Skywest, Expressjet and SLC flying

[Nevets]

the Union drive ended and failed miserably. In other news you may not be current on, the Cold War is over, we landed on the moon, and Al Gore invented this 'internet' thingy that we're using.

PS-We make as much or more than XJet and Horizon guys, just ask them (yourself). Everyone knows that, and if they don't they they haven't grasped the truth that there is more to pay and how much we all make than what is posted on airlinepilotcentral.com.

Organizing is an ongoing event. It doesn't matter if the ALPA drive failed. It would be going on even if it was successful.

While I don't agree with your statement about pay, it is not all about pay anyways. Its about productivity, flexibility, reassurance, insurance, and advocacy. None of which can be assured without a NMB recognized union.

 

[yellowfever]

the Union drive ended and failed miserably. In other news you may not be current on, the Cold War is over, we landed on the moon, and Al Gore invented this 'internet' thingy that we're using.

PS-We make as much or more than XJet and Horizon guys, just ask them (yourself). Everyone knows that, and if they don't they they haven't grasped the truth that there is more to pay and how much we all make than what is posted on airlinepilotcentral.com.

I doubt that. I worked at Skywest and never made as much money as some here claim. Lost money every year due to inflation and watched the company rake in the dough.

 

[WalterSobchak]

...

You can spin phrases and put words in my mouth all day long to serve whatever purpose you wish. I'm just saying the extravagant raises that some around here think they are entitled to just don't work in this sector of the industry. I also believe that a yearly COLA and a percentage more for you guys is not too much to expect...I'm definitely on your side there. But I forget that, because I don't fly the line, I therefore must be an idiot. You have your mind made up on the subject, so why bother?

The long story short is this regarding the original topic between Nevets and I: By the end of this mess of a year, some are going to look like geniuses while others are going to be struggling to survive. I'm not saying I claim to know who those companies are...but I like the idea of the extra money in the bank to weather the storm. My comments regarding pilot pay are strictly to point out my belief that we could tear into that nest egg in the bank and jack the pilot pay through the roof but put ourselves in a less than great situation to be able to sustain ALL (including the 8500 that aren't pilots) employees if things were to go south in a hurry.

 

[BigHangar]

PS-We make as much or more than XJet and Horizon guys, just ask them (yourself). Everyone knows that, and if they don't they they haven't grasped the truth that there is more to pay and how much we all make than what is posted on airlinepilotcentral.com.

Actually, that is 100% false. Having no less than 25 friends that fly at SkyWest, I always compare details with them. Every year I best them on pay and work rules, and vacation and etc.... We always kid with each other, but at the end of our joking, they know the truth and say it. It surprises them every time we talk.

The ignorance is huge at SkyWest. It's like that post on here several days ago from a SW pilot saying it was so awesome how he gets paid when a flight is cancelled or how he gets block or better. He actually thought SW was the only airline with that! That kind of small stuff is par for the course. The reality is I don't know of anyone who doesn't have that, and if they do, they're below average.

Years ago when XJT ALPA did road shows for the pilot group prior to voting for our current contract, they showed slides of all of the compensation packages of our sector as pilots. It also included SkyWest and Comair's stellar (at that time) contract. You know what? XJTs 2004 contract total compensation was higher than any other airline at that time. Now obviously you guys have gotten significant raises since then and other...oh wait...no you haven't, we have, so the disparity has only grown in our favor.

So any of you retards that jump on here trying to tell me that I'm doing a regional airline pissing match doesn't get it. I don't give a shiit about who you work for, just don't be so freaking arrogant and ignorant about our industry. And stop being so selfish as to think your actually at the top. Your not. Except in one area, you are different than the rest.

We are all trying to help each other out by lifting one another's career goals and expectations. You are not, that is what separates 75% of SkyWest pilots from the rest of the pilots. Sadly, you just propagate mediocrity and call it the best. It's like your avatar info SkyNation. It reads, "Rated #1!", and "SkyWest Proud". It's like an 18-year old girl shoving that huge foam number one hand thing in front of a camera at a college football game and screaming "we're number one"...only her team isn't even ranked in the top 10. I understand the 18-year having blind excitement, but a professional airline pilot... I would have thought you'd have gotten it by now.

 

[WAVIT Inbound]

Actually, that is 100% false. Having no less than 25 friends that fly at SkyWest, I always compare details with them. Every year I best them on pay and work rules, and vacation and etc.... We always kid with each other, but at the end of our joking, they know the truth and say it. It surprises them every time we talk.

The ignorance is huge at SkyWest. It's like that post on here several days ago from a SW pilot saying it was so awesome how he gets paid when a flight is cancelled or how he gets block or better. He actually thought SW was the only airline with that! That kind of small stuff is par for the course. The reality is I don't know of anyone who doesn't have that, and if they do, they're below average.

Years ago when XJT ALPA did road shows for the pilot group prior to voting for our current contract, they showed slides of all of the compensation packages of our sector as pilots. It also included SkyWest and Comair's stellar (at that time) contract. You know what? XJTs 2004 contract total compensation was higher than any other airline at that time. Now obviously you guys have gotten significant raises since then and other...oh wait...no you haven't, we have, so the disparity has only grown in our favor.

So any of you retards that jump on here trying to tell me that I'm doing a regional airline pissing match doesn't get it. I don't give a shiit about who you work for, just don't be so freaking arrogant and ignorant about our industry. And stop being so selfish as to think your actually at the top. Your not. Except in one area, you are different than the rest.

