Who has left ASA for SkyWest?

[Thermaldog]

Is Alpa worth 2%

What do you think?

 

[ASApuppy]

Think of it as insurance. What percentage of your car's value do you send in to your auto insurance each month? I know it's required by law, but I bet not too many would go without it if they didn't need to. ALPA is the same way. I've had my tit in the FAA ringer and ALPA handled everything. What is piece of mind worth to you? BTW, that 2% is detuctable.

 

[John Pennekamp]

After ASA negotiations end, and if the ALPA drive fails, the Skywest pilots WILL take a large pay cut. Then they may feel differently about that 2%.

 

[rightseatjocky]

John,
You really think they will take a pay cut? I am not disagreeing with you, I am just wondering where you think they would take a pay cut. For their union drive, I do know that in Chicago (according to a skywest captain), it is going very strong there.

 

[John Pennekamp]

John,
You really think they will take a pay cut? I am not disagreeing with you, I am just wondering where you think they would take a pay cut. For their union drive, I do know that in Chicago (according to a skywest captain), it is going very strong there.

Yes, I do. (I don't understand your second question, "where" they would take a pay cut). They will take a pay cut if the ALPA drive fails.

I'm glad the drive is going well in ORD. However, that's a junior base, and what they tell the organizers face to face doesn't indicate how they'll vote. I understand it isn't so strong in SLC, DEN, or California.

The last union drive got a 49% vote. That's about 1200 pilots voting yes. That's a lot of people running around championing the union. If you asked 1000 of those 1200, they'd have been pro union, and it woud have seemed like "everybody" was in favor. The only poll that really counts is the one on election day.

And I believe it will fail by a slim margin again, because the Skywest pilots are buying what management is selling. They're looking at ASA and thinking the union will only hurt them. They just don't see the big picture.

 

[Spicepilots]

.....

 

[Willy21]

So what will happen when SkyWest is one of the few regionals left? Who is going to be there to prop up your QOL and payrates? Those are some of the things you need to think about.

One of the things that I wouldn't like about being a SkyWest pilot is you are being used to break another pilot group. A lot of your newhires are making comments to ASA pilots about how they are going to take all of the 70's and anything else that SkyWest Inc will get. That doesn't say to much about your pilot group in my opinion.

I have said all along that we need to work together, SkyWest and ASA pilots. What are you doing to make that happen?

 

[John Pennekamp]

I find it interesting that so many people claim that as soon as ASA's negotiations fail that SkyWest will have paycuts imposed.

Clearly, reading & comprehension isn't a prerequisite for Skywest employment. Here's what I wctially said:

They will take a pay cut if the ALPA drive fails.

How then do you explain why we didn't have a paycut imposed PRE-owning ASA?

The threat of a union drive. Next question...

And quit whining about our 70-for-50 seat rates and the 900. We get paid more than many regionals, less than some... on an hourly basis. Many, many SkyWesters have argued that our overall compensation and QOL overrides that fact.

Whining? More like making fun of y'all for bring patsys and sellouts. SJS is alive and well over there with two year upgrades, isn't it? Let's see, Comair is in bankruptcy and they still make more than you. In fact, their current bankruptcy concessionary negotiations are STILL shooting above your pay rates. What's your excuse? And why would "Many, many SkyWesters" arguing about your compensation being better mean a hill of beans? If they're happy at Skywest, why wouldn't they? They're getting fat on the milk coming from the big titty in SGU.

I have yet to meet an ALPA supporter here who has a convincing argument for why we should vote it on property.

Ok, that's not much of an argument, it just illustrates that you must not get out much. Exactly how many ALPA supporters have you spoken to? 10, 20, 50? all 1200?

The pay issue doesn't fly; you guys have been waiting longer for a contract than we have for a raise. The "handshake" agreement argument? I have seen almost as many complaints on this board about ASA's management violating the contract than complaints from people who don't work for us about our blended jet rate. Legal for medical issues and terminations and such?

What makes you think you won't be in the same boat if this ALPA drive fails and ALPA gives up on Skywest (which will surely happen if it fails again). Without the threat of unionization, wou won't be seeing raises for quite some time. Do you really believe Jerry wants to take care of you out of the goodness of his heart? He's a very good businessman, and business is about making money for the shareholders. Period.

