ASA talks update?

[boknowsASA]

Did anyone hear anything about how today has gone down in Orlando?

Who thinks we are going to be released for our 30day cooling off?

 

[ReportCanoa]

No gnews is good gnews, if you're Gary Gnu.

 

["GO AROUND"]

The announcement by the mediator doesn't necessarily mean we will be released. He could park us, put us on admin leave, or let us continue on our own. I think Bob made it clear to Jerry and Brian that it would be a bad thing for the mediator to park us. I hope Jerry made the necessary changes to get things done. We shall see.

The company would have to do something to tick the mediator off to get him to release us.

My .02

 

[kikejavy]

I think this week is key in the mediators decision I think that if they TA section 13 and make significant progress in other sections the mediator will just let us continue with hopes of having this thing done by the summer but if the company shows any signs of draging their feet the mediator might just recomend to the board to release us in light of the last quarters profits. Having said that I remain positive believe it or not I think the company wants to move forward and I think that after all we will come out with a great contract maybe not industry leading pay wise but with better work rules than anyone else and after they throw in the profit sharing wich I think they have to and they will we will surpass the rest of the industry pay wise too.

 

[wil]

If I don't see 100% retro pay (75 hr guarantee or better per month that we have been in negotiations) plus a commuter clause I will not sign!! Bryan can stick this company in his arse! I have enough funds to sit on the sidelines and so does most of our pilot group. If you are willing to invest your 401(k) I can show you how to legally sit out and survive! Maybe not the best plan but better than lowering the bar!! And P.S., Continental has said, that if they don't get the lower cost With the R.F.P. they will have to stay with COEX!!

Hello!! Is anybody listening? Reject the low Mesa wages, eliminate the Gulfsteam pay-for-scumbag- wages and as a group let's set the bench mark!! A 5 year captain seat captain is worth $80 per hour!! Set F.O. rates at 60% of that. If we stick to our guns guess what? That is the bench mark!! Is it a coincidence that my electrician makes $55 per hour? No, now grow a pair and let's get this done!!!!!!!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

An update is available on the web site.

 

[shamrock]

I think this week is key in the mediators decision I think that if they TA section 13 and make significant progress in other sections the mediator will just let us continue with hopes of having this thing done by the summer but if the company shows any signs of draging their feet the mediator might just recomend to the board to release us in light of the last quarters profits. Having said that I remain positive believe it or not I think the company wants to move forward and I think that after all we will come out with a great contract maybe not industry leading pay wise but with better work rules than anyone else and after they throw in the profit sharing wich I think they have to and they will we will surpass the rest of the industry pay wise too.

Can I buy a period, Pat? Maybe a comma or two?

Nice screen name, Pogue!

 

[ASACRJFlyer]

Wil, don't get me wrong, I'm on your side but I have to laugh at what I find as a strange irony. I know I'll get flamed for bringing politics into this but I just find it ironic that you talk about labor taking a stand with the avatar and signature line that you have. Do you think the gentleman in your avatar would support what you purpose?

The only reason I bring this up is that I think one of the fundamental problems with this industry and others is that we've elected politicians who could give a flying crap less about the working middle class. It's all about the bottom line now and if you happen to want a better quality of life through higher wages (even at the cost of a less attractive bottom line) then you're immediately labeled a wacko left wing liberal socialist commie who doesn't believe in capitalism.

Do I think we should be electing democrats just because it's the only alternative? No, I'm an independent and I don't think I could vote for Hillary and look at myself in the mirror. But the sooner folks start to realize that the country's current leadership (majority Republicans) would rather see people like Bryan Labreque do well than people like Wil, myself and most members of this board, the sooner we can start to elect folks that have OUR best interests at heart.

 

[79%N1]

Nothing got done, nothing changed with the way the company has played ball. No new 'lets get it done' type attitude. Stonewals all the way around. This is not going to end good. IMHO

 

[rjcap]

Nothing got done, nothing changed with the way the company has played ball. No new 'lets get it done' type attitude. Stonewals all the way around. This is not going to end good. IMHO

Very disappointing but not at all unexpected.

