Skywest TA??? Pay??

[General Lee]

I called a friend of mine in SLC who flies for Skywest and he said they were going to vote on a TA that would allow them to maybe buy some 70 seaters and 90 seaters (he said probably CRJ models--CR7 and CR9) and fly them at 50 seat rates for atleast 18 months---until they would "review" the situation. He also said there was a provision in there for possibly getting planes with 100-159 seats EVENTUALLY. Sounds like a big carrot to me. This industry and the pay is going down the tubes. Will it pass? Probably. Why? All of the FO's will vote YES because they want growth and more domiciles to choose from. The junior Captains will vote YES because they want to get a line and have more choices in domiciles etc. Only the senior Captains will vote NO because they have invested more time in Skywest and want the bigger bucks. My friend said this was what they "had to do" to fight for potential contracts and fight off Mesa and Chitaqua.
Just as our rates at Delta might go down a tad, so will the regional airline industry's.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Mexicankingair]

I think the plan now would just be to convert existing orders for CRJ 200's to the bigger ones, so that really wouldn't mean any more growth upgrades etc... than are already planned.

There is also a scale for 100 seat plus rates, but there is absolutely no guarantee that any would ever show up.

I think the carrot is simply not taking a pay cut and having the chance to wait 18 months and renegotiate when times (hopefully) are better.

 

[General Lee]

Mexicankingair,

I know these times are bad and a lot of regional guys are taking pay cuts (even though some of the Comair guys don't think they need to because they are "saving" Delta---yeah right). The problem here is that the Skywest pilots could open up a whole can of worms. They will fly up to 99 seat aircraft for 50 seat wages. That is like a Delta MD-88 Capt flying a 777 for the same wages. Double the capacity at the same wage. They didn't even try to give them a $1 an hour raise----nope. And then they will "review" it in 18 months-----what does that mean? Will times be better then? The management will try to show that it is not---saying Mesa and Chittauqua have grown huge and the only way to fight them is to pay less wages for larger aircraft. I believe this plan will succeed because the junior people want expansion and growth, and this is the only way right now---atleast in management's eyes.......If passed, this will be the new standard in the regionals----all of the other ones will point out that they have to do the same because Skywest is doing it, and they have to stay competitive. It's a rule in the management play book. The guys at Delta management have mastered it.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[embdrvr]

Question for General Lee

General Lee,
Can SkyWest or any other DCI carrier operate anything larger than 70 seats without the blessing of DALPA? Seems like you said something about that a month or two ago.

 

[Mexicankingair]

General Lee,

I agree, it sets a BAD precedent to have 50-99 pay scales in one group. I would have prefered to see at least two seperate scales in that range even if the pay were the same.

 

[Jeepman]

General Lee,


Yes this TA will probably pass, but think about it. SkyWest IS NOT setting the new low standard. We are ensuring our survival with the Chataqua's & Mesas of today. Besides it's a TA for 18 months so even if we were to order 70's the day after the TA passes it would take about a year to get them so then for six months we fly them at the same rate, get sick of it & if management pulls the BS about "Oh we need to be competetive against other lower cost carrier's all of us junior FO's and Captainsa will say BS and start a slow down" I think that would get their attention

 

[FlyingSig]

Pardon my ignorance... but if Skywest is non-union, why is there a "TA" to vote on? Can't management just impose new payscales on the pilots?

 

[Skank]

Your ingnorance is excused. Just being non-union doen't mean you don't have a contract. Guess what, our company (non-union) doesn't use the line "fly it and grieve it." They just honor the contract. Now isn't that refreshing?

 

[bladeusa]

the race to the bottom is on... sad

 

[Heavy Set]

Lower Pay Hurts Everyone!

The regional airline industry appears to be going down the tubes with regard to pay.... Mesa, Chit-Talk, and NOW SKYWEST will be lowering the bar for all regional pilots in the future. Yes, of course these are "trying" times and operating costs need to be reduced somewhat... However, we all know that this business, like most businesses, is cyclical to some degree and things will likely get better in a year or two (at least we hope!!!).

So, if Skywest pilots agree to fly 70-90 seaters for 50-seater pay, in return for a "promise" to review things in 18 months, then that sets a horrible precedent. There should be guaranteed increases in 18 months - something in writing at the very LEAST.... Why not base the rates on Horizon or ASA/Comair rates effective 18 months from now if Skywest is hurting or in need of some breathing room? Get it in writing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't give away the farm and lower the bar for the rest of the industry like Mesa and Chit-Talk have....

I like the carrot of maybe flying a +90 seat airplane (i.e., 717) in the future - yeah, and maybe I'll win the $300 million POWERBALL Lotto TWICE.... What a joke!

Vote that proposal down unless you want to become industry pariahs like Mesa!