Skywest talking pilot pay raise

[atrdriver]

No, they got that because they have a good company

They sure must be passing out some good dope out there.

 

[imacdog]

ASA's contract is currently under negotiations and has nothing to do with the "agreement" made by the Skywest pilots. So let's hear it, it's been over 18 months since you got your 70 seaters, and now you have -900s for 50 seat wages, what went wrong?

 

[purduej]

Just a quick question, how many people complain that Southwest flies 737-800 airplanes for 737-300 seat pay? Or that UPS flies 747 aircraft for 727 pay? Or that FedEx flies 757 airplanes for 727 pay? Or that Continental flies 777 planes for 767 wages? So they make the 700/900 pay different from 200? What if you live in a domicile where Skywest bases 200's? You would have to start commuting for that pay raise.

Yes Skywest needs a raise. But personally I think it should reflect the whole fleet. Ideally 70 seat pay for ALL the airplanes.

 

[imacdog]

The difference of course is, the blended rates are negotiated as blended rates. At Skywest, they took the rate for the smallest plane and applied it to the larger planes. But you knew that.

 

[Ponchus pilot]

Guys stop gargelling what you ear from management:

what I'm most interested in is results. I cite ASA and Comair because they are large regionals who provide feed to DAL. They have a system, a process, a way of doing things. SkyWest does as well. For me and my family, the SkyWest way provides better results and prospects in terms of QOL, pay, growth opportunities, career opportunities, bases, etc.

Here is what no one seems to understand. Just because management is asking for concessions it does not mean the union is not working. It means the exact opposite, the union is working. The Union is run by pilots and as pilots our main goal is to continue flying. Do you think that If Skywest had a union and the company started losing money your union wouldnt make concessions? Ofcourse they would do that. They have to in order to protect your jobs. But on the other hand management has to go through the process and just cant just cut benefits without oversight. Thats why you have contracts.

Comair has had the best pay and benefits for over 5 years now. if they lose money they have to give a little but they will get it back when they start making money again. At Skywest you have been making money and growing and they havent given you what you deserve. You guys deserve much more and that has nothing to do with any other airline and what they make. The point is if your comapny is making money they should pay you reasonably. Not all regionals are making money, many despite low wages like Mesa. Your union along with members with help from financial consultants, lawyers. etc..(provided by ALPA) will decide whats best for you.

People continually scream about a legally enforceable contract and life becoming better with unions. From what i've seen, this only happens in rare circumstances (expressjet and netjets). What does happen is the placement of a generally bloated and overbearing process. Pilots at ASA have been waiting for years for negotiations to come to an end. In the meantime, the pilots are getting abused, their pay sucks, and they have a very hostile attitude towards their company.

What you are saying is only half the story. Yes its true that management at some companies have a hard time following the contract. That has to do with management and nothing to do with a contract, if your management wants to acts like a bunch of ****************************** bags they will do so regardless of if you have a Union or not. That is exactly why you want a Union and a contract. Even though mangement at some airlines does not follow the contact there is a procedure in place for this. Its called " fly and grieve later". When the arbritrator decides in your favor you will get what due to you plus back pay, etc... I believe the guys at Mesa just won a grievece in regards to Re-flow. Now they will get paid properly and get back pay.

 

[Ponchus pilot]

Just a quick question, how many people complain that Southwest flies 737-800 airplanes for 737-300 seat pay? Or that UPS flies 747 aircraft for 727 pay? Or that FedEx flies 757 airplanes for 727 pay? Or that Continental flies 777 planes for 767 wages? So they make the 700/900 pay different from 200? What if you live in a domicile where Skywest bases 200's? You would have to start commuting for that pay raise.

There is no issue with a blended rate. The issue is a low blended rate. SWA and Fedex guys make almost 4 time as much. i dont tink a single Skywest pilot would complain if that was the case.

 

[rtmcfi]

Just a quick question, how many people complain that Southwest flies 737-800 airplanes for 737-300 seat pay? Or that UPS flies 747 aircraft for 727 pay? Or that FedEx flies 757 airplanes for 727 pay? Or that Continental flies 777 planes for 767 wages? So they make the 700/900 pay different from 200? What if you live in a domicile where Skywest bases 200's? You would have to start commuting for that pay raise.

