SkyWest Staffing Problem

[Eric]

Well, the only thing I'm not happy with at SkyWest is the schedule. I'm sure I'm not the only one (speaking for the FOs)

What can we do about it? How can we light a fire under mgmt to staff this place?

Is it their M.O. to run it as lean as possible to boost margins?

Sked Plus isn't the anwer. The red arrows prove that.

SAPA isn't going to save us.

Is ALPA the answer? I was anti ALPA when I first came here, but I'm slightly on the pro side now. I came from an ALPA carrier if that matters.

If anyone here has experience w/ ALPA and thinks voting them in could improve my schedule, let me know here or PM me.

Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results is the definition of insanity. At least ALPA would be a change and a chance.

 

[Flyby1206]

Sorry to say that just about every regional carrier is having problems staffing their flying. I honestly cant think of anyone who is filling classes and considered "adequately staffed." Union or not, that wont change your staffing issue. Skywest has very short upgrades, so I would think they should have the least problem filling classes. It all comes down to people not deciding to become pilots anymore. The enrollment is dropping in FBOs, flight schools, aviation universities. Not much can be done immediately to change this, but wages need to be increased at all ends of the airline payscales to attract people to the profession once again.

 

[jea]

The only thing alpa is good for is the random free lunch you find in the crew room... if they are voted in that will be gone plus 2% vote no and get free lunch!

 

[SkyNation]

Is ALPA the answer?

NO.

signed,
Former ALPA represented regional pilot

 

[FL990]

ALPA is not the perfect answer...but it is the best one. At least with ALPA, you have guarantees and protections with a contract. I have heard rumors (granted, they may be false) that SKW guys are being taken down to 8 days off in some cases. This would NEVER happen with an ALPA contract.

As I said, ALPA is very flawed but it is better than nothing at all.

 

[BoilerUP]

Parings are built by the company (any company) in a balance to minimize cost and comply with work rules while covering all the available flying with the available number of pilots. The fewer available pilots to fly the schedule, the worse the parings will be.

Work rules and contractual language go a long way into compelling the company to build parings a certain way...but ALPA (or any other union) cannot waive a magic wand to "fix" your parings. The only way that will happen is with proper staffing AND a management commitment to spend a little extra money to ensure crewmember morale.

 

[John Pennekamp]

ALPA is no silver bullet, but you're better off with the protection a union (any union) can provide. They give you the power to say no, and they force the company to honor an agreement.

 

[BigShotXJTdrvr]

What I have heard...

Skywest just made an honest miscalculation. They hired a bunch of people months ago and dumped them in a pool. Then they found out they weren't UPS. They called poolies for classes and 3 out of 4 guys had already taken a job elsewhere. And now they realize people are not lining up to start at 16K. My guess is they'll soon go the new-hire bonu$ route (at least a bonus to get to parity with higher starting wages elsewhere). A contract is good for setting penalties for low staffing, but (here at XJT at least) the compensation shows up much after all the junior manning happens. For example, if we can prove less than 10% reserve staffing for a given month in a sub-base, then the pilots in that sub-base are entitled to an extra vacation day for NEXT year.

 

[pilotmyf]

Skywest is not perfect?
Stop the press!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Coloaviator]

My schedule is fine for October. I got 14 days off with 90 hours of credit. I also got weekends off. With that being said we are definitely short handed.