October 17, 2022
ALPA Board of Directors Meeting Kicks Off in Vegas
The Board of Directors (BOD) is convened in Las Vegas, Nev., this week for its biennial meeting. As ALPA’s highest governing body consisting of elected representatives from all ALPA pilot groups, the BOD determines the future path of the Association including the union’s strategic plan and its leadership. The meeting formally kicked off on Monday, October 17, with reports from the four national officers.
“As ALPA’s president, I have been honored to lead this union as we have accomplished what many thought impossible over the past four years,” said Capt. Joe DePete. “Beginning on January 1, 2019, and more than ever today, our fight has been for what is right, what is fair, and most importantly what is safe.”
Referencing ALPA’s endurance through the many issues faced throughout his term, he stated, “Working together, we persevered through a government shutdown, the grounding and return to service of the 737 MAX, and a global pandemic that was unprecedented in its effects on public health and the viability, the very viability, of the airline industry. Despite all of this, ALPA pilots did what they always do. They stayed on course. We stood together. We did what needed to be done.”
“It has been a distinct privilege and honor to serve as your 11th president. From my heart, I thank you for your support,” DePete concluded.
Capt. Bob Fox, ALPA first vice president and head of the Air Safety Organization (ASO) as national safety coordinator, spoke about the importance of the ASO. “Here in the United States and Canada,” he remarked, “we have developed the safest air transportation system in the world. Through our work, we raise the standards around the globe.”
Fox discussed the grounding and subsequent return to service of the 737-MAX and ALPA’s role in ensuring its safety before approval. He also touched on the Department of Transportation’s denial of Wizz Air’s application for access to U.S. destinations, remarking, “That was a huge win! […] We thank DOT for upholding the FAA’s practical ability to assess the safety of foreign carriers who seek to operate to and from the world’s largest air-service market.”
As head of ALPA-PAC, Fox reported that PAC membership is on the rise again after a decline during the pandemic, with end-of-year membership expected to be above that of 2020. “Now more than ever,” he stated, “it’s essential that our political outreach stays strong.”
Capt. Bill Couette, vice president–administration/secretary, followed with a retrospective look at his 16 years as a national officer. At the beginning of his first term in 2007, ALPA was still rebounding from 9/11, only to be hit with a recession, which caused bankruptcies, decertifications, and shutdowns. At the end of 2008, ALPA’s membership was just over 60,000. “We didn’t break the 60,000 mark again until 2019,” he remarked. “My point is that the market cycles, and things can change overnight. Just like flying, we hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”
Couette praised the work of the Professional Development Group, composed of the Education, Leadership, and Membership committees. He discussed the Fee-for-Departure Committee’s efforts to bring pilot groups together as well as all the ways the IT Advisory Committee has improved ALPA member resources. Finally, he highlighted Pilots for Pilots and the support it has provided to ALPA members harmed by widespread natural disasters.
“In my four terms, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of great people,” he closed. “They are the reason ALPA is a success.”
Capt. Joseph Genovese, ALPA vice president–finance/treasurer, closed out the reports with an update on ALPA’s financial status and reflected on a term filled with change. “We came into office on the heels of a lowered dues percentage, which for me personally meant reworking budgets both nationally and with our MECs,” he explained. “We saw a government shutdown. The MAX shutdown. And then we had the whole industry just about shut down with the pandemic, prompting a change in how the entire world lives their lives.”
He presented the 2023 budget, announcing that ALPA’s finances have stabilized: “While we’re still budgeting conservatively, we can still acknowledge the expected growth and improvement. I can’t tell you how proud I am in reporting that we’re back on track for where we were pre-pandemic. It’s been a very busy four years in office, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
All four officers thanked their spouses and family for their support throughout their years and the long hours of ALPA work. Genovese reminded attendees to do the same: “Please say thank you to them as often as you can. The people who support us don’t get their names in the ALPA magazine, and you won’t find them anywhere in a Section 6 negotiation, but without them and their support, none of it gets done.”
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