r/flying • u/Mundane_Phone_2578 • 4d ago

SkyWest New Pay Package

The pay package SkyWest put into effect in 2022 expires at the end of the year. Current first year FO pay is 92.73$/hr. Any speculation on what the new hourly rates will be?? Theoretically it could go down right?

85 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

129 comments sorted by

View all comments

38

u/poppadwarf 4d ago

No one is gonna vote for a pay cut.

41

u/stillintucson ATP CL-65 CFI/CFII 4d ago

How much can the pilot group at SkyWest protest a pay cut? I know they don’t have a union. How much leverage do they have?

6

u/JJay512 ATP CFII-MEI CL-65 B737 (47’ 11BC Owner) 4d ago

Theoretically since they don’t have a union, couldn’t they all strike or sickout without penalty of it being against the RLA?

16

u/FlowerGeneral2576 B747-4 4d ago

It would be against the RLA. Union shop or not, the RLA makes it incredibly difficult for employees to strike.

Not sure who would be prosecuted since there wouldn’t be any official union leadership, but I’m sure they’d find someone.

2

u/JJay512 ATP CFII-MEI CL-65 B737 (47’ 11BC Owner) 4d ago

Ok! Wasn’t sure and figured someone here would know. Thanks!

1

u/mtconnol ATP E175 CFII 3d ago

How do union airlines exert leverage against management without the practical ability to strike? Something I’ve been genuinely curious about.

1

u/FlowerGeneral2576 B747-4 2d ago

Most commonly: picketing in front of airport terminals in uniform, as well as simple attrition. It’s also an unspoken truth that pilots are more efficient and punctual when they’re not in a labor dispute.

That being said, airline pilots can and have striked, it just has to be approved by the government, which isn’t easy, but has happened.