Is Skywest ALPA drive dead?

[XJohXJ]

XJohXJ and Rickair-

your post are valid..... what are you going to do about it?

We don't need self defeatist in our ranks....

Without a Mainline number, what can I do about it? Mainline's primary concern seems to be how they can sell us out to marginally increase their senior captains' paychecks. The regionals are completely powerless. Oh, yeah, mayyybeee in about 8 years I could strike (as long as there isn't another anti-labor US Prez.)......

ALL of the power of ALPA comes from mainline MEC's. Without their support, the regionals have nothing. In the case of regional representation, the leadership must come from the top down, 'cause we aren't invited to the table. So far, that leadership has been non-existant.

 

[wmuflyguy]

Why would ANYONE want a union at a company that's being run professionally without the union? What has ALPA (or any other union) done for pilots that SkyWay management hasn't done.

Time for the unions was back in the 20's and 30's...with todays' labor laws...we DO NOT need unions. UNIONS HAVE NOT SERVED THIS COUNTRY WELL!

Say NO to unions.
Look at our Auto industry...going down the 'drain' becuase of unions.

Bunny

Well you are a moron. Unions served the working class of this country well.

When my grandfather worked the assembly line in dearborn back in the 20's, you had to go to the bathroom at your work station for fear of being replaced/fired if you went to the real bathroom. The assembly line was an extrememly dangerous work place and peopel routinely lost limbs and lifes. Who do you think forced change? The Government? hell no. Unions did, by saying we won't work under these conditions and they got laws passed that made the workplace safer for everyone, not just union members.

The unions served the airline industry well, till lack of innovation, laziness, and poor planning caused the situation we are in now. The willing to do the same job for less by other workgroups is now contributing to the decline of salaries.

The problem with the american auto industry is not the unions. If you think that you are truly ignorant. The other automakers just make a better and more reliable product. Guess what is killing the auto industry? Lack of innovation, laziness and poor planning on the part of management.

 

[CFIT]

Bottom line, if ALPA was gaining strength and getting close there would probably more noise from them. From what I've heard that the increase in pilot numbers is diluting the card percentage faster than new cards are coming in.

If that is not true so be it, but from whats going around the crew lounge it looks to be dying. Does any body have any numbers?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Well you are a moron. Unions served the working class of this country well.

When my grandfather worked the assembly line in dearborn back in the 20's, you had to go to the bathroom at your work station for fear of being replaced/fired if you went to the real bathroom. The assembly line was an extrememly dangerous work place and peopel routinely lost limbs and lifes. Who do you think forced change? The Government? hell no. Unions did, by saying we won't work under these conditions and they got laws passed that made the workplace safer for everyone, not just union members.

The unions served the airline industry well, till lack of innovation, laziness, and poor planning caused the situation we are in now. The willing to do the same job for less by other workgroups is now contributing to the decline of salaries.

The problem with the american auto industry is not the unions. If you think that you are truly ignorant. The other automakers just make a better and more reliable product. Guess what is killing the auto industry? Lack of innovation, laziness and poor planning on the part of management.

The UAW workers that are building Toyota's are doing just fine. The Japs figured out how to make cars better.... That is company leadership not union sandbagging.... good post...

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Bottom line, if ALPA was gaining strength and getting close there would probably more noise from them. From what I've heard that the increase in pilot numbers is diluting the card percentage faster than new cards are coming in.

If that is not true so be it, but from whats going around the crew lounge it looks to be dying. Does any body have any numbers?

CFIT-

Your post paint yourself as a smart guy. I think you'd be great on a safety committee.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Without a Mainline number, what can I do about it? Mainline's primary concern seems to be how they can sell us out to marginally increase their senior captains' paychecks. The regionals are completely powerless. Oh, yeah, mayyybeee in about 8 years I could strike (as long as there isn't another anti-labor US Prez.)......

As a regional without ALPA I think we'd do even worse.....

The goal is to get the mainline guys to tear down the walls.....

Easier said than done.. Regardless lets do it...

 

[XJohXJ]

As a regional without ALPA I think we'd do even worse.....

The goal is to get the mainline guys to tear down the walls.....

Easier said than done.. Regardless lets do it...

YES. I agree completely.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I agree.

as to what we're going to do about, as for me I'm not going to join. Your posts seem to suggest that we should 'take one for the team' as it were. do you really believe that managements and MECs would suddenly say 'oh, well now that SkyWest is in the club, we're really gonna step things up around here!' that is a fantasy. there is no evidence to show that we would even keep our current pay, work rules, etc. I agree with Rickair in that we'd probably end up with a concessionary contract.

