SkyWest - Lost Campaign
 

I guess the company is in the "eye of the beholder"...

Below is an article published in Air Line Pilot, January 2008 edition. He has some pretty strong words which I found interesting to say the least.

"Just wanted to take a minute to thank you for your attempt to help us organize at SkyWest. I do appreciate the time your people spent answering questions. I spent a lot of time in Denver at Heidi's and learned a lot. I am sorry that our pilots could not see through the line of bull being forced on us by management and some select pilots. Those who did not vote - thus causing us the lose - will see how our management will treat us over the next 4-5 years, until another union drive. They will see how little our management considers us and see how it will slowly take our pay and benefits away from us. I wish I could have done more, but am not sure what. I talked to pilots and spoke with the first officers I flew with. Those who did not vote will truly see what our management is capable of. Hopefully I will be able to secure other employement before that happens. Again, thank you for the information, people, work, and food. I, for one, am very appreciative of the effort."

Capt. Chad Hightower (SkyWest)

I have no dog in the hunt at SKW...and EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion. Personally Unions are a necessary thing in this business in my opinion. The SKW pilots spoke otherwise. Only time will tell how this will play out. Good luck to all of you at SKW.

In the past 10 years there have been 3 Union Drives and every single time the same people threaten and predict that if skywest votes down the union we will turn in to mesa and every single time they are proven wrong and our managment team keep their promise of revisiting pay issues. SAPA is currently negotiating a new pay package for us an will have it done very soon.

Standard 10-Q/10-K verbiage. The securities attorneys are just practicing a little CYA.

Doesn't mean its not true. Thats my point. If people actually paid attention to Skywest management in the only forum they are required by federal laws and regulations to tell the truth, they would know that...oh well you guys know what I mean. I guess its just water under the bridge. Although it would be nice to see someone other than Skywest management actually admit that they only pay what they pay because of other collective bargaining.

Look, I want the SKYW guys to be paid what they're worth. Unfortunately their bark has no bite with respect to SAPA. SAPA has no legal grounds to negotiate anything. They can suggest certain things to management but when it comes down to it, management has no legal obligation to conform as a union carrier would.

This is exactly why ASA guys have felt some bad blood towards their SkyWest counterpart.

It's a legitimate business risk that the investor should be made aware of, so this information disclosed. It seems to me that you're putting words in the mouth of management by reading too far info this.

However, I agree that the statement may elude to the reason behind the pay scale we have.

Not only should the inverter be made aware of it, but the pilots should be made aware of it as well that:

"Any new collective bargaining agreements entered into by other regional carriers may also result in higher industry wages and increased pressure on us to increase the wages and benefits of our employees. Future agreements with unionized and non-unionized employees may be on terms that are not as attractive as our current agreements or comparable to agreements entered into by our competitors."

I have put no words in Skywest management. This was taken word for word from their SEC filling. I provided a link for anyone to see for themselves that in fact this 'may' be the "reason behind the pay scale [you] have."