Skywest again;)

[username]

Re: ground school pay / rooms

I was scheduled in the 1/29/03 class. I got a call from HR today informing me that I would no longer be getting paid for groundschool and I'd have to double up in a room or pay for half my room if I wanted one to myself.

This was after I was told I'd be getting paid for GS and would have my own room at the interview. Lies aren't a good way to start a relationship with a future employee.

I decided that if the company couldn't back their word and couldn't afford $1300 dollars a month then this was the wrong place for me. I'm cheap but not free. I very politely declined the position.

I'm not trying to make a statement about whether you should or shouldn't work for free. Hopefully this will clear things up for possible future employees.

 

[rightrudder]

Looks like Great Lakes has finally achieved parity with Skywest...and didn't have to spend a dime to do it!

 

[SmoovFlight]

SkyWesterly

It sucks to know that management can get away with cutting the newhire's big pay for a month and still have people interested in a job...You gotta love this industry. Welcome to the commuters!

 

[Wally]

SkyWest Training Pay

I have yet to speak to anyone at SkyWest since getting a job offer, but I received a FedEx package today that was sent only YESTERDAY... It stated DOUBLE OCCUPANCY rooms will be provided. The packet also echoed what we were told in the interview; which is PAID training. If this is not the case, I have yet to be informed and it's less than two weeks prior to the class date they offered. This would be very hard to swallow IF the above info is true. Not to mention very hard to budget on such short notice. With that said, I'll keep a positive outlook unless/until I hear reason not to.

 

[embdrvr]

No offense to any SkyWest pilot but it's totally bogus for mgmt to change the terms of a job offer after the offer is made. If they want to eliminate pay during training that's their perogative. To change the policy afer someone has possibly given notice at their existing job could put the new hire between a rock and a financial hard place.

 

[Windycity]

As a curent Skywest pilot I can confirm this new policy.
It is very disappointing and frankly wrong. Management has not listened to the pilot group on this subject and changed the policy.

No doubt this is a blackeye for all Skywest pilots, and in my opinion a foreshadowing for the future here. We will loose alot of great pilots to this horrible policy.

 

[damouse]

In regards to the above 'rumor'...

I received a call from SkyWest yesterday confirming that we are no longer paid for training and that we will be doubling up in the hotel rooms for the February 3rd class. Regardless, I'm still going and am looking forward to joining the SkyWest team.

Regards.. damouse

 

[username]

Out of curiosity how is SkyWest handling the training of the rest of their employees? Do they pay the rampers, FA's etc while in training and has the policy changed recently? Are they calling other employees who they've already promised to pay when they hired them and informing them that they will no longer be paid?

I'm more than a little ticked at the new policy because I already quit my previous job to go to SkyWest. They didn't honor what they told me at the interview. I'd rather be unemployed then work for a company that won't honor their word. It's just not a good way to start things out.

 

[Socalplt]

Yes, everybody else gets paid while in training. For those choosing between multiple job offers, I would suggest going elsewhere. The first year pay rate is already low compared to many others out there, and to work for free for two months is rediculous. Our non-union pilot group is opposed to the change but powerless to do anything about it.

 

[sstearns2]

....

Our F/As have always had to pay for their own hotel room.

Even if we were union we couldn't do much about this as pilot's don't become union members until they finish class at the earliest.

Obviously this policy was strongly opposed by the pilots. It's very frustrating to see this happening while the company still puts out a monthly newspaper, yearbooks, reams of posters and calenders, etc.

I still think that Skywest is one of the best places to be right now. Managment is doing what they have to do to stay competitive and it's important to remeber that the biggest cuts were at the top. Jerry, Brad, and Ron (the top managment) all took 20% pay cuts and all the higher salaried people took 10% and the pilots, F/A, mechanics, rampers, etc took 0%.

Scott

 

[WhiteCloud]

<Even if we were union we couldn't do much about this as pilot's don't become union members until they finish class at the earliest>

Fly safe!

 

[Two-9-9-TwoSet]

Guppy Puppy

Are you one of those guys who blame the demise of West Air on ALPA too??

You speak about someone being "misinformed"...well, Let ME inform you this...ALPA is not the lastest subject at SkyWest.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Quote.....

"Are you one of those guys who blame the demise of West Air on ALPA too??

You speak about someone being "misinformed"...well, Let ME inform you this...ALPA is not the lastest subject at SkyWest."

....Two-9-9-Twoset

What does "lastest subject" mean?

You seem to insinuate that I blame the demise of EWA on ALPA. If that is an accusation, apparently I need to re-assert my position. CNF closed the doors on Emery in violation of EWA's pilots agreement with EWA and CNF. I am upset with ALPA because the pilots got only two weeks of severance pay when they should have been paid out on the remainder of their contract. Make no mistake about it, it was CNF who finally closed the doors on EWA, not the FAA. The FAA got the ball rolling when they asked EWA to surrender their certificate in Aug. '01. EWA had a green light later that fall from the FAA, but CNF pulled the plug and decided to contract out all of their lift.