Nothing really changes at this company. I don't really expect it ever will. Time to move on.

 

["GO AROUND"]

IMHO. It's 100% up to Jerry Atkin. He's met us now and knows who's reasonable at this place. Now he has to live up to his words and get control or get rid of the rest of the monkey's flinging poo that run this airline and negotiations.

Here's a question. Why would managment on one hand say that they hate the grievance machine of a contract they have to put up with now. But, they want a contract that is so ambiguous that it would cause 10 times that number of grievances?

Could it be "Billable" Bill Hires and the $$$ that each grievance makes for his firm? Writing that kind of contract would do just that. Yet, our managment keeps believing the crap he feeds them and thinks he gives good advice. $800,000 a yr retainer and approx. $3 million worth of billable hours over 3 1/2 years. Makes you wonder.

 

[av8er2]

I am willing and prepared to walk.

 

[rjcap]

Could it be "Billable" Bill Hires and the $$$ that each grievance makes for his firm? Writing that kind of contract would do just that. Yet, our managment keeps believing the crap he feeds them and thinks he gives good advice. $800,000 a yr retainer and approx. $3 million worth of billable hours over 3 1/2 years. Makes you wonder.

I bet you that there is anywhere from $30 to $50 million of pure waste at ASA. Money that is just pissed away through atty's fees for mgmt abuse, mismanagement you name it. People and organizations that are just not doing their jobs.

Paying a law firm to deal with grievances is just a prime example of managers who aren't living up to their responsibilities. Passing the buck so to speak.

 

[79%N1]

IMHO. It's 100% up to Jerry Atkin. He's met us now and knows who's reasonable at this place. Now he has to live up to his words and get control or get rid of the rest of the monkey's flinging poo that run this airline and negotiations.

Here's a question. Why would managment on one hand say that they hate the grievance machine of a contract they have to put up with now. But, they want a contract that is so ambiguous that it would cause 10 times that number of grievances?

Could it be "Billable" Bill Hires and the $$$ that each grievance makes for his firm? Writing that kind of contract would do just that. Yet, our managment keeps believing the crap he feeds them and thinks he gives good advice. $800,000 a yr retainer and approx. $3 million worth of billable hours over 3 1/2 years. Makes you wonder.

Agreed. However, what is JA's motivation to change anything at ASA? Why increase costs just to make the pilots happy? The profits are big, the shareholders are happy, and he'd probably rather have happy shareholders than a bunch of pilots. I hope not, just food for thought.

Heres one thing to piss ya all off...... SKYW profits rose sharply after the purchase of ASA, due to ASA's contribution to the bottom line of SKYW. Who gets profit sharing checks based on quarterly profits? SKYW pilots do! So, the fine pilots at SKYW got larger checks, based on the hard work of ASA pilots, who get nothing! Remember that the next time they ask you for a paycut.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Billable Hires - Hilfreakinlarious.

 

[ohplease!]

Heres one thing to piss ya all off...... SKYW profits rose sharply after the purchase of ASA, due to ASA's contribution to the bottom line of SKYW. Who gets profit sharing checks based on quarterly profits? SKYW pilots do! So, the fine pilots at SKYW got larger checks, based on the hard work of ASA pilots, who get nothing! Remember that the next time they ask you for a paycut.

no, remember that the next time you look at the money ALPA is stealing from you.

 

[rtmcfi]

Heres one thing to piss ya all off...... SKYW profits rose sharply after the purchase of ASA, due to ASA's contribution to the bottom line of SKYW. Who gets profit sharing checks based on quarterly profits? SKYW pilots do! So, the fine pilots at SKYW got larger checks, based on the hard work of ASA pilots, who get nothing!

I don't think this is accurate. I'm pretty sure the OO folks get the money based on SkyWest Airlines profits, not SkyWest Inc.

 

["GO AROUND"]

Agreed. However, what is JA's motivation to change anything at ASA? Why increase costs just to make the pilots happy? The profits are big, the shareholders are happy, and he'd probably rather have happy shareholders than a bunch of pilots. I hope not, just food for thought.

