Protection is what we are looking for. I don't know if APLA’s the answer, but what we have, so far is barely working. Yes, we are paid well and we have good work rules, but that it's what this is really about. It's about protection from Mgmnt and having a contract, a contract that can’t be changed without deliberation & agreement. If something happens Mgmnt can change what we have at anytime, that’s an ACE in the HOLE for them.
Talk to some senior pilots on line and ask them about pilots being fired for "BS" reasons. You'll find out that it has happened way to often. The majority of the pilots ended up getting their job back but after hiring a lawyer. AND they received no back pay. Ask about the "FU FADDIS" incident, or the Jacobi incident. I can go on & on. The bottom line is that we need protection.
I hate unions but in the airline industry they are sometimes a necessary evil. Nobody wants a union until they need the protection. Name another unionized industry where the skilled labor works as hard as we do to get where we are. Now, if they get fired or fail something is their career over. 99.9% if the unionized industry has an upgrade process that gives you two attempts with seat locks if you fail. I you fail the second time then your never allowed to upgrade again, but your not fired! Your career isn’t over! You’ve proven that you’re a competent FO but maybe you’re just not a CA. At SKW it’s up or out for initial upgrade and they give you multiple chances for transition upgrade. That’s not right, if one is up or out then why not the other. Because of SKW being an “At Will Employer” they can do whatever they want, out side of violating Federal or State HR Laws. That’s your career & your livelihood their playing with. Once we go union this plus many other concerns will immediately be changed. It will be changed because SKW will no longer be an “At Will Employee.” These are things that won’t have to be negotiated for, there instant.
My best advice to you is to take initiative and call a member if the SKW Union Organizing committee and ask them, “Why Union?” Don’t call an FO on the committee; call a senior CA who has been here for the last to failed elections. You can find their names in the Union Election Packed that was mailed out or visit
http://skywestalpa.org/ for more information and to get their numbers.
“Why Union?” Ask the question, then YOU make an educated decision for yourself.
Yes, GOOD LUCK ASA & Comair!