Flyboydan

Fellow Skyway Pilots,



It is with great sadness that we must report to you management�s actions regarding a severance pay package for the pilots.



As you know, we initially met with management on January 17 to discuss this issue. We gave them a proposal that mirrored the severance package the company is giving to all other Skyway employees who are losing their jobs. Yesterday, February 13, MEC Chairman Captain Randy Schmidt and MEC Secretary-Treasurer Captain Ken Nelson met with CEO David Reeve, Director of Operations Gary Gunderson, and Director of Human Resources Sean Field and received management�s written response.



It is with bitter disappointment that we must report to you that management has refused to extend to us, the Skyway pilots, the same severance pay package that it has given to all other Skyway employees. Although Midwest Air Group Chairman Tim Hoeksema said publicly that all employees losing their jobs would receive severance and other assistance, it is now clear that the Skyway pilots will not receive any severance pay, nor will we receive the COBRA cost-sharing package that has been given to everyone else.



In addition to excluding pilots from the severance pay package that has been given to all other employees, management�s proposal offered little value that is not already required by law. In exchange, they wanted work rule changes such as allowing captains to be assigned as first officers that may double their exposure to JA.



We asked the company to reconsider their position. We pointed out that we are the same as the non-union employees as there is no requirement either in the law or in our contract requiring severance benefits and we see no reason that the pilots should be singled out this way. Mr. Reeve simply replied that the Skyway pilots have had the benefit of a collective bargaining agreement for ten years while the other employees haven�t.



We are glad that our fellow employees are not being deprived of severance benefits � including the recently organized Skyway Flight Attendants; the company tells us that since they don�t have a contract, they will receive the benefits.



The Skyway pilots will have those benefits provided by their contract and the law:



- Unless you voluntarily resign giving less than two week�s notice, you will be paid the value of your 2008 vacation;
- The WARN Act provides for 60 days of pay and benefits from the time the company gave ALPA notice of the April 6, 2008 shutdown- you will be paid through the shutdown unless you elect to leave sooner;
- Under COBRA, you will be eligible to buy the company�s health insurance for 18 months so long as you pay 100% of the cost.


More information on these will be provided shortly.



The bottom line: Skyway management is punishing its pilots for having union representation and a collectively bargained contract. Clearly, this vindictive and mean-spirited targeting of the Skyway pilots by management is discriminatory, anti-union, and anti-ALPA. We are considering all of our legal options.



We understand and share your outrage at the company�s actions. However, we know that you will remain professional. We will let you know if management contacts us with any information that improves this ugly situation.



Please continue to Fly Safely,



Your SYX MEC

rickair7777

Lesson Learned: If you go the union route, expect to be TOTALLY responsible for every single aspect of your pay, benefits, and job security. If it's not in the contract (in Iron-Clad legal language) you won't be getting it.

You personally have little control over the details of contracts hashed out by the union, so it is vital that you elect the right people, and that they get professional help in the process. I have personally seen this fail on both counts.

ALPA national needs to be far more aggressive about vetting both the intent and actual language in regional contracts.

Of course anything you negotiate will cost you something else...would any pilot group be willing to take a pay cut to ensure a severance package that they would probably never need?

JetJock16

I'm sure it won't happen but every single pilot at Skyway should put in their 2 weeks notice (that way you get your vacation pay out) and just quit. See if they can run the airline up until Apr 6th with NO PILOTS. Screw the company! If they're not showing any loyalty to you than **** them. It will cost them TENS of MILLIONS in the end and you'll get the last laugh.

TonyWilliams

Sounds like a union sponsored job action.

I might suggest competent legal advise before taking any action on this one, or you might not be laughing at the end.

JetJock16

There are no laws that mandate they stay until the end and if they work out their two weeks, just as the company has suggested, there is nothing that can be done seeing their right to leave is their right under the law. I don’t suggest they all put their two weeks in at the same time but they can all easily do it over a week or two or three; hey Apr 6 is more than 7 ½ weeks away.

It is in their interest to make their own decisions.