Heres one thing to piss ya all off...... SKYW profits rose sharply after the purchase of ASA, due to ASA's contribution to the bottom line of SKYW. Who gets profit sharing checks based on quarterly profits? SKYW pilots do! So, the fine pilots at SKYW got larger checks, based on the hard work of ASA pilots, who get nothing! Remember that the next time they ask you for a paycut.

79%,

I think you're getting it all wrong about Jerry. He recognizes there are many areas that could save ASA money and the pilot group is not one of them. This is what he said to our MEC. He is a very astute businessman. If he wasn't trying to make ASA a significant producer for SKW Inc then the shareholders would be looking to replace him.

The profits could be so much bigger for the company and the shareholders even with increasing the pilot costs some. Just in improved morale alone. I think we have seen and heard recently that job life is short at ASA if you're not getting the job done well or are not looking for ways to make it work better.

Here's to seeing that continue. You can blame Brian for the lack of any kind of profit sharing for ASA pilots. Seems they got busy and were gonna get that info to us eventually.

 

[CFIT]

Heres one thing to piss ya all off...... SKYW profits rose sharply after the purchase of ASA, due to ASA's contribution to the bottom line of SKYW. Who gets profit sharing checks based on quarterly profits? SKYW pilots do! So, the fine pilots at SKYW got larger checks, based on the hard work of ASA pilots, who get nothing! Remember that the next time they ask you for a paycut.

Not completely correct. SkyWest Airlines pilots recieve a bonus only respective to the Skywest Airlines profit margin, not SkyWest Inc. The example of this would be for the last quarter the bonus was 5.7% of the quarters pay. While SkyWest Inc. reported a profit margin of 5.2%

 

[79%N1]

So you guys are telling me that Skywest separates their profits into SKW profits, and ASA profits? I dont know about that, but I suppose its possible. I guess thats another way to whipsaw. Tell the OO boys that 'all the profits came from ASA' .

 

[Gr82Aviate]

!

Agreed. However, what is JA's motivation to change anything at ASA? Why increase costs just to make the pilots happy? The profits are big, the shareholders are happy, and he'd probably rather have happy shareholders than a bunch of pilots. I hope not, just food for thought.

Heres one thing to piss ya all off...... SKYW profits rose sharply after the purchase of ASA, due to ASA's contribution to the bottom line of SKYW. Who gets profit sharing checks based on quarterly profits? SKYW pilots do! So, the fine pilots at SKYW got larger checks, based on the hard work of ASA pilots, who get nothing! Remember that the next time they ask you for a paycut.

NOT TRUE !! SKYW Inc., and SKYW Airlines are not one and the same. Do you really think J.A. would be that generous?

 

[FDJ2]

So you guys are telling me that Skywest separates their profits into SKW profits, and ASA profits? I dont know about that, but I suppose its possible. I guess thats another way to whipsaw. Tell the OO boys that 'all the profits came from ASA' .

Actually, all ASA profits came from Delta, so I suppose the Delta pilots ought to get the checks.

 

[Palerider957]

Wil, don't get me wrong, I'm on your side but I have to laugh at what I find as a strange irony. I know I'll get flamed for bringing politics into this but I just find it ironic that you talk about labor taking a stand with the avatar and signature line that you have. Do you think the gentleman in your avatar would support what you purpose?

The only reason I bring this up is that I think one of the fundamental problems with this industry and others is that we've elected politicians who could give a flying crap less about the working middle class. It's all about the bottom line now and if you happen to want a better quality of life through higher wages (even at the cost of a less attractive bottom line) then you're immediately labeled a wacko left wing liberal socialist commie who doesn't believe in capitalism.

Do I think we should be electing democrats just because it's the only alternative? No, I'm an independent and I don't think I could vote for Hillary and look at myself in the mirror. But the sooner folks start to realize that the country's current leadership (majority Republicans) would rather see people like Bryan Labreque do well than people like Wil, myself and most members of this board, the sooner we can start to elect folks that have OUR best interests at heart.

Your views are great---for a Socialist nation. Since when do elected officials exist to line your pockets? You want a good contract and fair wages, then stand tall and be prepared to strike.

