Originally Posted by
WAVIT Inbound
As someone who is starting to put in resume's I have on question that no one seems to want to answer: If SkyWest is so bad why are so many 121 pilot's quitting their current job's to go there? It just seems to me that if having the union is so great and wonderful and makes their job's sooooo much better why quit your job at a unionized 121 carrier to go to that awful non-unionized SkyWest? Seems ironic to me but I seriously want to know.
You need to read your posts more carefully. Skywest is not a bad place to work. I have never said it was, and don't think anyone on these forums who works here has said so either. And yes, many 121 pilots are coming over here. However, there are major issues going on that need addressing. As mentioned before, with the advent of PBS, many of us are forced to work insane schedules, those that would never have been seen before with hard line, traditional bidding. I personally saw one such schedule which had 14 duty days scheduled in a 16 day period. That's only 2 days off in a 16 day period, all for only straight pay. This is how the company can afford to understaff and get away with it, PBS is allowed to force any flying on you it wants while it creates your schedule. It became very clear that this system is only a benefit to management, and maybe for some very senior crewmembers.
Some other things: Management's recent "reinterpretation" of their cancellation pay policy, which amounts to less compensation if any of your day gets cancelled. Management's "pen-stroke" policy change to the alcohol and duty time policy (yes, this was finally rescinded, but it was a blatant violation of the agreement between management and SAPA), and I could go on.
Once again, Skywest is not an awful place to work. I like it here, otherwise I would not have been here for the past 3 years. However, I think having some sort of legally binding representation (not necessarily ALPA) would benefit the pilot group as a whole. It would give us an enforceable contract, and prevent management from imposing whatever they wish upon us, whenever they want.