Originally Posted by
TonyWilliams
The rank and file currently has the ability to vote in reps who either support, or not, this issue. So far, the 18-ish reps that have been voted in by the pilots overwhelmingly support the current policy.
Why would anybody think the situation would change with a different pilot group structure? If only reps were voted in who support changing the policy, if would take years to get a majority. Then you have to sell it to the company, whether you're a union or not. Remember, there is reportedly at least one UNION airline (AA) that also has this policy.
Don't get me wrong. I see a need for a union, but a union does not automatically fix this.... ever. A union doesn't automatically take your issue to court. Saying that some union would go the extra mile to fix your issue is a bit like thinking that the company will also go the extra mile. It might happen; it might not.
Certainly, I can see some changes even with the current policy with the current reps. No where that I know of does it say you must be banned for life from SkyWest. Why not let me reapply?
The latest number that I got for pilot firing at SkyWest is 32. Didn't get the time frame (I think this year), but that's a bunch of fired pilots. I guess I'm one, and the crew who did the negative G's are two more. A few days after I was fired, I got a call from an EMB FO who was fired on IOE. Also, I got a call tonight from a pilot who was fired from SkW a few years ago. Interesting story.
Maybe I should start a club? STOOP: Skywest Terminated Organization Of Pilots?
I see your point. But if a union was recognized there people would know that you automatically go into negotiations. This would create the opportunity to try to change this policy with actual leverage to try to do it. If it were something of a priority to the rank and file, it could be done.
As for the firings, this was another thing I would ask people during the Skywest ALPA drive. We were given some number as well and if I remember correctly it was around the same amount as you said but for the previous year, obviously. And I would tell them that these were just the ones we know about. Like I said, comopanies don't air their dirty laundry. Even where I work, I don't know the actual number of people that get fired each year unless I actually call my MEC chairman and ask him directly.
The point is that there may have been a few people that may have not deserved to be fired. There are always those who porpusely comprimise safety and they desereve what they get but if only ONE of those 32 was fired unjustly, then its a tragedy. That is why there needs to be a mechanism to keep everyone on the up and up.
This just doesn't resonate with pilots there even though there was a real life actual example of it with DD happening at that very time. They just seem to think that its one or two issolated cases and that it wont happen to them. Maybe it wont happen to them but it shouldn't happen to anyone. But again, that didn't really matter to them. To each his own I guess.
Good luck