SkyWest IAH Base, What If ?

[BID]

So what if the arbitrator goes against management ? Don't you think SkyWest should at least advise their employees the flying might not happen? I can't believe how many SkyWest employees are happy to fly out of IAH and clueless regarding our concerns. Looking forward to the picketing, at least it will bring light to this issue in a public way.

It is one thing if we voted on a JCBA and negotiated scope relief. At least then it would be our doing. It's a whole different situation when management violates our contract, while having scope restrictions in place.

Hope this flying never happens, it would be a huge win for all of us, regional and mainline pilots.

 

[Cpt Oveur]

Can't wait to here a spiked hair iPod carrying Skywest pilot tell the CAL jumpseater "I'm glad I don't have to pay union dues..."

 

[bluesky3]

I completely understand your what ifs, but what if the CAL pilots had not allowed Lorenzo to bust their union? What if the CAL pilots (with their fellow pilot "brothers/sisters" in mind) had refused the planes, routes, gates and aircraft parts that Lorenzo transferred from Eastern? What if the CAL pilots refused to move into EWR when Lorenzo took over EAL's presence there? What if they had honored EAL's SCOPE and EAL's contracts that had been put in place? Maybe they could have helped put an end to the cancer that was Lorenzo. All of these things (and more) were done with CONTRACTS in place prior to and during Eastern's fight against Lorenzo and Texas Air. Do the CAL pilots of today hold the same contempt for their fellow employees that are sitting in the same cockpit with them now?

 

[DCMartin]

Nobodys excited about this flying here. Not that many pilots actually have IAH as their bid. The company is planning on filling the IAH vacancies with furloughed united pilots from the Nov 29th class and forcing reserves to fly this stuff by TDYing them. It'll be interesting to see how the CO pilots treat all of the furloughed UA pilots doing this flying.

 

[LHRCrewDog]

I hope that something does happen to prevent this flying, which is a clear violation. But, it will be too late by that point. The CRJ-700 will be in IAH by Feb (Skywest) and the E-170s (Shuttle America) in EWR by Jan. These flights are already listed in SONIC.

I am an Express Pilot, and will be displaced sometime next year. Hopefully I will be with another airline by that point. But why do you think Skywest pilots are happy? They are getting displaced....To Houston!!! I bet it will go real junior. Maybe they are a little clueless about what is going on, but there are no winners in this situation here. Everyone, with the exception of the passengers and managment, will be disappointed. Hundreds of pilots who are just trying to get a little bit of a life will be displaced, from all different airlines. Hopefully we can work together and win one for this industry.

 

[nimtz]

I hope that something does happen to prevent this flying, which is a clear violation. But, it will be too late by that point. The CRJ-700 will be in IAH by Feb (Skywest) and the E-170s (Shuttle America) in EWR by Jan. These flights are already listed in SONIC.

We are going into expedited arbitration on this issue for the very reason of never letting this garbage start. Once it starts, it becomes very difficult to cease due to Republic and Skywest being affected as 3rd/4th parties. Bottom line, there has to be an arbitrator ruling before a single 'United Express' passenger boards a CAL flight in EWR or IAH.

 

[BRA]

Nobodys excited about this flying here. Not that many pilots actually have IAH as their bid. The company is planning on filling the IAH vacancies with furloughed united pilots from the Nov 29th class and forcing reserves to fly this stuff by TDYing them. It'll be interesting to see how the CO pilots treat all of the furloughed UA pilots doing this flying.

Are you sure? Based on what I read all regional pilots are 500 hour wonder kids that have spiked hair (often frosted), an IPOD, and will step over anyone to upgrade right at 1500 total time. The flight time never really goes up either, they can work at the regional for 4-8 years and either way, they are still right at around 500 total time and never cross the age of 30. This even holds true if the industry has zero hiring for years at a time. Both seats are always under 30 years of age, have an IPOD, and also do not know what they are doing.

 

[BID]

We are going into expedited arbitration on this issue for the very reason of never letting this garbage start. Once it starts, it becomes very difficult to cease due to Republic and Skywest being affected as 3rd/4th parties. Bottom line, there has to be an arbitrator ruling before a single 'United Express' passenger boards a CAL flight in EWR or IAH.

True, hopefully the ruling will go in our favor. From what I understand this section of our contract was written by a very capable individual. It amazes me our management is trying to pull this on us. BTW this is who we need to blame for this mess, "Jeff Lorenzo" and not the SkyWest pilots.

I sincerely hope there are no negative issues with the regional pilots. But I will not be surprised if there are. This is a very hot topic for us and some at CAL don't care who the hell SkyWest is. In their world, it is a non union airline coming in and violating our contract. On whose orders is irrelevant.

