Skybus and the Teamsters

[Gonzo]

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content...9.html?sid=101

Here are low or high points:

"We believe that a majority of our pilots will understand that we are better served focusing on building a start-up airline in a very competitive environment than we are going down a path that for other airlines has led to contentious labor-management issues," the statement said.

The starting salary for a Skybus captain is $65,000, while a less-senior first officer makes $30,000 to start. Pilots say those amounts are as much as 50 percent below industry standards, and Skybus pilots say the airline is not offering second-year pay increases.

WTF

Skybus has about 140 pilots, nearly 120 of whom are eligible to vote. In a phone interview yesterday, a Skybus pilot speaking on condition of anonymity said he was one of the more than 100 pilots who submitted cards favoring union membership.

[ComplexHiAv8r]

I liked:

But to save the delivery cost, they have pilots on their off-hours go to Costco and pick up cases of water and deliver them to the airport

Does this mean if they get Teamsters that they will be welcomed on jumpseats??

[mtsu_av8er]

Yeah, the water crap was pretty funny!!

[Velocipede]

Most likely, if the Teamsters are voted in, Skybus will refuse to negotiate with them (a la Ryanair). They'll shut the place down and that will be that.

Good riddance.

[JBUCREW]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Most likely, if the Teamsters are voted in, Skybus will refuse to negotiate with them (a la Ryanair). They'll shut the place down and that will be that.

Good riddance.

I second that... Shut it down

But to save the delivery cost, they have pilots on their off-hours go to Costco and pick up cases of water and deliver them to the airport

Are kidding? Who would do this for a company that says you will not get any pay increases...

[SkyCougar]

Originally Posted by mtsu_av8er

Yeah, the water crap was pretty funny!!

Wow...that's amazing. Does anyone know if they're basically going out with full loads? I don't put clients on that airline, so I have no idea what their loads are.

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by ComplexHiAv8r

Does this mean if they get Teamsters that they will be welcomed on jumpseats??

I'd hope even after that they still wouldn't be allowed on anyone's jumpseat.

Just because a crackpot of an airline gets a union (that's not ALPA. . .One Union, One Voice) we should now be friendly to them?

Hell no.

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Most likely, if the Teamsters are voted in, Skybus will refuse to negotiate with them (a la Ryanair). They'll shut the place down and that will be that.

Good riddance.

Amen. Time will tell. I suppose one of the good things of them getting the crackpot of a union.

[Kingairer]

what a joke.

[scramjet]

I knew if Skybus stuck around, it would only be a matter of time before they were unionized, I just didn't expect it so soon! Now if the F/As will get their rears in gear...

Teamsters are a crackpot union eh? Aren't they the ones that represent NetJets? Seems like they're doing pretty good over there...

[SIUAv8r]

Originally Posted by scramjet

Teamsters are a crackpot union eh? Aren't they the ones that represent NetJets? Seems like they're doing pretty good over there...

I don't quite think he said that. He said the airline was a crackpot.

[the_dmn8tr]

I like this quote:

Skybus has been able to attract experienced pilots with stock options

Since when is airline stock really that valubale, especially with a future as bright as Skybus's?

It reminds me of an episode of the Simpsons where Bart was a part of an internet company and they gave him stock from a roll of toilet paper.

[Kristie]

I would think once a union is in place, everything would go downhill from there since Skybus wants to keep everything so cheap.

[JDMcFly]

"Since when is airline stock really that..."

Well, it worked for Southwest. But that's a WHOLE 'nother animal.

You can't treat everyone like trash and give them stock options and act like you're doing them a favor.

[tonyw]

Are you kidding me? They make people go and pick up water when they are not on the clock?

The hell with that.

They're pilots. Not delivery people. Unless getting water from Costco is one of the job requirements, if someone told me to do that ON MY OWN TIME I'd say no.

[JDMcFly]

Originally Posted by tonyw

Are you kidding me? They make people go and pick up water when they are not on the clock?

The hell with that.

They're pilots. Not delivery people. Unless getting water from Costco is one of the job requirements, if someone told me to do that ON MY OWN TIME I'd say no.

I'd probably be willing to grab some water if I had to for $40 dollars an hour. But not on my own time, ever.

(This is theoretical small start up airline with less than 200 employees )

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by scramjet

Teamsters are a crackpot union eh? Aren't they the ones that represent NetJets? Seems like they're doing pretty good over there...

I don't hold the Teamsters to that high of a regard. NetJets is a great company, but it should be painfully clear that they are not a 121 scheduled passenger operation.

They've done a great job at Netjets, but I doubt their ability to represent a crackpot of an airline to the standards of a unified Union could.

One Union, One Voice for all 121 scheduled passenger companies.

[PCL_128]

I'm hearing that the pilot who got the IBT drive going at SkumBus was the same GoJet pseudo-scab that brought the IBT to GoJet. Tons of GoJet pseudo-scabs are at SkumBus now. If these idiots will be running their local union, then they might as well not have one at all.

[Kristie]

can we not take the name calling (skumbus) into the aviation sections of the forum please? in the lav is one thing... out in the aviation sections is a completely different animal. it doesn't belong out here and i don't think we want to promote that type of "conversation" (esp if you're a representative of anyone (ALPA) etc).

[BobDDuck]

Originally Posted by surreal1221

They've done a great job at Netjets, but I doubt their ability to represent a crackpot of an airline to the standards of a unified Union could.

Do the words "Horizon Airlines" mean anything to you?

[PCL_128]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

Do the words "Horizon Airlines" mean anything to you?

Horizon's contract doesn't compare to the ASA or ExpressJet agreement, or even to CMR's pre-BK contract. The payrates look real nice, but the work rules make it a lot less appealing than the ALPA agreements.

[Minuteman]

Minuteman no use his words.

[PCL_128]

Originally Posted by Kristie

(esp if you're a representative of anyone (ALPA) etc).

I'm a former ALPA rep. Not current. I stand by my post, but edit whatever you feel necessary.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

Do the words "Horizon Airlines" mean anything to you?

I'd have to agree with the other poster. QX's work rules aren't that great.

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

Do the words "Horizon Airlines" mean anything to you?

Yeah.

They mean - Great Pay, little to no turnover, and career regional, and regional of the year from ATW in 2007.

Am I missing anything? Just because they have great pay, little to no turnover, and happen to be a career regional (for most of their pilots) I'm suppose to stand hand in hand with all Teamster represented airlines?

I don't think so. The Teamsters are a great union, don't get me wrong. But they are not a great choice of representation for airlines. I put in house associations / representations ahead of the Teamsters when it comes to airline unions. To me there is only one choice for 121 scheduled passenger operation representation, it should be pretty obvious what association that is. Until we as a profession come together as ONE, we'll continue to fight this uphill battle.

Originally Posted by Kristie

can we not take the name calling (skumbus) into the aviation sections of the forum please? in the lav is one thing... out in the aviation sections is a completely different animal. it doesn't belong out here and i don't think we want to promote that type of "conversation" (esp if you're a representative of anyone (ALPA) etc).

I get what you're saying Kristie, but I also don't think we here should be in a position to support these types of companies. Skybus has no place in professional passenger aviation in the US. At least not from a professional pilot's point of view.

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by PCL_128

I'm a former ALPA rep. Not current. I stand by my post, but edit whatever you feel necessary.

Honestly, we'd rather not edit...we'd rather you just appease us with our requests to keep this site civil, friendly and "warm". We don't want this site to stoop down to the levels of others. why you gotta make us work so hard PCL??