Latest with XJet

[Future Furlough]

...BUT, I find it naive to think that ALPA is a savior to the employees of a company who's balance sheet isn't all that rosy.

You got it half right...here's the fixed version

...BUT, I find it naive to think that SKYWEST is a savior to the employees of a company who's balance sheet isn't all that rosy.

 

[greg52083]

The reason that XJT pilots are reluctant to blame management for the current situation of the company is because management always treated our pilot group with dignity and respect. They didn't come to the employees and say "you gotta take cuts" or "were loosing flying so we are reducing staffing" or "were going to run a bare bones operation to reduce costs". They took lemons and at least tried to make lemonade. ExpressJet is probably one of the few airlines where you actually feel valued for what you do for the company and respected as an employee.

Regardless if I keep my job or loose my job, I'll walk out the door of XJT knowing what it is like to work for great management (i worked for Mesa and I know the other extreme) and thankful to them for at least trying to make it work. Thankful for them never trying to fund the airline on the salaries of the work groups. Thankful for keeping the company a great place to work up to the very last day. I won't be taking that Skywest interview, thank you anyways ($19/hr to fly a 76 seat jet is a JOKE, I made more at Mesa 3 years ago on a 50 seat jet).

You can say what you want about how bad our management is at XJT, but when you look at your company's management in a situation that our company faced, can you say your management would at least try and make it work and not ask you for a single cut or shed a single job?

 

[No.W.]

The reason that XJT pilots are reluctant to blame management for the current situation of the company is because management always treated our pilot group with dignity and respect. They didn't come to the employees and say "you gotta take cuts" or "were loosing flying so we are reducing staffing" or "were going to run a bare bones operation to reduce costs". They took lemons and at least tried to make lemonade. ExpressJet is probably one of the few airlines where you actually feel valued for what you do for the company and respected as an employee.

Regardless if I keep my job or loose my job, I'll walk out the door of XJT knowing what it is like to work for great management (i worked for Mesa and I know the other extreme) and thankful to them for at least trying to make it work. Thankful for them never trying to fund the airline on the salaries of the work groups. Thankful for keeping the company a great place to work up to the very last day. I won't be taking that Skywest interview, thank you anyways ($19/hr to fly a 76 seat jet is a JOKE, I made more at Mesa 3 years ago on a 50 seat jet).

You can say what you want about how bad our management is at XJT, but when you look at your company's management in a situation that our company faced, can you say your management would at least try and make it work and not ask you for a single cut or shed a single job?

Were you there during the IPO? Were you there right after 9/11?

Do you remember a couple of Ream's quotes?:

"If you don't like it...we'll help you pack your s**T."

"If you don't like it, we can find some other poor silly souls to fly our airplanes."

I don't disagree with your CURRENT assessment. Your management really did try to do the right thing, but it wasn't always like that. I was there for those two quotes(on furlough for one) above. Your union representation deserves more credit for the contract than your management does. Ream is not without pride...it may have been a matter of his personal pride to keep those airplanes and NOT about "doing the right thing by the pilots". I could be wrong on that...but I'm not when I say that your Negotiating committee and your pilot group's unity are more responsible for your great contract than your management team. When I was there...Ream and company where not in the pilot groups good graces.

 

[Skaff]

The reason that XJT pilots are reluctant to blame management for the current situation of the company is because management always treated our pilot group with dignity and respect. They didn't come to the employees and say "you gotta take cuts" or "were loosing flying so we are reducing staffing" or "were going to run a bare bones operation to reduce costs". They took lemons and at least tried to make lemonade. ExpressJet is probably one of the few airlines where you actually feel valued for what you do for the company and respected as an employee.

So the Xjt pilots have an emotional attachment to their managers. That's fine. But sometimes managers need to manage rather than making friends while the business is burning down. I feel like a respected and valued employee at SkyWest. The difference is, is that SkyWest managers are not always the good guy. When Brad Holt was working at Skywest Airlines, a lot of people didn't like the way he ran things, but he made good decisions and we've benefited from them in the long run. Again, don't you wish your management did their jobs rather than made friends with you?

