I'm voting yes because the regional industry is changing; pilots are harder to find and we need to stay competitive and attract pilots.

In a perfect world regionals and majors would pay the same because it's basically the same job. But the reality of the market is that because there are less butts in seats and so there is a smaller pie. And mainline can hold out for the lowest regional bidder.

Plus, if we can continue to attract lots of pilots while other regionals struggle and even shrink, there will be growth here and that means more opportunities for everyone here.

Do I wish it was more? Sure, but we can't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs (well, perhaps silver, er...make that bronze)

 

I can respect that, but you'd have to be pretty dumb to come here for $30/hr (a bump from $24/hr) when you can go elsewhere and CHANCE getting that sweet sweet upgrade pay in 1000 hours.

 

The problem is that its a 4-year deal. I'd MAYBE consider voting yes if it were a shorter deal, but 4 years at basically status quo is a long time. Might as well maintain status quo as is, and get back to the negotiating table sooner by voting NO.

 

Holy mother of Jesus, management just won again!

Please, please, tell me this is sarcasm, my morning coffee hasn't kicked in yet?

 

Won? When it comes to pay they always win.

1) No union so no leverage.
2) Even if you successfully applied leverage, it's still a regional and the flying would simply be re-allocated to other groups eager for a 14-month upgrade.

Look at the history of jet regionals making significant gains at contract time...they all end up getting the carpet yanked out within a few years.

 

I'm going to pretend this is serious and not some sarcastic jab. Let's say we change the pay so we can get some new hires. That means more opportunities for everyone here. What are those opportunities? More opportunity to get more flying forced on you? More opportunity for Chip to get the platinum tiki torches for the houseboat? What exactly do we get more of? It sure as hell is not more money. It sure as hell isn't better QOL. So what exactly does this opportunity give us more of?

 

Playing devils advocate here... Would proper staffing levels not increase QOL?

 

Devil be gone,
They will never properly staff the airline, costs too much. They are finding out that their failed policies are, indeed failing. SKYW is still stuck in the '90s, pilots everywhere, staffing is easy, fat contracts, ect. Instead of the reality, pilots are going Platinum, leaving in droves, 15 year guys have apps out. and first year guys do as well. The company is reeling from pilot attrition and still thinks that they have the upper hand. Until they chain Anita and Jay together and toss them into a volcano, schedules will suck, Anita was out of her league when they went from paper bids to computer based bids. It would be funny if it weren't reality.

 

Yes, but back to that question, what is proper staffing levels? I would like to have a ratio of reserves to line holders, and that number would have to be the same as the minimum reserves that are in SkedPlus. Something like that in the pay package, and I would vote yes. But as CCB states, they are still trying to do it the way they always have, and are unwilling to change. Doesn't matter how many pilots we have, there will still be hidden open time, still be AS thinking that she needs to fly every reserve pilot 75.5 hours per month, still hours and hours of unnecessary RR, still pilots on TDY all over the place vs. letting commuters bid for TDY.

Lots of ways to improve QOL vs hiring more pilots. But that requires the company actually wanting to improve QOL. They think we are properly staffed. When SAPA brings up QOL, they think that they are being melodramatic. Someday someone will put the 2+2 together but until then it will be business as usual.

 

Staffing will get better once UA announces tomorrow the Airbus they are getting to replace 50 seaters. They will be online by next summer and lead to a pilot reduction at Skywest. At least, staffing will be sufficient. Just remains to be seen how many pilots get the door and how many get downgraded.