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What a NO vote means.

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skypine69

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2002
Posts
796
Another guy brought this up on the SAPA board and I tend to agree. If Skywest votes NO on this union drive, I think that Skywest will never again (or at least in the next 10 years or so) have to worry about a union drive. They will tell the pilots to piss off whenever we look for improvements to our policy manual. They will not look at our pay every year like they promised. SAPA will become even more irrelevent than it already is. This pilot group has repeatedly told management that they dont want the protections of a union. if ALPA gets voted down now, I dont beleive that they will be willing to go thru this organizing process again for a very long time, if ever. I doubt any other labor union will be willing to step up either. In short, I think that if we vote down ALPA, we will see even more erosion of our policy manual than we seen in the last few years, and be even more powerless to stop it.
 
Ummmm Yup, that's about right. It's taken ALPA eight years to try their hand at SkyWest pilots from the last vote. If we vote no, then I don't think we would see ALPA again for a long time.
 
I'm pro-ALPA, but I have to disagree with you. I don't think our management would do that. Not because they are noble, or principled, just because it would be counter-productive. While they will be able to relax and not worry about another union vote for the years to come, they will still have to attract new blood and control attrition, both of which are getting harder and harder.

Say what you will about SkyWest management, they have rarely shown aggressive tactics toward the pilot group as a whole. They're not out to get us, they just don't particularly care about us.

The reasons to support ALPA at SkyWest are many and varied, but to avoid retribution from the company seems a little paranoid and may turn off some fence-sitters.
 
I actually agree with you Bluto, I dont think there will be any huge QOL reduction all at once. However, Skywest has and will rely on the image they have that it is the best regional out there. They are very good at making a certain group happy while pissing off other groups. (reference the last pay scale that screwed the weedwhacker guys) I think that over time they will run roughshod over our policy manual in a very calculated way to keep the image up that we are this wonderful place to work, but for everyone except newhires coming from a 172, it will start to resemble MESA.
I really hope this passes, but if it doesnt i have concerns about the way things will be in the next few years.
 
I'm pro-ALPA, but I have to disagree with you. I don't think our management would do that. Not because they are noble, or principled, just because it would be counter-productive. While they will be able to relax and not worry about another union vote for the years to come, they will still have to attract new blood and control attrition, both of which are getting harder and harder.

Say what you will about SkyWest management, they have rarely shown aggressive tactics toward the pilot group as a whole. They're not out to get us, they just don't particularly care about us.

The reasons to support ALPA at SkyWest are many and varied, but to avoid retribution from the company seems a little paranoid and may turn off some fence-sitters.

I was there, and one thing I could attest to is management ALWAYS became more friendly during previous drives. Since this is a BIG drive, it will be interesting to see how the group is treated in the case of a NO vote. Just ask DD.
 
I don't think our management would do that. Not because they are noble, or principled, just because it would be counter-productive. While they will be able to relax and not worry about another union vote for the years to come, they will still have to attract new blood and control attrition, both of which are getting harder and harder.

Say what you will about SkyWest management, they have rarely shown aggressive tactics toward the pilot group as a whole. They're not out to get us

I agree!
 
No free sandwiches for at least 10 years? I guess I'll just use the $2000 I save in dues to buy lunch.

Wow, you're making $100k a year? Seems like kind of an ignorant post for someone who has been here for a while.
 
No free sandwiches for at least 10 years? I guess I'll just use the $2000 I save in dues to buy lunch.

Your dues are tax deductible. So the effective dues rate is actually lower depending on which tax bracket you are in. Think of it as an insurance policy (but better since you can deduct the premiums). Many people buy fire insurance for their homes and hope never to have to use it but when there is a wild fire that turns it into ashes, you sure are glad you paid the premiums since it has more than paid for itself.

As for the original comment, I believe ALPA will probably move onto JBL, AirTran, Virgin America, Skybus in their organizing campaign before coming back to Skywest.
 
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Wow, you're making $100k a year? Seems like kind of an ignorant post for someone who has been here for a while.

What, you're surprised? Plenty of regional pilots make $100k plus. As for your second sentence, I find the people most against ALPA seem to be the one's who have had it before or have it now. From my ex-Comair buddy who walked the picket line in 2001 to a senior United captain to a US Air jumpseater. There are a lot of very dissatisfied ALPA members right now. Perhaps they're all ignorant?
 
Perhaps they're all ignorant?

Yep, that's about the size of it. The next time you have one of these blithering idiots on your jumpseat talking smack about ALPA, ask them a few questions. Ask them the names of their three LEC Officers. Ask them the names of their three MEC Officers. Ask them the amendable date on their contract. Ask them the difference between the Executive Council and the Executive Board. Ask them to explain what the ALPA BOD is. Chances are, these imbeciles won't know the answers to any of these questions, because the average anti-ALPA mouth-breather doesn't know jack sh*& about the organization that he spends all of his time attacking. Hating ALPA has been "fashionable" for the past few years. All of the newbies hear their uninformed Captains talking crap about ALPA, so they join in too. Neither of them has a clue what they're talking about, but that doesn't matter, because it's just "cool" to hate ALPA. Finding an informed pilot that has well thought out opinions about his dislike of ALPA is a fool's errand. ALPA-haters are almost exclusively uninformed.
 
As for your second sentence, I find the people most against ALPA seem to be the one's who have had it before or have it now. From my ex-Comair buddy who walked the picket line in 2001 to a senior United captain to a US Air jumpseater. There are a lot of very dissatisfied ALPA members right now. Perhaps they're all ignorant?

ALPA is YOU and I. If YOU don't like what direction ALPA is going in, its up to YOU to do something about it. Run for an LEC rep position, volunteer to be a committee member, make a phone call to your MEC chairman, email the president of ALPA, etc but don't just point out the problems unless you are trying to come up with solutions. That is one part of being a union member. We are all adults and professionals. Its time to act like it and make a difference instead of just complaining.
 
there are plenty of regular line pilots at skywest that make 100K or more.
 
there are plenty of regular line pilots at skywest that make 100K or more.
Not really true, the average line pilot has 5-7 years on the property, $70.00ish an hour X 1000 hrs per year= $70,000 +/- a year. Those toolboxes that say 100K a year are just lying!
Just read skyturds prior posts, more lies than a prison cell full of child molesters!
PBR
 
Guys at $70 an hour can make 100K. You just have to work like a rented mule. Back to the subject of the thread. I'm on the O.C. and ALPA is not gonna give up on this pilot group any time soon.
 
nation - i've been here in the 7 to ten yr range and have worked pretty hard and NEVER came close to 100k. Hard to do when a 4 day trip pays 16.8 hours
 
I've only been here 4 and I'll make in the low 80's. you must bid for days off, and you must bid junior and/or commute to get those trips.

I didn't say everyone did, but I have enough friends who do to prove what I said.

why would I lie?
 

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