Originally Posted by
reelbigchair
You don't have to convince me, but you DO have to convince another 15% of our pilots. My opinion on anything is, if something hasn't worked a half dozen times, you should probably change the approach.
This is the mentality I'm talking about. Its not that something hasn't worked a half dozen times. Its that there is different amount of leverage from company to company. Mesa for example, they used up most of their leverage in their scope clause in order to reign in their alter ego airline. Like I said, things would have been MUCH MUCH worse without a union at places like Mesa, TSA, etc but people dont understand that and expect that everything should be as if their airline was successful and run by a competent management group. Its just unrealistic to think that ANY union can make things happen in an instant.
Again, my approach is to tell it like it is. ALPA is not omnipotent or perfect. But a union does mitigate a lot of things that would otherwise be worse. If the truth isn't good enough for people than nothing will.
Originally Posted by
texaspilot76
I don't envy Skywest, but I do think they are a great company. Everyone wants to go there. Even my buddy, who could get on with most other regionals, is waiting until Skywest calls him. Why? From what I hear, it is because Skywest has good pay and work rules. And I firmly feel that is due to them being a non-union company. Companies reward their employees for hard work and loyalty, not ganging up to buck the system.
Yes but considering they have more than $700 MILLION in the bank and made about $150 MILLION last year, their "at-will" work rules and pay should be just a little bit more. Maybe just a bit more than the next more successful regional. I don't think that is too much to ask.
Anyways, I dont think their pilots were rewarded enough for their hard work and loyalty in defeating the ALPA vote.
Originally Posted by
texaspilot76
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stated my opinion to all you union guys. I will just state the facts:
1. Skywest is in the top 3 for pay among regionals.
2. Skywest has no shortage of qualified applicants, unlike other regionals.
3. Skywest has no union.
There you go, just the facts.
Skywest should be the undisputed, without a doubt, THEE best paid regional considering their continued success. Without a union, that will probably never happen.
Originally Posted by
texaspilot76
50 seat RJ pay:
Year 1: XJT = $23 SKW = $22 OK, I'll give them a dollar
Year 2: XJT = $34 SKW = $35 But take it right back
Year 3: XJT = $37 SKW = $37
Sounds like the same to me.
XJT: not hiring = no shortage of applicants.
And why are they making just as much as XJT when they should be getting paid more considering Skywest's balance sheet? By the way, XJT's COLA is 3% compared to Skywest's 1%.
Originally Posted by
ExperimentalAB
Okay, so the only difference between SkyWest and XJet now is ALPA...what's your point? Different strokes for different folks, er...companies, my friend.
Point is that without a union Skywest pilots will never get more than just at or around ASA rates when they should be the FDX/UPS of the regional industry.
Originally Posted by
ExperimentalAB
Absolutely - we at SkyWest know nothing of work-rules ...Why must all ya'll on APC be righteous in all things ALPA/SkyWest - telling us that what we have is not worthy of our talent etc...? I already have one set of parents - I don't need an extended-nuclear family on APC!
Because what you have affects us all especially when your company is thee most successful regional. We are not your parents but we are your neighbors and would just like you guys to get some landscaping to bring the value of our homes up.
Originally Posted by
Sniper
True, but the Republic rate is for E-175's, which are larger than anything Skywest flies.
The real judge of an airline, in my
opinion, is the work rules and QOL. It's hard to gauge what 'the best' is in this area. If you live in Salt Lake, Skywest will likely be a better choice than any airline but Delta, and even that is debatable (if NWA and DL merge, what happens, plus SLC is not a junior base for DL, so you'd have to commute to the job for a bit - the lack of commute being the the whole reason you'd choose DL, likely) - in short, if you're living comfortably, then why leave?
Considering what others are getting and the apparent shortage of pilots @ the regional new-hire level, I would think Skywest could have done better for their junior ranks, and the EMB guys. Would they have done better if they were ALPA or union at all? That is impossible to know, but we all can speculate.
Part of QOL is whether you are an "at-will" employee or not. But considering that with a union recognized by the National Mediation Board has, by that virtue alone, has more leverage, its hard to see how they can not do better than what they were given by management.
Originally Posted by
JetJock16
The E-jet has a longer range (200 nm) but was designed for 2 less seats and due to basic designs burns a bit more fuel. No JSJ, just basic facts. They both serve there purposes and both should be mainline.
Amen, and I would take a bit farther and say that any jet over 30 seats should have been at mainline.