Observations on SKYW

[siucavflight]

-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!

Now this is simply not true. A no call is counted as a no vote. How do you know how many of them chose to vote no by simply not calling. The SKW pilots got what they wanted, and those that voted no did so by not calling.

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

I wanted to ask about this. I saw a tally of the ALPA votes and the 6 non-ALPA votes, but I haven't seen any numbers from the NMB on No votes cast at their site or by phone. I'm not talking about the No's by default but the actively cast No votes. Anybody have those figures? There have to be some, right?

I don't think it's fair to say that 60% didn't care enough to vote. We have no way of knowing how much of that is a deliberate act of not calling and how much is apathy.

To be fair, judge apathy reference any recent SAPA election.

You have no clue how many FOs I fly with that say:
"I just show up for work, do my job, then go home..I don't look at any bulletin boards and don't want to get involved, this is just a job to me."

If you look at any of our internal boards, the number of participants shows apathy at its best.

The highest number online at any time on the SAPA site was 30 min prior to the results of the Union drive. Prior to this, a couple dozen was the highest number online at one time. This from, my recollection, only half of the pilots are even registered!

 

[PBRstreetgang]

The reason you see no specific information for no votes is because it's not possible to call in and vote no. The voting instructions specifically indicated how to vote for representation but did not mention how to vote no.

The 60-65% that did not vote are not apathetic. They participated. They actively voted no using the guidelines established by the NMB.

Yes they "voted". Apathy or active vote, is this the type of person you want sitting next to you when you are negotiating your next contract? You need to realize the company I work for is a leper colony, and you are gonna get it too, if you hire them. All the stuff listed in prior posts are as a result of these guys. hire them at your own risk.
PBR
P.S. herndon knows who the faithful are, all the others are the lepers!

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

:
"I just show up for work, do my job, then go home..I don't look at any bulletin boards and don't want to get involved, this is just a job to me."!

Until they want to go work for another carrier... an ALPA carrier most likely...

Then all of a sudden they are polished, hard working, team player, I make the place better than I found it... pilots...

Why do I keep thinking of Morgan Freeman biotch slapping Denzel

 

[Shakenbake]

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?

All very true. I was very disappointed in the result of the vote.

Proud to be in the minority at SkyWest,

Shakenbake

 

[DrewBlows]

-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!

I'm an ALPA member who has had to endure a bankruptcy and I would choose ALPA over Teamsters every time. I've come to this conclusion after speaking to many pilots at RAH (friends and jump-seat conversations). Not RAH pilot has ever told me they thought their union was effective, a fact I find astonishing given the number of pilots I've talked to.

A union is what you make of it. I have no idea what support the Teamsters bring to RAH, but I know what support ALPA (national) brings to Comair. No matter how much national support you have, ultimately the success or failure of your union will be determined by it's members at the local level. The laws in this country are stacked against airline unions and it takes a strong internal will to have any success.

As far as a non-union airline, I have a hard time believing anyone would be happy with this arrangement. In my mind it's possible the company looks out for it's employees but in my experience I haven't seen it. Even Southwest, which has by far the most pro-labor leadership, is unionized. To each his own, I guess.

 

[SKYWRJGUY]

It is true.

There is no way to know if apathy led to the turnout vote or if the other 65% actively voted no [took the mindset not to vote]. We will never know, but those who believe that not voting is apathetic is an invalid inference. I would rather somebody purposely not vote for valid reasons than having a lemming vote just because of the implicit professionalism stance offered by peers. There are as many of those, no doubt, as there are apathists; that doesn't make them more career-oreinted.

Actually, the person I want sitting next to decision-makers (or strategists) at the next meeting of the minds is a critical-thinker who has some innovative tendencies, not necessarily a conformist who acts simply on emotion or social identity.

 

[Future Furlough]

This is one that I don't quite understand either. I'm not sure what the rationale of purchasing ASA, and I'm not sure what we are doing to help them. Ostensibly, it was to provide an additional revenue stream (it is business, after all). But some of the methods employed in managing ASA leave me scratching my head.
-Goose

If you believe the conspiracy theorists, SKW was given an ultimatum by Big DAL.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

There is no way to know if apathy led to the turnout vote or if the other 65% actively voted no [took the mindset not to vote]. We will never know, but those who believe that not voting is apathetic is an invalid inference. I would rather somebody purposely not vote for valid reasons than having a lemming vote just because of the implicit professionalism stance offered by peers. There are as many of those, no doubt, as there are apathists; that doesn't make them more career-oreinted.

