An open letter to the pilots of Skywest

[BrownStreak]

I'll make more money crop dusting then you will at PSA nice blended rate dueche!!!

You'd have to sling a whole lot of pasta on the side to do that, b!tch, but at least you aren't that out of practice.
As far as our payrates go...yeah they suck donkey balls, but talk to our fagship friends about rates....cause at least we have rates for the planes we're flying.

 

[flynryan15]

Flagship got those rates forced on them by a arbitrator set by an 8 yr old contract. You took your rate so you could get bright shinny new crj 700's. Big difference but I can't wait to hear you cry when they come after your precious Airways flying!!!

 

[XPOO]

Does it just kill every other airline out there to know that the most successfull regional airline has no need for a union? Isn't that really what this thread is all about?

 

[siucavflight]

Get out of the regionals, work internationally, that is where the money is!

 

[whosurdaddy?]

boy, i wish we had had alpa here, so they could take my dues from my pay AND my 401K, that sounds sweet, sign me up!!! then i can get half assed representation, the ability of a union to sign a crappy contract (mesa), the ability to never get a contract signed (TSA). yeah that's for me!!! how is it, that one union can represent people that work for different companies, how is that fair? it's competition, capitalism baby!!!! does that not sound crazy? if every airline had it's own separate union then you have a fair deal, but if alpa was to say every contract will be the same then fine, but that's not how it is. we are in the most competitive time in aviaition history. everybody has to do what's best for themselves and their company, if not then you can end up on the street with no pay check and the ability to not be able to support my family. screw you and your alpa, no one is looking out for me, not alpa, not anyone. i have to do what's best for me, if skywest ever gets so bad that i can't stand it i can leave and take up truck driving!!! i guess if everybody is so pissed at skywest, then they should protest by not using any skywest flights to jumpseat to get home. never mind that we always try to get everyone on our flights and help people get home.

rant over

 

[Bushhatesyou]

boy, i wish we had had alpa here, so they could take my dues from my pay AND my 401K, that sounds sweet, sign me up!!! then i can get half assed representation, the ability of a union to sign a crappy contract (mesa), the ability to never get a contract signed (TSA). yeah that's for me!!! how is it, that one union can represent people that work for different companies, how is that fair? it's competition, capitalism baby!!!! does that not sound crazy? if every airline had it's own separate union then you have a fair deal, but if alpa was to say every contract will be the same then fine, but that's not how it is. we are in the most competitive time in aviaition history. everybody has to do what's best for themselves and their company, if not then you can end up on the street with no pay check and the ability to not be able to support my family. screw you and your alpa, no one is looking out for me, not alpa, not anyone. i have to do what's best for me, if skywest ever gets so bad that i can't stand it i can leave and take up truck driving!!! i guess if everybody is so pissed at skywest, then they should protest by not using any skywest flights to jumpseat to get home. never mind that we always try to get everyone on our flights and help people get home.

rant over

You're a ******************************.. Let the other union carriers fight for improvments, and QOL, then you can ride their backs.. Seriously, go play in traffic.

 

[whosurdaddy?]

You're a ******************************.. Let the other union carriers fight for improvments, and QOL, then you can ride their backs.. Seriously, go play in traffic.

boy that's a professional attitude of an alpa pilot, we have better QOL then some of your great ALPA carriers. I've worked at an alpa carrier and skywest, i've seen alpa work first hand and was not impressed. why would i want that here?

 

[XPOO]

boy that's a professional attitude of an alpa pilot, we have better QOL then some of your great ALPA carriers. I've worked at an alpa carrier and skywest, i've seen alpa work first hand and was not impressed. why would i want that here?

Because it only benefits the other ALPA carriers, not you. It levels the playing field for them by you voting in a union.

 

[WalterSobchak]

I can't wait to hear you cry when they come after your precious Airways flying!!!

I swear...Pilots + Internet = retarded, 13 year old, West Side Story-style gang wannabes sometimes with the hatred towards one another.

FFDO program
Jumpseat programs
Legislation on CapHill
ICAO representation
Runway Safety
NAS Modernization

As long as we are going to turn this into YET ANOTHER union debate...

Perhaps if ALPA national took a little time to UNIFY (novel concept for a union, eh?) all of its member pilot groups and get behind things like a national seniority list instead of pitting all of the member groups against each other in a massive clusterfark...maybe, just maybe, the pilots who don't have such a strained relationship with their
management would be more inclined to join.

Rez, you always talk about ALPA being as strong as the local leadership. As the outside man looking in, that tells me that national is weak. And, based solely on my conversations with friends that are pilots and what I read on this God-forsaken message board...it is the national, universal QOL issues that ALPA needs to be working on...and spending a little less time on the small things like the FFDO program and keeping Captain Kangaroo...er, I mean, Captain Prater's moustache so neatly trimmed.

Don't get me wrong, I applaud ALPA's work as a safety advocate...however, there apparently needs to be more work on actually taking care of the livelihoods of the current member pilots before even considering chasing more membership.

I think, when faced with the decision of whether or not to organize, the average pilot doesn't put alot of thought into ALPA's advocacy on The Hill...they look at the state of QOL of other ALPA pilots. And, when they see the messes of US Airways/America West...ALPA pilots losing jobs left and right...and the general lack of brotherhood and unity amongst all of the ALPA pilot groups...not to mention the "Me vs. The World" and general unhappiness with life
mentality conveyed by many ALPA pilots...and can you see why 2/3 of SkyWest pilots might not want to join up.

I wish nothing but the best for the ExpressJet guys and gals. I truly hope this doesn't go down the way you guys are saying. However, if it does...you must remember that this is business...and your management deserves the blame, not the SkyWest line pilot.

 

[Bushhatesyou]

Because it only benefits the other ALPA carriers, not you. It levels the playing field for them by you voting in a union.

................................ not worth it..................