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Time For SkyWest Pilots To Step Up

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Hmmmm..... There must be a hole in my theory:D

As for the union thing, they are only as good as your elected leaders. ALPA national clearly doesn't look out for the best interest of regional pilots (arguably any pilots) but the concept of a collective bargaining agreement that is agreed upon by both parties is certainly a huge plus.

Here at Mesa, we have a very bad combination in that we have fuzzy grey contract language set fourth by a segregated, ineffective, and self serving MEC coupled with a dictatorship type, anti-worker style management. It would be a poor example to say "unions are bad" when contrasting life at Mesa compared with life at Skywest. A union at Skywest would likely be successful in that the CBA would likely be well thought out and the management would honor their end of the deal. It would provide some QOL security in an everchanging regional airline environment.

Also, it is rarely discussed, but ALPA serves pilot groups in some other ways. I'm referring to ALPA legal primarily. As airline pilots, we are really kind of sub-contractors for our employers in that we must hold our own FAA licenses in good standing. What good are you as a pilot without a valid certificate? Lots of unplanned things could happen in one's career that normal everyday safety precautions may not be able to prevent. If the airline, or possibly even you yourself put your certificate in jeopardy, it's nice to know that you have the resources of a very powerful legal team protecting your career. Not your job, you can lose that......but..... your career as a whole....I feel that's pretty significant.
 
The last Union drive at SkyWEst was in house Proposal UPA Unified Pilots Assoc. They did have a website. UNified pilots.org...think it is fubar now. It failed at about 37%. It was to be similar to the in house at SWA. The drive had a lot of momentum and support from SLC/DEN. The other bases flopped. The California bases seem to think the state law covers their at will status at OO. They are waking up slowly as QOL. continues to decline. ALPA, inhouse, teamsters, or a chinese labor union would be better than SAPA. They can't tie their shoes without approval from SGU. They also get 106 credit hours for being in management training(sapa).
 
There are many significant benefits to being ALPA aside from the basic pay/contract stuff that people bring up here routinely. I think you'll see an ALPA drive at SkyWest in the near future and I'm thinking it could pass, but as mentioned above, I don't think it'll help with the ASA acquisition much. It'll take years before we have a contract and the first one is generally pretty pathetic.

For better or worse, I think ASA is in for a little taste of what it's like to work for SkyWest: They may treat you great, they may not, but there's not a whole lot you can do about it.
 
jbDC9 said:
And if I hear the term "lower the bar" one more time, I'm gonna puke. Holy crap that phrase is tired, overused and cliched by now, perhaps even more so than "scab!". That and "race to the bottom...", they're done to death.

Need some new cliches here, something shiny and new... maybe something that'll go along with SJS mentioned in another thread. (Shiny Jet Syndrome)

It's almost like these guys are 'allergic to money.' What the f*ck's up with that!
 
BigHangar said:
Imagine this, ASA pilots continue to fight for a better contract, but SkyWest management does not want to give it to them. ASA starts to make some ruckus, what do you think would happen? Thats right, SW mgmt will give the flying to SW and the SW pilots cant do anything about without a scope clause in a contract. So think about who is screwing who. If the SW pilots had a contract with scope or some merger/aquisition language, it would prevent SW mgmt from whipsawing one pilot group against the other. This would obviously lower the bar for everyone. And if I hear one more SW pilot tell me their pay and QOL is equal to or as good as anybody out there, Im going to puke. Pay might be almost on par in some areas, but QOL is far from airlines with unions.

Please please SW pilots, we are all in this industry together, we all need to watch out for each other. We all need to feed our families and being non-union hurts this fraternity of pilots. Step up to the plate and start the union drive. Do it for your new co-workers.

You know what? Skywest doesn't have to do crap!!!!!!
 
MEC Chairman sent an email message last night addressing the sale. Seems they have been anticipating this and have been semi prepping for it. Check your email.....
 
BigHangar said:
I agree, I think they will do the right thing too. I just hope the few young ones over there and the other koolaid drinking folks can be persuaded to understand the reality of what is going on in the industry.

The reality of this industry is that I'll be in an RJ for the duration thanks to union scope clauses at the majors. Thanks a lot "brothers".

Going from a weak ALPA carrier to SkyWest, I would have to say the koolaid tastes pretty good. OK, waterskiiers need a union with the slimy management they have. Here the case is not to clear cut. And yes, the pay rates are better than most others. A few are higher, but how many of them are growing?
 
Black Water Dog said:
I would have to say the koolaid tastes pretty good. OK, waterskiiers need a union with the slimy management they have. Here the case is not to clear cut.

Drop the koolaid.................and wait. You'll see how clear cut it is.

Black Water Dog said:
And yes, the pay rates are better than most others.

Until ASA's -700 rate is whipsawed against ours and our -200 rate is whipsawed against theirs.


AF :cool:
 
Black Water Dog said:
The reality of this industry is that I'll be in an RJ for the duration thanks to union scope clauses at the majors. Thanks a lot "brothers".

Going from a weak ALPA carrier to SkyWest, I would have to say the koolaid tastes pretty good. OK, waterskiiers need a union with the slimy management they have. Here the case is not to clear cut. And yes, the pay rates are better than most others. A few are higher, but how many of them are growing?
This toolbox is a perfect example of why we can't get a union on board, it thinks that growth is the answer, what happens when the growth stops? The same toolboxes that said "I will get mine when I upgrade" are gonna whine like puppies pulled off of the teat! Well BWD, if and when the music stops you can swing my gear until the music starts again. I am already far enough up the ladder,unless the company fails, I GOTS MINE, you? I am slowly becoming weary talking to these moron talking heads spouting, "I'm gonna take the quick upgrade, so I can get 1000PIC and move on to LUV, FedEx, ect"
Stupid, Stupid, Stupid
PBR
P.S. The only thing weak at your previous carrier was you!
 
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