There is a time and place for choosing not to choose... and this wasn't it....

Actually, the person I want sitting next to decision-makers (or strategists) at the next meeting of the minds is a critical-thinker who has some innovative tendencies, not necessarily a conformist who acts simply on emotion or social identity.

What makes you think any SKYW pilot will be at any meeting of the minds? The SKYW pilots ARE conformist..

Sine you don't know who is a "chosse not to choose" and who is apathetic, how do you know who is a critcal thinker?

The SKYW pilots have choosen duct tape...not critical thinking... instead of the opprotunity to grow into true professionals the SKYW pilots have choosen more of a parent/toddler relationship with Jerry.

Me thinks the SKYW pilots do not even understand this...

After all the benefit that SKYW already enjoys from ALPA's efforts... what is the logic in rejecting ALPA?

Why am I thinking of the Matrix.... eating steak all while saying ignorance is bliss....

 

[Gandalf]

Apathy

To be fair, judge apathy reference any recent SAPA election.

You have no clue how many FOs I fly with that say:
"I just show up for work, do my job, then go home..I don't look at any bulletin boards and don't want to get involved, this is just a job to me."

If you look at any of our internal boards, the number of participants shows apathy at its best.

The highest number online at any time on the SAPA site was 30 min prior to the results of the Union drive. Prior to this, a couple dozen was the highest number online at one time. This from, my recollection, only half of the pilots are even registered!

Apathy, how can there be anything but apathy here?

The reason for the apathy is justified. SAPA is a freaking joke. No wait, not even a joke. Its nothing. It means nothing, it does nothing, it provides us nothing, it does not benefit us in any way.

And no, before you jump all over me I am not venting after the No vote. Just an intelligent, informed employee that looked at both sides of the arguement. ALPA may not be the savior of Skywest, but jeez people - SAPA certainly is not what we need.

As for flying the 90/70 at 50 rates, it disgusts me that we do it. However, SAPA agreed to this on THE CONDITION THAT THE RATES changed after the aircraft were on property. They have been trying to do a lot of good things here at Skywest. The problem that very few people seem to get is that it doesn't matter. SAPA can do nothing. It can hold all of the meetings it wants, it can come up with as many proposals as it wants, it can elect as many "good" guys/gals as it wants and IT DOESNT MATTER.

It is a shame that so many of our pilot group are so apathetic, selfish, and shortsighted. So many got hung up by the fact they might have to contribute towards their career. So many lost sight of their fellow pilots in the industry. Don't rock the boat - right? As stated on these boards - even the pilots at Southwest - the supposed "Eden" of flying jobs - "Go company, rah, rah" - has a union, not just a group of yes men.

To all of those professional pilots out there - not all of us endorse SAPA or are SKYW yes men. So...before you judge, before you deny JS, or anything else - know who you are dealing with. If it is a sniveling yes man, then by all means give them what they deserve - but don't lump us all together.

To our ASA brothers, know that you are not alone. There are those of us that get it.

To all of those who voted no or chose not to vote -
I DON"T WANT TO HEAR ANY WHINING ABOUT...... pay issues, quality of life issues, schedule problems, commuting issues, vacation issues, reserve issues, cancelation pay, etc. etc. ANY issue that ANYONE raises on either the SKYW or SAPA forums - DON"T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT - in fact lets just take down those boards so you all can't complain.

Many of you missed the real issue here - representation.

If you are going to spend time and energy complaining about things to other pilots either while you are flying or on the message boards then answer this..

HOW ARE WE GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING HERE? How are we going to improve "pay issues, quality of life issues, schedule problems, commuting issues, vacation issues, reserve issues, cancellation pay etc, etc...?"
HOW??????????????

All of us had reasons why we voted yes or no. Most of the arguements for either side are moot. Because what is important for me is not important for the next guy. The real question was representaton. We just chose not to have real representation.

So go to your SAPA rep and talk to them. I am sure they will do their best to address your needs.

And SGU will laugh all the way to the bank...HA, HA, HA.....

Apathy - that is the normal state of things here at SKYW. Anything else and we wouldn't know what to do.