90s diverted to Skywest

[ASARJMan]

You'll make the Scab List if you cross a picket line whether you're a union employee or not. If it's struck work, don't do it.

This is very true. Happened to a bunch of pilots who hired on w/ Eastern, and they all made the scab list. One got hired here (ASA) but the company found out and canned his arse. He didn't put anything about Eastern on his resume/application. So, don't do it!

VOTED IN FAVOR!

 

[scarlet]

Go jet is Union----Teamsters....

Skywest pilots=SCABS, if they don't vote ALPA in? Their choice...they are flying our airplanes, our routes, and non-union, while pilots at ASA are getting displaced....Lets put this out on the majors board and see what the big boys would do ???

 

[Rogue5]

This is very true. Happened to a bunch of pilots who hired on w/ Eastern, and they all made the scab list.

Funny you should mention that. I just went down today to the ORD FSDO and one of the inspectors and I struck up a conversation. He pointed to the Eastern Connie model on his desk and told me he started out as an FE on that when he was 23.

"You heard of Eddie Rickenbacker? You know from WWI? Well he ran Eastern at the time and the engineers had a real strong union and they went out on strike. I was working as a mechanic down in Miami and he came down personally and went through the hangar asking if anyone wanted to be a pilot. Hell, I raised my hand said yes. Ended up as Captain on the 757 before we shut down..."

I was fairly floored to see the old man who seemed to have no problem with the direct hand he had in damaging the profession.

P.S. Scarlet: why the hard-on with all the support for GoJets? In a world with so many things they have done wrong, does the simple fact that they voted in a union excuse everything? Do you think it make the TSA guys feel any better to be losing their flying to a Teamster?

You can debate all day the details of what does and does not constitute a "scab," but you can feel it for sure when you're being stabbed in the back...

 

[VeeOne]

This is very true. Happened to a bunch of pilots who hired on w/ Eastern, and they all made the scab list. One got hired here (ASA) but the company found out and canned his arse. He didn't put anything about Eastern on his resume/application. So, don't do it!

VOTED IN FAVOR!

Multiple people in recurrent ground have said that the Eastern scab got thrown out of the Training Department- Not ASA as a whole. From what was also said, I guess he is also a big wig player on our MEC, or at least a very avid volunteer.....Just what was said. Anyone else hear this???

 

[FmrFreightDog]

Multiple people in recurrent ground have said that the Eastern scab got thrown out of the Training Department- Not ASA as a whole. From what was also said, I guess he is also a big wig player on our MEC, or at least a very avid volunteer.....Just what was said. Anyone else hear this???

You're thinking about the wrong guy. The guy you're thinking of realized he made a mistake as a young man and took the steps necessary to correct it. He is one of the hardest working, if not the hardest working, volunteer YOU have working for you.

I imagine Joe Merchant will chime in with a personal attack in 3....2....1.....

 

[Stifler's Mom]

I imagine Joe Merchant will chime in with a personal attack in 3....2....1.....

I'm curious as to whether or not he'll cross a picket line.

 

[ohplease!]

I'm curious as to whether or not he'll cross a picket line.

he won't have to.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Looks like the ASA MEC is now admitting that the 90 seaters were diverted to Skywest. This is a change in what they were saying. How many times have we heard that the 900s were never coming to ASA. Latest MEC email says the 90 seaters were diverted. The story keeps changing.


1. A Personal Message from MEC Vice Chairman Tom Zerbarini

Your MEC hears you, all of you! We know that your aggravation level is
immense. The recent National Mediation Board (NMB) re-recess and
management's intransigence in these negotiations have us all frustrated
beyond measure. We also know that management is out there spinning the facts
and blaming the union for the current inactivity.

Let me make this very clear; this MEC is in touch with the needs you, the
ASA pilot, communicated. We have tasked the Contract Negotiating Team (CNC)
to obtain a contract that's fair for our pilots and that ASA and SkyWest,
Inc. can afford. The CNC is making every reasonable effort to reach a deal.
Despite this, our management will not properly engage us and is clearly not
making efforts to reach a deal. The miniscule moves offered from the other
side of the bargaining table are insulting and ludicrous. We have stated
numerous times, and even indicated in our previous two passes, that we are
ready to move on a number of issues. We just need to see the same level of
commitment from the company.

So what are we asking for? Let's put it this way - most of our goals are
considered industry standard and/or a benefit already in place for SkyWest
pilots. We are simply trying to catch up to everyone else.

So what does management want to do instead of negotiate? They want to bust
this union, and bust the organizing drive at SkyWest. Consequently,
management is transferring ASA assets to SkyWest and closing our base in
SLC. In essence, they are transferring jobs to non-union employees.

Management has dangled the CRJ-900 carrot to coax us into lowering our goals
at the bargaining table. They want us to buy these airplanes with contract
terms. Since we did not immediately give in and accept a concessionary
contract, management is now diverting deliveries of new equipment (see
abracadabra, June 9th, 2006, The Connection Newsletter) to SkyWest, in
essence, to punish the ASA pilots.

While the ASA pilots are being squeezed, management is growing SkyWest like
crazy. They are using this growth like a double-edged sword: Squeeze the ASA
pilots to accept a substandard contract and, at the same time, grow SkyWest
to try to squash the union drive there.

Simply put, they are infuriating the ASA pilots and trying to appease the
SkyWest pilots. Management is simply trying to apply outside pressure while
we are in Section 6 Negotiations - is this legal? Some say no and other say
yes, but no matter how you look at it, it's nothing short of union busting!