I just heard on the radio that the recently fired coach of the SF 49ers, Steve Mariucci (sp?), will be paid out on the remainder of his contract, even though his employment was terminated early. This only seems fair since it was a contract. The same should be applied to the EWA pilots.

ALPA has removed the elected EWA MEC and placed a "custodian" in charge of the EWA case. Once again, I encourage you to visit:

www.emerycrew.org

See what ALPA has done for the EWA crewmembers lately.

As far as Westair...I never worked there and am not familiar with their plight, so I won't comment on their case.

And, back to the original thread...SkyWest management took a 20% paycut, but didn't cut pay or benefits for the pilots. Only the new-hire pay has been cut out. In my opinion this is not reason enough to form a union.

Cheers!

GP

 

[Beechnut]

Even if we were union we couldn't do much about this as pilot's don't become union members until they finish class at the earliest.

That isn't true. The Almighty Evil ALPA at AirWis has specific language in our contract regarding new hire pay. You may be on probation, but you are a pilot and a member of the "team" (a feel good word that is kind of silly) from the moment you show up for initial training.

AirWis, like many others, pays new hires their aircraft's first year rate and they cover the single occupancy hotel room.

S.

 

[embdrvr]

[BAnd, back to the original thread...SkyWest management took a 20% paycut, but didn't cut pay or benefits for the pilots. [/B]

I wish that kind of thinking would spread to the rest of the industry. Everywhere else the cuts seem to start at the bottom. Pretty amazing when you consider that Sky West is one of the few (only?) non-union Pt 121 pax airlines.

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

The fact that SkyWest management took a 20% pay cut has to be taken with a grain of salt. That's a 20% pay cut from their salary but doesn't include stock options and bonuses which I understand make up the great majority of their overall compensation.

 

[skypine69]

OK, here is the deal..... Skywest management knows that they can save money by not paying newhires. THey also know that there are plenty of pilots out there who will go with out the pay. I did it 4 years ago. that dont make it right. THey pay rampers. mechanics, CS etc because they know that they could never hire someone for those positions and not pay them for the training they do. SKywest is taking advantage of the current situation to try and help their bottom line. If they cant afford to pay our employees they should not be expanding. Its that simple. I am considering quitting over this deal. It means that much to me that my fellow pilots out there are being asked to work their arse off for 6 weeks with no pay while we have 2 houseboats sitting down on lake powell for the corp officers to use.
This is so wrong. it makes me sick to my stomach. and yes the fact that we have no union is the reason they are able to do this. we have a policy that dictates the training pay for newhires. if it was a legal contract they would not be able to violate it without it costing even more money in lawyer fees when we grieve it and win!

My opinion.....if you have a class date or interview date with SKywest Airlines....do not show up. Dont bother to call either. They dont care enough about you so dont show them any consideration.

 

[embdrvr]

I am considering quitting over this deal. It means that much to me that my fellow pilots out there are being asked to work their arse off for 6 weeks with no pay while we have 2 houseboats sitting down on lake powell for the corp officers to use.

You sound pretty unhappy. Perhaps quitting would be the best thing for you. Maybe you could get a fresh start with a company that doesn't have houseboats.

You also sound like you want to hurt the company as evidenced by your statements - "don't show up, don't call etc." Of course you probably don't like your coworkers because they will be the ones working overtime if classes don't get filled. I'm sure Sky West isn't hiring people just so pilots have more seniority.

I forgot to ask you SkyPine, are you a ramper, FA, gate agent, or what?

 

[embdrvr]

The fact that SkyWest management took a 20% pay cut has to be taken with a grain of salt. That's a 20% pay cut from their salary but doesn't include stock options and bonuses which I understand make up the great majority of their overall compensation.

I don't know their compensation details but even if it's symbolic it says a lot for the company IMHO.

 

[Sky-doggie]

I recently heard this news and Yes it is frustrating for people who are coming from instructing, furloughs, etc. who are already broke!!!

I too heard of a guy turning down a class date because of this and while I would not want to be in their shoes especially if they have a family to support, I would still take the job if I could manage it!

Things are tough right now, and I had been looking for a job for over a year before getting on at SkyWest, and SkyWest has been great so far! I'm just glad I got through training when I did!!!
Right now I'm feeling very lucky! I think they are doing everything they can to cut costs. They are taking away everything from free coffee and cable in crew lounges on down but I think it is being done to show our major partners that we can keep costs down.
not to screw the working man.....

They need pilots bad right now!!! There seems to be a lot of movement and I don't think any of us will be sitting on reserve for long if at all.....

So, don't give up hope people! I just don't think any place is totally safe these days!!! But you have to make your moves carfully in this business and the guys who can't make the jump now I do feel bad for........

As far as a union? Well it is possible that it will come true some day, but will it help the company or hurt it I cannot say because I've never been a member of one? But union or not the company still has to make a profit if it wants to stay in business! ECON. 101

I'm really wondering what SAPA's position is on this and I wonder if they plan to stick out their necks for the new hires?

Good Luck!!!
skydog