 

[mack82]

Then why in the world does Skywest want XJT? Am I the only one baffled by this?

Because they need to keep from dying too. United has by far the highest operating costs of any major, putting them in probably the most jeopardy amongst the legacy carriers. Seeing how probably 50% of Skywest's flying is for United, their just trying to cover their own end by going after CAL. Teaming up with CAL to widdle XJT away to nothing is a way to extend their future without having to rely on United.

CAL, aside from Southwest is in the most favorable position for the future because of their fleet, and their operating costs are the lowest of the legacies.

 

[pilotlbs]

Not when SKW can bid on the remainder of the flying that XJT does for CAL only 12 months later and in essence "closing the doors and putting everyone on the street." Oh wait, not on the street since SKW will offer preferential interviews to the furloughed XJT pilots.

HAHA you make me laugh

 

[pilotlbs]

There is no sense in trying to talk to some of the XJTers.

Unless you're praising them and their management they think you're scum.

SkyWest- you should have voted in ALPA, though. Bad choice on your behalf.

I agree with you at the begining, but I don't think voting against ALPA specifically is a bad choice, I think that not wanting any union is a bad choice.

 

[rchcfi]

I agree with you at the begining, but I don't think voting against ALPA specifically is a bad choice, I think that not wanting any union is a bad choice.

I can't speak for any other SKYW guy or gal, but I didn't want ALPA. Another union, yes. One with bargaining power, yes. I do think a lot of our pilots were smart and voted as such. You can't have the same union as your major partner. It just doesn't make sense. We all know ALPA is a business. They know they can get more dues from a higher paid mainline pilot, so where do you think the favoritism lies when it comes to scope or just about anything else. And I know a lot of you ALPA chest pounders were only in the fight for our 2,800 pilot strong group; licking your chops for those dues. Now if there was a RALPA or something similiar, you would have seen a different outcome. Just my .02...........

 

[Future Furlough]

They know they can get more dues from a higher paid mainline pilot, so where do you think the favoritism lies when it comes to scope or just about anything else... And I know a lot of you ALPA chest pounders were only in the fight for our 2,800 pilot strong group; licking your chops for those dues.

A little contradictory there, isn't it?

The problem is system wide...union pilots who do not participate in their union (and even in their careers) and then blame the union when things go awry. The union (which ever one it happens to be) is made up of pilots. It's up to the pilots to determine how effective that union is.

 

[Nevets]

Have you ever considered that SKYW has access to 29 ERJ's that don't belong to XJT?

Have you ever considered that SKYW will begin flying for Continental under a CPA with Continental without regard to whether or not SKYW closes a deal with XJT?

Have you ever considered why SKYW is moving forward very quickly to establish a training program for the EMB 145?

If you haven't condiered these three things, you're leaving some important things out of the equation.

As a recent advertising campaign points out, "Life comes at you fast." Are you ready?

Yes, I had considered all those things. It is a possibility that SKW gets CAL flying while at the same time XJT remains independent. I think its a long shot since CAL is looking at capacity reductions but it certainly is a possibility.

 

[Nevets]

No it wouldn't. SkyWest Airlines is a product of SkyWest Inc. ASA is also a product of SkyWest Inc. If things go down as it has been discussed, SkyWest Airlines will have never furloughed a pilot due to the wise business decisions of SkyWest Airlines management. Xjet may furlough, but it will ultimately be due to the poor business decisions of Xjet management. Those decisions may be made by SkyWest Inc., but Inc. may make those decisions only because Xjet management is too stupid to do it. They would rather dig their own graves than admit they made poor business decisions.

But it would mean that Skywest Inc will have furloughed pilots for the first time in its history. I don't know why you take it so personal. I said I was just giving you a hard time.

 

[Nevets]

HAHA you make me laugh

Why? What I said is true. You think that is funny.

