How is that a relevant question, where did you work before?


Why does it have to be mutually exclusive? Why can't those that are unhappy SAPA, try to get a union and also be focused on trying to process in their career? It doesn't have to be one or the other.

 

No joke. A guy leaving tomorrow should care more than a guy who just started class, leave things better than you found it.

 

It's relevant because he said he was ready for a union. I just asked why he was ready and why he thinks ALPA is a better step forward than what we have now.

I worked at Mesaba, then Pinnacle. Went through the bankruptcy and decided to leave before ALPA passed a contract WITH MANAGEMENT that the pilot group voted in, after being threatened they would lose their jobs if they voted no. A contract which anchored the race to the bottom. Do I blame the 9E guys for voting it in? Of course not. That's their livelihood and they have to have a job to survive.

Why don't I want ALPA at SkyWest? Because I am a lot happier at SkyWest than I was at 9E. Knowing I don't have to worry about a simple case of conflict of interest between ALPA at a regional and ALPA at a legacy. Things need to change, for sure, but that's not the answer.

 

New sapa forums are up

 

In the last 4 years Skywest has went downhill that I have been here and it is not going to get better. I am not an alpa cheer leader but the "that's the way we do it" is bull*******. The reserve rules are now worse than they were originally.

9E is now getting $20,000/year in bonus and we are going to vote in a 1.5% 3 year deal. Pilots are their own worse enemy's.

 

Wow. Suddenly so reasonable. I've gotten accustomed to the rants that this really stood out. It's a nice change.

I've said for a long long time this place needs representation that is enforceable. In my opinion there are many many jr and senior guys who are ready. And there are a few who will just never sign on. As SW guys see the rest of the industry pulling away and the propaganda of being the best paid, best work rules and best loved by management wears off and the obvious reality of thousands of dollars a year being left on the table hits home the guys sitting on the fence will come over. It's not just the reserve rules, insurance costs, ever changing interpretation of rules that will change minds. In my opinion it will be the undeniable fact we are being played that will open the eyes of most guys. If 2004, 2007, 2013 didn't open your eyes maybe 2015 will.

 

The key phrase to your post is "pilots voted in"! Whether Delta held a gun to the MEC or not isn't relative to the fact that the pilots voted on these issues. Other than pay SAPA has carte Blanche allowances to vote in all "contract" changes with no I put from pilots. And while ALPA is only as good as its MEC they have significant limits to their ability to change any/all of the contract without LEC/reps input and eventually all pilots voting. Our group has gone backwards from where we started heading in 2007/2008, namely a more independent board that listened to pilots. Now Sapa is isolated and our "officers" are spending too much time in SGU and think they know what's best for us.

It's time for a change of venue. Not because skywest is such an awful place, but because they are no longer playing the same game as when SAPA was established. And now Sapa thinks they are "fighting" for us by voting in proposals like "reflow 1-2-3"! Or allowing the company to deal on our behalf over jumpseats. Or allowing the company to dictate a change to policy that now has all crews on any DH (including training) to be a slightly elevated non rev status (even though it used to say differently). Just a few examples of SAPA's willingness to be agreeable and pilots having no say in the matter.....or for that matter not being able to at least hold up our contract in court.

 

They banned me from posting in the forums because I posted about our new subreddit way of communicating. This is getting ridiculous.

EDIT: They banned me from the entire SAPA website. Anyone mind messaging me a list of reps and a way to contact them?

 

SkyWest houseboat, Lake Powell, UT would be a good place to start.

 

Check your PM. Message sent