Good: New United Airlines Pilot Union Boss Resigns

It’s about time the UAL MEC has been exposed for who they really are. The only reason he stepped down was because he was exposed on national news. ALPA will simply elect another Chairman, alter their image and continue on in the same manner. Look at the close vote. Nothing will change!

Happy to see this. I hope the union suffers and eventually gets destroyed. I don't understand how someone would want to pay to be part of an organization that allows guys like this to get promoted based on their seniority rather than their qualifications. Give me free agency any day. I'd rather outwork and outearn the lazy drunks. #proudscab

Union thug with little education and from a shallow gene pool.

As a 35 year captain at another airline, it was saddening to read his posts. I feel bad for the reputation destruction he has imparted on all airline pilots, across all airlines. I hope we never hear of him again. I can assure you, he is multiple standard deviations from the norm in our profession.

@ Lucky "He seems to still not understand that the issue here isn’t context, it’s that this isn’t how an adult (and a father, no less) should be communicating. Or is there any context in which this kind of communication is appropriate?" I love your blog, but, buddy, IMHO you've way crossed the line on this issue. You don't seem to understand in that reporting events, or snippets thereof, that there is absolutely an issue with context as well as spin. As a credible writer, you need to verify your position with representative evidence, not selectively derived and redacted and wantonly misinterpreted social media posts. Did you even attempt to reach out to this guy for counter comment or clarification, or is it all too easy to copy the work already published by other blogs, etc, without question, safe in the assumption that your triggered outrage will inflate a safety bubble of unquestionning confected outrage to bolster your ego and resolve?! The so-called sexist post can be interpreted in two ways - a dig at women or a dig at the airline - you wantonly choose the former. The so-called racist post was made in them context of supported union reps increasing diversity (not detracting from it) - but, hey, that context and reality check undermines the rampant narrative of your unbalanced and biased inquisition. If you have concrete example of this guy's professional actions disadvantaging the cause of merit-based employment of women, or other based on their race, orientation or religion, etc., in the workspace, then share it. "it’s that this isn’t how an adult (and a father, no less) should be communicating." I'm seeing a fair share of needlessly anti-gay and sexist commentary incited by your articles on this topic deliver their author high approval ratings - I'm not sure I'd regard encouraging (and failing to moderate or challenge) such to be the output of an "adult" (let's say professional and mature correspondent who wants to be taken seriously and adopt a self righteous position on social equity) - you, a father, no less yourself (since you needlessly made that personal quip, arguably it should served straight back at you). "Or is there any context in which this kind of communication is appropriate?" Apparently, yes, your own f--king blog!!! How ironic is that! Please consider that this has you have crossed the boundary to a free-for-all character assignation, which becomes a very very ugly case of internet bullying of an individual. Note that said individual is not a holder of pubic office and thereby subject to scrutiny as such, has a position that is not directly relevant to the majority of your readership, is involved in an issue not directly involved in the majority of your readership, and apparently has not been offered a right of reply by the likes of yourself, and other hysterical travel bloggers such as Gary Leff and Matthew Klint (the latter publishing non publicly available posts as part of his hatchet job) in the course of inciting public judgment and hatred based upon limited information taken entirely out of context. Crucially, (and echoing some commentary by @ Tim Dunn): If the guy is not suitable to hold executive office in the union, that is a matter for the union through their selective processes, and not the internet hounds baying for blood with virtually no background or information to base their opinion – yep, the uncritical mob you stirred up a treat. If the union makes an effective or ineffective choice - it's still their gig. If the guy is not competent to fly an aircraft after (was it 27 years of experience?) then that is a matter for his employer to resolve per their standard procedures to check competency. If the guy has transcended professional standards as a pilot then that is a matter for the employer to adjudicate against their prevailing code of conduct and HR processes. If the guy has transcended professional standards as a union a member then that is a matter for the union to resolve. If colleagues have professional issues (some of whom have been publicly vocal with no actual evidence, only hearsay) they have an appropriate forum to have them resolved - their employer's HR system. @ Tim Dunn has suggested that HR has indeed reviewed the offending posts - if, so, it ain't your job to presume you know better. Just remember, union reps are drawn from the membership - they are trained as pilots in this case - the executive is expected to champion the interests of their members in negotiation with highly skilled and trained and experienced corporate executives at the top of their game, including a CEO earning about USD10 million per annum. Now, I wouldn't mind a pugnacious person on my team taking on the likes of Kirkby playing hardball in n employment contract negotiation, rather than a shrinking violet scared to open their mouth for fear that they will be assassinated by an Internet mob vastly ignorant and largely devoid of relevant fact. I beg you to focus on your core strengths on this blog!!! Light that fifth candle and embrace and celebrate the love of that wonderful family...;)