Not to knock you guys at Skywest, but it is not likely that Skywest would have the payscales it does if it weren't for other unionized pilot groups, such as Comair, Air Wisconsin, Expressjet, who established a standard in pay with the contracts they fought hard for. Management has to pay you on par with these carriers to keep your employees from organizing a union. You are benefiting from the unionized negotiations of other carriers.

"SkyWest may be non-union....but hey, we're NOT furloughing"

Hopefully you won't be either. But you aren't out of the woods yet. One of your mailine partners is close to shutting down, and UAL is not healthy either. Good luck to your pilots, hope things stay good for you.

Skywest is a good operation, but it's a regional airline. Regionals should be a temporary part of career advancement. If they become more than that, they need to pay a lot more than Skywest or any regional pays, otherwise this is not a worthwhile career to retire from. There needs to be something worth advancing to, and strong unions are the best chance at preserving that.

Right. Because the company is sure to take care of you and not screw you over and look out for YOUR best interests.

Q.How do you get a country to pay 4.00/gallon of gas.

A.Raise the price to 5.00.

I hope you all can see the similarities.

Theres a dilbert comic out there... I'll see if I can find it...

http://bp1.blogger.com/_rp9FGKh7iNg/...0/image001.gif
That just about sums it all up.

That Dilbert summarizes this whole industry!!!

Your right Im glad you chimed in. My company wouldnt screw us over that is why I work where I do. Its too bad all companies couldn't be that way, but it just doesn't work that way. Hopefully management at United will take care of their pilots like they should.

And I guarantee they care just enough to keep the pilots from voting in a union. If there was no union anywhere you would not see them care as much and you would be saying you need a union because of the way you are being treated. I don't agree with everything ALPA does but unfortunately I think they are a necessary evil.

Not every one of us wants to move on to a major. AWAC has had great pay in the past and a great contract. Even though we have a concessionary contract (which by the way is still above airlines such as United and others) doesn't mean it is a place you can't retire. I make enough money to provide for my family and still have enough extra to do a lot of other things. I enjoy EXCELLENT quality of life and seniority and I've been there 8 years. Unless we close or something else drastic, I'm happy to call it home. I could easily bust my ass throughout the year to clear 100K but 75-80K will work for me.

Sometimes it's not about the money, the big metal and the "dream." Sometimes it's about being thankful for what you've got and enjoying the fact that you can spend the extra time at home.

Majors are not every man's dream. Right now they are more of anyone's nightmare and for many a stagnant pool with little stability. But we have that at the regionals as well. It's all about the individual not about the majority.

A HAPPY REGIONAL GUY

"Above airlines such as United and others"
You are going to have to splain that one to me. A quick look at the APC airline page does not jive with your statement. Nor do the statements of the numerous Air Willy guys I take to DCA and PHL on my jumpseat. But hey, to each his own.

A quick look at the APC payscales has top AWC pay(18 years) for an F/O @$43 while UAL 2nd year pay is $52. Top AWC Capt pay(again 18 years) is $94to UAL narrow body 2nd year pay of $124. Where do you get the idea that your concessionary contract is better than "United and others", which are also under concessionary contracts. I think you need to do some research before making such bogus comments.