saturn

Years. Company has written agreement of paying minimum 2/3rd cost with all work groups. As per SAPA president and Chip (to me directly, not hearsay) company is covering 70%.

Nevets

First, I never said ALPA. You guys need to stop using ALPA as your excuse for not being union. You can easily vote in an independent union so let's just stop with that excuse now.

Second, the increased leverage you would have with an nmb recognized bargaining agent. With that in place, you instantly have more leverage. For one small example: management wants to put all the sfo pilots on reserve for the rest of the month. With a union, that can't just do that. They would have to live with the rules or ask for relief. If they ask for relief, this is your leverage. You use that leverage to see what mutual agreement you can come to. You scratch their back and they scratch your back. Not just unilaterally putting them on reserve with no real consequences. This would happen all the time because all the little things they have been getting away with, they would no longer be able to (without the cost of a grievance and arbitration), or they would make a deal with the union. This way they get what they want and you make small improvements. For example, we have about a dozen letters of agreements and three dozen memorandum of understandings that have become contractual, all because the two sides came to a mutual agreement instead of management just doing what they want like they do with you guys.

Next, since we have voted down our concessionary TA (total pilot cost reduction to the company), they have come out and said that they are no longer looking for concessions. It doesn't mean they are going to open the money vault but it's a significant move in the pilots direction!

Lastly, my point about settling for mediocracy is meant to point out that everyone on this thread always points out that Skywest is not at the top of the total compensation scale but it's certainly not the bottom. That's true but it's settling. That average is set collectively by all the regionals. But you guys work for THEE most successful regional right now! No one regional is going to have the best of everything when it comes to pay and work rules, but you should be striving to be in the top tier, especially with the financial success you have. So instead of complaining that other union regional pilot groups are lowering the average your management gives you, use the leverage that is there for you (union and financial) and actually raise that average rather than to settle for that mediocracy.

Nevets

And where is this written agreement? Not that I don't believe you (I had JA tell me, directly not hearsay, that Skywest average total pilot compensation is 16% lower than xjt), my point is still valid even at 30%, but I'd like to see that written agreement anyway. So can you please provide a reference for me to look up?

WAVIT Inbound

This thread has had very little new information over the past 100 or so pages.

I swear certain poster's are just using copy/paste while changing a few key phrases. It's unfortunate what could be a good thread filled with information for those interested in Skywest is filled with rhetoric and opinion from people who do not work here but think they know what is best for our pilot group.

Crazy Canuck

So much chaff in this thread. Nevets, et al. Can you please start a new "XJT vs SKW and how SKW rides our coat tails" thread? Seriously, we are NOT interested in reading this stuff. I Want to see what people are saying about what's actually going on.

rcfd13

Funded by who? 2% of every Skywest pilots paycheck is peanuts compared to 2% of a major airline pilots paycheck. Everyone points to the fact American did it but what do you think their average salary is compared to ours? 2% of my paycheck wouldn't even come close to the 401k match that an AA pilot gets from the company.

If you know how to create a few million dollars per year out of thin air from a bunch of regional FOs who can barely afford food and car payments then lets vote in our own Skywest Inc union! You can be president since you know everything.

rcfd13

Maybe part of the problem is that nothing is going on. Our most junior captain is still 7+ years and we haven't gotten a new contract since I've worked here. We seem to sort of just be chugging along. That's probably a good thing though since we're largely not involved in the drama that's been going on with the AA regionals.

JetDoc

Look, I have no beef with you. You are entitled to your opinion as I am mine and I stand by it. No one should be excited about more outsourced flying. The fact of the matter is that I am moving to cut a 2000 mile commute in to a 300 mile one and vastly improve the quality of my life and if you have a problem with that, well that's you not me. Believe what you will but the awarded flying came well after I had submitted my resume and I just accepted the position when it was offered. I had no control over the timing. I'm actually flattered that you pay attention my posts on the other site...

Peace..

Squallrider

Here's a update about what's happening at Skywest:

Attrition is about 25 a month, hiring 50 a month into both the CRJ and ERJ. erj is based out of ORD and SFO starting january. CRJ junior bases are MSP, ORD and IAH (junior to slightly more senior). mSp is mainly Crj 200 trips, ORD is a mix between 200/700 trips and IAh is about 80% 700 and rest 200 sometimes 900. Crj better mix of trips between 1,2,3,4 day trips. Erj is 80% 4 days but will change when SFO opens. Upgrade time is about 7.5 years however strong indication of Brazillia being taken out of the fleet, this should be off set by attrition and potential new flying. Most CRJ training done in SLC (depending on class size otherwise cvg, ATL also get used) erj is mostly STL but training center in DEN is open and taking some with more sims and instructors being hired. We have 100 firm 175s on order however only 40 have found homes with United. Erj pilots don't get delta benefits.

Hope this gets the thread back on track.

Galaxy5

So since I'm still getting into this corner of our line of work, I'm guessing if (and lots of suppose'n here) the Bro goes away, with the ERJ coming online, there will be lots of movement coming from the Bro to the ERJ stagnating a new guy near the bottom there? Also, with SFO opening in January, any thoughts on whether it will go junior or senior? Finally, ignorance here, are only having Delta benefits really a huge deal and a deal breaker for many?

Someone find me a GeeDee crystal ball...