Fiordland

Usually the driver in many organisations is control and engagement. That is the thing with startups you feel like your part of the decision making process and not a cog in the wheel.

I fear all of this is a sign the WS has not been able to grow while retaining the sense of ownership among their team. But don't know.

james dean

I think the previous President had a big effect on exactly what you mentioned...

tracon

Considering most employees barely have the mental capacity to do their jobs and/or manage their own finances, I suggest they shouldn't be taking on complicated risky behaviour like ESOP.
If employees want to invest in the employer with their own money on their own time that's fine.

CanuckFlyHigh

I am as anti-union as most, but this comment is incredibly rude and uncalled for.

james dean

That's a bit of an odd comment, who are "as most"???

Fiordland

I would disagree to some extent.

True ESOP are complex for people who chose not to own stock directly (most of the population). However, an ESOP program where the company does a 50% match does provide a cushion on the downside. Sounds like there is also a cap.

I think the biggest part of the compensation is connecting bonuses to company performance. That is a good thing and most people understand that.

cur

encore pilots make way less than jazz pilots. this is widely known. it takes something like 5 years left seat with encore to get same hourly as right seat 4 years with jazz. somewhere on the internet is the encore pay scale and an outdated qk pay scale from a few years ago. not to mention that jazz work rules and per diems are way better. ac pilots signed a gravy 10 year deal that gives huge increases from what was otherwise par pay with ws. ws pilots are also uncomfortable about ws' new plane deliveries and fleet strategy, particularly how for a few years hawaii and london flying was done on a wet lease. fully understandable and pilots were on board with this, before you see how ws goes around their own non union pilot group with a ulcc before going around the union and asking pilots to take LOA so they can do some ulcc flying for a few years. this is extremely shady and companies are known for breaking promises to their employees. a lot.

again groups of employees don't unionize if there is harmony, cooperation and in the work place. and unions, particularly in the transportation sector, are not the end of the world, look how productive and cooperative ups and wn employee groups are.

ya, quit when the going gets tough then do it with a pina colada.

heh, ac IAM employees in 2010 were happy with their forced involvement in the esop, unless they were like me and sold it right away in 2010 with the above mentality instead of holding it for a bit.

james dean

Looks like the Strike mandate is 90%, according to the WS pilots forum....
Exit Polls Showing Over 90% Strike Mandate Support - AVCANADA

Error 601

Something tells me the person conducting the "poll" was not an impartial collector of data.

Fiordland

Given the recent AC changes this year I have been shifting my flying to WS and Delta. However with the likely strike I booked my June flights on the AC instead of WS.

May was a hop down to Atlanta (on Delta and Alaska) I have one other May trip, a hop from Vancouver to Saskatoon and Montreal and then back to Vancouver during the last week of May. Am I safe doing WestJet or should I just book that one on AC as well....

james dean

I'm in the same boat with Air France. I've got some travel in France, but with the constant 2 day strikes at any given week, I just couldn't take the chance and booked Easyjet. Will be my first time with them. I guess to be sure your flights will operate AC would be better, my gut feel though is a strike at WS will not happen, things will get solved before then.

smallmj

That's what I thought in 1998 when I flew AC down to IAD. Between the AC pilot's strike and the Swissair crash, the trip home to YHZ was interesting. My employer's travel agent told me in a hopeless tone, "A lot of people are trying to get to Halifax right now." I convinced her to try routing through Boston or Montreal so I could connect using Jazz. Ended up flying IAD-BOS-YUL-YHZ with long connections.

Fun times, and a lesson in the uselessness of some travel agents.

Edit: Also a lesson in what can happen when you assume that things will just work out, which was the point of my post.

cur

i dunno man, you have
10 days (they've had 50 days now?)
a company with a union busting reputation
that detests consultants, such as those that could help them thru this, therefore they're
blundering/making classic company mistakes thru its first union drive
pilots genuinely worried their jobs are getting even more outsourced
--while the company is about to launch a brand new fully outsourced airline--
picketing in front of hq the day the company has a rebranding and fleet launch


i hope it works for all but imo looks bleak. i guess westjet is in touch with omni for main route uplift

james dean

Cant say I disagree with your assertions, but when push comes to shove I think the company will make deal. The last thing WS needs is shutdown of the airline over a strike. I think the pilots are totally committed to do whatever it takes, so if I were management I wouldn't count on the pilots blinking first otherwise they will be seeing picket lines at YYC & YYZ terminals and a lots of parked airframes.

wirez666

95% of Westjet pilots voted. 91% in favour of authorizing strike action.