And it's comical that you're basing your opinion of ASA pilots from what you read on this 100% factual board that has an accurate cross section of our pilot group *TIC*.

Okay, maybe... but I find it ironic that the ALPA pen and sticker-toters are often the least compliant with dress code and standards and show times. More than one member of the ALPA drive has been fired and re-hired by SkyWest.

An insult! ASA pilots are unprofessional?!!!

And that's ALPA's fault? What a juvenile cheap shot. If that's true, then why aren't Delta pilots the same way? Ever see a Delta pilot without his hat? They look like Russian submarine captains in the concourse!

You don't know squat about ASA pilots until you've worked here. Your opinion is not valid. If I believed everything about Skywest pilots I read here, I'd believe you're all a bunch of crybaby, holier than thou, management hack wannabees who want to ride the coat tails of every airline out there. but I know that's not true of all Skywest pilots.

The drive isn't going that well west of ORD. Maybe ALPA should take a couple more million from it's strike contingency fund to pay for recruitment (like it claimed it has in the last piece of unsolicited propaganda it sent me). Sorry, I just want to show up and do my job, until you can show me that life is vastly superior at your airline with ALPA, I'll keep my 2%.

You're right that the drive isn't going well out west. Like I said, I doube it will pass.

You have a sucky attitude. Look ,we all know you're gonna vote no, so just shut your pie hole and do it. If you don't want "unsolicited propaganda" then go online and take your name off the list, crybaby. Enjoy your 2% and invest it well. I predict you'll take a 5%-10% pay cut when the ALPA drive fails.

 

[Spicepilots]

So what will happen when SkyWest is one of the few regionals left? Who is going to be there to prop up your QOL and payrates? Those are some of the things you need to think about.

One of the things that I wouldn't like about being a SkyWest pilot is you are being used to break another pilot group. A lot of your newhires are making comments to ASA pilots about how they are going to take all of the 70's and anything else that SkyWest Inc will get. That doesn't say to much about your pilot group in my opinion.

I have said all along that we need to work together, SkyWest and ASA pilots. What are you doing to make that happen?

I figured I was going to get flamed eventually for what I said, so I removed it, but I will respond to your comments. I can't speak for what some ill-bred moron allegedly spouts off inappropriately (hey, that applies to this board sometimes, too!), but I agree that it's wrong for any of our pilots to rejoice in your or any other airline's situation... I'd be surprised if this is even happening or happening on more than an isolated basis. But regardless, it's wrong. That being said, I don't agree with your allegation that we are being used to break your pilot group. Your contract dispute started way before SkyWest acquired you. Your profitability comes from the contract negotiated with Delta, not from how well your airline is run or is performing, just like ours does. You have a single mainline codeshare, we spread our risk out by having two... and neither of them are exactly raking in the dough. Therefore, there is always a certain amount of risk involved in asking for a raise. JA has always told our company that our success is based upon the goodwill of our mainline partners and what we can provide them. Why your company doesn't give you a raise? Since I only get to see snippets of what's going on over there amid all the sniping, I can't tell what the company's real stance is and where your union stands. As far as I can tell, the biggest issue seems to be how big a raise you get, if I'm wrong, you guys need to do some damage control, because you aren't being perceived well from the outside. Maybe that doesn't matter to you, but if you're asking us to "help you out" and vote in a union, it sure does matter to us. And btw, United constantly shifts our flying back and forth with Mesa. As far as I know, we're not getting into a playground dispute with them over "our" flying.

 

[Spicepilots]

Okay, John, we continue to disagree, but since you're going to slam my reading comprehension, what I actually said about ALPA drive members being unprofessional and being fired and rehired actually pertains to those AT SkyWest, who were EMPLOYED at SkyWest, then fired, then hired again. I never said "ALPA drive members fired at ASA then hired by SkyWest." You're right, I don't know much about ASA, but you don't exactly put a good face on it either. I think you said "you have a sucky attitude". Ditto, buddy.