Observations on SKYW

[tired_pilot]

So much for the unity we all need to show. Its time to stop thinking as individuals or individual pilot groups, we need to start working together and ASAP or our profession will continue to be the laughing stock of corporate america.

Educated, smart, people the majority of which with college degrees, willing to up to 16 hour days, sometimes 6 days a week for less then a asst manager ($35,000) at a fast food restuarant. I'd say close to 50 percent of the pilots at the regional level make less then 35 grand. All chasing a dream, at what cost?
Sounds like every CEO's wet dream. Its not Skywest, its all of us, we need to work together. Some how we NEED to find a way.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

So much for the unity we all need to show. Its time to stop thinking as individuals or individual pilot groups, we need to start working together and ASAP or our profession will continue to be the laughing stock of corporate america.

Educated, smart, people the majority of which with college degrees, willing to up to 16 hour days, sometimes 6 days a week for less then a asst manager ($35,000) at a fast food restuarant. I'd say close to 50 percent of the pilots at the regional level make less then 35 grand. All chasing a dream, at what cost?
Sounds like every CEO's wet dream. Its not Skywest, its all of us, we need to work together. Some how we NEED to find a way.

I hear you but your opportunity passed... respectfully....

I bet it would be hard to find a SKYW pilots to admit voting no (either calling or not..) especially when requesting the jumpseat... kinda like who voted for Clinton in the 90's......

(hint for SKYW the 66% of SKYW pilots.. Clinton was a two term president in the 90's, it was difficult to find someone who admited voting for him, but yet there he was...)

 

[FlySacto]

I hear you but your opportunity passed... respectfully....

I bet it would be hard to find a SKYW pilots to admit voting no (either calling or not..) especially when requesting the jumpseat... kinda like who voted for Clinton in the 90's......

(hint for SKYW the 66% of SKYW pilots.. Clinton was a two term president in the 90's, it was difficult to find someone who admited voting for him, but yet there he was...)

I think I'm covered if I ask for the jumpseat. I'll just hang my ALPA SkyWest Now! luggage tag on along with the rest of the crap with my ID. How many "no" voters kept theirs as a gift from the OC? I'll call it my "ticket to ride" and confirms that I was in the camp to protect the profession.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I think I'm covered if I ask for the jumpseat. I'll just hang my ALPA SkyWest Now! luggage tag on along with the rest of the crap with my ID. How many "no" voters kept theirs as a gift from the OC? I'll call it my "ticket to ride" and confirms that I was in the camp to protect the profession.

You got one of those tags too....

 

[DrunkIrishman]

As far as the company telling pilots not to call in and it counts as a no....I would rather call in and vote no so that my voice is heard rather than doing nothing. I would think the no vote would have made quite a statement if 60% said it instead of being too apathetic to pick up a phone. Next you'll tell me that a vote for an independant president is "throwing away my vote" and I shouldn't bother voting at all.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I caught a snipet of Defense Sec Gates commencement speech in USAToday. So I sourced the entire speech.

As workers Corp America is a totalitarian regime. There is only one choice. Work or quit. There is no due process, no say. Has your company ever asked for and seriously considered your imput on policy that significantly effected you? Maybe, but that is few are far between. Unions, in this country, however, are democracies. They are self government.

Currently, union democracy particaption rates are in line with American culture. About 30% of Americans and union members bother to participate in the lection of thier representatives.

Is democracy in union activities un-American? As Americans do we not have duty to embrace and sustain democracy regardless of the organization that uses democracy?

Here is the link for the full speech. I've cut and paste a portion. The first paragraph below applies to the future of the Air Line Pilot profession via union democracy.

Plato: One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.

http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1152

While volunteering for a good cause is important, it is not enough. This country will only survive and progress as a democracy if its citizens—young and old alike—take an active role in its political life as well.


Sad to say, that precious franchise, purchased and preserved by the blood of hundreds of thousands of Americans your age and younger from 1776 to today, has not been adequately appreciated or exercised by your generation.


In 2004, with our nation embroiled in two difficult and controversial wars, the voting percentage was only 42 percent for those aged 18 to 24.
Ed Muskie, former senator and Secretary of State, once said that “you have the God given right to kick the government around.” And it starts with voting, and becoming involved in campaigns. If you think that too many politicians are feckless and corrupt, then go out and help elect different ones. Or go out and run yourself. But you must participate, or else the decisions that affect your life and the future of our country will be made for you—and without you.


So vote. And volunteer. But also consider doing something else: dedicating at least part of your life in service to our country.
I entered public life more than 40 years ago, and no one is more familiar with the hassles, frustrations and sacrifices of public service than I am. Government is, by design of the Founding Fathers, slow, unwieldy and almost comically inefficient. Will Rogers used to say: “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”


These frustrations are inherent in a system of checks and balances, of divisions and limitations of power. Our Founding Fathers did not have efficiency as their primary goal. They designed a system intended to sustain and protect liberty for the ages. Getting things done in government is not easy, but it’s not supposed to be.



I will close with a quote from a letter John Adams sent to one of their other sons, Thomas Boylston Adams. And he wrote:“Public business, my son, must always be done by somebody. It will be done by somebody or another. If wise men decline it, others will not; if honest men refuse it, others will not.”



Will the wise and the honest among you come help us serve the American people?

