SkyWest Staffing Problem

[jea]

Therin lies the difference and the problem. I don't fly the Bro. Jea, I'm happy you have a good qual of life.

Don't come to the jet if you want to keep that sched.

yeah sorry Eric... I knew the jet was short staffed coming in so I chose the Bro knowing the QOL would be better. The jet pays more- more want to fly it for that reason, the growth is in the rj side but QOL is on the bro side. i have become quite senior quite fast for my position and that is what I have hoped for. QOL for me is everything- equipment matters

 

[Splert]

The plan is to short staff.

It not poor planning; IT'S THE PLAN. It's has been the plan for over 4 PLUS years.

The fewer pilot covering a greater amount of flying builds upside into the margins.

You new guy/gals should listen to your CEO and CFO when he speaks during the quarterly conference call.

Stop listening to check airmen and others, EB of SAPA, who are used to pass the company talking points to the line pilot.

 

[Jmoney]

What goes around....

I'll just beat all the whiners to the punch:

'well, you just haven't been here long enough to know better.'

'all you care about is yourself and your quick upgrade.'

'you don't have the big picture.'

and my favorite line of crap:

'wait 'til you try to interview at an ALPA major. They'll never take you!'

...yawn..........

My point in dealing with idiots like you is simple: BAD JUJU You are happy to screw everyone else in the regional industry just waiting for the day when you can proudly join the ranks of some major where ALPA is suddenly OK.

You don't care how many others you screw at all the little regionals because "ALPA can't represent a regional properly." I posit that you are accumulating a lot of bad JUJU.

I am not saying that anyone here will care to figure out who your are and torpedo your interview. All I am saying is that you are sure accumulating a lot of bad JUJU and you had better hope that it doesn't come back to bite you before you get that big dream job!

-You may find yourself stuck at some regional for a long time-even the rest of your career, wishing you had been able to get that bar rised higher.

-As for Skywest people never having come to ASA....COMPLETE BS! I personally know of many who came from that place about 7 yrs ago, when ASA had all the growth and DAL supposedly had plans for us.

-You are a greedy self-serving toolbox!

 

[EBE]

Obviously one will never see the pay of a major at a regional, but I believe we could see quality of life if those who plan on hanging around would fight for it.

I completely agree

I'm not willing to settle for what we have and could possibly not have in the future. Are you?

I've done my research. I've looked at the pros and cons. I'm in support of ALPA at SkyWest. I don't see any other way to "fight for it."

 

[Splert]

I completely agree

It will never happen.

The news guys out number the senior. All the Jr. guy wants is an upgrade and a new jet and will sell their sister, mother and fellow crew member down the road to get the growth.

It's freaking sad.

Little does the new guy know is that he/she will probably be a regional 'nard' for the next decade and the cycle will repeat itself.

The new guy has it all figured out and the new senior guy (AKA the former new guy) is bitter and wants a union to fight for QOL.

 

[DX Rick]

Vote in ALPA and be sure to get all the 5-6 day trips you want.

 

[SkyNation]

since we're speaking in generalities, here goes.

the only guys who want a union are the ones who are pissed because they didn't/couldn't get hired at SWA, DAl, etc. and now they want to vent their anger. they figure the best way to do it is 'payback' for the company where they now will spend their careers.

bite the hand that feeds you, get pissed when it doesn't feed you what you feel like is enough, then get pissed and bite again.

sounds like a plan

 

[Fishpaw]

Originally Posted By DX Rick
Vote in ALPA and be sure to get all the 5-6 day trips you want.

Rick,
I know you personally and I've never thought of you as a negative guy. Where does all of this anger towards alpa come from?

p.s. congrats on the big day, I bet you guys had a blast

 

[BoilerUP]

since we're speaking in generalities, here goes.

the only guys who want a union are the ones who are pissed because they didn't/couldn't get hired at SWA, DAl, etc. and now they want to vent their anger. they figure the best way to do it is 'payback' for the company where they now will spend their careers.

bite the hand that feeds you, get pissed when it doesn't feed you what you feel like is enough, then get pissed and bite again.

sounds like a plan

I don't know anything about your company...but it seems reckless to make the assertion that the only pro-union folks at Skywest are the "loser lifers" that are "stuck".

