Skywest, It's time to unify

[AGuyThatFlys]

Magneto sprack:

I couldn't agree more with surplus. I'm a relatively new guy at SkyWest and I have been served the kool-aid. Boy did it taste good but I soon realized what I was tasting.

Jason, is that you?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Thoughts on this thread.

Skywest pilots are riding in the wake forged ahead by unionized pilots. It is time to stand up like men and pull your own...

Many pilots on this thread claim that your union is only as strong as your MEC. Quite a selfish statement. This means; I leave it up to my MEC. This means I want 'fire and forget missles' so I can do what I want to do. me me me.

Unions are volunteer organizations. If you vote for a union you better be ready to do some work. Unions are tools and equipment. When your shiney new tools and machinery show up in SkyWestville are you going to stand around and wonder who is going to use them? Looking at each other like sheep? Are you too busy on flightinfo, Xbox, golf or whatever..... Are you going to use the "I commute" excuse?

If you do not stay engaged with your elected leadership they will assume you don't care and do whatever they think is best. This leads to disatisfaction from the union membership and leadership. It creates opportunity for divide and conquer tactics and significantly hinders your effeciency.

The biggest misunderstanding; unions are political machines. Convincing managment to give you a fair and reasonable piece of the pie has always been politics. You don't have to like or engage in politics but you'd better support those who will do it for you. It is better to negotiate for a nice clean slice of pie with your shoulders back and head high then grovel for crumbs and scraps. Everyone will respect you for negotiating. Your wife, your kids, your parents, your fellow pilots, your passengers, and even mangement. But most importantly your self.

Our country culture has successfully labeled unions negatively. The mystic of making it big in the USA is a dream we all have; to rise up and above to become wealthy. It is all about the individual, the one man army. Stallone, Arnold and Willis. Well, unions are about giving everyone a fair shake. There is no stepping on your brothers back to make it better for yourself; save that for the (many but not all) base managers, chief pilots and little mid-level management weasels that will screw you in an instant for a scooby snack from Corporate Elite. The adorations of the ultra rich are dreams of the commoner. Union members are blue collar labor. If you want to make it big time, live in the hills, drive a Benz and blow cash, go for it. But its not something Air Line Pilots do. And untill you make it big time realize you are in the treaches with the hotel maids, factory workers, gate agents, train conductors and every hourly worker in the USA. Unions are very democratic; IF the members engage.

Education and participation is the key. If you don't get involved you won't better your QOL; for yourself, your wife and your kids. If you are a skywest pilot and are remotely considering representation, isn't a few dollars of education worth your time?

Go to amazon.com (now)

Confessions of a Union Buster
Hard landing
Nuts and the SouthWest Airlines Way
Flying the Line I and II. (no, this isn't ALPA propaganda. This misinformation is debunked in Vol. II)
The Airline Pilots; A Study in Elite Unionization
From Worst to First

I am sure others have good references as well.


One of the dark truths at the heart of free-market capitalism: the unblinking willingness of those in power to crush--physically and spiritually--those who work.

 

[Bluto]

Absolutely. Since a union on the property only has ramifications
for the pilots, no other employee group is entitled to say anything
or be concerned. I for one wish you guys would just vote a
union in and be done with it instead of this sabre rattling that goes
on every two years.

Well Wood, you're part right. You have every right to be concerned about the pilots unionizing. In fact, say whatever you want about it. Scream yourself hoarse if you want to. Just understand that whatever it is you feel, or say has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with whether or not the pilots choose to unionize. Just as the pilots have no say as to whether the mechanics, flight attendants, rampers, dispatchers, commisary agents or...(insert work-group here) choose to unionize. If you don't like it, write your congressman, run for public office, or do something to change the labor laws of this country. Otherwise, please, spare us the anti-union, "I like my SkyWest just the way it is" talk. There'll be plenty of time for that on the company message boards if/when the next union drive occurs.

 

[Bluto]

Rez, I agree with most of what you wrote, but this part:

Everyone will respect you for negotiating. Your wife, your kids, your parents, your fellow pilots, your passengers, and even mangement. But most importantly your self.

Is a little over the top. Most kids have no idea whether their dad is a union member or not, and as long as the paycheck and QOL are there, most wives don't care either. As for the management, that's laughable. I've never seen evidence that management at an airline honestly respects any of their employee groups, especially the pilots. Oh, and my mom loves me regardless of my union affiliation (or lack thereof.)

One of the dark truths at the heart of free-market capitalism: the unblinking willingness of those in power to crush--physically and spiritually--those who work.

 

[viper548]

Forgive me, I'm new here but what exactly happens during a union drive? How long does it last? Who starts it? and When is it gonna happen again?

 

[Bluto]

Forgive me, I'm new here but what exactly happens during a union drive?

Insults, slurs, wild accusations, empty promises, vague threats, emotionally charged letters from anonymous spouses...you name it. It's very entertaining.

