Skywest, Republic, and ALPA

[Rez O. Lewshun]

The new head of Teamsters Local 747, which represents RAH pilots, put in 30 years as an ALPA member, and as an elected leader of his airline's membership along the way. He has stated that he feels ALPA is broken beyond repair, and that most of its support comes from nostalgia, not actual performance over the last decade.. The Local 747 has been weak thanks to the former President, who ran unopposed and for other reasons is in a world of legal issues related to his management of the Local. Our new trustees are trying to turn the ship around here at Local 747, and the next two years will decide the fate of Teamsters on the RAH porperty.

I sincerely wish Skywest would unionize. Things have gone well for the pilots there, but they do not realize how the lack of organization in their workforce is damaging the rest of us. I know Skywest guys in general don't mean to harm us all, and don't see the consequences, but that does not change the fact that they are causing damage to our profession. Union membership does not define professionalism, but it does define character. The 3% you sacrifce could help to raise the wages in our segment of the industry 5% to 15% in the short term, and more down the road.

I will never trust ALPA to represent the interests of a regional airline so long as ALPA is representing the pilots of the contracting major airline. It is a conflict of interests. Any gains acheived at the regional level come at the expense of mainline, and vice versa. I will only join ALPA is an ALPA mainline carrier purchases my aircraft and adds me to their mainline seniority list. End of story.

Dan Brannan? The guy that tired to be ALPA president this last election? The one that got fired from ABX and ALPA got his job back? The guy that lied about military service? That Dan?

If ALPA is broken (it does need fixing).. then why did he want to be President?

No, Dan got shamed out of ALPA.... and of course he now hates the union he tried to bullsh*t....

politics can be dirty if there are shady characters....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

No, the correct translation: ALPA allowed outsourcing with no forethought as to how it would fragment bargaining power. Why would I want to join an orginization that knee jerks it's decisions in favor of short term benefit of the few as opposed to long term benefit for the profession?

Yet our entire culture, inclluding wall street is based on this short term gain for long term pain... suddenly its bad?

 

[BrickTop]

The recession is NOT the reason or a good excuse. Also, I know I am fortunate to have a job and think SkyWest is a solid company. However, that is not a reason to roll over.
Think about it....crappy 5% BHO after how long flying the 700/900 for 200 pay. Wrongful terminations. People in positions of power that shouldn't be. (i.e. scheduling) etc. etc. etc. Just because it's worst somewhere else, doesn't make it great here. It could and should be way better.

Just wait unitl the surpluss of pilots transforms into an understaffed situation again and see how things may change.

 

[Microclimates]

Yes, that's why our payscales keep up with inflation, our schedules just keep getting better and better, our benefits haven't been deteriorating, our reserves aren't treated like sh*t and everyone holds hands and sings happy songs.

No. That's why we still have a job. Although who knows what will happen this fall.

 

[Dubya]

I have 4 letters for you ALPA hounds..... M E S A (sucks despite ALPA representation)

So Rez...is sleeping in the airplane, and a pilot group that includes pilots I know personally cannot get hired anywhere else, the proud union professionalism you are getting at?


W

 

[Gr82Aviate]

Just wait unitl the surpluss of pilots transforms into an understaffed situation again and see how things may change.

Just wait for what??? We used to get annual cost of living increases, but they vanished into thin air a long time ago... You think they'll suddenly "see the light" and give us back our COLA, along with a real rate on the 700 and 900 equal to or better than Horizon?

 

[RJLoser]

Skywest does not need a union. I hear a lot of "wait till MGT needs something or times get rough. Then the hammer will come down on you." Has this happened in the last what, 35 years at SKYW? Friends of mine have become fairly senior at SKYW and I have seen mind boggling support for pilots from their MGT. Where other carriers would have fired their employees and let the union get the jobs back SKYW has decided to stand behind the pilot. The way the company treats them is far above par. How they are treated by crew scheduling is far better than any other regional I know of. I can't speak for the futute. As for now, Skywest does not need a union.

 

[likeitis]

Skywest does not need a union. I hear a lot of "wait till MGT needs something or times get rough. Then the hammer will come down on you." Has this happened in the last what, 35 years at SKYW? Friends of mine have become fairly senior at SKYW and I have seen mind boggling support for pilots from their MGT. Where other carriers would have fired their employees and let the union get the jobs back SKYW has decided to stand behind the pilot. The way the company treats them is far above par. How they are treated by crew scheduling is far better than any other regional I know of. I can't speak for the futute. As for now, Skywest does not need a union.

That's all warm and fuzzy but how many Skywest pilots are on the FAA ARC deciding on new rest regulations? It's great that your company treats you well but on things far more important that will affect everything you do for the rest of your careers you guys are happy to have no voice. I'm going to take a guess that the pilots will not have any say in the new training rules that will be coming at you as well. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. Why don't you all stop voting in all elections. You seem to be fine with letting others decide your fate.

 

[XPOO]

That's all warm and fuzzy but how many Skywest pilots are on the FAA ARC deciding on new rest regulations? It's great that your company treats you well but on things far more important that will affect everything you do for the rest of your careers you guys are happy to have no voice. I'm going to take a guess that the pilots will not have any say in the new training rules that will be coming at you as well. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. Why don't you all stop voting in all elections. You seem to be fine with letting others decide your fate.

