Unfortunately, representation offered by ALPA really isn't representation at all. The RLA is outdated and companies have learned how to exploit their employees. The reason Skywest can not pay pilots properly, take away health benifits, and whatever else they please is because they can compete with the lowest of the low. Mesa pilots did agree to their contract but the ALPA National President at the time DW decided to sign it as well. The race to the bottom started with ALPA which is unfortunate. Unionized pilots at the regional level were sold out by those who were suppossedly representing them.
ALPA does offer great benefits which cost extra outside of dues. They greive everything and don't seem (nothing to back this with) to win many of them. They killed seniority at USAir and set a precedent that they can't even negotiate between two of their own pilot groups much less management.
Unions are definitely a must, but I think Skywest pilots would be much better off contacting airlines presently using in house unions.
If ALPA wants to get Skywest on the property they should start by taking care of those they already represent. I came from another ALPA 121 carrier and they did nothing for me while I was there. In fact they hurt me more than they helped me. They should also start educating private pilots on their way to becoming professional airline pilots.
Skywest doesn't pay their pilots "properly" because NOTHING stops their management from paying them whatever they think is the minimum they can get away with. I don't blame them either, as management, its their job to cut costs where ever they can. Its the union job to balance that. Look at Horizon and XJT, their contracts are pretty good and they are able to compete. Don't sell yourselves short.
This is one of the reasons why ALPA wants to organize Skywest. Other regional ALPA pilots get together for strategizing sessions in order to mitigate whipsawing. If Skywest were in the mix, it would vastly improve that effort.
As for Mesa, you have to remember they were dealing with the alter ego Freedom. They gave up A LOT of negotiating capitol to include alter ego airlines in their scope clause. So much negotiating capital that they didn't have nearly enough to take care of other areas of their contract. But at least you don't see Mesa and Freedom being whipsawed and bringing the profession down even more. That is why DW signed it. You can disagree with the reasoning but its a valid point. Again, this is partly why ALPA feels its important to bring Skywest into the tent, to mitigate whipsawing.
Why shouldn't ALPA grieve everything that is legitimately a contract violation. You are not insinuating that they will actually greive something that is per the contract. That doesn't make sense.
As for USAirways, ALPA national had NOTHING to do with that. When two ALPA carriers merge their seniority lists, its respective negotiating committees negotiate among THEMSELVES. ALPA national only provides the merger policy. The two pilot groups decide what method to use to integrate their seniority list They come to an agreement or they send it to BINDING arbitration. When USAirways sent their case to arbitration, the arbitrator later came back with the decision but told the East pilots they were NOT going to like it so he would give them another chance to negotiate among themselves. The East pilots didn't want any part of that so the arbitrator rendered his binding decision. So how did ALPA kill seniority. Its not ALPA national unable to negotiate, its the two pilot groups unable to negotiate.
This is a huge misconception. Remember, ALPA is actually an ASSOCIATION. Each airline is affiliated to ALPA but they are for all intents and purposes for seniority integration, their OWN union (that just happens to be associated with ALPA). It was America West and USAirways pilots who couldn't negotiate with themselves. ALPA national had nothing to do with that fact.
If Skywest called airlines with in house unions, ask them if they purchase any of ALPA's services or if they have ever recieved help from ALPA's services free of charge. Ask them if they ever meet with ALPA carriers for strategizing? And ask them why?
I'm sorry if you were "hurt" by ALPA at your other 121 carrier. But remember, each airline is independent on how they run their union. Its only as good as its volunteers. Personally, I feel that people should get more involved especially if they were "wronged" so that that doesn't happen to a fellow pilot.
I do agree with you that they should hit the flight schools though.
Fly safe