Let me say something about the SkyWest pilots. As you can imagine many
SkyWest pilots are tickled about the idea of a quick upgrade and better
schedules with this sudden burst of massive growth. There are also many
pilots that are angry that they are being forced to fly a 70- and now the
90-seater for 50-seat pay rates.

As a non-union carrier SkyWest pilots are "at will" employees, have no
contract, have no grievance process, have no safety committee, do not have
legal help or advice, and the list goes on. The thing they the most now
is the fact that they are being used as a tool and an apparent attempt to
break the ASA pilots. They are also afraid that if we cave on our priorities
and accept a substandard contract, we will be used as a tool against them.
Unless we stop the madness now, the two pilot groups will be whipsawed
against one-another forever.

So what are we doing about all of this? I'm glad you asked.

First, this MEC is in contact with all the DCI carriers to coordinate our
efforts and resources so that we can be sure that our bargaining goals
compliment and do not hinder each other. Second, during our last MEC
meeting we developed a strategy that involves ALPA president Duane Woerth.
We spoke with Duane during the recent ALPA Executive Board meeting and
expect to hear back from him this week about the ability to execute this
effort.

As stated previously, although our negotiations may be recessed, the ASA MEC
and its committee structure are actively pursuing ways to jumpstart this
process and to negotiate the contract you deserve. With time and patience,
we will get there together. Thanks for doing your part!

Tom

I have a feeling that Tom was speaking extemporaneously, without the authorization or knowledge of the rest of the MEC. In fact, it even says "A message from VC Tom Zerbarini". So this is not "ALPA policy", it is the opinion of a non-voting member of the MEC.

Your attempts to embarass our hard working VOLUNTEER reps are getting pathetic.

 

[John Pennekamp]

The ASA MEC representative is being intellectually dishonest. Here’s the wikipedia definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_dishonesty

Skywest employees are ‘at will’ employees. I’ve been working for Skywest for just over 5 years and I know several pilots who have made serious mistakes both in the operation of the airplane and in their dealings with other employees. None were fired. All were retrained or disciplined in a reasonable way and put back on line. There is also a process whereby a terminated employee can request a review of their case by a panel of management and pilot representatives.

We do have a grievance process. It’s called a PIC, policy interpretation complaint. You file it online and a pilot representative takes it to management.

I don’t believe we have an official safety committee, but we do have pilot representatives that work on safety. The best example of this is our ASAP program. It’s basically a super NASA reporting program. Skywest pilots file hundreds of these per year and it’s saved a few peoples careers in addition to letting Flight Standards know what to work on.

Skywest pilots have gotten company provided legal help in the past. I’m not sure of the depth or breath of the legal help, but the company has paid to defend pilots against the FAA before. Also, the current and previous SAPA presidents are very experienced lawyers.

My intent is not to say that ALPA is better or worse than Skywest’s current pilot representation group, but to point out that the ASA MEC is not presenting the whole story about Skywest’s pilot representation, he is being intellectually dishonest.

Thanks for reading this, especially the last paragraph.

Scott

Oooh, FIVE WHOLE YEARS of seniority! You're right, youve seen a lot more than me in my 25 years in this business. Where's my ALPA card? Got a lighter?

Got news for ya, SPORT, that 2% is the best investment I've ever made. I've worked at nonunion carriers and feared for my livlihood every time I made a mistake. It's good not to have to have that fear anymore.

 

[John Pennekamp]

From the SKYW policy manual:

3. Deadheading To A Work Assignment​

A. When reporting for duty, a crewmember will:
1) Be provided positive space on-line.
2) At the discretion of the Company, be provided positive or space available
interline tickets.
3) Be asked to occupy a jumpseat if his/her boarding would result in denied
boarding of a revenue passenger (Pilot only).
4) Cancel a seat that has been reserved by crew support for the purpose of
deadheading if he/she does not plan to use the seat.

"Asked" is just like you said. We recieved a memo a while ago saying this was more along the lines of "required." I dont quite understand the second part of the question. If a pilot from a different carrier shows up to jumpseat to get to work, he can sit in the jumpseat his/herself (CASS, and, due to sheer cockpit area, not recommended on the Bro). Are you asking will a deadheading SKYW pilot be required to move for a SA passenger? No. Only for revenue passengers. Would the SKYW pilot voluantairly move so that a SA can have a seat in the back? I guess thats up to the pilot.

I never said that they stick to the manual 100%. This is one of those examples. The situtation of moving to the cockpit to accomodate another space positive passenger, obviously, a sticky situtation at best. I think thats why they came out and said that we sould move to the cockpit to get another paying passenger on. Is that right? I dunno. Its not an issue on the bro due to weight, and I would almost rather sit in the front of a CRJ than in the back next with 49 others. But I get the point and see both sides of the argument. I, personally, dont think its a big deal, but some others do, which is fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. I try not to forget that the passengers are reason why I get a paycheck.​

So let's say you refuse to take the jumpseat. Can they fire you for that? I'll bet they can and do. And if they don't fire you for that incident, that day, they'll be watching you and get you for something else later. Or gig you in your next checkride.

This crap DOES happen at Skywest. That's your disadvantage for not having a union. You are not protected from management pinheads who don't understand what life is like for crews and expect you to be a "company man", sacrificing yourself for the company at all times. No thanks.