We are all trying to help each other out by lifting one another's career goals and expectations. You are not, that is what separates 75% of SkyWest pilots from the rest of the pilots. Sadly, you just propagate mediocrity and call it the best. It's like your avatar info SkyNation. It reads, "Rated #1!", and "SkyWest Proud". It's like an 18-year old girl shoving that huge foam number one hand thing in front of a camera at a college football game and screaming "we're number one"...only her team isn't even ranked in the top 10. I understand the 18-year having blind excitement, but a professional airline pilot... I would have thought you'd have gotten it by now.

What are your friends first year FO's, sit reserve and never fly? Because I have at least 25 friends at xjt, Air Whiskey, and Horizon also. Now I am not going to exaggerate and say I compared W2's with all of them because I didn't. But a few of us were talking one night about compensation recently and did compare W2's. We have nothing to prove to each other we were just curious. All of us had been with our respective companies within a year of one another. Well guess what? My W2 was as big or bigger than all of them. As a Skywest pilot I have no doubt I am compensated as well as they are. I have seen it in black and white. We were all line holders and flew similar sized lines as well. Nothing naive going on here, we all work for good companies that we like and are compensated at the top of the regional industry. And for what it's worth mine was considerably bigger than a couple of them. I attribute that to good junior man pay and profit sharing however.

Say what you want. Skywest pilots are compensated near the top of the regionals.

 

[Spinplate]

I heard that SKYW is possibly going to buy XJET......just what I heard from my imaginary friend.

 

[Nevets]

You can spin phrases and put words in my mouth all day long to serve whatever purpose you wish. I'm just saying the extravagant raises that some around here think they are entitled to just don't work in this sector of the industry. I also believe that a yearly COLA and a percentage more for you guys is not too much to expect...I'm definitely on your side there. But I forget that, because I don't fly the line, I therefore must be an idiot. You have your mind made up on the subject, so why bother?

I was NOT spinning phrases or putting words in your mouth. I quoted you word for word. And when I had an opinion on what you wrote, I said so.

Like I said, "just a little bit more." I never said anything about extravagant. No entitlements, pilots get paid what they negotiate, not what they are worth or think they are entitled to. Negotiations are a two way street. Skywest management is too good to let themselves be put at a competitive disadvantage. Also, I do NOT think you are an idiot. Obviously you are not. Sorry, if I insinuated as much.

The long story short is this regarding the original topic between Nevets and I: By the end of this mess of a year, some are going to look like geniuses while others are going to be struggling to survive. I'm not saying I claim to know who those companies are...but I like the idea of the extra money in the bank to weather the storm. My comments regarding pilot pay are strictly to point out my belief that we could tear into that nest egg in the bank and jack the pilot pay through the roof but put ourselves in a less than great situation to be able to sustain ALL (including the 8500 that aren't pilots) employees if things were to go south in a hurry.

And all I'm saying is that, in the midst of the uncertainty in the future, if Skywest can afford to invest in foreign entities AND shop for another regional, they can certainly afford "a yearly COLA and a percentage more for you guys is not too much to expect."

Again, I'm not saying to "tear into that nest egg in the bank and jack the pilot pay through the roof but put ourselves in a less than great situation to be able to sustain ALL (including the 8500 that aren't pilots) employees if things were to go south in a hurry."

I think we agree.

 

[Nevets]

What are your friends first year FO's, sit reserve and never fly? Because I have at least 25 friends at xjt, Air Whiskey, and Horizon also. Now I am not going to exaggerate and say I compared W2's with all of them because I didn't. But a few of us were talking one night about compensation recently and did compare W2's. We have nothing to prove to each other we were just curious. All of us had been with our respective companies within a year of one another. Well guess what? My W2 was as big or bigger than all of them. As a Skywest pilot I have no doubt I am compensated as well as they are. I have seen it in black and white. We were all line holders and flew similar sized lines as well. Nothing naive going on here, we all work for good companies that we like and are compensated at the top of the regional industry. And for what it's worth mine was considerably bigger than a couple of them. I attribute that to good junior man pay and profit sharing however.

If there are any Mesa pilots reading this maybe they can share a recent issue of "The Negotiator." I don't know how to attach it here otherwise I would. But on page two it shows a graph of "Total Pilot Cost Per Block Hour" for April - June 2007 which includes salaries, benefits, expenses, and taxes. The source is from DOT Form 41. Anyways, it shows Skywest being ahead of Mesa, TSA, Pinnacle, and PSA. Air Wisconsin, Eagle, Mesaba, ASA, Comair, Horizon, and XJT were all ahead. But I will admit it is not all about pay anyways. Its about productivity, flexibility, reassurance, insurance, and advocacy. None of which can be assured without a NMB recognized union.

Say what you want. Skywest pilots are compensated near the top of the regionals.

Okay, I will. Skywest should NOT be NEAR the top of the regionals. They should be AT THE TOP of the regionals considering their overwhelming success over the past decades, making $160 million last year, and with three quarters of a BILLION dollars in the bank!

 

[Nevets]

I heard that SKYW is possibly going to buy XJET......just what I heard from my imaginary friend.

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=108223&highlight=skywest+buying+xjet

 

[WalterSobchak]

I think we agree.

I think we just might...almost. Someone check the METAR for Hell...it might just be a little icy down there.