 

[Nevets]

...it may have been a matter of his personal pride to keep those airplanes and NOT about "doing the right thing by the pilots". I could be wrong on that...but I'm not when I say that your Negotiating committee and your pilot group's unity are more responsible for your great contract than your management team. When I was there...Ream and company where not in the pilot groups good graces.

I think you mention it on another thread but JR envisioned an independent airline. Obviously the IPO and the resulting CPA didn't really create an independent airline. When Branded was announced, JR said that it was something they had been looking to do for years. Maybe this is what he was talking about way back then.

He could have asked for concession when CAL made the announcement and he could have asked again when XJT lost the arbitration to CAL but he didn't. I think that says a lot.

 

[Nevets]

...it may have been a matter of his personal pride to keep those airplanes and NOT about "doing the right thing by the pilots". I could be wrong on that...but I'm not when I say that your Negotiating committee and your pilot group's unity are more responsible for your great contract than your management team. When I was there...Ream and company where not in the pilot groups good graces.

I think you mention it on another thread but JR envisioned an independent airline. Obviously the IPO and the resulting CPA didn't really create an independent airline. When Branded was announced, JR said that it was something they had been looking to do for years. Maybe this is what he was talking about way back then.

He could have asked for concession when CAL made the announcement and he could have asked again when XJT lost the arbitration to CAL but he didn't. I think that says a lot.

 

[Nevets]

I can't speak for any other SKYW guy or gal, but I didn't want ALPA. Another union, yes. One with bargaining power, yes. I do think a lot of our pilots were smart and voted as such. You can't have the same union as your major partner. It just doesn't make sense. We all know ALPA is a business. They know they can get more dues from a higher paid mainline pilot, so where do you think the favoritism lies when it comes to scope or just about anything else. And I know a lot of you ALPA chest pounders were only in the fight for our 2,800 pilot strong group; licking your chops for those dues. Now if there was a RALPA or something similiar, you would have seen a different outcome. Just my .02...........

I don't think you understand how ALPA works. As for scope, being a regional pilot myself, I want the mainline to hold the line on scope. Hell, I would like all mainlines to do what the APA is doing, take back ALL jet flying. It shouldn't be contradictory to any regional pilot to want the mainline to do all jet flying.

 

[pilotlbs]

I think you mention it on another thread but JR envisioned an independent airline. Obviously the IPO and the resulting CPA didn't really create an independent airline. When Branded was announced, JR said that it was something they had been looking to do for years. Maybe this is what he was talking about way back then.

He could have asked for concession when CAL made the announcement and he could have asked again when XJT lost the arbitration to CAL but he didn't. I think that says a lot.

I think its funny how you spend too much time on this forum. I think your avatar is funny, and I think you look funny.

 

[Nevets]

I think its funny how you spend too much time on this forum. I think your avatar is funny, and I think you look funny.

Do we know each other?

 

[No.W.]

I think that says a lot.

You are right, it does. I just don't remember any talk of an independent airline during the run-up to the IPO. I was on furlough when the IPO actually went down. I do know the little clause in the IPO SEC filing about a "work action" giving CAL the right to take our airplanes was giving the pilot group bad heartburn(and rightly so). Honestly, after I got furloughed, I basically went to the crackpipe(calforums.com) to find out what was going on. It was not a good source of information, and I visited less and less as the months dragged on. It sounds to me like ExpressJet is a MUCH different company now. That's good. I hated Ream after the "we'll help you pack your s**t statement. I never really forgave him for that. I guess first impressions are a bugger.

 

[SSDD]

From what I heard this week, the deal is dead. The XJT board came back to Skywest to negotiate, and were told that Skywest is no longer interested. They've gone to plan B, whatever that is.

 

[Erlanger]

If the deal doesn't go through is xjet still going to have to furlough?

A friend of mine at XJT says they've been told that 700 furloughees if Skywest buys them or 300 furloughees if they don't get bought but there's the possibility of bankruptcy. Either way there's going to be furloughs.