RedeyeAV8r

If you have a contract, who manages it for you?

Who is the legal bargaining agent for your contract?

Who funds all the work required to do the above??


Do you really think you have a legal contract?

surfnfly

The problem is there is no UNITY at SkyW - just check out the pathetic "CRJ pay package" vote - It's divided. I can see the benefit of ALPA for the long term incentive for the guys/gals who see themselves there for the rest of their careers. The problem is 1/2 the pilot group doesnt see themselves there in 10 years - So there you have it - No UNITY

surfnfly

I’m not saying our "contract" is legal (it shouldnt even be called a contract I guess its more of an agreement) - I was just comparing the interpretation of our non union "agreement" to a so called “legal” contract at other ALPA regionals and how those "contracts" are walked on by mgt..

duvie

SKW has done great without ALPA. I would attribute a large portion to the employee group. People want to work for SKW, they don't end up there like PNC, TSA or others. I don't neccesarily think ALPA will make things worse, but I can't imagine they'd make it any better.

BoilerUP

Until you need ALPA Legal, Aeromedical, loss of license insurance, etc. Because of a paperwork goof I could have gotten SCREWED by the FAA, but ALPA Aeromedical fixed me right up and has been well worth the 1.95% alone.

Does SAPA have a means or agent by which to defend pilots against disciplinary action?

Seems like some Skywest pilots still think myopically that they're just there to get their 1000 TPIC and move the majors. If SKW pilots don't want representation that is their business...but I think it would not only be better for SKW pilots it would be better for the entire regional industry.

RedeyeAV8r

With a Legal contract you at least have the right to Grievance and arbitration and can even sue the company if need be.

Been there and done that with the Gentleman's Agreement thing. We had that at FedeX for many years (we called it the Flight Crew Handbook or FCH.) Problem was the company kept arbitrarily changing things for the worse..........they never changed things for the better, that is, until we unionized and negotiated a legally binding deal. Just look what happened yesterday to all the non-union employees of FedEx. Their retirements just took a major hit and all with the stroke of MGTS pen.

RedeyeAV8r

Like I said previously.........ALPA won't make things better..........YOU folks will (if you have the resolve)........ using the resources and expertise ALPA can provide.

Airsupport

yeah, just wait till one day you need legal representation. then we will see how they wont make things better. ALPA isn't just about getting contracts and fixing work rules. its about helping pilots deal with the buracracy that the flying world is. What happens when you accidentally overlook an open write up in the aml, take off, and then the next guy sees it. Well i don't think sapa is going to go to bat for you at the fsdo when you try to explain why you missed it. sapa is nothing but a country club for the senior guys who love working for management. They could care less about you. I had a friend who was called into the chief pilots office to be questioned about a flight he had with a certain captain. He wasn't sure what to do. the chief pilot just kept grilling him and grilling him about something he really didn't know anything about. At skywest you can be fired for almost anything, since an agreement is nothing compared to a contract. Skywest also has an up or out policy. that means when you go to upgrade if you fail the fed ride you are fired. they don't have to do anything but send you packing. Now how fair is that?? Everyone,, and i mean everyone can have a bad day in the sim, or on a checkride. (remember your checkrides??) so like i said alpa is not just for contracts and qol, but to protect carreers, because sadly enough you get fired from one airline,, you are almost certainly black balled at any other you try to go to. do i care if skwest becomes alpa? no. i could care less what skywest does. But for people to say that they don't need representation.. thats just crazy!

Wedge Buster

I can vouch for that, all the older non-union ramp employees I know got hosed, you can’t trust that a policy will be honored just because management tells you it will be. I think FedEx is a great company to work for, most of the time (good pay benefits…). But without having someone to enforce work rules, I have seen safety rules ignored and a lot of people get cheated and pushed around by lower management.

ANPBird

Isn't FedEx reporting record gains in profits quarter after quarter? Or is business not as good as it always sounds to be? Your company's income statement looks like things are on the up and up. Just because these people were non-union did FedEx's mgt decide today they were going to bring misery to anyone they could. I have a business degree so I know how it works in the corp. world but it doesn't seem to be in FedEx's style? Just curious?