Airline Pilot Central Forums - SKYW to buy XJT rumor?

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Originally Posted by iPilot (Post 846808)

The rules changed this year that will basically ensure the next vote will pass. IIRC, before any non-vote was considered a NO where now it's not counted at all.

Considering that, then maybe SKW (seeing the inevitable coming) would just take ExpressJet for pennies on the dollar of what they offered the first time, and just let the union take over anyway. The only big problem is that they would lose their ability to whipsaw ASA with SKW pilots as everyone would be under one roof.

On the other hand, that kind of economy of scale would create massive savings and make them a force to be reckoned with when competing for contracts. Heck, with that many planes and pilots they could pull a Republic and go their own way. XJT Branded II? :eek:

Minus the Branded part II, I agree with your theory. I think Jerry and company have come to terms with the fact that SKW is going to be union, merging the pilots groups is no longer outweighing the benefits of acquiring XJT.

Poor Slaphappy, his nightmares are coming true. The acquisition of another company, a unionize pilot group, and a fair integration. :D

I was certainly kidding about Branded II (though I think that would be a blast to see that operation come back). I think at the moment XJT is a good acquisition target with their cash on hand and as it stands no regional can squeak out a profitable contract with so many large competitors. The best thing for everyone is a few large regionals that provide the most efficient service but without beating each other into the ground by offering unprofitable contracts just to keep planes in the air.

I heard it was contingent upon working out a deal with the new United. It involves SKywest purchasing xjt, a re-worked long term cpa with CAL/United, and supposedly the deal will be a mutual risk scenario. If United loses $ so will Skywest...

theres a lot of ducks to get in a row for anything to happen. I think most employees are along for the ride on this one. XJT scope is no longer an issue.

Our CEO has been eerily quiet and has been trying to buy down our debt, reduce expenses, and has frozen all management hiring.... in short we are getting bought. Who is the buyer is the question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slaphappy (Post 846823)

doubt it, the last vote only got 35% yes votes. Nobody here wants alpa, and skywest isn't going to waste their time with xjt again. The only way I see it happeneing is XJT going chpt 11. getting their pilot contract thrown out. I bet this will be the case, xjt is on the verge anyway. I bet they convince the right people that chpt 11 is the best way to fix xjt.

I do. So do a LOT of other pilots. I tend to agree with the idea that Skw pretty much knows that a union is coming (nmb rule change). It seems they have been acting as if it's coming, hence the fastest erosion of qol/benefits the company has seen in so short a timeframe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybourg10 (Post 846799)

Does SKW still have the E145 on their certificate?

Did they EVER have it on their cert?

It was my understanding that during the last attempt, management/training center types were put in place to spool it up but in ended up DOA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slaphappy (Post 846823)

doubt it, the last vote only got 35% yes votes. Nobody here wants alpa, and skywest isn't going to waste their time with xjt again. The only way I see it happeneing is XJT going chpt 11. getting their pilot contract thrown out. I bet this will be the case, xjt is on the verge anyway. I bet they convince the right people that chpt 11 is the best way to fix xjt.

I would say your a tad ignorant on the subject. Are you aware that union voting has changed since the last vote? Skywest will be union next time around, I bet money on it. Why do you want XJT to fail so bad? Honest question.

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Originally Posted by TheBills (Post 846888)

It will pass next time. The last vote had the worst possible timing ever. There were almost 600 pilots still on probation (1st year) that were intimidated by the company to even vote. We all remember being a newhire. You just want to stay under the radar, and pass all your training, and not cause any trouble. I personally called many of my friends who were new at the time, and even though they thought a union was a good idea, they were afraid of voting. People were saying that management had access to the votes, and crap like that, and so new hires were scared of being fired if they voted yes. Now fast forward a couple years to the present day: those same people have been on reserve for over 2 years, and they are fed up with all the bs. Huge cuts in benefits left and right. When will the bleeding stop? Not in the near future anyway. Legally, there is nothing to stop it, yet.

I personally hope xjt does well. They are a quality regional, and if they fail, some trashy regional will take over and lower the bar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slaphappy (Post 846659)

only thing i've heard is skywest might be getting some mesa 900's and 700's.

