Viewing page 16 of 76

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-2-
National pilots on strike are conducting picketing operations at the principal places where the company conducts its business. Picketing is a thing that is naturally disagreeable to the air line pilots, but this is an all-out effort and, therefore, the National pilots have all buckled down to the task at hand and we are in the hopes that our efforts will result in such a clear-cut victory that no other air line pilots will be confronted with a similar distasteful task in the fore-seeable future.

     The primary effort of the National Airlines is to break ALPA and the effectiveness of the Railway Labor Act as well as all other laws relating to the operation of the air transport industry. These effort, if successful, would have far-reaching effect industry-wide. Consequently we must exert every conceivable effort to win this strike at the earliest possible moment. 

     The pilots on the other air lines can and have helped us in many ways up to the present moment and we appeal to you to continue that effort in every way possible, because it can happen to you, particularly if we are not capable of pursuing this strike to a satisfactory conclusion.

     This entire strike has been conducted strictly to the letter of the law by the ALPA Headquarters and the National pilots; consequently, we feel we are on solid ground and thus it is only a matter of time and concerted effort before we do bring this strike to a satisfactory conclusion. This is why we ask you, one and all, to contribute to bear with us. Our Headquarters in Chicago has practically laid aside all their other work to help the National plots win the strike. To put it brutally frank, we have a bull by the horns and the day is coming when the sad bull is going to be exhausted and it will be possible for us to relinquish the hold and start out to build even stronger ALPA fences as a result of our strike experience. By stronger fences, I mean to take stock of a certain few of our members who always give us trouble when ALPA weather turns sour. We have them on National and they double-crossed the rank and file of National pilots exactly at the wrong time for us and exactly at the right time for Baker. Had it not been for this, the strike would have been settled less than 48 hours after it started. 

     Again, I wish to thank each and every air line pilot for his efforts and contributions in our behalf. Rest assured that this is the sentiment of every single National Airlines striking pilot. We will continue to pound the pavement in Miami, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Newark, New York, Washington, and elsewhere, and write it in the sky and do all the other lawful things necessary in a situation of this kind, until this strike is won.

Sincerely yours,
/s/ C. C. Ruby
C. H. Ruby, Master Chairman National Airlines

CHR/h