 

[ArcticFlier]

Insults, slurs, wild accusations, empty promises, vague threats, emotionally charged letters from anonymous spouses...you name it. It's very entertaining.

and all of this from SGU..........except for the anonymous spouse thingy.......j/k... sort of.



AF

 

[Morning Wood]

Well Wood, you're part right. You have every right to be concerned about the pilots unionizing. In fact, say whatever you want about it. Scream yourself hoarse if you want to. Just understand that whatever it is you feel, or say has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with whether or not the pilots choose to unionize. Just as the pilots have no say as to whether the mechanics, flight attendants, rampers, dispatchers, commisary agents or...(insert work-group here) choose to unionize. If you don't like it, write your congressman, run for public office, or do something to change the labor laws of this country. Otherwise, please, spare us the anti-union, "I like my SkyWest just the way it is" talk. There'll be plenty of time for that on the company message boards if/when the next union drive occurs.

Geez take a 'lude would ya? Where in my post did I say I wanted to vote
on whether you had a union or not? Or that I thought it was unfair that
I couldn't vote? I simply responded to Gr82Aviate's post that
only crew members should add their 2 cents worth. Whether you
think so or not, whatever you guys do or don't do has implications
for every employee group, not just the pilots. I wasn't asking for
permission to turn a ballot in.

 

[Gr82Aviate]

"I simply responded to Gr82Aviate's post that
only crew members should add their 2 cents worth."



Since you brought that up, all I was saying was that I wouldn't presume to know all the issues and problems that other employee groups have, so therefore I wouldn't comment on a website for that employee group without at the very least disclosing that I am not directly involved in their day to day issues and problems and sliding quality of life!

 

[pianoman]

Rez, I gotta say you pretty much nailed it.

 

[flyjumpseat]

I think Boeing 76 is a dipspatcher, not a flight crewmember and therefore shouldn't be giving us his "2 cents worth"!!

Not a flight crewmember? Why don't you bring that attitude on in here to our Not-A-Crewmember office so I can show you my Not-A-Crewmember FAA Certificate.

Sorry everyone else - just had to throw a couple pennies at the dig on us dispatchers.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled program of......

Insults, slurs, wild accusations, empty promises, vague threats, emotionally charged letters from anonymous spouses...you name it. It's very entertaining.

 

[Gr82Aviate]

The "attitude" is all coming from your end... I don't have anything against dispatchers. I'm just saying, you don't see me in a dispatch forum telling you guys that everything is just fine and dandy, and that you'd destroy the company by unionizing!

 

[PCL_128]

Not a flight crewmember? Why don't you bring that attitude on in here to our Not-A-Crewmember office so I can show you my Not-A-Crewmember FAA Certificate.

Apparently you need a definition of flight crewmember. Only pilots and flight engineers are flight crewmembers. Flight attendants are cabin crewmembers. Rampers are ground crewmembers. Get the picture? Just because your certificate has a fancy FAA emblem on it doesn't make you a flight crewmember and that's not meant as an insult. It's just a fact.

 

[flyjumpseat]

PCL - you're right. I apologize. The specific language differentiating the term "Flight Crewmember" is broken up into three catagories

1. Flightcrew (pilot in command, second in command, and flight engineer);
2. Flight attendant; and
3. Dispatcher

SO... technically we are Flight Crewmembers - NOT Flightcrew. (which is what I believe you are trying to say)

My fault for not making myself clear before.

Now, you wanna see my card with the fancy FAA emblem?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Rez, I agree with most of what you wrote, but this part: Is a little over the top. Most kids have no idea whether their dad is a union member or not, and as long as the paycheck and QOL are there, most wives don't care either. As for the management, that's laughable. I've never seen evidence that management at an airline honestly respects any of their employee groups, especially the pilots. Oh, and my mom loves me regardless of my union affiliation (or lack thereof.)

One of the dark truths at the heart of free-market capitalism: the unblinking willingness of those in power to crush--physically and spiritually--those who work.

Bluto,

Don't confuse respectability and like-ability.

Your kid will repsect you more when your unionized negotiated health plan includes dental. Now, your kid won't get teased in school for having a snaggle tooth that would make Jewel blush. Your kid may not know why he respects you more, but I think, he will.

As far as management, are you insane??? When your pilot group shows up to negotiations with 74 years of experince and E&FA data that will make Donald Trump think hard, you better bet management will repsect that. When your pilot group conducts an organized, lawful job action that shuts down the airline, you'll get respect as a force to reckon with, and a pilot group who knows how to function in the system. Of course they won't like it.

As far as your mama, she will always love you. That is what mama's do. But if you come home with a look on your face that says 'I'm my base managers biotch, gimp and boy all rolled up into one', at least you can count on her love...

Look in the mirror

 

[homerjdispatch]

nevermind....

I hope the pilot at SKYW get what they want, one way or the other!