... you guys see how Delta is cutting regional jet flying? I think SkyWest management is salivating at the prospect of NEW RJ flying. Not going to happen, not on our routes at least.

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

Bid,

What NEW Crj flying?

There is absolutely NO NEW Crj flying at this point.

 

[BID]

Bid,

What NEW Crj flying?

There is absolutely NO NEW Crj flying at this point.

I said "prospect" of new flying. I agree there is no new flying. I think you read my post too fast.

 

[JoeMerchant]

I said "prospect" of new flying. I agree there is no new flying. I think you read my post too fast.

I believe he meant that this isn't NEW flying, it is simply shifting aircraft around. These aircraft will fly as United Express somewhere in the system either way.....

 

[flyboyzz1]

True, hopefully the ruling will go in our favor. From what I understand this section of our contract was written by a very capable individual. It amazes me our management is trying to pull this on us. BTW this is who we need to blame for this mess, "Jeff Lorenzo" and not the SkyWest pilots.

I sincerely hope there are no negative issues with the regional pilots. But I will not be surprised if there are. This is a very hot topic for us and some at CAL don't care who the hell SkyWest is. In their world, it is a non union airline coming in and violating our contract. On whose orders is irrelevant.

... you guys see how Delta is cutting regional jet flying? I think SkyWest management is salivating at the prospect of NEW RJ flying. Not going to happen, not on our routes at least.

Bid- Not that it makes one bit of difference but where did you fly before CAL?

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

I said "prospect" of new flying. I agree there is no new flying. I think you read my post too fast.

Of COURSE Management is salivating for new flying.
When UAL/Express flying went into terminal A at IAH, the CAL pilots could not have cared less.
Now that they are seeing Express flying in other terminals at IAH it's a huge deal.

Remember, we are not doing ANY additional flying...just a shifting of where we do our existing number of 700 flying for United.

It is clear to me that when the two airlines merged, UAL and CAL there were a certain amount of 50 and 70 seat flying that would not be increased. Shifting the flying to IAH and others sure were not SkyWest's idea.

Maybe some of the SkyW pilots will enjoy this new base as it will shorten their commute to a simple drive to work. Personally I have not bid this flying but if forced to by being bumped out of my existing domicile, I will in order to eat.

 

[BID]

Houston Flying
I am sure many of you have either read or heard some of the chatter going around on the public forums discussing SkyWest Airlines and the flying we will be doing with the CRJ700 in IAH. The common “thread” on the forums seems to be that SkyWest Airlines pilots will be taking flying that is protected by scope clause. As you already know, this is not new flying but a redistribution of equipment and flying within the United Airlines route structure. We have been assured by the legal department at United Airlines that flying from IAH does not violate scope and is in full compliance with the current labor agreements in place.
According to some forum threads, a few of Continental’s pilots have made the suggestion to deny SkyWest Airlines pilots’ jumpseat privileges, refuse SkyWest pilots travel in the cabin and even to take pictures and place you onto a “blacklist” in hopes that you will be intimidated. While this may be only rhetoric from a few disgruntled employees or a direct attempt by ALPA to intimidate our people, United Airlines flight operations management will not tolerate any such behavior and expects the same level of professionalism from their employees.
Should you encounter any unprofessional actions directed towards you as a SkyWest pilot please call the MOD immediately. We will take immediate steps to resolve the situation and ensure our crewmembers the respect which you each have earned and deserve.
See you in Houston,

Update from SkyWest, no mention of arbitration. Redistribution of the United route structure ? Since when did United fly from IAH to SLC ? It's to get around scope, period.

"See you in Houston"

 

[Full of LUV]

A true axiom of FI....

1.

Are you sure? Based on what I read all regional pilots are 500 hour wonder kids that have spiked hair (often frosted), an IPOD, and will step over anyone to upgrade right at 1500 total time. The flight time never really goes up either, they can work at the regional for 4-8 years and either way, they are still right at around 500 total time and never cross the age of 30. This even holds true if the industry has zero hiring for years at a time. Both seats are always under 30 years of age, have an IPOD, and also do not know what they are doing.

