What do you think will happen to ASA?

[Medeco]

but what can we do - our CNC just last week told us in recurrent pilots they are sure of a release - and they know sw will settle before a strike. they wont back down - not even a little. it was mentioned to the CNC that we would not get released by the nmb before the summer and they told everyone it was coming. how could anyone think that?

they are also telling the recurent classes that the alpa vote is a done-deal? where do they get thier confidence from?

i feel like the CNC is playing poker with my future?

Hey Skipper,

Why dont you try making a bit of sense?

Which vote are your speaking of, Skywest Alpa?

Did you stand up and say to YOUR CNC, that they are playing poker with your future?

These guys are well aware of the end results.

Medeco

 

[VeeOne]

I'm no chest-pounder, and in my position it's possible I may never go to another airline. But negotiations are full of tough talk from both sides of the table. I'm not going to be intimidated by rhetoric, especially when that rhetoric goes against what would be good business sense on the part of the company. And if in fact the company would rather do the illogical and inflict pain on itself by putting us out of business and out of a job, then I'll be forced to move on. But I'm not going to be taken advantage of in either case. It's a matter of principle (which there is very little of any more), and I have enough spine to stand on my principles.

Is this the kind of good business sense that sends 30 CRJ-900's to ATL with a crew base. Not to mention the added cost of an infrastructure that is seperate than ours (maintenance, etc.). Seems to me JA is making good of his threats and promises, and that we keep trying the same blind stunts over, and over, and over, and over, again. No, it has gone much farther than rhetoric and negotiating leverage.

 

[VeeOne]

All of you guys talking about how the CRJ 200s will be replaced one-for-one with CRJ 900s... I have news for you. They can't.

There is a scope limit of the amount of 76-seat airplanes. I'm sure a Delta pilot can correct me, but it was 30 airplanes initially, with a 3-to-1 ratio for every additional mainline airplane on property. Delta has pretty much awarded every 900 that they have the ability to, as they only have a handful of mainline deliveries scheduled.

I also believe that there is a 200 aircraft limit of the combined total of 70- and 76-seat class airplanes. There are more than 200 50-seat airplanes flying around. So, there will still be a need for 50-seat airplanes. Now, do I believe that the 50-seat market is dead? Yes. Old Comair birds are already being sent to the desert, and it won't be too long before ship 820 has reached its design life. Will there be a new design replacement for these airplanes? I have no idea. But I wouldn't worry about the 900 replacement issue, as Delta can only operate so many of these types of airplanes.

This sounds like the same inductive reasoning that bit us in the @$$ a few months ago with the CRJ900 issues. We were convinced that those were coming here to ASA, weren't we? So far, the assumptions of our MEC/LEC are biting us in the butt and seem to be falling WAY off point. Perhaps it's time they come clean and paint another picture of just what we are asking for will get us. Watch the uproar of the pilot group if ALPA were to admitt that our desires (scope, retirement, industry LEADING pay, COLA, and RETRO) would put ASA in a place for replacement.

Everytime this is brought up, the reference is always given to becoming average once that other carriers have negotiated their contracts. What if we don't get a labor friendly administration in 08 and it takes them, like us, 6-7 years for a new contract?

 

[MONKEY]

ALPA national is running the whole show

but what can we do - our CNC just last week told us in recurrent pilots they are sure of a release - and they know sw will settle before a strike. they wont back down - not even a little. it was mentioned to the CNC that we would not get released by the nmb before the summer and they told everyone it was coming. how could anyone think that?

they are also telling the recurent classes that the alpa vote is a done-deal? where do they get thier confidence from?

i feel like the CNC is playing poker with my future?

This is going to be an interesting showdown. ALPA has put itself in a tough position. It has promised to represent the best interests of the ASA pilot's, They are also trying to grow their business (2% from each and every SkyWest pilot). There is a conflict there for sure, but many refuse to see it or they refuse to admit it. ALPA has to tow a hard line, because if ASA settles for SkyWest plus 1%, then SkyWest pilots will look at ALPA as money wasted. IE pay 2% to make an extra 1%.

It has been said on these boards (and you know that if it is on flight info it must be true), that if INC's offer was put out to the pilot group that it would be accepted. Let me start off by saying that I am not advicating that it should be accepted, but if this is true ALPA has taken the position that the rank and file don't know what is best for them. Is this because the rank and file truely do not know what is best for them, or is it that ALPA cannot settle for the small increase over SkyWest rates because they will lose SkyWest's money?

The only middle ground I can see is getting a deal that guarantees ASA a % of any new growth and fight for an additional code share. We all know that MESA is on the way out on the United contract. If ALPA could get a deal with a guaranteed % of new growth, that would be the only motivation for SkyWest pilots to go ALPA. Once this occurs then there would be leverage for a single carrier potition.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Here are some quotes from the recent Pilot2Pilot conference call:

"We are comfortable with our position with the board (NMB)"

"The only logical outcome is a release"

We are:
"quite far apart on rates"
"very far on retro"
"very far on scope"

JR, the CNC Chairman said:

"We are trying to get a better contract to show Skywest - We want to look good to Skywest so they will see value in ALPA"

A question was asked about how Mesa, CHQ, and EGL achieved single lists. JR said "I don't know, you will have to ask Danny or Nick". Is everyone comfortable with the fact that the Chairman of the CNC didn't know how other carriers achieved a single list?

