Skywest ALPA OC petitions NMB

[CoAlpha]

CoAlpha: Have you been at SkyWest less than a year?

Yes I have been here over a year, and yea I am voting FOR ALPA. I just dont want people to think that alpa is the end all, best thing in the world, because it is not. Its better than sapa though.

 

[70-SS]

Yes I have been here over a year, and yea I am voting FOR ALPA. I just dont want people to think that alpa is the end all, best thing in the world, because it is not. Its better than sapa though.

So why are you so negative. Go with ALPA. Support them on the property. Remember. A Union is only as strong as it's pilots.

Stand as one. Or fail as individuals.

 

[Fred Rogers]

Except that one. You know who I'm talkin about.

Giggity Giggity GOOOOO. Oh yeah. The good ones never last.


To Skywest pilots. You will only succeed if you stick together! That goes for all of us actually. We ALL need to stick together.

 

[VeeOne]

Good luck on the ALPA vote! Hopefully we can start working TOGETHER rather than AGAINST each other to better our airline and our profession.

Regarding the upgrades- it is Jerry's job to ensure that the company is competative, not yours as a pilot. The upgrades may slow, but they aren't going to be affected that much anyways. Look at ASA for the perfect example. We haven't grown in a while, but our upgrades are coming quickly and the time is falling fast.

What it really comes to is holding the line, working together, and not competing for growth- pilot vs. pilot. ALPA isn't perfect, but it's definately better than not having any representation at all. Contrary to Mr. Atkin, SkyWest ALPA will not cause the world to come to an end. Jerry will still have an airline to run.

 

[cbrown1]

A large portion of the cards were going to expire next month, last tally I heard was only 55% of the cards. It was literally now or never.

 

[Gobi Gred]

I predict about 35% will vote for ALPA. 35% will be sure not to vote for it and the remaining 30% won't even know there is a vote going on. (which will also count as a no vote) I wonder what the record is for the number of times a pilot group has petitioned the NMB and then voted it down. SkyWest has to be in the running for that one.

 

[Nightrain_080]

Lets predict 53% for ALPA!!!

If you have seen Sapa in its finest hour then you must vote ALPA.

 

[SSDD]

I used to think that it would be another no vote, but the fiasco with MN vs JB and ME, plus ME declaring himself the real head of SAPA opened a lot of eyes. The lopsided vote for SAPA president seems to be a good indication of how people feel

 

[Exskydiverdrivr]

I simply tell my F.O.'s to form their own opinion. I also urge them to educate theirselves and don't buy rhetoric from either side. At least then they have researched it themselves and can make their own "informed" choice. Personally I think the SAPA fiasco opened the door and held it as well as any NYC Doorman while smiling and welcoming ALPA in

 

[SkyNation]

All the Skywest Fo's I know come from flight schools as CFI's

of all the SkyWest FOs that I KNOW, (and I work here), that don't support the ALPA drive, the huge majority came from ALPA represented regionals.

that speaks volumes, and my voice is one of them.

ASA has been negotiating for 5 YEARS, and in the end will probably get a lesser version of what we already have.

yeah, let's sign up for that, be stuck with it for years, then go through all that pain ourselves.

usual bashers, pile on. discounting so broadly those of us who actually have experience with ALPA at the regional level is a poor argument.

haters, start your engines!!!!!!!!

 

[Gr82Aviate]

of all the SkyWest FOs that I KNOW, (and I work here), that don't support the ALPA drive, the huge majority came from ALPA represented regionals.

that speaks volumes, and my voice is one of them.

ASA has been negotiating for 5 YEARS, and in the end will probably get a lesser version of what we already have.

yeah, let's sign up for that, be stuck with it for years, then go through all that pain ourselves.

usual bashers, pile on. discounting so broadly those of us who actually have experience with ALPA at the regional level is a poor argument.

haters, start your engines!!!!!!!!

Good argument...NOT! At least ASA can negotiate! We get a take it or leave it 0% or 1%(total for 4 years), and no COLA since our hire dates prior to 9/11(up to 11 years with no COLA), all this from a company pulling in the biggest profit margins in the entire airline industry. Inform yourself and read page 67 of the Feb. 2007 issue of AIN(Aviation Intl News)!

 

[EBE]

of all the SkyWest FOs that I KNOW, (and I work here), that don't support the ALPA drive, the huge majority came from ALPA represented regionals.

that speaks volumes, and my voice is one of them.

ASA has been negotiating for 5 YEARS, and in the end will probably get a lesser version of what we already have.

yeah, let's sign up for that, be stuck with it for years, then go through all that pain ourselves.

usual bashers, pile on. discounting so broadly those of us who actually have experience with ALPA at the regional level is a poor argument.

haters, start your engines!!!!!!!!

With the changing state of the industry, SkyWest making major profits, the effectiveness of SAPA(and it's vast resources) and and our wonderful (flexible) work rules and policies, what in the hell was I thinking wanting a union. You're right! Alpa is only gonna come in and destroy SkyWest. Thanks for showing me the light. Talk to more FOs....Preferably the ones who didn't just get out of ground school and JBs anti-union/pro-sapa speech and you may find other views. I'm sure you already have.

