Is Skywest ALPA drive dead?

[MONKEY]

Does SkyWest need protection from the company or ALPA

If you have them by the short hairs, their hearts and minds will follow. Instead, ALPA has been trying to sell something the SkyWest pilots don't yet need.

I think that is exactly what Skynation is talking about. Yah, yah I got an idea, we can't convince them that the company is going to screw them, so let's threaten them, yah, yah that will do it.

 

[PCL_128]

Dead? Far from it. The drive is kicking into high-gear, in fact.

 

[007]

The company will screw them, it's just a matter of time. But until then there will be no union at Skywest, I am willing to bet money on it.

When the company finally does give them the shaft, there will be a lot of the "How could this happen talk" and some will blame their own peers. Namely then it will be ALPA's fault for not organizing them earlier. Some people will never get it.

 

[Gr82Aviate]

Well Said

The skywest guys will never buck up and pay their dues.

Please do those of us at Skywest that have brains a favor, and quit assuming Newwoman and Skypestnation speak for all of us!!!!!!

 

[rtmcfi]

I have, and will continue to do so. I used to work at an ALPA carrier (no, it wasn't Mesa).

And which committees did you volunteer on?

 

[jayme]

I'd be willing to bet that HelloNewman and Skynation will be on the organizing committee for the union drive in '09. It happens every time. Some new guys come in thinking SkyWest is utopia and after awhile their eyes get opened. Next thing you know they're screaming "we need a union!". Only problem is that some other new guys have come in and taken their place and before you know it another union drive is dead. Maybe someday this idiotic cycle will cease, but I'm not holding my breath.

The problem is that management does this stuff so insidiously that there really isn't a "wakeup call". It happens slowly, and you have to pay attention to notice it.

Bucket system, taking away newhire pay arbitrarily (I got fkd on this one) after telling interviewees that they WILL be paid in training, new leg cancellation pay policy, required jumpseat to training, PBS (costs us money with NOTHING in return), forced flying... that's all I can think of right now.

Our pay has also slowly slid from near the top of the industry to at or below average. Again, it was slow and insidious. We have a great 50 seat rate, especially when you add in the bonus, but as we slowly added 70 and now 90 seat airplanes, we are now being paid below standard.

 

[FL990]

The company will screw them, it's just a matter of time. But until then there will be no union at Skywest, I am willing to bet money on it.

.

THEY ALREADY DID!! The 70 seat pay that was supposed to take affect never went into effect. Now they have some piddlely override that, again, was just enough to put out the fire. (and the funny thing is, they are greatful for it).

 

[~~~^~~~]

I think that is exactly what Skynation is talking about. Yah, yah I got an idea, we can't convince them that the company is going to screw them, so let's threaten them, yah, yah that will do it.

Don't confuse my opinion with what ALPA does. Especially when in my opinion ALPA is not doing what they should be doing.

My arguement is that if ALPA was being effective, there would not be so much confusion at SkyWest about whether they needed to be in ALPA.

As it turns out, ALPA is effective on a small scale with local safety, scheduling and pilot representational matters - but the SkyWest pilots don't see this because they don't work for an ALPA carrier and their management plays nice for the most part.

The SkyWest pilots do see the larger picture and they see that they are benefitting from the crisis of leadership at ALPA National.

When ALPA publicly valued their sale of small jet flying from the Delta property at $150 million dollars and works with management to transfer this flying out to the lowest bidder - what are industry observers supposed to think?

No wonder SkyWest pilots don't see the need....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I think that is exactly what Skynation is talking about. Yah, yah I got an idea, we can't convince them that the company is going to screw them, so let's threaten them, yah, yah that will do it.

Yet, no one wants to talk about the future. Sure all is well NOW at Skywest. But if you look at the historical trend, sooner or later pilots need representation....

Anyone care to address this?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Fins-

If you want to envoke positive change you have to use positive methods.!!!