The head of the largest chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association has resigned only two days after taking the job. According to Forbes, Neil Swindells quit as chairman of the United Airlines chapter over racist and sexist comments he's made over the years as one of the most active contributors on the airline's in-house pilotsforum.com. Swindells owned the controversy, saying, “I have had a spotless record of service to the association and the company for over 27 years, but errors in judgment on a pilot forum may have damaged that reputation,” in his resignation letter to 15,000 chapter members.
And because he “talked tough” about sticking it to management, a majority of “professional” airline pilots at United Airlines voted this genius into their highest union office to represent them.
There is a segment of every population who think like he does who may use different parameters for discrimination but are equally or even more exclusionary and intolerant.
In response to the first comment by Jack E. on Dec 29, that is a false and ignorant statement. United Pilots do not directly elect their Union Chairman. The MEC Chairman is elected by the Master Council and members of each Local Council from each pilot domicile. I believe the vote total which elected him was 9 in favor, 8 against, with two votes unable to be counted. Pilots are represented by their corresponding Captain or First Officer representatives in their domicile. It is similar to a Senator representing constituents.