__________________

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

SKYW Pilots Motto: I just want to fly my trip and go home. Leave me alone... I just want to be left alone and go home...

skywest pilot cheer (the 66%Klub)

I don't need a hand
Got my head in the sand
Don't need to vote
I operate on rote
Jerry just gave me a wink
Don't need to critically think
Not gonna give two percent
I got a BM'er to rent
It won't be long now
Before I upgrade, wow!
Jerry we praise
As we wait for our raise
I't doesn't matter at all
Cause I'll never fall
I don't need an ALPA pal
cause I am going to DAL

​

 

[screech]

Rez,

Im part of the 35% minority. I would hate to be lumped in with the ones that dont care about their futures. I fly with these guys all the time. Young FO's "just happy to be here".

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Rez,

Im part of the 35% minority. I would hate to be lumped in with the ones that dont care about their futures. I fly with these guys all the time. Young FO's "just happy to be here".

No... you are part of the professional majority.... the 66% are part of the minority....

 

[7dustfan]

All u SKYW bashers, shut your pieholes...It's over...move on with your lives...The collective voice has spoken...Many former ALPA members from ASA and MESA ,who now fly for SKYW, didn't want it to pass...This vote was a significant turning point which leaves a speed bump in the road of ALPA's future..I mean USAir guys don't want ALPA, And the Houston CAL guys don't want it...The industry is changing and not everyone wants a ride with da ALPA train....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

All u SKYW bashers, shut your pieholes...It's over...move on with your lives...The collective voice has spoken...Many former ALPA members from ASA and MESA ,who now fly for SKYW, didn't want it to pass...This vote was a significant turning point which leaves a speed bump in the road of ALPA's future..I mean USAir guys don't want ALPA, And the Houston CAL guys don't want it...The industry is changing and not everyone wants a ride with da ALPA train....

What train do you want to ride?

 

[7dustfan]

What train do you want to ride?

Not the ALPA one. Things speak for themselves...SKYW's 35 years of success and growth, not a single furloughed pilot, ever. Continued growth and success, viewed by most other regional pilots as the best overall regional to work for in almost every aspect(Many regional pilots make lateral moves to SKYW). Etc........
Why try to fix it if it ain't broke??? I don't know if things will always good in the future, but 66% of the pilot group are willing to bet on it. There can always be another Union Drive in the future if sh!t hits da fan.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Not the ALPA one. Things speak for themselves...SKYW's 35 years of success and growth, not a single furloughed pilot, ever. Continued growth and success, viewed by most other regional pilots as the best overall regional to work for in almost every aspect(Many regional pilots make lateral moves to SKYW). Etc........
Why try to fix it if it ain't broke??? I don't know if things will always good in the future, but 66% of the pilot group are willing to bet on it. There can always be another Union Drive in the future if sh!t hits da fan.

What about the criminalization of pilots?

The flawed FMLA law?

Open Skies?

MPL?

FFDO?

the list goes on...

What about these issues that effect SKYW pilots?

 

[jbDC9]

I mean USAir guys don't want ALPA, and the Houston CAL guys don't want it...

Huh? Says who?? That's the first I've heard of that, and I'm a Houston CAL guy. One that likes having ALPA on the property at that.

 

[DTWFO]

Continued growth and success, viewed by most other regional pilots as the best overall regional to work for in almost every aspect(Many regional pilots make lateral moves to SKYW). Etc........

I hope that was a joke....I haven't talked to ANY other regional piltos that would agree with this, including myself. It was good for a laugh though!

 

[siucavflight]

Lateral move to SKW? And start at 19 an hour? The lowest first year pay out there?

 

[Goose Egg]

Lateral move to SKW? And start at 19 an hour? The lowest first year pay out there?

Yeah, it's not the greatest... but then again, CA pay in year two helps take the sting off.

-Goose

 

[jea]

Just wanted to make some observations and see what others have to say about them as well as add their own.

-Not even half the pilot group voted. Over 60% of you said you simply didn't care about your future at Skywest. Meanwhile, your company spokesman says it is because you are confident in the company. If you don't use your right to vote, you don't deserve it!

-Being a non-union group, Skywest does "ride the coattails" of other organized groups. That is the reality of market forces. Incidently, this can also go the other way where organized groups are chasing non-organized groups. So it seems to me that the two cancel each other out making this a moot point.

-ASA was not "saved" by Skywest. If you don't believe me, look at Comair. Last time I checked, Comair was still in business.

-A no vote to the Skywest ALPA drive was NOT a no vote to becoming unionized. I do not like ALPA National myself....but I sure as hell wouldn't vote for Teamsters instead!

-Threatening Skywest pilots with names like scab is childish at worst and completely inappropriate at best.

-Hoping Skywest pilots don't move on to other carriers is one thing, but making it a personal goal is another. No pilot should go out of his or her way to ensure Skywest pilots don't get jobs at other airlines.

Any other thoughts?

A vote for representation- but not alpa is a vote for alpa... so yeah i didnt call.. that was my vote...

union airlines (asa) are coming up to our level of compensation as i see it- but yes moot point.

asa was not saved by skywest but they arent owned by mesa.... reminds me of a story about a frenchman who hates Americans.... do you speak German?........ youre welcome.

SOOOOOO glad this is over! now people can hate people for other reasons!

 

[Goose Egg]

SOOOOOO glad this is over! now people can hate people for other reasons!

Amen. If there's one thing I've learned, a pilot is like a fish out of water if he or she doesn't have something to b!tch about.


-Goose

 

[DrunkIrishman]

Maybe I don't understand the phone-in vote. I understood that you could vote yes or no...what you seem to be saying is that if you called in to vote it was automatically cast as a yes. Is that how the vote went down?