 

[ASARJMan]

JR, the CNC Chairman said:
"We are trying to get a better contract to show Skywest - We want to look good to Skywest so they will see value in ALPA"

I was in on that call, and I don't recall JR saying that Joey.

 

[JoeMerchant]

I was in on that call, and I don't recall JR saying that Joey.

I have a tape of the call..... it was said early on in the call......

He also said that we cannot legally negotiate a single list... which is false. What little faith I had was shattered.....

 

[sweptback]

I have a tape of the call..... it was said early on in the call......

Prove it then. Make a mp3 of the tape and upload it on one of the many free upload sites.

 

[~~~^~~~]

I have a tape of the call..... it was said early on in the call......

He also said that we cannot legally negotiate a single list... which is false. What little faith I had was shattered.....

I know our MEC knows better. Sorry to be uninformed, but when was this conference call?

Our CNC and MEC have recently refocused on scope (thanks in large part to your prodding) and I had hoped based on what I had been told that they finally got their heading set correctly.

You are correct. If JR said this, it is alarming!

Monkey - Excellent post, Sir.

 

[wms]

Is this the kind of good business sense that sends 30 CRJ-900's to ATL with a crew base. Not to mention the added cost of an infrastructure that is seperate than ours (maintenance, etc.). Seems to me JA is making good of his threats and promises, and that we keep trying the same blind stunts over, and over, and over, and over, again. No, it has gone much farther than rhetoric and negotiating leverage.

Sending a few -900s to ATL is just a way to get in our face. Starting a pilot base without extensive infrastructure is cheap, relatively speaking. A few moving expenses, some pilots being reshuffled, etc. SKYW has always been quick to open and close bases, it's not a big thing to them. They upped the ante, but they haven't gone all-in. They did the same thing when our -700s went to SLC. It was because of DAL's scope, but mgmt played up the "you can get it back if you're cheaper" talk to the SKYW pilots and it worked.

 

[michael707767]

All of you guys talking about how the CRJ 200s will be replaced one-for-one with CRJ 900s... I have news for you. They can't.

There is a scope limit of the amount of 76-seat airplanes. I'm sure a Delta pilot can correct me, but it was 30 airplanes initially, with a 3-to-1 ratio for every additional mainline airplane on property. Delta has pretty much awarded every 900 that they have the ability to, as they only have a handful of mainline deliveries scheduled.

I also believe that there is a 200 aircraft limit of the combined total of 70- and 76-seat class airplanes. .

He is correct about everything, execpt on the aircraft deliveries at Delta. Delta is adding 13 757s this year, and in 08 will be adding 4-5 777s and at least 10 737-700s. With the limit of 200 combined total of 70 and 76 seat aircraft, I think the limit will be reached in the next year or two. Will be intresting to see what happens. My guess is Delta will ask for relief on the 200 number, continuing to tie 900s to mainline deliveries.

 

[ASARJMan]

I have a tape of the call..... it was said early on in the call......

He also said that we cannot legally negotiate a single list... which is false. What little faith I had was shattered.....

Sorry, but I do not recall that being said JB. If it was, I sure as hell missed it, and I was awake at the beginning of the call! Your faith wasn't shattered John, it was never there in the first place.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Sorry, but I do not recall that being said JB. If it was, I sure as hell missed it, and I was awake at the beginning of the call! Your faith wasn't shattered John, it was never there in the first place.

You're right ASARJMan, I don't have any faith in ALPA anymore. I have watched too many ALPA induced train wrecks. Go over an look at the National ALPA message board. The age 60 trainwreck and USAir/AWA merger trainwreck are tearing ALPA apart. There are guys threatening to cross each others picket lines over there.

JR said the part about "trying to get a better contract to show Skywest" early on. Later in the call, DU (Capt. Rep.) corrects JR, and says we aren't going to go after more just to influence the Skywest election. I have faith in Danny, I just think he is 1 against 3 right now..... he was part of the wrong coalition.....

Danny gets it..... I'm just afraid the others don't.......

 

[JoeMerchant]

I know our MEC knows better. Sorry to be uninformed, but when was this conference call?

Our CNC and MEC have recently refocused on scope (thanks in large part to your prodding) and I had hoped based on what I had been told that they finally got their heading set correctly.

You are correct. If JR said this, it is alarming!

Monkey - Excellent post, Sir.

I heard it with my own ears..... Danny was the only voice of reason..... He corrected what JR said about allowing "external factors" to drive these negotiations. Sounded like they didn't agree on things. JR made it very clear that this part of an ALPA national agenda....

 

[ASARJMan]

JR said the part about "trying to get a better contract to show Skywest" early on. Later in the call, DU (Capt. Rep.) corrects JR, and says we aren't going to go after more just to influence the Skywest election. ......

I think you're taking this out of context John. I believe JR meant we will get a good and fair contract. This will show the SKYW pilots what resolve will accomplish is what I sincerely believe JR meant.

As for DU, I again believe you're taking it out of context. DU meant we weren't going after a "sky-high" contract just to influence the SKYW election. But we are going after a fair and just contract with meaningful work rules, pay, and scope. On that the entire MEC/CNC is in agreement, amd the majority of ASA pilots.

Maybe you ought to provide your 'tape' for all to listen to so they can draw their own conclusions on what was said, and the intent it had.