Skywest Alpa Drive

[cbrown1]

Anyone have an update on how the drive is progressing? I've been looking at the alpa website but it doesn't give much information and i've been asking around and people havn't heard anything.

 

[sweptback]

I am sure somebody will probably fill you in on this board, but for a better update either call your ALPA rep or ask at the LEC meeting on Monday.

 

[PCL_128]

The number of informational events will be picking up quite a bit starting next month. You can check skywestalpa.org for a complete list of them. We were having only 2-3 a month, but that's increased a lot for next month. We've had enough cards to meet the NMB's minimum for a petition for a couple of months now, but ALPA doesn't like to petition for a vote until a strong majority has sent in cards. We'll get there. Try to be patient, and spread the word to every Skywest pilot you see to send in their authorization card.

 

[SkyNation]

40% of cards in (as per the rep who told me so)

they'll wait until they have 60%

 

[fried chickens]

I just got an invitation saying Prater is going going to be in SLC on the 2nd and at Lofte's on the 3rd. Did they send the invite to all SkyWest pilots or guys from other ALPA carriers?

 

[CoATP]

I live in Colorado, fly in the east so theyare sending them to other ALPA pilots as well.

 

[HelloNewman]

Anyone have an update on how the drive is progressing? I've been looking at the alpa website but it doesn't give much information and i've been asking around and people havn't heard anything.

LOL are you kidding me? These clowns can't even keep their "promise" of updating the hotline every pay day. The "hotline" hasn't been updated in a month now. LOL why do you want to vote for these idiots? They can't even keep a simple telehphone hotline updated. Sorry but all us SkyWest pilots in ORD are laughing our asses off at their inability to run a union drive.

 

[PCL_128]

Sorry but all us SkyWest pilots in ORD are laughing our asses off at their inability to run a union drive.

Hate to break it to you, junior, but ORD is the strongest pro-ALPA Skywest base. You're pretty much on your own up there.

 

[Tomct]

Hate to break it to you, junior, but ORD is the strongest pro-ALPA Skywest base. You're pretty much on your own up there.

Don't worry about Newman...he just likes to hear himself talk! Good Luck to the Skywst pilot group. John Prader is a good man and I believe that he is going to change the image that Duane spent so much time destroying!

 

[jea]

alpa is a waste of time- the local bakers union would represent any regional better than alpa

 

[SSDD]

With the turnover rate we have, I wonder how many of those cards are still valid. Are we making the same mistake as ASA? Once upon a time they had all this leverage, but they kept waiting for the "right" time, and now they're irrelevant.

 

[PCL_128]

With the turnover rate we have, I wonder how many of those cards are still valid. Are we making the same mistake as ASA? Once upon a time they had all this leverage, but they kept waiting for the "right" time, and now they're irrelevant.

ALPA keeps track of attrition and doesn't count the cards of the pilots that have left. When we say that we have over the 40% minimum, that only counts the pilots that are still there.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Of course there is another way to get ALPA on the property. It could be negotiated by the ASA pilots as part of their Section 6 negotiations.

IMHO, ALPA should have done this immediately with a "One List" push the second ASA was acquired. Instead ALPA waited around and I think was hoping that the SkyWest pilots would help them recover from the representational/scope quagmire they created at DCI.

If ALPA is going to succeed at this level, has to do something to effectively represent the ASA pilots in this matter. They have the tools to make this happen and should use them. The SkyWest pilots will want to join ALPA when they see the union taking effective action.

The SkyWest pilots do not see the work done on the local level and can't appreciate the benefit of membership. They only see actions at the national level and will only appreciate the power of the union when they see ALPA sitting down at the table with their management negotiating pro growth scope for ASA pilots.

That is the only plan I think will work. We need to put one list and ALPA as the bargaining agent on the table. Curious to see what everyone else thinks.

 

[SSDD]

Fins, you may not remember, but I suggested that very same thing when the first airplane was transferred. That should have been the first order of business. It seems like most of the ASA guys who had "better ideas" have now moved on...

