Utah

It might not be a 100% true, but it's running really close.

Check Complete

Now you tell us......

Nevets

Fact is that even if you have a union, there will always be people complaining that the entity doesn't do anything for the pilots. But to say that they couldn't change the contract isn't true. Think of everything that your management has just changed, reinterpreted, ignored, or just implemented unilaterally. With a contract in place, you have a place to start with. This is why on the xjt contract there are 37 MOUs, 9 LOAs, and several side letters. Each one of those was because management wanted to change something so the two parties sat down and ironed out a mutually agreed upon solution. For example, the last MOU, which is on EFBs, came about the two side negotiating something favorable for both sides.

disillusioned

You are correct. I should have said that they couldn't just change our "contract" without any input from us. My point was that they make these changes like PBS buffers or not stacking trips without any input, consideration or care from the pilot group. We cry "SAPA you don't do anything!!" SAPA goes to MT and says, "Hey it would be really helpful for the company if you reduced these buffers, or allowed pilots to pickup round trips. You know, since we have 2 reserves system wide" MT thinks to himself "If the pilots are wanting this, it must be bad for the company. Since their main objective is to screw the company over. SAPA, go to hell" SAPA comes back to the pilot group and says "Sorry guys, we told them and they said to **** off" And our pilot group says "Man, SAPA sucks. They don't do anything for us. No way I am going to pay 2% for a union, because when I was at another crappy regional it was way worse than it is here"

Rinse, wash, repeat....

StuckMike

Have heaed from multiple reliable sources (AK, TG, GM) that skywest knows that it needs to be better staffed with pilots so it has tripped recruiting efforts and stopped accepting additional block hours until we're properly staffed. They hired 64 in Feb and already have about 70 lined up for March. So I think they're aware of the issues and taking actual steps to fix it. Will it be better overnight? Nope, but I'm not giving up on this place yet.

amcnd

I agree. But for not taking extra block hours our reserve lines are slim for April....

disillusioned

And we lost 38 in Jan and 43 in Feb (Net gain 21) and 18 so far in March. I agree that you can't get a pilot online overnight. That's why we need to be proactive. I will give credit that I have never seen a 31 hour 4 day or as many high 20's as this last bid packet. Maybe with my week vacation, I will only need to work 14 days this month to get my 90 hours.

Could be the result of the above mentioned attrition and that we just had 30 FO's start upgrade class this week and will have another 30 start at the end of the month for the CRJ. And another 20 for the ERJ. As for the extra hours, I guess we can see when the system wide report comes out as to how many more hours we are flying.

I get it. We are doing upgrades and hiring like gangbusters as opposed to other regionals. There is a lot to be thankful for and positive compared to other regionals. But I am tired of the lack of respect shown by our leadership towards the pilots. They don't care that PBS is ignoring seniority. They don't care that everyone is only getting 10-12 days off. They don't care that we negotiated in good faith a 1 year agreement and now there is no penalty to stalling.

I really had no desire to go anywhere else, but this company is no longer the one I worked so hard to get hired by. Congrats on the optimism that better days are ahead, but that's a song I have been singing for to long and it's time to pull the cord. Add one more pilot to the list that the regional BS has killed any passion for flying.

Luv2Rotate

Reliable source, we have 29
Guys who have either left or have put in their notice 2 weeks into March.

gatorhater

And where is he based? As a 10 yr ASA capt I can't hold that schedule anywhere I know of...

Nevets

Good point. But when the company wants something, then the 1.9% prevents them from unilaterally implementing it and instead you get to negotiate for something that is win/win. In other words, it gets you a seat at the adult table. No more being treated like a kid and told something to make you go away with your silly ideas.