ASA's TA

[SSDD]

I'm surprised nobody has posted KB's letter to Skywest pilots concerning the ASA TA. It would be interesting to compare what this guys are being asked to vote on versus what management really thinks.

 

[John Pennekamp]

So... are you going to post it or just tease us?

 

[SSDD]

Sorry, I deleted it.

 

[Troutbait]

You should read the letter before you knock it. I know several ex-ASA guys that came to SKYW and agree completely with the letter. This TA is a progression for ASA pilots and I am happy that things will improve for them. But stop twisting the facts and know that what you are getting is what SKYW mostly has already been getting; besides a COLA which I wish we had. If you are pissed that you are just now getting it, well, remember, SKYW just recently bought you too. You have been in negotiations before the buyout. I wish you had some gratitude and thank the heavens you weren't bought by Mesa. Because you know that Delta approached SKYW with just as much to offer as they did Mesa. So SKYW has been a good thing. If it took awhile, well...that is how it works with a tug-o-war. But it is funny how your hate for management went from Delta/ASA to SKYW over night and it is SKYW who negotiated a deal with you. Show some gratitude and stop trying to bring your fellow pilots into your wallow. The transparency you show with the rhetoric you give is so obvious. You do not care about SKYW pilots, you are only trying to cover your own butts by encouraging us to take on ALPA. I don't wish you to get screwed, I really don't. But with a merger, you know we will get screwed. But that is ok with you. You want the good things that SKYW has to offer, all the while knockin those who got SKYW to where it is at. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

 

[Long Time Gone]

We can tell you didn't do too well in English class Trout. Hopefully, you passed, though.

 

[~~~^~~~]

I wish you had some gratitude and thank the heavens you weren't bought by Mesa. Because you know that Delta approached SKYW with just as much to offer as they did Mesa.

So SKYW has been a good thing....you are only trying to cover your own butts by encouraging us to take on ALPA.

Trout - There was a great honeymoon period when ASA pilots were grateful to have been "rescued" by SkyWest. However, that good will was destroyed by Jerry Atkin coming to ASA, demanding 50% pay cuts from some pilots and stripping 26 of our most senior aircraft from our orders and fleet. Then the SLC and LAX base debacles where ASA pilots have every right to feel like they were lied to.

In the mean time, ASA has more than earned back its "fire sale" purchase price. SkyWest was the clear beneficiary of a great and skillyfully negotiated deal with a desperate Delta. Of course this deal resulted in SkyWest's rapid growth and your advancement that you are afraid you might lose in a merger.

While it is true that ASA pilots would benefit by SkyWest joining ALPA, all pilots including SkyWest pilots will benefit by greater unity and negotiating equity.

Further, I believe some changes are coming which will result in ALPA taking a more proactive role in scope negotiations which allocate labor. In plain terms, future "brand scope" will look out for those in the club. If SkyWest joins the club, your Company will have more votes, which is always a good thing in a democracy.

If ASA and SkyWest were to merge under ALPA (which is not a certainty, remember Comair and ASA never merged despite better reasons to do so) SkyWest pilots' relative seniority would not be negatively effected (if you look at the history of similar mergers). The fear of loss of your quick upgrade is unfounded.

In fact, there may be some compelling growth reasons for SkyWest pilots to want to be tied to ASA. We will all have to wait 12 to 24 months to find out.

 

[sweptback]

It's a common misconception that the ASA TA is the same as the SkyWest policy manual.

The payrates are higher in both aircraft, plus we got a date of signing bump every year.

We have scope to protect against aircraft transfers, with an integration framework if it comes to that.

Our scheduling section as a whole is night and day compared to most regionals, SkyWest included. Your Sked+ or whatever it is called is basically the parts of our scheduling section that doesn't cost the company much money. There's much more in our section that is somewhat expensive for the company that they probably won't just give to you.

Our reserve rules, while we still use the bucket system, are better. We fought hard for and achieved total transparency with the reserve system, so every pilot knows where they stand, as well as having a framework for assigning trips to reserve pilots. Also, we have a 12-hour long call reserve that will be a great benefit to our pilots.

We don't have dual qualification, so our 700 pilots get paid that rate all the time, including training and vacation.

There's no PBS in our contract, either.

Medical contributions are capped at 30%. I think we're at 26% right now with the increases for next year. This means that they won't be going up much more during the life of our contract.

Our profit sharing is based 75% on company margin and 25% on performance. I believe SkyWest is 50/50.

Plus, we got a big fat check from Jerry as a signing bonus.

These are the things that I was able to pick up from the TA summary, as well as talking to the CNC guys. Once the actual language comes out I think we will find more differences.

 

[John Pennekamp]

You should read the letter before you knock it. I know several ex-ASA guys that came to SKYW and agree completely with the letter. This TA is a progression for ASA pilots and I am happy that things will improve for them. But stop twisting the facts and know that what you are getting is what SKYW mostly has already been getting; besides a COLA which I wish we had. If you are pissed that you are just now getting it, well, remember, SKYW just recently bought you too. You have been in negotiations before the buyout. I wish you had some gratitude and thank the heavens you weren't bought by Mesa. Because you know that Delta approached SKYW with just as much to offer as they did Mesa. So SKYW has been a good thing. If it took awhile, well...that is how it works with a tug-o-war. But it is funny how your hate for management went from Delta/ASA to SKYW over night and it is SKYW who negotiated a deal with you. Show some gratitude and stop trying to bring your fellow pilots into your wallow. The transparency you show with the rhetoric you give is so obvious. You do not care about SKYW pilots, you are only trying to cover your own butts by encouraging us to take on ALPA. I don't wish you to get screwed, I really don't. But with a merger, you know we will get screwed. But that is ok with you. You want the good things that SKYW has to offer, all the while knockin those who got SKYW to where it is at. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

At the risk of responding to something that was meant to be pure flame bait...

1. How do you know "Delta approached SKYW with just as much to offer as they did Mesa"? Were you there? It's been pointed out that you sound an awful like management. I think it may be true... you're slipping up and showing that you know more than a line pilot would.

2. You keep saying "Show some gratitude". Why should we? We didn't ask to be bought. So what if Mesa bought us? For all SkyWest Inc has done to improve this place, I see no difference. Jerry could have fired our incompetent managers and cleaned this place up. But he didn't. Gratitude? Sure, thanks for NOTHING!

3. "Bite the hand that feeds us"? Correct me if I'm wrong, but ASA has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and tens of millions in profits into SkyWest Inc. Our profit margins are much higher than yours. I would argue that it is US feeding YOU.

 

[SkyW120]

Could anyone post the new 401k company contrubutions in ASA's new TA? Thanks in advance.

I think ours at SkyWest are:

100% Company match:

2% 1-4 years
4% 5-9 years
6% 10+ years

 

[Medeco]

Troutbait

I hope you and others thinking along the line you are will take the time to really think through the post of Fins and Sweptback.

Its hard to argue facts and that is exactly what was givin to you in a rebuttle to your pathetic post.

Also, the "ASA GUYS" that transfered to Skywest, all 15 or so. I'd argue, that most if not all of them didnt bother to take the time to find out what ALPA/ASA was doing for them.

They made the move, for personal reasons, which is fine, but they cannot be looked at as all knowing in the history of ASA pilots and its 5 yr fight for a contract.

Bottom line differences, ASA will have a BINDING CONTRACT. SKYWEST/SAPA is nothing more than a student council board similar to high school.

Its pretty simple folks.

Medeco