Having ALPA won't make everything all better, but it sure as hell is better than the two legged stool that SAPA is. I think many at SkyWest aren't confused about that.

 

[vtech]

Good argument...NOT! At least ASA can negotiate! We get a take it or leave it 0% or 1%(total for 4 years), and no COLA since our hire dates prior to 9/11(up to 11 years with no COLA), all this from a company pulling in the biggest profit margins in the entire airline industry. Inform yourself and read page 67 of the Feb. 2007 issue of AIN(Aviation Intl News)!

And negotiate and negotiate and negotiate and negotiate and negotiate. That's not redundant. That's five years of negotiations at ASA come September 15th and NOTHING to show for it. NOTHING! Except for the dues collected for those who have come and gone from ASA. There are a number of former ASA pilots at Skywest right now. I'll bet they'll rush to their mailbox to get voting instructions so they'll know how to get on the ALPA train again. Great stuff that ALPA TOOLBOX!

John Prater wants dues from Skywest pilots too! Sign up as soon as you can. Get in line for all the "negotiations." Good stuff, that.

Free markets seem to work pretty well. The pilot shortage will be working pretty well for Skywest pilots unless they are stuck in first contract negotiations represented by the mighty ALPA and using the mighty ALPA TOOLBOX being weilded by the ASA pilots for the past FIVE YEARS! I'd sure sign up for that ride wouldn't you?

 

[FlyboyPhil]

And during that 5 years how many pen stroke policy changes to their contract has ASA had to put up with? If I still had faith in Skywest managements intention to stick to the policy manual they signed I wouldn't be pro-union. Everything we have that ASA doesn't could be gone by quitting time Friday.. and we have no recourse. We have lost a lot in the last 5 years... ask around if you haven't been here long enough to recognize the Q.O.L./Pay degradation.
SAPA when it isn't functioning as managements P.R. arm is 5 (well intentioned) guys trying to plug 50 holes in the dike with fly swatters. ALPA isn't the end-all-be-all fixit for our problems, it's going to take time and work, but I trust the outcome much more with ALPA than I do with SAPA.

 

[Bako Cap]

You want to be part of a 60000 plus strong Pilot Union.

Not true. It would be a 2700 pilot strong union. ALPA is fragmented and segregated. United/Delta pilots would have no problem (and have not had problems in the past) squashing fellow ALPA brother and sisters.

But, I have always said that it will not be the pilot's fault that SkyWest goes ALPA, it will be managements fault. Saddly at this point, a contract is becomming truly worth 1.9%.

 

[Jmoney]

Vote ALPA!!!

ALPA is the best course for regionals-despite what all these RJDC jackoffs think. We get far more from ALPA than we send their way. Skywest people should really ask why all majors have union representation, and many regionals do not..

We all need to raise the bar together-ALPA helps us do that! Don't fool yourself or let anyone else fool you into thinking Skywest is doing well because of the lack of a union-things can turn on a dime-when things do change, you want some control over what these morons can do to you!

 

[vtech]

And during that 5 years how many pen stroke policy changes to their contract has ASA had to put up with? If I still had faith in Skywest managements intention to stick to the policy manual they signed I wouldn't be pro-union. Everything we have that ASA doesn't could be gone by quitting time Friday.. and we have no recourse. We have lost a lot in the last 5 years... ask around if you haven't been here long enough to recognize the Q.O.L./Pay degradation.

Yep. That's why you see all the pilots at Skywest rushing out the door to apply at ASA, right? No. Wait. They're rushing out the door at ASA to apply at Skywest. I'm so confused. I guess those pilots from ASA who are now flying for Skywest are confused too. They must have come over to Skywest so they could vote to join ALPA again. Right. I understand.

 

[jayme]

I don't think the ASA guys who are here based their decision to come here on whether or not we were ALPA.

 

[FlyboyPhil]

I didn't say we have it bad here compared to everywhere else... I said it's getting worse.. and how many of those guys were wanting to be on the west coast after ASA closed slc/lax?
Quick summary for you, our QOL is going downhill, the policy manual is printed on toiletpaper, sapa is a losing battle.
The definition of insanity is to continue with sapa hoping for better work rules and pay(per BH we can only afford cost neutral changes to our policy manual as the millions we are making per quarter aren't for sharing), ALPA is bad tasting medicine, but it's that or get sicker.
P.S. (How about the newhire who left for mesa before he finished training.. is that as irrelevant as your ASA guys coming here?)

 

[SSDD]

The problem with the relative newcomers is that they come from some pretty crappy outfits. They get to Skywest and they say; wow, this is great! But they don't know all that has been taken away in the last few years. All the changes that the company has made, unilaterally, or with SAPA's consent

I'm not all that gung ho on ALPA, but we have to lock in what we have before we lose it.