I hope not unless it means an acquisition of Mesa and not just the aircraft.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigelcobalt (Post 846801)

I would love for this to happen, but I just don't see why management would want almost (what 8,000 plus pilots?) unified and ready to take what we can from mgt's greedy hands.

As far as alpa on property, the last vote management fought awful hard against it. Not sure why they would have changed their mind now.

They probably know that with a pilot group that large, the NMB would never release them to self help anyways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigelcobalt (Post 846882)

Classic setup to lower the status quo before the next vote. I wouldn't be surprized if SKW just recognized the student council as the bargaining representative in order to preempt another vote. Wont matter in a seniority list merger anyways though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slaphappy (Post 846823)

So the last time 35% said they wanted ALPA but nobody wants ALPA? Yeah, that makes total sense. Anyways, now it would only take a plurality of the votes. Add another 4300 ALPA pilots to those 35% and you have a landslide.

Slaphappy, I see you are back since the flaming you took on the "UA/CO effect on reginals" thread. But I also noticed you still havent replied to any of the responses you got from those posts. I'm particularly interested in the reply to this. Please do so, I look forward to your insight.

Originally Posted by Slaphappy

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That and CAL has made it their mission to screw expressjet at every turn and now that CAL management is taking over UAL I don’t see that changing.

Originally Posted by Nevets

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Thanks in part to SKW.

Originally Posted by Slaphappy

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I hate to sound like a broken record but the XJT mec made a big mistake not making a deal with skywest and allowing the buyout 2 years ago. You guys would be in much better shape and have a much better future.

Originally Posted by Nevets

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The SKW deal: Close down branded and DAL prorate agreement - was bound to happen anyways; Close down charter; Transfer the 10 a/c CPA to SKW airlines; Transfer 25 a/c to Skywest airlines for a CPA with CAL; Fourlough 700 pilots (we furloughed less than half of that); Take a 16% paycut to include PBS, getting rid of our defined contribution retirement plan, and other work rule changes equal to 4% paycut in the future after they had a chance to study our contract ("to bring us down to parity with SKW pilots"); Maintain seperate operations with seperate seniority lists without the ability to bid over with a/c in case they were transferee over to ASA or SKW (same clause SKW and ASA pilots have in the ASA contract); negotiate rates for Q400s. What they offered: 15 yr CPA for 205 a/c that was going to be up to bid in 12 months; inclusion in the SKW profit sharing and performance bonus plans; preferential (not guaranteed) interviews for furloughed pilots (to fly the same a/c and routes they are currently flying but at the bottom of a non-union seniority list at first yr SKW pay).

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigelcobalt (Post 846890)

It will pass next time. The last vote had the worst possible timing ever. There were almost 600 pilots still on probation (1st year) that were intimidated by the company to even vote. We all remember being a newhire. You just want to stay under the radar, and pass all your training, and not cause any trouble. I personally called many of my friends who were new at the time, and even though they thought a union was a good idea, they were afraid of voting. People were saying that management had access to the votes, and crap like that, and so new hires were scared of being fired if they voted yes. Now fast forward a couple years to the present day: those same people have been on reserve for over 2 years, and they are fed up with all the bs. Huge cuts in benefits left and right. When will the bleeding stop? Not in the near future anyway. Legally, there is nothing to stop it, yet.

I personally hope xjt does well. They are a quality regional, and if they fail, some trashy regional will take over and lower the bar.

I was thinking that the SkyWest pilots would be upset enough about what happened with healthcare and then to see that Inc. tried it at Atlantic Southeast and the union said, "nope, read the contract". That fact alone should have been enough to change a lot of votes at SkyWest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemaybedid (Post 846895)

You would think so. What has alpa done anyway (rhetorical)? That is a perfect example.

Slap, I would like to know at what point would you throw in the towel? What I mean is, for you personally, when is enough, enough? Management WILL keep taking from us. Do you honestly think that they have your best interest in mind? You are a financial obligation to these people. Do you realize the most of the attrition right now is coming from junior fo's. Wonder why that is. Does mgmt care? No, they are EASILY replaceable. I guess I'm just curious as to why someone wouldn't want a legal contract in this situation.