Skywest: Confessions Of A Kool-Aid Drinker

[bayoubandit]

Things are great for SKW Inc. I wouldn't go as far as to say that things are great with employee relations. It's alot better than others out there, but stop to take some time to talk to the rampers and see what they think. Talk to the pilots who aren't trapped in the bubble.

In my opinion most of the pilots are tired of mgmt posturing and postponing. The pilots are taking the path, whether right or wrong at this point, of not penalizing the customers and other employee groups by creating disorder. It's just the way it is at SKW.

 

[Publishers]

The biggest difference in the SWA and Air Tran model is that they are working. Secondly SWA is a majors now. The term is Legacy.
Having a procedure for flight lines is not necessarily a union thing.
Yes, the system works great unless your carrier went out of business or you were furloughed for several years, or, your carrier merged with another, or your carrier dumped your pension plan, or you were dropped back to a F/O position, or etc, etc...
Lastly, I think it has been well determined that I work in the industry and have for 35 years, know exactly how ALPA works or doesn't depending on your viewpoint, and am really impressed that you have a BMW. I had a Mercedes but the thing required more shop visits than I could stand so I went back to go old Toyota. Frankly I would have thought you would have wanted to support your union friends in Detroit who have been on a downhill slide.

 

[SeeYa]

Get your own in house union. ALPA only looks out for the big guys you work for and would love to have you under their control.

Some SkyWest pilots tried that a few years ago and it failed miserably; 32% yes vote. The union was very poorly organized and the leaders had somewhat poor reputations amongst their peers. The UPA's decision to send the infamous "Anonymous SkyWest Spouse" letter was the icing on the cake for most. (An anonymous letter mailed to all pilots telling how horrible her husband's life was at SkyWest.)

Unfortunately, it is many of the same individuals that are leading the ALPA drive.

They do have Ron Rindfleisch from ALPA heading the whole thing, but my own repeated e-mails to him with pertinant questions have not been returned. (Good job in the communication department, ALPA...)

As far as ALPA only looking out for the big guys... That is my primary reason for voting "no" to ALPA. The situation at Mesaba is just the latest example of this.

 

[Ponchus pilot]

Total BS, you are either lying to support alpa (I'm starting to see a trend here actually) or grossly uninformed. Mesa's hourly rate is meaningless, because they do not get paid for most of their duty time. You could come to work to do 2 PHX-TUS turns with a 4 hour sit and get paid 1:20. If your block is scheduled at 00:30, that is what you get paid, even if your block-block is 5 hours.

Delays? No Pay
Scheduled Sit: No Pay
Wx Canx: No Pay
Mx Canx: You should get paid, but this will be re-coded as Wx: No Pay
Duty Time: No Pay
30 hour Overnight: No Pay

Then you should also know that they had to settle for this contract because had to get scope. Without scope $100 hr does not mean anything. For example if the ASA guys get a new contract and take major cuts where do you the flying would shift to?

 

[FlyinScotsman]

Some SkyWest pilots tried that a few years ago and it failed miserably; 32% yes vote. The union was very poorly organized and the leaders had somewhat poor reputations amongst their peers. The UPA's decision to send the infamous "Anonymous SkyWest Spouse" letter was the icing on the cake for most. (An anonymous letter mailed to all pilots telling how horrible her husband's life was at SkyWest.)

Unfortunately, it is many of the same individuals that are leading the ALPA drive.

They do have Ron Rindfleisch from ALPA heading the whole thing, but my own repeated e-mails to him with pertinant questions have not been returned. (Good job in the communication department, ALPA...)

As far as ALPA only looking out for the big guys... That is my primary reason for voting "no" to ALPA. The situation at Mesaba is just the latest example of this.

I am sorry to hear it went that way. An in house union would be best for SKYW, they need some representation, but I don't think ALPA or IBT would work for them. Look at AA and Southwest they only have to look after themselves and their interests, not have the national shove things down their throat.

 

[BoilerUP]

I am sorry to hear it went that way. An in house union would be best for SKYW, they need some representation, but I don't think ALPA or IBT would work for them. Look at AA and Southwest they only have to look after themselves and their interests, not have the national shove things down their throat.

What does ALPA National "shove down" anybody's throat? Every pilot has a vote...yes or no. Duane can't impose sh!t on a local level other than refuse to sign a contract or possibly withhold National contingency funds.

I don't think an in-house union would work because AA & Southwest have a much larger pilot group and much larger salaries, bringing more dues money in. It costs money to be a bargaining agency and to represent a pilot group. Are Skywest pilots willing to make a substantial investment just so they can say they aren't ALPA?

Then again, I don't work for Skywest, so it don't matter much. My $.02