 

[SkyNation]

I was mocking the previous poster for speaking in generalities.

only some of the pro-union folks fit that description, just like only some of those that don't support the drive here are spoiled little punks who just want to upgrade.

BTW, I plan on being a lifer here.

 

[scarlet]

how does that PBS work for your vacation time...

Man I love it when you have 13-15 days off for just one week of vacation !! Thanks ALPA=NO PBS !

 

[Splert]

I was mocking the previous poster for speaking in generalities.

only some of the pro-union folks fit that description, just like only some of those that don't support the drive here are spoiled little punks who just want to upgrade.

BTW, I plan on being a lifer here.

Were you at SkyWest during the "Deal Capt Holt an Ace" vote on the CR700's?

I was and the new guys had it all figured out; they needed the growth to upgrade and so they could leave SkyWest. Most are still there because the opportunity to move on is diminishing with every 900 and 700 that arrives on the SkyWest property. But the new guys want more and more and more of them.

That is called a Catch 22.

 

[SKYW Pilot]

I usually average around 14-15 days off and I'm a CRJ SLC CA almost half way up the list. The guaranteed time off is 10 days for both reserves and line holders. Unfortunately, F.O.'s are gonna be short for a while and probably won't get better at any of the regionals. Just not enough pilots applying for the jobs out there. Some of our job fairs in large cities have had just a couple of pilots show. I'm sure we're all in agreement that the pay needs to increase to attract new pilots to this career.

 

[Ben Dover]

The plan is to short staff.

It not poor planning; IT'S THE PLAN. It's has been the plan for over 4 PLUS years.

You are right on the money!

It's cheaper to spend a few exta dollars on Jr. Man pay than to hire and train more pilots. More pilots on the property mean more sim costs, more check airmen expense, more benefits to pay, more recurrent classes, more of everything that costs money. For the company, Jr. Man pay is the cheapest way to solve the pilot shortage.

Some of you seem to be forgetting. Airlines don't view you as people with lives. They view you as just one piece of a complex logistical puzzle.

 

[Splert]

You are right on the money!

It's cheaper to spend a few exta dollars on Jr. Man pay than to hire and train more pilots. More pilots on the property mean more sim costs, more check airmen expense, more benefits to pay, more recurrent classes, more of everything that costs money. For the company, Jr. Man pay is the cheapest way to solve the pilot shortage.

Some of you seem to be forgetting. Airlines don't view you as people with lives. They view you as just one piece of a complex logistical puzzle.

It's worse than that...

The CFO explained that SkyWest bids for flying with crew costs at "X" cost and is paid a margin above X. However, if SkyWest can deliver crew costs at X-10 they are still due the margin at X and SkyWest pockets the margin plus the -10.

PBS, SAPA and no contract or union with a real grievance process is all that is need to continue to squeeze crews and "build upside into the margin".

Short Staffing is part of the plan to 'build upside into the margin".

 

[MYFpilot]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric

Is ALPA the answer?



NO.

signed,
Former ALPA represented regional pilot

...And SAPA is?

 

[ILS8L]

no guarantees

I usually average around 14-15 days off and I'm a CRJ SLC CA almost half way up the list. The guaranteed time off is 10 days for both reserves and line holders. Unfortunately, F.O.'s are gonna be short for a while and probably won't get better at any of the regionals. Just not enough pilots applying for the jobs out there. Some of our job fairs in large cities have had just a couple of pilots show. I'm sure we're all in agreement that the pay needs to increase to attract new pilots to this career.

This is the point that a lot of people seem to overlook. ALPA is not a perfect answer. But as it stands Skywest is a group of "at will" employees. Of course they would not revoke all of your work rules at the drop of a hat, that would cause a major uproar. But, if we are short a couple of FO's you could take away a day off here or there. You could change from a line bid system to PBS (oh, you did that already) and the examples go on and on. You really have no recourse or guarantee at all

 

[Bluto]

...You really have no recourse or guarantee at all

I'm pretty sure that is the SAPA motto.

 

[USCtrojan]

Obviously one will never see the pay of a major at a regional, but I believe we could see quality of life if those who plan on hanging around would fight for it.[/quote]

Count Skynation in on NOT fighting for it.

Trojan

 

[av8er2]

It is only going to get worse.