Why not take a look, and if it's not good, then say "see you in 2010"?

 

Only because I fear we'll be roped in if we open that can of worms. I don't trust the MEC not to cave, and I don't trust the apathetic pilot group to vote it down if its a POS. If the union decides to go for it, the company will try to scare the pilots into voting yes, and the union will say "it's our best option right now". We've seen it all before.

 

This coming from the same person that joined forces with JB and advocated that the MEC cave on the 07 contract?

 

Smart move IMO. Lord knows what kind of position we would be in right now if we didn't have a contract...

Now more than ever it is time for both sides to throw their egos aside and work this situation out. They're not asking for a massive pay cut and our management is not led by Frank Lorenzo. We need to negotiate.

 

I was waiting for the personal attack. You did not disappoint. Some people never change *sigh*

To set the record straight, I never "joined forces with JB". He and I happened to agree on this one issue, which should tell you something since we don't agree on much.

We agreed that the contract was originally supposed to be a QOL bump and it was foolhardy to turn it into a $$$ bump. We predicted we would price ourselves out of the game (that prediction seems to be coming true). We called on the MEC to wrap it up and put it out for vote.

What really polarized us on the issue was being told by the junior FO rep (in front of witnesses) [quote] "We know it would pass, but we won't put it out. The pilots are stupid and don't know what's good for them". It appears the union still has this opinion since your own Wilson polling shows the pilot group overwhelmingly opposes PBS, yet they endorsed negotiating it.

I know who you are. Actually quite a few people do. It would serve you, your committee, and the MEC well to sign your name to your posts, or keep your mouth shut on the forums, lest you kill whatever shred of credibility this MEC has left. Especially since you had a large part in this decision to negotiate it. Hiding behind a screen name and sniping the MEC's opponents, hoping to kill their credibility, is no way to have an open dialog about such an important issue.

 

I really do think things have been getting better at ASA in terms of the pilot management relationship. However, this doesn't mean that our relationship will be bad if we hold this until the next contract. I will even support it if there is an LOA that states management will give pay increases at a minimum of the inflationary index that has existed the last 5 years. I don't think that is a unfounded idea. I understand that we are in a tough economic condition and we should all try to cooperate. PBS will save the company millions of dollars, why can't we in turn ask for a percentage of that savings? Let's say we don't do this and we give it away. Next contract the economy may still be in bad shape and the company may come out and say no raise because the economy. At that point all the good will for PBS will be forgotten. I just don't see the point.

 

If they're offering SkedPlus+ with the PBS package, like SKW has, then you'd be fools not to take it. SkedPlus is probably the single best quality of life item we have at SkyWest. It would take an entire essay to describe the different functions and advantages of said software, but lucky for me there are always eager SKW guys trolling this forum with nothing but shining things to say about the various aspects of SKW

And, FWIW, I've never had anything but PBS but its always worked for me, from a bottom FO to a now middle of the pack guy.

 

We already have SkedPlus, gone through 2 months of jacked up bidding because of the early switch

 

SkedPlus replaced Flica open time bidding. Same stuff we've had forever (and we actually have less flexibility in some areas with the new SkedPlus system). Yawn.

 

SkedPlus as a monthly bidding tool is garbage. Granted I have been holding lines better then I ever have in the last two months I still it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth every 10th of the month when I have to load it up.

On the other hand eTrip and using SkedPlus for swaps and trades is great. Being at the bottom of the FO list use to make it impossible to get a trip swapped in open time. I would bid for 20 diffrent trips and 2% of the time would I actually get something. Now I know right away.

As for PBS, I must say my mouth dropped when I opened the email. I also didn't expect the Union to offer this up until the next contract negotiations. With that said though the recent email about people and jobs that will be gone at the first of the year maybe its something we should look at. I am glad to have my job in light of all the furloughs and really would like to keep it. If that means we have to go to a FAIR PBS system then so be it.

What is FAIR? I like my long vacation after my trips are dropped. What about looking into Delta's vender? I don't know but if the company wants to save money so I can keep a job... To me, no harm in looking...

~m

PS I lets not get this thread locked out due to mud slinging, I would like to see what other people have to say... and yes, my handle is my name...