There has been a push in the past for unionized majors to only hire regional pilots that came from unionized shops. Personally, I would support this. If you want to work for a major that is part of a union, you should work for a regional that supports a union.

The greatest threat to unionized pilots in non-unionized pilots.

 

That's what I find so funny/frustrating. If any SW pilot would take a look at what has been taken away from us by SGU with a simple pen stroke, they would realize how much they were getting for that small percentage. Block vs credit, relocation incentives, pay rates for new planes, ect... As it stands now, SGU can just do whatever they want and change our QOL overnight. Servers getting bogged down with everyone trying to improve their schedule the night of the 24th? Just write a script that denies any requests due to lack of reserves. Agree to reserve improvements in a pay package that may cost some money to implement? Just change management and say that it was the old guy that agreed to that and you are not going to do it anymore. Get on the wrong side of your CP and he spends tons of money and resources to get you fired? It's okay as long as you have the money to take the company to court, you will get your job back plus back pay/lawyers fees. If you were part of a union, you wouldn't be paying the lawyers out of pocket. By trying to save 1.5-2%, SW pilots are losing way more than that each year. I bet you could pay your union fees for the year with one fatigue call that is denied.

I wonder how much something like this would hurt SW recruiting efforts? I think you would have to have some type of grandfather policy to those that are currently at a regional without a union. I know it would have made a difference for me in which place I went to work for if that was the case. Didn't United do something like this with the ALPA seminars not to long ago? Something like this would be way more beneficial than a flow IMO. That and ALL regionals agreeing to not undercut each other.

 

Unions have proven to be useless at the regional level. One gets a good contract and another undercuts their price, and they're in bankruptcy. If alpa national had any support for the regionals they would have recommended no pay cuts for aircraft.

Any company that gets real gains in the regional market is doomed to die. The flying will be transferred overnight.

 

Maybe in the past, but with the lack of pilots going to regionals today, the idea that a major can just shift anything more than a single digit number of airplanes overnight simply can't happen. No one could be well staffed enough to take more airplanes at that level immediately. That's one of the things that's allowing the crappy regionals to keep breathing, nobody can replace them.

 

Not true. The majors can replace them. And they have started to. Have you seen how many aircraft United alone is getting in the next three years solely to replace regional flying? And delta has already started replacing regional routes. It's happening and you had better hope you get your time and move on before the hammer falls. Cause every regional will see the results over the next few years.

 

I'd say SkyWest is in a better position than most to take on more flying. That could change in the coming years, we shall see soon enough.

 

So salty!!

I think I'd rather donate "union" dues to your beer fund if it would cheer you up.

 

They are doing it right now. United did not renew the 700 contract for SkyWest due to the fact that they bought Mesa 50 175's and they operate them for far less.

 

Mesa is still able to staff flights?

 

That's a Skywest rumor that won't die. Yes they staff flights just fine.