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To All ALPA Members   - 4 -   August 31, 1948

Labor Act - the air line pilot provisions of the federal laws and which they have won by reason of nearly 18 years of battling are in serious jeopardy. At the August 12 hearing before the CAB on National's petition challenging the jurisdiction of that Board to hear and determine violations of the labor provisions of the Civil Aeronautics Act and the provision of the Railway Labor Act, not only National Airlines appeared but other air lines were participants, namely, American Airlines, and United Airlines, each participating by submitting a long brief challenging the jurisdiction and authority of the CAB o hear and decide violation of laws under which they operate. These are the federal law provisions of their own pilots. Think this over good. 

None of us like to be bored by long letters and we are all well trained and well educated and fully capable of grasping the full meaning of what I have just set forth to out in this letter. This is no time for going anything but full out backing the National pilots, your representing organization, and yourself. The National pilots have been on the picket lines for a long time and have been willingly supported by all the air line pilots. That part of the fight must continue until Baker is convinced that he cannot violated the laws of the land and his employment agreement and get away with it. The other parts of the fight are on the legal front, and it is between all of the air lines and the Air Line Pilots Association -- make no mistake about that!

The financial assistance that the pilots of all the other air lines are extending to the National pilots is commendable but there must be more to it than that. It must be made 100%. The program initiated by Headquarters on July 8 entitled "Give one day a month to the National Pilots on strike plan" is off to a good start. Many of the pilots from other airlines domiciled at division points, namely, Miami, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Washington, and New York are giving one day a month to helping the National pilots picket and in other ways in prosecuting the strike effort. The question presents itself. How about the rest? Let's move up men and do our part. This is the test of a real Association member. Let's meet it. 

Enclosed is your strike assessment billing for the period from August 11 to September 10, which is for the seventh National Airlines pilots' strike benefit. We cannot falter or even hesitate in giving full and complete financial backing to the National pilots and to do otherwise would be the action of fools and certainly none of us are in that category. This is no longer one little strike -- it is a major league battle reaching in a vicious and malicious manner right into the very heart of everything that the air line pilots have gained by endless and grueling struggle and is  a most brazen defiance of federal laws and of principles of righteousness and fair dealing.

Every member of ALPA should also remember that the cost of carrying on this fight goes far beyond the nominal assessments which come to Headquarters only to be paid out immediately in strike benefits to the striking pilots. The cost of successfully prosecuting this strike, which is the major part of the struggle, are not small. 

Every air line pilot who has not paid his dues and all ALPA obligations should do so immediately. This is truly a time every good member should keep himself strictly in good standing with his representing organization and pay his dues and assessments promptly when billed so ALPA can carry on unhampered by the lack of cash, without which no fight can be successful.

Generally speaking, the financial condition of ALPA is good, but there are always those who must be written and reminded continually. Every delinquent member was written on August 18 and given an up-to-date itemized statement on what he owes. Those who owe know exactly how much, what it's for, and it should be forthwith be paid.