Letter is a response to an ALPA Security Committee member.

Sep 9, 2003

Scott Lewis

DCAFO

Captain _____
Council 34 Security Chair
UAL MEC Security Committee

Captain _____,

I am a UAL DCA 320 captain. I read with interest your update on the FFDO program. I appreciate your taking the time to communicate with us. However, there is one statement in your update with which I must take issue.

You said, "Contrary to what you might have heard in recent press reports from other groups, UAL ALPA and ALPA National remain strongly committed to a successful FFDO program for our nation's pilots. ALPA continues to work very hard with all stakeholders..." I am a former founding director of one of those other groups, APSA.

Along with APA, CAPA, IPA and SWAPA, we tried--very, very hard--for over a year to work with ALPA on the arming pilots issue. ALPA National, under the direction of Duane Woerth and Steve Luckey and despite promises to cooperate, has done everything in their power to undermine the efforts and effectiveness of all other pilot groups. They have not attended meetings they said they would, and held secret meetings with the TSA and worked against every other group--without even being honest enough to tell us that is their intent.

You mentioned areas of problems, such as the carry method and the ridiculous so-called psychological screening. (This "screening" is inflicted on an already-screened group, and is being done with no rationale given whatsoever.) ALPA is the only pilot group to sign off on these major problems during the implementation phase, and even before that. (Now that they are carved in stone, ALPA has decided they don't like the carry method but still support the superfluous screening). Steve Luckey said in a recent Air Line Pilot article with respect to the screening, "...there is nothing new here..." when he was there, admitted to a student it was outside the box, and knows there is MUCH new here. So, why would he say that in the article? Why is ALPA so determined to defend the TSA at the expense of ALPA members?

While ALPA was handing out those "Qualified to Fly, Qualified to Defend" stickers, Luckey was telling the media, "Just because a pilot is qualified to fly doesn't mean he is qualified to shoot." That's an exact quote. Luckey repeatedly says "Quality, not quantity," meaning he favors a small program. I have told him that saying this to the media is telling the terrorists that their probability of encountering armed pilots is slight, thus inviting more mayhem but he cannot grasp that simple concept. Luckey, a former federal agent, evidently holds the belief that while HE should be armed, guns probably aren't for most of us mere mortals. And that philosophy has driven everything ALPA has done. It is well past time for retired Steve Luckey to pass the torch to a current pilot who is in touch with what ALPA members want.

Since Woerth's infamous "We can't be Wyatt Earp and Sky King at the same time" nonsense, ALPA's advocacy has been schizophrenic at best. ALPA is the only group to support the Oberstar-approved 250 pilot, 2-year "test" program bill last summer. Had APSA and others not jumped into action and gotten that bill amended, that is what we would be saddled with now, because that House bill is what became the APATA law. Insofar as you said that ALPA continues to work with all stakeholders, that is correct. But I wonder, Why? ALPA is responsible for advocating for ALPA members, not worrying about the needs of "other stakeholders." Concerning ourselves with those who oppose our position is the surest way to neuter our advocacy and compromise our position, something I'm afraid ALPA is too-well-known for on Capitol Hill.

Please, for the sake of honesty and completeness, stop telling United pilots that ALPA is a strong supporter of the FFDO program when that is simply not the case. ALPA members deserve to know their dues are being used to advocate for a small, ineffective program that excludes most of them--just the way Luckey and Woerth want it. If you want a strong FFDO program that fulfills the job of deterrent, tell our members to join APSA.

Respectfully,

Scott Lewis