with management. No
union resources have been expended, nor will they be, on my private
buisiness. You are wrapped around the wrong axle. I am not sure where you
recieved your information, but please get all the facts from your sources before
you make yourself look foolish again. I would ask that you examine your
own ethics and motives before you continue with the witchhunt you seen so
obsessed on pursuing. Buddy
(received Jan. 7, 2002)
steve,
i do not where you get your info, but you are off course.
buddy did hold exco meeting prep and i was there. more than one
thing can be accomplished in one day. hope this helps clear up your
misunderstanding. bill rainey (Mr. Rainey is the Business Rep. of the IBT Local
747)
(received Jan. 6, 2002)
Steve,
I'm more than a bit tired of this tripe, so please remove
me from your address list ASAP. You are certainly welcome to freely espouse your
opinions, and actually do make a valid point amidst your ramblings every once in
a great while, but I take great umbrage at the wholsale assaults on our unions
and view most of this stuff as spam. Obviously, I don't agree most of
this, but more importantly, I feel this is not the appropriate forum for
dealing with your issues with IBT 747. If you have a beef with Buddy and
John, a face to face meeting would be far better than ccing these messages to
the world.
Simply put, I'M NOT INTERESTED.
Sincerely,
Sean Cassidy
Chairman, Alaska Air Group Labor
COALITION
(received Jan. 7, 2002)
Hi Steve:
I would appreciate you not copying me on the internal problems
of the QX pilots.
AFA has done a lot of research that proves bargaining unit
employees do not like nor wish to hear of the internal struggles of their union
leadership.
Thank you,
Tom Lent
MEC President
Association of Flight Attendants,
AFL-CIO
Alaska Airlines
Sent 1-4-02
Dear Buddy,
I received your email below
where you express that debate on issues of questionable ethics that I have
raised within the QXTeamsters is unproductive. As a dues-paying member I
couldn't more strongly disagree. Also, the By-Laws of both the QXTs and Local
747 have much to say about investigating unethical activity by union
officers.
I ask you to please respond to other questionable activity
regarding your personal lawsuit against CEO George Bagley, as it relates to your
current elected position as Chairman of the EXCO of Horizon Air
Pilots.
As legal activity quickens approaching the Feb. 4th trial,
explain the following: Why last Dec. 12th, an SBS day-off to conduct QXT union
business, paid for by HAP dues to Local 747, were you at your attorney David
Sugerman's office all day, while he took depositions from Captain Ron Coleman,
Chief Pilot LaMar Haugaard and Director of Ops Ken Heninger?
I would
deduce that your attorney wanted you there so you could respond privately to
questions about the depositions. But since our dues paid for that day, and you
were supposed to be preparing for an EXCO meeting with management on the next
day--don't you think it gives the impression of an impropriety?
The
By-Laws of Local 747 Section 15 (F) state that all officers "occupy positions of
trust...and are therefore accountable to the membership with respect to the
performance of their duties in handling funds and property of the Local Union."
As a dues-paying member, the By-Laws clearly don't allow my membership money to
be spent for you to attend to your own personal affairs.
Ethics and
justice matter--a lot. The future success of our company depends upon it. I
would ask that you please provide justification to not just HAPs, but all
members of the other ten airlines in the Local, why our money went to pay your
salary on Dec. 12--Steve
From: "Buddy Stewart"
To: "Steve Nieman"
Sent: Thursday,
January 03, 2002
Steve,
In response to your most recent e-mail, I
respect your right to express your opinions and will always defend that right.
Philosophically, we will probably never agree on a wide reange of issues, so I
agree to disagree. Debate on these isuues is time consuming and unproductive. I
will certainly read your e-mails, however, don't expect much in the way of
future responses.
Buddy
At 08:30 AM 1/3/2002, you wrote:
Dear Buddy,
You say
you've been quiet for the last several months because you've been busy. How do I
not know that you've been quiet on the advice of your attorney? As an elected
union official, when you individually sue the number one officer of our company,
lots of conflicts instantly form.
This lawsuit colors every move you and
the QXTeamsters make, in my opinion. That is what a conflict of interest is--it
interjects all kinds of subtleties that interferes with your elected
responsibility to lawfully represent all QXT members fairly before the company
as required by the union's bylaws. And by necessary extension, yours and the
QXT's responsibility to work cooperatively with our other unions, our
non-represented employees, our customers and our shareholders. Without this
mutual interconnectedness we all suffer because our business will
suffer.
In order for Horizon to be economically successful, leaders in
both management and our unions have to operate from a position of promoting the
highest human values, which is the anchor premise of Value Based Management and
Value Based Unions. Obviously you're within your individual rights to sue
George. But having the top elected official of the most influential union at
Horizon suing the CEO, and then continuing to maintain his position of power
while trying to work with him--in my opinion this is morally wrong,
unethical.
There are many ways to bring about change. Most effective
change is brought about by building long and wide coalitions between true
stakeholders. It's unfortunate you chose this particular narrow route. But to
maintain as you and your supporters have that this lawsuit will not affect your
ability to do your union job fairly is laughable, in my opinion.
You
admonish long time employee Tom Taylor to be a part of the solution and not part
of the problem. I would ask you to do the same. Do the right thing; walk the
ethics. Resign your QXT EXCO chairmanship until your dispute with George and
Horizon has run its course. Meanwhile a new leader of the Horizon pilots can
work at truly unifying not just the pilots, but all stakeholders: a critical
requirement for our future--Steve
The Horizon/Alaska Customer/Employee Co-Ownership Assn. (HACECA)
Inc's website is www.eahsop.org
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