For those that want to "vote and get it over with" at SKYW

[JoeMerchant]

Ahhh, the FFDO program. Yet another thing that ALPA has worked tirelessly to improve. Thanks for bringing that up.

Initially ALPA was opposed to armed pilots. APSA had to take the ball and run with it initially. After ALPA found which way the wind was blowing, they changed their tune. This and age 60 are issues that ALPA has flip-flopped on.

 

[Nightrain_080]

z

Why do guys even waste your energy with the CFIT dude. He's too far gone in the company cool aid to be saved. Concentrate on the other, there is still hope for them.

So far as the union goes.... The company has my first loyalty since they sign my paycheck. (even if they show me no other loyalty in return and they generally don't) However, I support my union as well. I know where my work rules were negotiated and fought for. And it wan't by managment, but I'll do my best to be a professional. However, once the union says walk, I'll ask no questions. You'll see me walking the line. Got me a real good pair of shoes for it.

Q: As far as the rest of anti union guys, what happens when capitalism runs unchecked?
A: Monopoloy and abuse of the workers.
Q: Socialism?
A: Same as above.

Unions are a good check against unbridled capitalism.

Good post. Totally agreed

I still like CFIT.

 

[Weasil]

I flew with a captain recently who is on the ALPA organizing committee and he said that they had received election ballots from over 60% of the pilot group but that they were waiting to hold the election until they had a chance to get more information about ALPA out to the rest of the pilots. They want to send a strong message to the company by having a super majority of pilots vote for ALPA.
I have been an ALPA member at two previous airlines and I must say that the personal, negative attacks from other ALPA pilots on Skywest pilots are not helping the union drive. Everytime I fly with someone who has been ridiculed by a comair/asa pilot recently for "stealing" their airplanes seems to have decided that if that is the attitude that comes with being ALPA then they don't want it. You guys at other carriers need to be more professional (I'm just talking to the minority who act like this) if you want to help the ALPA drive.
Last saturday I was waiting for the hotel van standing next to a Comair crew. The grey-haired Comair captain muttered in our direction "Stop stealing our planes you scabs. If you would vote in ALPA you wouldn't be stealing our airplanes" (i'm paraphrasing, don't remember his exact words).

Besides the fact that most of those airplanes are going to another ALPA carrier (ASA), his statement really bothered the crewmember I was flying with to the point of turning him off having anything to do with ALPA. How about leading by example instead of throwing around the scab word and trying to lead by intimidation. We are professionals, not thugs.

 

[MarineGrunt]

I flew with a captain recently who is on the ALPA organizing committee and he said that they had received election ballots from over 60% of the pilot group but that they were waiting to hold the election until they had a chance to get more information about ALPA out to the rest of the pilots. They want to send a strong message to the company by having a super majority of pilots vote for ALPA.

I find that kind of hard to believe. If they thought they had the votes, I think they'd pull the trigger in a second. They might just be camping out to make sure most of those 60% will go in their favor. Just cause they sent the cards doesn't mean they will vote yes.

I do however completely agree with your statement below. I'm glad to see you showed more restraint than I probably would have...

I have been an ALPA member at two previous airlines and I must say that the personal, negative attacks from other ALPA pilots on Skywest pilots are not helping the union drive. Everytime I fly with someone who has been ridiculed by a comair/asa pilot recently for "stealing" their airplanes seems to have decided that if that is the attitude that comes with being ALPA then they don't want it. You guys at other carriers need to be more professional (I'm just talking to the minority who act like this) if you want to help the ALPA drive.
Last saturday I was waiting for the hotel van standing next to a Comair crew. The grey-haired Comair captain muttered in our direction "Stop stealing our planes you scabs. If you would vote in ALPA you wouldn't be stealing our airplanes" (i'm paraphrasing, don't remember his exact words).

Besides the fact that most of those airplanes are going to another ALPA carrier (ASA), his statement really bothered the crewmember I was flying with to the point of turning him off having anything to do with ALPA. How about leading by example instead of throwing around the scab word and trying to lead by intimidation. We are professionals, not thugs.

 

[pookie]

Marine,

From my contacts at skywest, i know that the card count is around 60% and they do want to have better than 80% to pull the trigger. My house mate is at skywest and he tells me the guy running the alpa drive is highly organized and has good people surrounding him. I dont think they are going to make the same mistakes as the past drives.

Weasil,
Sorry you had to go through that but we are all on the same team and there is no reason why pilots should be attacking pilots. It is management who has made us into what we are. I hope that you will get a chance to meet and talk to guys from skywest who are pro-alpa and get a fair assessment instead of the ahole from comair.

 

[CFIT]

Does anybody know, OC or otherwise, what would be the the time frame for the vote?

Are we looking at weeks, months, or by the end of the year?

 

[USCtrojan]

Does anybody know, OC or otherwise, what would be the the time frame for the vote?

Are we looking at weeks, months, or by the end of the year?