Well if thats what you vote on then thats what you;d get...

Are you going to answer the question.. what are you going to do when Skywest comes upon hard times?

bad things exist at all regioanals. I don't want to trade ours for what exists at ALPA represented regionals.

Answer the question: Why do you think Skywest is doing well NOW? You seem to believe that ALPA has caused the problems at other regionals. Is it possible that UAL/DAL is giving you favor status to rpomote the union debate?

this discussion has no end. it is an idealogical debate. someone once told me 'no one in business can truly be honest.' that type of cynicism is what I see reflected in the idea that every pilot group must be represented by ALPA. I respectfully disagree.

Why do you disagree? If you aren't repsresented or don't have a voice then the camel can get its nose under the tent... your tent. Then we all have to deal with it....

 

[HelloNewman]

Bottom line, if ALPA was gaining strength and getting close there would probably more noise from them. From what I've heard that the increase in pilot numbers is diluting the card percentage faster than new cards are coming in.

If that is not true so be it, but from whats going around the crew lounge it looks to be dying. Does any body have any numbers?

I think what you say is most true of all that we hear. Out here members of the OC are admitting themselves that they only have around 35% of the pilot group that has filled out a card. Even members of the OC out here in Chicago are basically admitting they don't think the drive has a very good chance and needs a hail mary to succeed.

 

[fried chickens]

The questions skywest folks need to answer are do they need a union and if so which one.

My only experience with unions is ALPA. My perception of unions is that they're there to protect labor against mgmt. and the f-ups for getting fired. SkyWest mgmt doesn't seem to be anti-labor like many other alpa carriers (mesa, mesaba, asa)

second, if they feel the need for a union, why does it have to be alpa. I think regionals and mainline should have different unions. One usually grows at the expense of the other so how can you have one union representing ultamitely opposing goals? I say go Teamsters if union is what skywest wants.

 

[ERJFO]

While there are a few(key word "few") diehards. There appears to be very little support for it. There are too many refugees from other ALPA carriers that have it worse than Skywest. These guys are making a lot of noise. Also a lot of guys who were instructing 6 months ago working 20 hour days, 6 days/week.

Too bad they don't realize they had it worse at the other ALPA carriers because of non-ALPA places like SkyWest...

 

[skypine69]

ERJFO,

well said. there are just enough skywest pilots like hellonewman (did i mention he is the biggest tool on this board?) that want theirs and screw everyone else. its all about me me me. it really makes me cringe when i read some of this drivel.

 

[SkyNation]

Rez,

you misunderstand me. I don't blame ALPA for causing the problems that face other regionals. I simply believe that they can't do anything to prevent those problems.

as for why SkyWest has avoided those problems for 35 years now, I give credit to our management, company culture, and attitude of our employees.

what will we do when the bogeyman eventually comes to 'get' us too? I'm not sure, though this is the only argument people seem to be able to come up with when they realize that we in fact have it pretty good here. "yeah, you SkyWest guys have it good now, but you'll get yours someday!!'

I guess we'll go with what works, hope for the best, plan for the worst, etc. etc.

we'll have to agree to disagree. I wish you the best.

 

[CFIT]

The goal is to get the mainline guys to tear down the walls.....

Easier said than done.. Regardless lets do it...

That is one of the biggest elements right there. ALPA isn't really a union it's just a bunch of local scout troops playing bastketball against each other. Otherwise this would be much better, as it is, I just can't stand behind it.

Think about it, what if DALPA had struck with Comair years ago, their strike would have lasted 6 hours. The problem is the segregation of mainline to the regionals, until that gets fixed, regional level ALPA is screwed. You may get the same pin as the big boys, but we will always be nothing other than wheel chocks to them.

Get that stuff fixed (read conflict of intrest) and I'll be the first to sign up!

 

[airtime42]

Rez,

you misunderstand me. I don't blame ALPA for causing the problems that face other regionals. I simply believe that they can't do anything to prevent those problems.

as for why SkyWest has avoided those problems for 35 years now, I give credit to our management, company culture, and attitude of our employees.

what will we do when the bogeyman eventually comes to 'get' us too? I'm not sure, though this is the only argument people seem to be able to come up with when they realize that we in fact have it pretty good here. "yeah, you SkyWest guys have it good now, but you'll get yours someday!!'

I guess we'll go with what works, hope for the best, plan for the worst, etc. etc.

we'll have to agree to disagree. I wish you the best.

Have it pretty good here? HA don't make me laugh.

I bet the girly men in prison think they have it good to. You are such a ho that will do anything to make mgmt think you are a good little $itch