Yes Skywest needs a raise. But personally I think it should reflect the whole fleet. Ideally 70 seat pay for ALL the airplanes.

How many FEDEX, UPS, SWA, or Continental FO's qualify for food stamps?

 

[SSDD]

The reason Skywest is in such a hurry to get the pay agreement done is that they're afraid ASA is going to arbitration. If the arbitrator gave ASA a raise then Skywest would have a hard time not matching those rates, but if Skywest reaches an agreement right now, then they'd have an excuse not to.

 

[SKYW Pilot]

Just a quick question, how many people complain that Southwest flies 737-800 airplanes for 737-300 seat pay?

Just to make a correction, Southwest flies the 737-700 not the 800 which holds approximately 40 more seats in a single class cabin. The 700 and 300 series aircraft hold approximately the same amount of passengers. So the Southwest argument here doesn't apply.

The rates that we're being paid at Skywest right now are our original 50 seat rates... not blended rates. A 90 seat RJ hold 80% more pax than a 50. A 737-800 hold about 25% more pax than a 700. Hardly a valid argument in this case. Should we get paid 80 percent more for flying a 90? I'd love to, but in the current airline industry, I hardly think it's realistic with or without a union. Hopefully, we can work out some kind of blended or split rate for the RJ.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Does anyone have the details on the proposals? Are they looking at 70/76 seat rates?

 

[Ponchus pilot]

Should we get paid 80 percent more for flying a 90? I'd love to, but in the current airline industry, I hardly think it's realistic with or without a union. Hopefully, we can work out some kind of blended or split rate for the RJ.

If the expectations of you an your pilot group are low like you have stated above, then perhaps not. It is not what is realistic and what is not realistic. What is important is what your pilot group can negotiate. The more unified you are the better it will be. Also, the pay structure for the larger AC is not as simple of percentage of PAX carried. There are many other factors such as operating cost per PAX seat mile. The larger the AC the lower the number. Its based on that fact and many others that Pilot unions ask for more money for flying the larger AC. If you have low self worth then you can expect low pay.

 

[TheGuat]

Well Im 26 pretty good looking, have a black on black 2006 S2000, alwasy shine my shoes wear my hat ever so slightly to the side, where my jacket when the temp calls for it, and as a matter of fact I do have a very nice Chase-Durer watch, hey what can say when girls see me in my uniform they can;t help but look and smile, and believe it or not a few looks & smiles have turned into some pretty interesting nights, Hey I am proud of what I do.


P.S. now when I am in the cockpit I loosen my tie and I am by no means arrogent, just try to resemble Leonarido Dicaprio in, "catch me if you can" hahaah. First impression may imply I am cocky, and this and that, but I show the utmost respect for my captains, becuase they know more than me, and I honestly like to show up to work looking professional!

 

[SKYW Pilot]

If the expectations of you an your pilot group are low like you have stated above, then perhaps not. It is not what is realistic and what is not realistic. What is important is what your pilot group can negotiate. The more unified you are the better it will be. Also, the pay structure for the larger AC is not as simple of percentage of PAX carried. There are many other factors such as operating cost per PAX seat mile. The larger the AC the lower the number. Its based on that fact and many others that Pilot unions ask for more money for flying the larger AC. If you have low self worth then you can expect low pay.

Give me a break. Our expectations are high, but not unrealistic. Almost $120/hr to fly a 90 seat jet? Like going in to a car dealer to buy a used 2005 Lexus LS430 with 30,000 miles and offering $5,000 bucks. The salesperson would laugh you off the lot! Hey, but I guess we're getting laughed at with the little amount of money we make now, so why not go for it, huh?

 

[Bluto]

Please tell me 'The Guat' doesn't work for SkyWest now.

 

[texman]

If the SkyWest pilots were smart then they'd take the payraise and vote in the union. Status quo while negotating their contract would mean that they would keep it and possibly negotiate rates on top of what they just got.

Citation Shares did it!