Part Time Pilots, Yay or Nay?

[Erlanger]

At Skywest, management has expressed the idea of allowing pilot time pilots. There's a lot of pilots for and a lot against. Won't go into my reasons but I am dead set against it. Those that do go part time will lose their benefits except travel/jumpseat. Curious what everyone out thinks of the advantages and disadvantages of this proposal and how it could affect those of us that want to or need to stay full time.

 

[Freebrd]

aleardy have part time at ASA, they call it COMA, can be for a month, or 2 weeks

 

[asayankee]

I'm totally against it....it just means I have to work harder on reserve. 98 hours in Feb with multiple off days moved. They're still giving out COMA's too. Eff'em. This summer is going to be great!

 

[Knob]

That's usually the first step before furlough...I hope that's not in anybody's future

 

[rjacobs]

I wouldnt say that its the first step before a furlough.

I havent heard anything about this, but it basically removes the cost of benefits(insurance) from the airline. They get a pilot that flies half the month and another that flies the other half of the month and they dont have to pay insurance/401k/anything for either guy. The only cost really to the company would be recurrent training. For guys that could take advantage of this it would be a pretty decent idea. I know several guys at XJT would probably take advantage of something like this.

 

[rtmcfi]

How did the long call reserve work out at SkyWest? Why would anyone think that this proposal would turn out one iota better?

 

[damnflyboy]

Sure...if they lose priority to full-timers when it comes to travel benefits, bidding seniority, and performance payouts.

 

[rickair7777]

I don't think MGT is talking about it, I think the idea was floated on the forums by a mom whose husband is military (ie gone a lot but has good pay and great benefits).

But I'm opposed without some insanely airtight limitations on what the company can do with it.

 

[cynic]

Why the heck would anyone work part time. Cut a barely livable wage in half and still be gone enough that you can't work a second job -- unless by second job you mean make millions by working at home using my awesome methodology for finding things and then selling them using my patented system... Order the kit now it's only $28 per installment paid over 19 installments.

 

[rjacobs]

Why the heck would anyone work part time. Cut a barely livable wage in half and still be gone enough that you can't work a second job -- unless by second job you mean make millions by working at home using my awesome methodology for finding things and then selling them using my patented system... Order the kit now it's only $28 per installment paid over 19 installments.

Some people have sugar momma's(or daddy's). I have flown with at least 5 guys where their wives make 5-10x what they make and they really dont have to work at all, but they choose to. Most of them drop their whole line every month. One of the guys said every dime he makes goes into retirement savings. He hasnt touched his salary in 5 years.

So just because YOU wouldnt or couldnt take advantage of something like this doesnt mean nobody could or would.

At XJT when we had the 40 and 60 hour lines there were more people who signed up for them than the company would give out. To me that says there are PLENTY of guys who want to only work half the month.

 

[propilot]

This is becoming commonplace outside of aviation. Aviation is just behind as usual... It's called job sharing...do some research...

 

[SSDD]

Totally against it! It is just another step in the erosion of pay and benefits. We see it already with part time agents and flight attendants. They're only in it for the travel. They don't really have a stake in the company, so they don't pay attention and don't care what goes on. So when insurance premiums go up, or profit sharing goes down for the rest of us, they don't care.

I would bet that if they were to lose their travel benefits, no one would go part time.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

No problem with it. Good for any pilot that can afford to do this.

 

[LearLove]

I wouldnt say that its the first step before a furlough.

I haven't heard anything about this, but it basically removes the cost of benefits(insurance) from the airline. They get a pilot that flies half the month and another that flies the other half of the month and they don't have to pay insurance/401k/anything for either guy. The only cost really to the company would be recurrent training. For guys that could take advantage of this it would be a pretty decent idea. I know several guys at XJT would probably take advantage of something like this.

Winner winner chicken dinner. The next assault on the profession (and most jobs as a whole) will be on benefits. Mainly health care.

Have any of you noticed your company having "free" health screening clinics? Think this is for your health and the company/provider cares about you? Think again. It is set up to gather a cross section of information on the health of a companies employees. Down the road it can/may be used to determine how much the provider charges the company/employee based on the information gathered and then further push for health care paid in relation of the results of the screening data.

 

[LearLove]

No problem with it. Good for any pilot that can afford to do this.

yeah until we are all part time and nobody has health care and has to work 2 jobs to make ends meet.

 

[johnpeace]

That would be my ideal situation...I know a lot of other crewmembers who would probably prefer it that way too.

I'd LOVE to do 1 or 2 4 day trips a month, buy my health insurance and travel privileges and limit my exposure to the chaos and stupidity.

 

[eaglepilot6]

This is (or at least was, don't know if it's still on the table) being discussed by ALPA and XJT mgmt. Just like FAs, the company isn't forcing anyone to go PT, its entirely voluntary. If someone can afford it and wants to be home for their kids baseball or soccer season, why force them to work a 90 hour line? PBS allows us to bid to work only whatever the company minimum is for the month, with PT guys/girls can work less if they so choose. Of course the company would never go along with it if they had to fork out the money for benefits or guarantee, so that all needs to be worked out before an agreement is submitted. Then, our elected leaders at ALPA need to agree before it is LOA'd or incorporated into our next contract.

As for the reserve guys, this could be a good thing for you too. If guys choose to go PT, that means less trips awarded to current lineholders. Maybe with these extra trips, PBS will build you a line and get you off reserve.

How is having more options for QOL to pilots a bad thing? FA's love being able to go PT if they want and are senior enough to hold it. I'm sure it'd go senior for pilots too, with senior guys who make plenty to live off of flying 2 trips a month.

 

[Oakum_Boy]

I'm all for this. Where do I sign up.

 

[ROSWELL41]

What if during lean times the company did not have enough part time pilots? Could they junior man into part time status? Could new hires only be offered part time until a full time position opens? This opens up a whole can of worms that an airline without the protection of a CBA should not consider.

 

[Carl_Spackler]

So you still have to work 10 days a month for half pay and no bennies? No thanks, I'll work 11-12 days and keep everything.