 

[Positive Rate]

Alright......I m not against a union......however i am against ALPA......not cuz they suck....cuz they don't..they are very good at what they do......but i feel they are all about mainline.....anything that helps mainline...in the long run is their concern......

I would love a Union that was not connected in anyway to ALPA, specific to Regionals.......and only concerned with the regionals......or the airline of the property they are on.....

Deffinatly would like some or better form of rules...without erratic out of the blue change......at Skywest

$0.02

 

[CFIT]

The SkyWest pilots do not see the work done on the local level and can't appreciate the benefit of membership. They only see actions at the national level and will only appreciate the power of the union when they see ALPA sitting down at the table with their management negotiating pro growth scope for ASA pilots.

That is the only plan I think will work. We need to put one list and ALPA as the bargaining agent on the table. Curious to see what everyone else thinks.

I'll presume that your reference to SkyWest pilots wasn't intended to be an insult of our collective intelligence. From my fellow pilots they appear to be very informed about the prospects of the union drive and many have developed strong opinions of where they want their future to go. Of the huge influx of new hires, there is virtually no support for ALPA as a majority have come from previous ALPA carriers or are brand new hires and suprisingly have very negative union views. To easily split from the new hires would leaved the tenured remainder and from what I can see is a strong minority of them are avid pro ALPA. Not intending for this to be a word problem but when you have a portion of a half of a half, there appears no way for a successful vote.

Since this appears to fall within a marketing drive more than anything it should be market driven, and from there the successes of ALPA have been few if none and the represented pilot groups have made more steps backward than forward. I feel our pilot group sees that and, again the overall majority, will not have the support required to install ALPA.

Our management has been wise in delivering the minimum sufficient to thwart off mass disappointment, thus keeping the direction desired, smartly following market driven focus.

As far as trying to combine the two pilot groups, there is no support from the SkyWest side of the house (and it is much larger) as we realize our average DOH is less but with relative higher positions. But even with combined interest there would be insufficient negotiating capital to pull it off, we'd all have to agree to work the next 5 years for free to get management aggreement.

That all being said my hat's off to those who believe in there heart it would make our lives better, I just don't think it will happen.

On a side note when ALPA hires a survey group to find out what their direction should be to have a successful campaign, get someone on the phone who can speak english, not Rabuul from his sheep herd in India....
When I was talking to him on the phone I was the one who recommended sky writing with RJ's, you heard it here first!

 

[Mookie]

I just got an invitation saying Prater is going going to be in SLC on the 2nd and at Lofte's on the 3rd. Did they send the invite to all SkyWest pilots or guys from other ALPA carriers?

Cool he can go and roll with C.E. and B.H. while they booze it up at Lofties.

Mookie

 

[BigLebowski]

Make sure if you send in your card for information...when a vote comes out and you're not happy make sure you vote.
If you send in your card and don't vote...ALPA automatically counts that as a yes vote.
So if you're unhappy with what you hear, and you sent in for more info...you have to vote NO.

-Just thought I'd throw that in, because believe it or not ALPA doesn't tell you that when they tell you to "fill out your card"
Can you believe they would do that???

 

[~~~^~~~]

I'll presume that your reference to SkyWest pilots wasn't intended to be an insult of our collective intelligence.

...the successes of ALPA have been few if none and the represented pilot groups have made more steps backward than forward.

Not trying to insult anyone. There are many outside of SkyWest who do not understand what the SkyWest pilots could possibly be thinking. You help illustrate the same point I was making about ALPA's lack of effectiveness.

When ALPA starts effectively representing its pilots and there is no benefit to being the alter ego alternative - then the SkyWest pilots will want to join. As things stand now, your view is perfectly rational.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Fins, you may not remember, but I suggested that very same thing when the first airplane was transferred. That should have been the first order of business. It seems like most of the ASA guys who had "better ideas" have now moved on...

Yes, you are correct.