One of the true axioms of FI!......
also,
2. Mesa Sux
3. Gojets swallows
4. SWA's fares are always cheaper
5. Tanker Clown and MCDU are arseholes
6. General Lee has mucho time on his hands
LUV

 

[Flopgut]

It most certainly is new flying. The job flying a Continental customer in a 70 seat jet out of Houston or Newark belongs to a Continental pilot. Period. Skywest mgt better do more than simply ask United mgt if it's "ok" if they want to assure their pilots that they are not violating CAL's scope clause! This is NOT "shifting around" or redistribution. This is opportunity being taken from CAL pilots in violation of a lawful contract. The name of the brand happens to be United. That's the DBA [doing business as]. The company is United Continental Holdings. I don't care how long these planes have been flown in the system. When it gets flown out of Houston or Newark it's a CAL pilot's job.

CAL mgt feels confident they are going to win this arbitration, only because they have an unlimited budget to fight us. I don't think they are going to win. I do think that even if they lose, they are still going to do it. That's when it's going to get interesting. If the arbitrator says it's not legal and CAL [UAL] goes through with it, are you guys going to fly it? We'll take it to whatever level we can. The question is what are you guys flying for these companies going to do when you're at a point of decision?

 

[nimtz]

Of COURSE Management is salivating for new flying.
When UAL/Express flying went into terminal A at IAH, the CAL pilots could not have cared less.
Now that they are seeing Express flying in other terminals at IAH it's a huge
deal.

Actually I did care. In short order 5 friends of mine got furloughed because of those large RJ's parked at places like Terminal A. In fact, I cared all the way back in early 2001 when Mesa got the first contract to fly large lawn darts for America West. I knew back then that commuter pilots would never make but a fraction of the mainline job being lost.

The fact that some of guys sang praises about their companies due to short upgrades made me absolutely sick. The fact that your pilot group was willing to fly those 70 seaters for 50 seat pay made me absolutely sick. And despite what some of your esteemed colleges might think, you still get paid peanuts.

Unfortunately the bludgeoning of the last decade made what I thought back in 2001 crystal clear; don't let the stinking camel poke his nose under you tent.

 

[ehaecker]

It most certainly is new flying. The job flying a Continental customer in a 70 seat jet out of Houston or Newark belongs to a Continental pilot. Period. Skywest mgt better do more than simply ask United mgt if it's "ok" if they want to assure their pilots that they are not violating CAL's scope clause! This is NOT "shifting around" or redistribution. This is opportunity being taken from CAL pilots in violation of a lawful contract. The name of the brand happens to be United. That's the DBA [doing business as]. The company is United Continental Holdings. I don't care how long these planes have been flown in the system. When it gets flown out of Houston or Newark it's a CAL pilot's job.

CAL mgt feels confident they are going to win this arbitration, only because they have an unlimited budget to fight us. I don't think they are going to win. I do think that even if they lose, they are still going to do it. That's when it's going to get interesting. If the arbitrator says it's not legal and CAL [UAL] goes through with it, are you guys going to fly it? We'll take it to whatever level we can. The question is what are you guys flying for these companies going to do when you're at a point of decision?

Ummm...quit our jobs and put our entire families in jeopardy to protect your job? Is that what you want to hear??

Yeah, that'll really show management, won't it!?

Point is, this needs to be dealt with on a MANAGEMENT level, and not a pilot level. I'd love to have control over this, because if it were up to me, I'd never open a base in Houston!

 

[Flopgut]

Well, I don't know what to say. I don't want your family to do without. But that is no less than exactly what we have going on at CAL. We just started calling back our furloughs. UAL has their furloughs as well. You think those pilots don't have families too? You want it handled on a mgt level? Tell your mgt they are sending you into a fight. If that earlier post was a quote from Skywest flt ops, then they have acknowledged that there is a dispute. But it is not about jumpseats, it's about jobs. They are telling you to take CAL pilots' jobs....

 

[bluesky3]

The job flying a Continental customer in a 70 seat jet out of Houston or Newark belongs to a Continental pilot. Period. Skywest mgt better do more than simply ask United mgt if it's "ok" if they want to assure their pilots that they are not violating CAL's scope clause! This is NOT "shifting around" or redistribution. This is opportunity being taken from CAL pilots in violation of a lawful contract. The name of the brand happens to be United. That's the DBA [doing business as]. The company is United Continental Holdings. I don't care how long these planes have been flown in the system. When it gets flown out of Houston or Newark it's a CAL pilot's job.

Hey Flopgut, I'll ask it again....Do you hold the same contempt and disdain for your fellow CAL pilots that sit in the seat next to you that disregarded EAL's lawful CONTRACTS and SCOPE? What did your fellow airmen do when EAL's planes, routes, and gates were transferred to CAL? What did your fellow pilots do when new bases opened up as a result of this? I sure hope you bring these things up and express your displeasure with their actions. The CAL pilots actions didn't exactly advance the pilot profession.