Another Skywest ALPA Drive

Pat and others, I would simply hope you keep an open mind, evaluate the information as it comes, and form an opinion based on facts not rhetoric.

Whatever opinion you form, I hope you can put into words as to 'why' you believe it is best for you and for your company.
 
pat84106 said:
Its not just the 2%, you make it seem like nothing bad can happen once alpa is voted in. We are a regional airline, it will and has ALWAYS been about being the cheapest. We don't fly for oursleves we bid of RFPs from other airlines if we get out of a certain cost box we shoot ourselves in the foot. Just look at our bad luck with the recent UAL RFPs and imagine that to become the norm.

Would you rather be stagnent for 3 years but make 2 or 3 bucks more or have more movement which leads to better pairings and QOL due to a higher relative seniority?

Also why alpa? Their mission is to make sure regionals get as little flying as possible, how can you expect to have them represent our best interests?



I still don't understand what you mean by my "location". I am sick of people attacking SLC and thinking that we're all just a bunch of crazy mormons, I live in SLC because I like the city there are low taxes and crime and I live close to work, It is the only city in the Skywest system with a low cost of living.
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If having a union meant no success, then how do you explain all the other unions carriers continuing to receive flying? II don't think that argument holds much weight with the 22 a/c order from expressjet just announced.
 
pat84106 said:
Would you rather be stagnent for 3 years but make 2 or 3 bucks more or have more movement which leads to better pairings and QOL due to a higher relative seniority?
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Be careful with this. Believe me if and when another union drive occurs, rumors will abound for new flying right around the corner. It would be wise to look at the history of those rumors along with what happened after the vote.

Is it not true one reason for a 'no' vote last time was for the ability to better adapt to obtain more flying... how much additional flying has been obtained vs how much has been lost since the union was voted down? How much earning potential have you lost? Which healthcare plan were you on? Are you a foreign born pilot? Did you participate in the company stock program? How did your most recent bonus check compare to the last?

I don't think you'll find anybody who really thinks ALPA is a panacea to anything and everything. But you have to evaluate the current trend, then ask yourself which is the better option.
 
mrivc211 said:
If having a union meant no success, then how do you explain all the other unions carriers continuing to receive flying? II don't think that argument holds much weight with the 22 a/c order from expressjet just announced.
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Have you heard the rumors of what they did to get that flying and how much they are getting paid to do it?
 
pat84106 said:
Also why alpa? Their mission is to make sure regionals get as little flying as possible, how can you expect to have them represent our best interests?
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Your interests are represented by elected persons at YOUR airline. Your union is what YOU make of it. If the pilot group votes in ALPA and no one does their job, it will fail. ALPA National will give your pilot group the tools it needs to succeed, its your pilot groups job to make sure you use those tools to succeed.

And you clearly dont know how many things you probably take for granted on a day to day basis that ALPA managed to negotiate for you, a non-union, non-ALPA pilot.
 
pat84106 said:
Have you heard the rumors of what they did to get that flying and how much they are getting paid to do it?
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Again, be careful with rumors. Facts hold much more weight. Fact is, unionized ExpressJet gained flying. Non-unionized Skywest did not.
 
pat84106 said:
Its not just the 2%, you make it seem like nothing bad can happen once alpa is voted in. We are a regional airline, it will and has ALWAYS been about being the cheapest. We don't fly for oursleves we bid of RFPs from other airlines if we get out of a certain cost box we shoot ourselves in the foot. Just look at our bad luck with the recent UAL RFPs and imagine that to become the norm.
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Obviously an union will not prevent an airline from going under, but an union can protect pilots from that struggling (or thriving) airline. If you already see problems with the cost of your airline preventing new flying, what do you think management is going to do? Are you willing to sacrifice whatever it takes for management to lower the costs, something you will have no say in?

pat84106 said:
Would you rather be stagnent for 3 years but make 2 or 3 bucks more or have more movement which leads to better pairings and QOL due to a higher relative seniority?
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What happens when you are stagnant AND you don't have that extra 2 or 3 bucks AND the other things an union can offer?

pat84106 said:
You shouldn't have to pay for anything.
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Then you shouldn't receive any benefits that the union has gained for the pilot group.

For what it's worth, I am not an airline pilot nor belong to any union.
 
Eroding Quality of Life since the last ALPA drive:

*Employee Stock Purchase Program
*Loss of PPO
*Non-US citizens pay for SIM
*No Pay for Deice
*no COLA increases

to name a few
 
mrivc211 said:
Eroding Quality of Life since the last ALPA drive:

*Employee Stock Purchase Program
*Loss of PPO
*Non-US citizens pay for SIM
*No Pay for Deice
*no COLA increases

to name a few
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Wow, any one of those items listed are easily prevented by having a CBA. But the Deice.....that's nothing more than pilot pushing. Wanna get paid to work???....then save the company money by not getting a spray down. HORRIBLE!!! Sounds like your mgmt team is in lock-step with the rest of the industry scumbags. :(
 
Cruise said:
Wow, any one of those items listed are easily prevented by having a CBA. But the Deice.....that's nothing more than pilot pushing. Wanna get paid to work???....then save the company money by not getting a spray down. HORRIBLE!!! Sounds like your mgmt team is in lock-step with the rest of the industry scumbags. :(
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It's not actually "no pay for de-ice"--it's a combination of the company, United, and how ORD works that leads to not getting paid for it. At ORD, we get sprayed after closing the door but prior to push. UAL only wants to pay us after we call for push, so they have had auditors swarming the place recording out times vs. pushback clearance calls. The grief they've given the company has led to constant reminders that we shouldn't drop the brake until cleared to push. End result=no pay for deice in ORD.

For what it's worth, I guess GoJets has found a way to pay their guys from door close to block in while charging United the block times they expect.
 
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