I believe traditionally, you have one year from the day the cards go out. Don't quote me on that.

Trojan

 

[cjones]

I'm leaving an ALPA carrier for Skywest. Lateral move. Some, not all, of Skywest's growth has come because UAL and DAL Mgt. value their non-union status. QOL is better at SKYW than the union shop I am leaving. Skywest going ALPA would be good for the other ALPA carriers, at Skywest's expense.
You could take one for the team, but is it worth derailing the gravy train. If you think Management is going to give you more just because you have a union, talk to some Mesa, Trans-states, and the other union pilots who are giving up seniority to come to Skywest. Once ALPA is on property, Mgt. has no incentive to keep you happy. You now have an adversarial relationship and all the fun which that brings. Please don't vote ALPA.

BTW even though it may not sound like it, I love all ALPA Volunteers. You guys are the greatest. Thank you.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Initially ALPA was opposed to armed pilots. APSA had to take the ball and run with it initially. After ALPA found which way the wind was blowing, they changed their tune. This and age 60 are issues that ALPA has flip-flopped on.

So ALPA has shown they can reflect the desire of the membership.... your point?

Armed pilots was already in effect prior to 9/11. During the sumer of 2001 Congress recinded the program....

 

[Tarzan]

I'm leaving an ALPA carrier for Skywest. Lateral move. Some, not all, of Skywest's growth has come because UAL and DAL Mgt. value their non-union status. QOL is better at SKYW than the union shop I am leaving. Skywest going ALPA would be good for the other ALPA carriers, at Skywest's expense.
You could take one for the team, but is it worth derailing the gravy train. If you think Management is going to give you more just because you have a union, talk to some Mesa, Trans-states, and the other union pilots who are giving up seniority to come to Skywest. Once ALPA is on property, Mgt. has no incentive to keep you happy. You now have an adversarial relationship and all the fun which that brings. Please don't vote ALPA.

BTW even though it may not sound like it, I love all ALPA Volunteers. You guys are the greatest. Thank you.

I'll put the whole post so as not to cherry pick.

I am going after the most frequently beaten drum in regards to Skywest with no union and how managment works to keep them happy. What measuring stick do they use for this? Union acheived work rules and pay. You can bet your bottom dollar that if unions were completely defanged, as they nearly are now, the OO managment would have nothing to fear from a union. Next, they would do whatever it meant to make the buck on your back.

There is no doubt what so ever that the only reason OO pilots have what they have now, is due to the hard work, strikes and paying their 2% of union pilots, not your precious managment team there.

 

[ArcticFlier]

Last saturday I was waiting for the hotel van standing next to a Comair crew. The grey-haired Comair captain muttered in our direction "Stop stealing our planes you scabs. If you would vote in ALPA you wouldn't be stealing our airplanes" (i'm paraphrasing, don't remember his exact words).

Besides the fact that most of those airplanes are going to another ALPA carrier (ASA), his statement really bothered the crewmember I was flying with to the point of turning him off having anything to do with ALPA. How about leading by example instead of throwing around the scab word and trying to lead by intimidation. We are professionals, not thugs.

What a jackass.......................You did the right thing by turning the other cheek, but pointing out that ASA was getting some of their planes would have been fun times had by all! Barring that, pounding his crinkly backside into the ground might have been fun too.

 

[737 Pylt]

Initially ALPA was opposed to armed pilots. APSA had to take the ball and run with it initially. After ALPA found which way the wind was blowing, they changed their tune. This and age 60 are issues that ALPA has flip-flopped on.

Why don't you just quit ALPA John?
Take your money and give it to the rjdc, I mean they've done so much for the industry! After all, you can treat it like you do the meeting notes! You do nothing but complain, and I don't know how the rest of the ASA MEC tolerates your pathetic whining!

737

 

[ASARJMan]

Why don't you just quit ALPA John

and I don't know how the rest of the ASA MEC tolerates your pathetic whining!
737

1. Then Joey would have nothing to whine about. Oh wait, I'm sure he'd find something to bitch about. My bad.

2. He's not an officer any longer. Just a regular ole line pilot who writes on here that he makes six figures. Yeah, sure you do Joey. Most you make is in the high 80s low 90s, and that's picking up open time right Joey?

ASA Management
Clueless Daily

 

[Andy Neill]

Marine,

From my contacts at skywest, i know that the card count is around 60% and they do want to have better than 80% to pull the trigger.

This is simply a point of interest for future reference.

H.R. 800 has been introduced and referred to committee. Among its provisions are that if the majority of a labor group (such as SkyWest pilots) petition for union representation, this would be sufficient. In other words, simply having 50% + 1 of the group sending in post cards would do the trick. If this passes, it will give a clear reason for those who don't want union representation to even send in the card for the vote.

By the way, the bill has 233 co-sponsors so it looks like a lock to pass the House.

 

[HelloNewman]

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