skywest.alpa.org

[~~~^~~~]

a) That is 100% incorrect.

b) ALPA didn't come in and do "anything" to either our process or CAL's process.

Please cite your sources or come on here with facts before making such claims Fins.

-Neal

Neal:

I understand after you voted ALPA on the property the COEX MEC was disbanded and the COEX pilots given one vote on the Continental MEC. That's real representation If you want to think that doesn't do "anything" to your process you must believe a 9 to 1 vote on every issue is representative democracy.

If you are around, do you still have any pictures of Duane lifting glasses with the Continental scabs as he welcomed them back into ALPA without a penny of back dues? I'd like to have a copy.

~~~^~~~

And no, I do not hate ALPA. ALPA has a problem that needs to be fixed. SkyWest pilots would be smart to consider ALPA, warts and all.

In my opinion the union has been hijacked by those who do not understand why alter ego is the union's worst enemy. I hold to the principles ALPA stood on in its first 50 years when it used to bring together pilots to bargain collectively. I encourage everyone to read Flying the Line volumes I and II and compare this to where we are now.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Follow up....

if the regional guys were effective enough to remove themsleves from ALPA, what is the game plan then...? How will they fill the void. Their organization would be so new, disorganized and ineffective.... In no time they will be crying in thier Wheaties as ALPA runs circles around them.

Hello, this Capt. Reg from the Regional Pilots of America. I'd like to discuss issues with the Senator about our pilots being career oppressed not getting crew meals.

who?

RAPA... the Regional Airline Pilots of America.

Never heard of you.

We are new...

Have you called ALPA? They address the issues of Air Line Pilots.

[steaming]

Hello? Maybe you could come with ALPA next time they are in...

 

[~~~^~~~]

RAPA... the Regional Airline Pilots of America.

Never heard of you.

We are new...

Have you called ALPA? They address the issues of Air Line Pilots.

[steaming]

Hello? Maybe you could come with ALPA next time they are in...

Excellent point. My hope is that if the SkyWest pilots choose to join ALPA they will be smart, like the FedEx pilots were. Negotiating things like a EVP and other Representational benefits before voting.

There is not much point in being a member of a union that you are locked out of.

 

[Dewey Oxberger]

CAL/XJT MEC separation

Coex pilots were not outvoted 9-1 on the CAL MEC. I believe it was more like 9=7. Most importantly, Coex plus the EWR mainline reps outvoted the scab faction, which gave them fits. The only reason the MEC split is because the scabs (IAH LEC, GUM and CLE CA reps) and their factions threatened to torpedo our strike vote if we did not leave. Ironically, the day the split happened a resolution for one seniority list was actually passed! The EWR mainline reps were then taken out of the room and "counseled" by the scabs, and half an hour later the re-vote failed. Are we better off with our own MEC? Only time will tell. Of course Neal can chime in and point out all the errors I made...

 

[Dave Benjamin]

Skywest is about to have their Fee-per-departure rates lowered just like every Delta Connection Carrier. We shall see how "record Breaking" those profits will become.

Waco

I believe the ASA purchase agreement addresses this very issue. SKYW managment is among the smartest in the business. Everyone knew that DAL would likely end up in bankruptcy. I'm not sure of the exact language but I know that there are financial penalties if the ASA or SKYW contracts are modified as a result of the bankruptcy. I think something like 100 or 125 million of the purchase price was held back for that reason. Also when you look at the combined size of ASA and SKYW there's a lot of feed that DAL could not replace overnight. I wouldn't anticipate any major changes unless DAL liquidates.

 

[viper548]

Mr. Atkin has a long history of making very wise decisions

 

[Dave Benjamin]

Is it just a coincidence that airlines that are successful long term keep the same managment around? Jerry has been with SkyWest over 30 years. Herb Kelleher has been with WN for a similar period of time although it sounds like he's not quite as involved on a day to day basis as he used to be.

Colleen Barrett is a longterm WN employee.

Ron Reber is a longterm SKYW employee.

Airlines that change CEO's like underwear never seem to be profitable. CEO's with zero airline experience don't seem work out quite as well as those that have experience.

I haven't read "Nuts" but I have read both published histories of SKYW. It's kind of neat seeing Ron R as a hippie looking CDC ramper and reading about Jerry throwing bags and washing airplanes.

Another commonality between Jerry and Herb is that I think while they are both motivated by making money they aren't there just for the money. I think either one of them could have found a position that paid more money. The better leaders want to see something through and build a great company. Most CEO's are content to make their millions and then bail out with the proverbial golden parachute when they hit some roadblocks.

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Neal:

I understand after you voted ALPA on the property the COEX MEC was disbanded and the COEX pilots given one vote on the Continental MEC. That's real representation If you want to think that doesn't do "anything" to your process you must believe a 9 to 1 vote on every issue is representative democracy.

Unfortunately, you understand incorrectly Fins. This is why I hate RJDC rhetoric...it is typically based off of yellow journalism and lack of any factual information.

We never had a "COEX MEC" prior to ALPA. The IACP was run collectively by the CAL and CALEX pilots with each domicile having its own status rep for each seat. CAL actually had more than the current 9 reps back then due to a HNL base as well as SO reps (DC-10 and 727). So CALEX had its reps at the table and so did CAL. Naturally CAL had more reps since they had more bases and seats. At the time of the ALPA merger, CAL had 9 reps and CALEX had 7 reps, which is where both MEC's are today as well.

So with our new ALPA single MEC, we had 16 total reps and CAL had 9 of those reps at the table while XJT had 7...in other words, not 9 versus 1 as you incorrectly claim. We functioned (or dysfunctioned) more or less just like any other MEC, except we collectively represented 2 different airlines' pilot groups.

If you are around, do you still have any pictures of Duane lifting glasses with the Continental scabs as he welcomed them back into ALPA without a penny of back dues? I'd like to have a copy.

I was around then...just coming off of probation and I voted in favor of the ALPA merger and 4 1/2 years later, I am very satisfied with that decision. The scab stuff and back-pay stuff was politics, no doubt, but ultimately I am glad our two pilot groups chose to bring ALPA back on property.

-Neal

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Coex pilots were not outvoted 9-1 on the CAL MEC. I believe it was more like 9=7. Most importantly, Coex plus the EWR mainline reps outvoted the scab faction, which gave them fits. The only reason the MEC split is because the scabs (IAH LEC, GUM and CLE CA reps) and their factions threatened to torpedo our strike vote if we did not leave. Ironically, the day the split happened a resolution for one seniority list was actually passed! The EWR mainline reps were then taken out of the room and "counseled" by the scabs, and half an hour later the re-vote failed. Are we better off with our own MEC? Only time will tell. Of course Neal can chime in and point out all the errors I made...

Why would I point out all of the errors that you made (or didn't make)? You accurately described the events of how we became our own MEC, but Fins was talking about what happened just as ALPA was brought back on property in 2001 and not how the MEC was split back in 2004. That said, what you described above is 100% accurate....although that single list resolution would never have produced much of anything anyways at this point (unfortunately).

-Neal

 

[nimtz]

Nice Job Neal. Fins, as I said before don't run your mouth about things you don't understand.