XJT management at the negotiation table requests.....

[drinksonme]

From the latest Joint Negotiation Blastmail

"...management's negotiators requested significant financial concessions. These concessions, they contend, are necessary because our pilot operating costs are too high to win new flying. Without real cost reductions, management does not believe that ExpressJet can compete with airlines like Compass, GoJet, Eagle, and Pinnacle with lower pilot costs, not to mention our own sister Company? SkyWest Airlines."

This should be fun....

 

[LHRCrewDog]

This is going to get interesting...

No, BTW...

 

[Max Q]

Typical canned response from management. My water/power bills are higher. I'm spending more at the grocery store. I'm spending more at the pump. Neighborhood fees are up. Insurance is up. I'm working longer hours. Getting less rest. And they think I'm going to agree to financial concessions? No.

The problem has ALWAYS been there are too many people out there willing to do this job for peanuts. Stop selling yourselves short. Especially the FO's up to their necks in student loan debt with no light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[79%N1]

And when FTDT rules kick in, good luck ever going over min guarantee, while working more days to get to min, and they want you to earn less money. Bottom line, this company no longer can compete. To do so is would be on the backs of the employees working more and earning less. It's probably time to let it die. It won't be today or this year, but as contracts expire, we go the way of Comair, ACA, etc. this thing is over. If they can't find a way to increase revenue to make this successful while rewarding employees, the. They have no business being in business.

 

[Thebadcat1313]

This is where we could really use the support of SkyWest pilots. Our brothers and sisters at SkyWest need to see this, they are using them to drive wages, overall compensation down. And SkyWest people, please understand that if St. George is somehow successful, you're next in the spiral. We need your help and support, desperately.

 

[Max Q]

Wake up people. Stand your ground and the airlines will adapt.

And if not, **** it. It's not like you won't have anywhere else to go.

 

[McNugent]

Sorry, but no. The buck's got to stop somewhere. Why not here.

Where is the email? I never got it.

 

[OCP]

THEY (Skywest) signed an agreement that we would be the 2nd lowest cost... blaa, blaa, blaaa.....
Everyone praises the crap out of Skywest management and how amazing they are and they always have a plan. Well guess what... Delta out maneuvered you. Now find a way out of it. We will NOT be Pinnacle. Go F your self and deal with the lack of anyone spending the money it takes to do this S job. Good luck. (B!tch)

 

[ASACRJFlyer]

The email said we need to be cost competitive in order to compete with the likes of compass, pinnacle and the eagle. I say fine, let them have the flying. If we can't fill classes with decent contracts, how are they going to fill cockpits with concessionary contracts?

Things are about to get interesting around here, any ASA folks remember what Sep 2007 was like?

 

[Plainsman]

They really do need to combine us if they want cost savings. What a bunch of peckerheads. I wlll never do those donkey's a favor. Asking us for money is bs.

 

[twott driver]

I will not do this job for any less than I make now. If they're serious about cutting costs they will flush everyone in the A-tech and combine us with Skywest. Until then, I don't believe you.

 

[Plainsman]

That would be funny seeing even a 1/4 of the GO moving to Utah. Me thinks that part of the problem is Jerry doesn't want what the xjt side would bring out there.

 

[ASAFOE120]

I will not do this job for any less than I make now. If they're serious about cutting costs they will flush everyone in the A-tech and combine us with Skywest. Until then, I don't believe you.

^^^^^^^^ this.

Get rid of all the excess vp's, directors, managers, etc... and make us ONE airline. There's your cost savings right there fellers.
We saw how well concessions worked for comair.

 

[Mickey Mouse]

Quite frankly, this type of behavior by negotiating parties is common. Low balling, high balling, bluffing, brinkmanship are typical strategies. However, let's consider for a moment that the company is telling the truth from a business and financial standpoint, and that they really can't compete under the current cost structure. I find that believable, however, I cannot and will not bring myself to accept any type of concessions in my compensation and work rule agreements. I feel that the current compensation package is already too low. I would be a fool to accept less. I am going to bet on the strength of SKYW inc. and the enormous market leverage they have to figure out a way to survive under current book or better. I realize that the economy went through armageddon and that the damage is still being repaired, but accepting anything less is not an option for me; Not one penny less, not one concession.

 

[JustaNumber]

Typical canned response from management. My water/power bills are higher. I'm spending more at the grocery store. I'm spending more at the pump. Neighborhood fees are up. Insurance is up. I'm working longer hours. Getting less rest. And they think I'm going to agree to financial concessions? No.

The problem has ALWAYS been there are too many people out there willing to do this job for peanuts. Stop selling yourselves short. Especially the FO's up to their necks in student loan debt with no light at the end of the tunnel.

Excellent points, however, the ALWAYS part you said above is about to end. The pool of available applicants is already pretty dry; wait 'til FTDT kicks in with the need for 5-7% more regional pilots industry wide just to cover the same flying. EVERY regional will be hiring like gangbusters very soon, just to cover current flying, which will completely drain the pool of qualified people willing to work for current rates.

I think the name of the game is to do nothing and just wait them out. I bet by early next year they will be begging us to amend our contract to allow for signing bonuses/increased 1st year pay/etc. just to keep our completion factor out of the toilet--which would mean HUGE financial penalties and could even threaten the viability of our airline contracts. Paying us more may cost them less in the long run.