gojo

And yet most at Skywest would happily move onto a major airline with ALPA. I obviously know there are differences between the two, but why not support it throughout your career? To not do so and denounce ALPA seems like double standards to me. ASAP, HIMS, KCM, to name a few are things ALPA has put money into to make things better for this industry. Skywest is not innovative in anything I know of with the exception of being non-union and using methods or programs that others have created. Sometimes at great financial expense to ALPA. Have you heard about NAI? That is a real threat to this industry and it's just one example of what a portion of ALPA dues is used to fight this. It may make a big difference later in your career. So something to think about, what would this industry be like without ALPA, and what would Skywest have without Alpa in the industry?

veewan

Fair points. But saying there's a union does not mean conditions are necessarily better was the point. ALPA at the national level definitely does some good work. Point in case NAI.

Could SkyWest see ALPA in their future? Possibly.

To play devil's advocate let's imagine SkyWest votes in ALPA. Would you advise a wet R-ATP pilot to go to Mesa over SkyWest since they have had ALPA longer?

gojo

No, I certainly wouldn't advise that. My point is that I continually hear or read from the Skywest clan about how worthless Alpa is. Yet all of them enjoy things that Alpa fought for. It doesn't make sense to me.

AirBat

Yes, cpz Alpa couldn't prevent the IOCC fiasco but there is a grievance and guess what this stuff doesn't just happen instantly. It'll go to arbitration. At least that's an option vs "suck it up buttercup".

gojo

I'm not saying they're perfect.

threeighteen

Great Lakes had KCM when I was there a while ago. We never paid a cent for it.

TheFly

Stop smoking ALPA crack. I'm not saying some entity that represents the pilot group isn't necessary. However, a union that represents the contractor and its subcontractors isn't going to work. It may have benefits on the Major level, but on the regional level absolutely not. All the regional airlines that have traditionally had the worst pay and work rules have been represented by the same union that represents their mainline affiliates. Mesa, Great Lakes, Republic, GoJet...shall we continue?

gojo

Stop drinking Skywest koolaid and realize that almost everything they offer comes off the backs of dues payers everywhere else. NAI is a great example of why everyone should be involved even at the regional level. You continue to enjoy things that ALPA national has fought hard for even at the regional level. It isn't free, and why you think you're above contributing blows me away.

minimwage4

Don't go with anything Hulas operated. It's a dead end.

Bombardier Stev

Regarding the ALPA/Teamsters/SAPA discussion: The Trans States management, TSA, Gojet, Compass, are totally happy with their unions because they have no power, they are as worthless as unions can be. When something is grieved, when a pilot is terminated, Trans States does not fight the grieved issue. They argue that the grievance was not filed properly, or not on time, or sent to the wrong person. They then have to have an arbitration about whether the grievance can be arbitrated. That process takes just under a year, 11 months. After Trans States loses that battle, then they just ignore the union's requests for the arbitration. Again, the reason simply does not matter, its time they want. After 4 to 6 months the union has to go to federal court for a suit to compel arbitration. That's another few months to over a year. So you are up to at least 2 years. The union does not really want to do anything because that costs money. The Union reps are gone after 2 years and new guys are in. It never ends, people just give up. Don't forget the reasoning behind the preference for Arbitration, it is fast and inexpensive. Trans states has turned that around. So placing too much faith in the union might be a mistake. The thing to look at is the integrity of the company leaders.