Originally Posted by JDFlyer

Thanks for an honest question, I will give an honest answer. If I was still an FO at Skywest I would vote FOR the pay proposal. Here is why:

1) Let me first say, we all deserve better pay. ALL of us, not just Skywest pilots, but industry wide pilots deserve better pay. However, United and Delta pay what they pay for sub-contract air carrier service for THEIR passengers. They reality is they don't really care who does it. They want a reasonable service standard for the lowest cost. Being a Skywest or Comair or XJET pilot and $4 will buy you a cr@p cup of coffee at Starbucks.

2) Based on the pay data provided to all Skywest pilots in the form of the SAPA Pay Proposal package that charts and graphs the pay proposal, for 2011 Skywest 50 seat CRJ FO's will be paid the HIGHEST in the industry for what they are qualified to do. Turboprop FO pay will be middle of the industry.

3) For 2011 Skywest CA's will be paid approximately 3rd or 4th highest in the industry, depending upon years of service. Up until about year 10 Express Jet, American Eagle and Mesaba pay their CA's more.

4) Our turboprop CA's will be paid about industry average.

5) Again, in my opinion the best part of all of this, for this pay issue alone, without regard to anything else, we do NOT have to pay ALPA 1.85% or 1.95% as a TAX for the pleasure of them negotiating these payrates. Skywest CRJ FO's make more money than Comair FO's, Express Jet FO's, Mesa/Freedom FO's, etc. who all pay ALPA dues.

4) Based on industry averages Skywest 50 seat CRJ FO's are doing extremely well. In fact they are doing BETTER than Skywest CA's. No message is being sent to St. George or others in the industry for voting NO. No grand statement of moral purpose is being laid out for anybody who cares to listen. Industry standard pay is industry standard pay. The only practical way a Skywest FO will make substantially more money is (1) to upgrade or (2) get hired at Delta. They just took several of our FO's. I wish them the best and a heart felt congratulations. I am sure they will do great over there.

For the lifer FO and the lifer CA, I am sure they are not happy with the pay rates. I don't know what to say, except that they choose to be lifers in their seat. Up until about 3 years ago, the upgrade door was wide open. It is now closed shut. What can I say, that is the industry we work in. THAT LITTLE REALITY IS NOT SKYWEST MANAGEMENTS FAULT OR CAUSE.

(The best airline advice I ever received was from a Continental Captain a very long time ago was: (1) get your ratings as cheaply as possible, they are all government issued and (2) NEVER, EVER pass up an upgrade opportunity. When the music stops you better be happy in the seat you are sitting, because you may be sitting there for a very, very long time.)

Perhaps an analogy is best used to finish this response. Take the McDonald's in the F Concourse at O'Hare. Those of us that work there regularly know it well. Because I am friends with a Skywest FO who's father is a big whig at McDonald's corporate in Chicago, I know that, that particular McDonalds is very, very profitable. Now if you were the owner of that McDonalds, would you pay your fry-guy, or your order-taker more than industry average for the job they are doing for you just because your particular McDonald's is a printing press for cash?

I dare predict that your answer would be a resounding NO. If the "market" price for a fry-guy is $10/hour that is what you are going to pay them. And if they will not do it for $10 but will for $11, you are a sucker as a business owner to pay the $11 if there are 10 other people with resumes in your desk who will do it for $10.

If you or any other Skywest FO votes NO, I respect your opinion. I wish other posters on this thread would respect my opinion for voting YES. As I said in an earlier post, if you vote NO, I would encourage you to volunteer your time and effort to work with your SAPA Rep to move forward with an alternate pay proposal. I am not in favor of this money staying in the hands of management any longer than it needs to. All they are going to do is keep earning interest on it, laughing all the way to the bank while we take 6 months or a year to "figure it out."

(Before anybody gets their panties in a wad because they think I am comparing the fry-guy at McDonalds to a Skywest FO, all I have to say is get over yourself. My analogy is about a fundamental business principal, not about demeaning anybody in our profession.)