Originally Posted by
Koolaidman
If SkyWest had an independent union, why would their dues be 5%?
I THINK Frontier's is 1.5% and I am sure Southwest's isn't above 1.95%. I don't know what AMR pilots pay.
FLAK, the longer you are at SkyWest, the less you will fear for your job as if you were still at an ALPA carrier. Just the truth that no ALPA supporter wants to hear. I have no problem going to my chief pilot and being honest with them without the fear of termination. Whether it be a medical situation or a screw-up in the cockpit, I don't fear I will be unjustly terminated.
Why are all of these ALPA carriers, ASA, Eagle, ComAir, Trans States and Mesa losing pilots to SkyWest? Everyone says it has nothing to do with the union, and perhaps not, but if QOL was as good as ours without the union, why leave? Simple question, if the pro-ALPA people can give a decent answer without flaming I would appreciate it.
And yes, the ASA TA has me upset and considering changing my vote. However, if you figure it took them FIVE years of negotiations to get our work rules, it makes you think why vote yes? Yes the pay is better, but the other stuff included is what we got without a union. So again, why vote in a union when it isn't necessarily needed?
And their contract certainly wasn't "industry leading" as you all had wished.
The reason for higher dues is the total amount of money raised. Running a MEC is not cheap and that is why ALPA has to subsidize the regional MEC's. Regional pilots don't make enough money for 1.95% to amount to a lot. APA and the other large independents get along on a little less percentage than ALPA because they aren't out carrying a bunch of small airlines the way ALPA does.
If you think your job is secure perhaps you should talk to Don Douglas. Well maybe it will take a month or so since he will have to be retrained after his court ordered reinstatement last week. If you are not familiar he is a SLC Brasilia captain fired about 18 months ago on some trumped up accusations that a judge found to be false. Needless to say, in addition to loosing his job, he had to pay for his legal representation which was significant. If he had been under the ALPA umbrella ALPA would have taken on the financial risk of fighting an unjustified termination.
While I don't know what it is like to work for one of the other regionals you listed, I do think there has been some movement to SKW in light of the very short upgrade times lately. When things get ugly folks tend to blame the union, which I don't understand since all the union can do is respond to management's decisions. The ability of the union to be effective is proportional to the unity of the pilots. Do you think the Mesa pilots would have it better if ALPA didn't have their backside covered?
If you think SKW is looking out for you, why isn't the SKW pay at the top of the industry? Why will you be making less (adjusted for inflation) at the end of the current pay package than when it was voted on? Why will the Brasilia not have had any adjustment to pay rates for about 10 years at the end? I've heard management argue the prop rates are already at the top of the industry, but who does SKW compete against? PIH, TWF, SGU, EKO, COD and a bunch in CA.........nobody. It's a SKW Brasilia or your not going. In the northwest SKW fly's against Horizon. Their prop pilots make more than SKW. What is the justification for expecting pilots to progressively work for less?
The reason most pilots get into the airlines is because of the pay at the majors. That pay is the result of 75 years of ALPA fighting for the pay rates we all aspire to. Along the way there have been many pilots who have stuck their necks out not only for themselves, but for the pilots who would follow them. If ALPA is voted in and SKW management takes 5 years to negotiate a contract, shame on them, but they would have shown to the world their true colors. I submit to you rising tides lift all boats and SKW being organized will help to lift all regionals. If you are planning to go to the majors those pilots will do better (rising tides) if the regionals are doing better. Don't be short sighted, it's not about how long it will take SKW to get a contract, it is about the rest of your career.