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't it an ALPA carrier's mishap that is directly affecting this change in training rules?

 

[RJLoser]

That's all warm and fuzzy but how many Skywest pilots are on the FAA ARC deciding on new rest regulations? It's great that your company treats you well but on things far more important that will affect everything you do for the rest of your careers you guys are happy to have no voice. I'm going to take a guess that the pilots will not have any say in the new training rules that will be coming at you as well. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. Why don't you all stop voting in all elections. You seem to be fine with letting others decide your fate.

I don't work for SKYW. I think they will fare well with this too.

 

[bmpilot2003]

A thread full of hypocrites, what a surprise!

 

[likeitis]

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't it an ALPA carrier's mishap that is directly affecting this change in training rules?

It's a pretty far stretch by any measure to consider them a ALPA carrier. They just joined ALPA 9 months ago. They haven't a contract yet. I would consider AirTran more ALPA then Colgan. At least AirTran has a contract that ALPA can enforce. Colgan pilots in all reality are still at will pilots because they haven't a contract to protect them.
Last I checked the unions for pilots are unlike plumbers and they don't do the training. They push for better training through their elected officials. ALPA has done more in getting safety and security measured improved in the last month than Skywest pilots have cumulatively done in their history. Not hard to do since 0 isn't hard to beat.

 

[Bus-Driver]

No, we see the union as a means of having a voice in our own careers. We have a voice in our profession, not just at our own companies, but in Washington, DC, at ICAO, at IFALPA, etc... You don't.

Really, when was the last time you ever talked to your CEO? I've called mine on many occasions and had very constuctive talks with him. I also see him in my jumpseat regularly. to say I don't have a voice in my career is extremely ignorant. Any problem most pilots have is quickly remedied and they normally (except for nondisclosure agreements) communicate pretty well with us on current company events. ALPA isn't right for skywest, and thry are a good company.

 

[FORESTGUMP]

It's a pretty far stretch by any measure to consider them a ALPA carrier. They just joined ALPA 9 months ago. They haven't a contract yet. I would consider AirTran more ALPA then Colgan. At least AirTran has a contract that ALPA can enforce. Colgan pilots in all reality are still at will pilots because they haven't a contract to protect them.
Last I checked the unions for pilots are unlike plumbers and they don't do the training. They push for better training through their elected officials. ALPA has done more in getting safety and security measured improved in the last month than Skywest pilots have cumulatively done in their history. Not hard to do since 0 isn't hard to beat.

Its not a stretch to call Pinnacle and Messa ALPA and they are the other ugly sisters that are at the top of the "bottom of the barrel" list.

 

[Bus-Driver]

So arguably the two biggest regionals now, Skywest and Republic, have either no Union at all (Skypest) or a worthless union (Repuke-lic). It seems as maybe the majors have decided not to do as much business with the stronger regionals, and have slowly given more flying to these two scumbag outfits.
Maybe we (ALPA regionals) are our own worst enemy by becoming too strong?

Skywest a scumbag regional? Mesa a strong one? You aren't a very smart person are ya? Your probably just pissed off that you didn't get hire at Skywest, they don't like to hire scumbags.

 

[regionaltard]

Translation: "F-ck the profession, what's in it for me?"

That sounds like the thought process that leads folks through Gulfstream's front door.

 

[Bluestreak]

Dan Brannan? The guy that tired to be ALPA president this last election? The one that got fired from ABX and ALPA got his job back? The guy that lied about military service? That Dan?

If ALPA is broken (it does need fixing).. then why did he want to be President?

No, Dan got shamed out of ALPA.... and of course he now hates the union he tried to bullsh*t....

politics can be dirty if there are shady characters....

Wow ! ABX is ALPA ? Oh,I get it-ALPA got a guy represented by the IBT his job back ! Man,sign me up ! That's like ALPA = Chuck Norris.

 

[RJLoser]

A thread full of hypocrites, what a surprise!

Upset because your place is run by a bunch of D-bags like mine?

 

[Bus-Driver]

Let me tell you a story about unions and hookers.

A dedicated union worker was attending a convention in Las Vegas and decided to check out the local brothels. When he got to the first one, he asked the Madam, "Is this a union house?" "No," she replied, "I'm sorry it isn't." "Well, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?" "The house gets $80 and the girls get $20," she answered.

Offended at such unfair dealings, the union man stomped off down the street in search of a more equitable, hopefully unionized shop. His search continued until finally he reached a brothel where the Madam responded, "Why yes sir, this is a union house. "We observe all union rules." The man asked, "And if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?" "The girls get $80 and the house gets $20." "That's more like it!" the union man said.

He handed the Madam $100, looked around the room, and pointed to a stunningly attractive green-eyed blonde . "I'd like her," he said. "I'm sure you would, sir,' said the Madam. Then she gestured to a 92-year old woman in the corner, "but Ethel here has 67 years seniority and according to union rules, she's next."

 

[Mike man]

Maybe APLA is the problem, representing a mainline group and a group that is taking the jobs of the mainline group...if you look up conflict of interest in the dictionary it gives this example.