Companies exist to make money, not just to pay you--this simple fact is lost on the majority of labor.

Blaming your pay check on the Bush administration makes as much sense as blaming him for the hurricane Katrina. And a change in the administration (Hilary in 2008, God help us) will only serve to raise your taxes, than what will you do? Who will you blame?

OK, I'm done. No more politicial speak.

 

[IFlyFL410]

Yeah, I'm still pissed that my union dues were going to support John Kerry. Every time I saw Duane Woerth and John Kerry together, it made me want to throw up.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Yeah, I'm still pissed that my union dues were going to support John Kerry. Every time I saw Duane Woerth and John Kerry together, it made me want to throw up.

God forbid a labor union back the party and presidential candidate that supports labor.

I suppose that you think as an airline pilot your are a "professional" right?

 

[IFlyFL410]

You actually think that John Kerry, had he been elected, would do anything for to help ASA pilots out? He has no idea who ASA is. He just knew ALPA was shoving a bunch of money his way. I know historically Democrats are more labor friendly, supposedly, but electing him would've accomplished nothing for labor unions. And the last person I want telling me how to vote is Duane Woerth.

 

[ASACRJFlyer]

Palerider...

Perfect, just the type of response I was looking for. Pale, lets take your line of thinking to it's extreme. I agree, companies are in business to make money. So lets say all businesses follow your advice and lower worker wages to improve the bottom line (just like most airlines are doing). Now the workers (that's you and me, by the way) have less money to spend, so we buy less. If we buy less, the businesses lose, too, and a vicious cycle develops.

You said that our elected officials aren't there to line my pockets, with that I agree. But our elected officials ARE there to protect the people of this country, not the businesses that have bought them off with big money lobbyists.

Bush is just obeying the money, look at the recent proposed sale of the ports. Why would he be so adamant about something most people are so strongly against if it weren't for the big money behind the deal.

It's finally coming out that the rich keep getting richer and the poor (that's you and me, also) keep getting poorer (see today's USA Today business section) and it's not because the rich work that much harder. It's because they've learned to manipulate the system and that's what we elect our officials to prevent.

I love it when people bash on Clinton about how bad a president and what a slimeball he was. Here's one to ponder, when were you better off? I don't know many who would say they're better off now than they were under Clinton. And don’t even try to blame it all on 9/11, that's Bush's excuse for EVERYTHING, and while it has and still does affect us, Bushites can't keep using it as the cause of all our woes. Something else, if Clinton is such a slimeball, why has Bush's own dad become so close with him that even Bush was quoted as saying he feels like he has a brother?

I'll tell you what, you just keep thinking that Bush is looking out for you while he tries to allow foreign companies to have a controlling interest in U.S. airlines. You might as well bury your head in the sand a little deeper.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Yeah, I'm still pissed that my union dues were going to support John Kerry. Every time I saw Duane Woerth and John Kerry together, it made me want to throw up.

Your union dues didn't support Kerry. That would be illegal and even ALPA isn't THAT stupid.

The money came from the PAC... and was freely donated by PAC supporters for that specific purpose.

According to DW at the dinner, only 1% of ASA pilots "back the PAC", so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[John Pennekamp]

You actually think that John Kerry, had he been elected, would do anything for to help ASA pilots out? He has no idea who ASA is. He just knew ALPA was shoving a bunch of money his way. I know historically Democrats are more labor friendly, supposedly, but electing him would've accomplished nothing for labor unions. And the last person I want telling me how to vote is Duane Woerth.

It's really not about ASA, it's about labor as a whole, but if you want to talk ASA, do you think you'd be more or less likely to get a NMB release under Kerry vs. Bush?

The NMB know who they work for. 2 out of 3 members were appointed by Bush. 'nuff said.

 

[IFlyFL410]

You make good points, both of you, but you'd never convince me that we'd be better off under Kerry reather than Bush. Neither care. Whether or not my dues went to Kerry, I still don't want DW telling me who to vote for. I put other concerns first before I worry about a NMB under Kerry or Bush. And I am definately better off now than I was under Clinton, for what it's worth. Maybe it's just my lucky streak, who knows?!?!?