About The Bucket System

[GeekMaster]

Ok after conversations with our reps and reading the full language contract, (though I still feel as if I need to study it more) here's the basic model for how the buckets are built. I know this has been covered somewhat in the bullet point presentation, but many questions about seniority and such that have been raised on this board and perhaps some may benefit.

The buckets will be transparent/visible.

The reserve buckets are first built according to how many days of reserve you have left before days off. Ex.-If you are starting a 5 day reserve period, you are in the 5 day bucket.

Each bucket top to bottom is sorted as follows. Top to bottom- "Fly me first" designations in seniority order, then total hours flown month-to-date in inverse order. In otherwords a pilot who has flown 23 hours so far in a given month will be called to fly before a pilot who has flown 58 hours.

There is no "don't fly me" , "fly me last", or "first right to bypass" option. The system on the company's part is designed to manage reserve pilots as efficiently as possible. (for them) It is in their best interest to quit using a pilot who has flown 74 hours MTD and utilize one who has flown 47 hours instead.

Expect to be called out on longer trips while you're in the 5 and 4 day bucket and day lines/round trips when you're in the 1 day bucket. That's common sense.

For the pilots' part, it gives us rights we've NEVER had for reserves. Long call out, Min. day rigs in some circumstances, TRANSPARENCY on where you are on the list, and some knowledge of the logic they'll be using.

This system isn't a reinvention of the wheel. It's not so different than ExpressJet.

 

[John Pennekamp]

What's your point? Endorsing, maligning, or informing?

 

[Snapperhead]

Sounds informative to me. Gracias.

 

[SkyNation]

bear in mind, there are a vocal few here at SkyWest that consider the bucket system the root of all evil, world hunger, and global warming.

your experience may differ

 

[DrewBlows]

The bucket system is a more efficient way for a company to use it's reserves. Theoretically it will allow the company to staff less people. From the pilot's perspective compared to a seniority based system, senior pilots will fly more and junior pilots will fly less. If the company has it's way no one will break 75 hours, so in effect it's a pay cut for the pilot group as a whole, senior pilots will make less per hour and junior pilots will make less per month because it becomes difficult to break guarantee.

It's not necessarily a bad thing IF the cut is offset with higher pay rates and better work rules (long call, reserve transparency, etc.). Unfortunately at Comair we took a pay cut at the same time we got the bucket system. We got long call, but reserve transparency actually became harder to understand because of the antiquated scheduling system the company uses.

Is it good? Is it bad? Depends on your perspective. It's great for the company because they can staff fewer pilots (though they will pay for it during a scheduling crisis) which costs them less. It's not good for pilots on reserve on it's own, but some will benefit from a long call system. Overall, I wouldn't agree to it if I weren't getting something very significant in return. The reality is, any reserve rules affect only a minority of pilots so it probably won't make any difference in the ASA TA vote.

My advice is vote yes if it's something you can live with and vote no if you think you deserve more. (I'm sure that helps)

 

[Bluto]

bear in mind, there are a vocal few here at SkyWest that consider the bucket system the root of all evil, world hunger, and global warming.

your experience may differ

Vocal few? I don't know of anyone on reserve that thinks the bucket system is a good thing.

What do you consider a strategy that saved the company money, making them more efficient while rewarding the pilots with less flexibility and decreased QOL?

This is why it's important to negotiate for things like this, instead of having them handed to us directly with no discussion.

Notice that ASA pilots are evaluating PBS to see if they want it, or will require SGU to negotiate something in exchange for it. This is how negotiation works. It's something SAPA cannot do.

 

[Bluto]

For the pilots' part, it gives us rights we've NEVER had for reserves. Long call out, Min. day rigs in some circumstances, TRANSPARENCY on where you are on the list, and some knowledge of the logic they'll be using.

Of those items, SkyWest pilots only have access to the transparency of the list, and it is not kept updated so there is no way to check crew support if they say you are next on the list. ie. there is no transparency.

 

[GeekMaster]

What's your point? Endorsing, maligning, or informing?

Strictly informative. Sharing information directly from discussions with reps. Thought it would be useful since many of the posts on both boards seem to suggest there is much confusion as to how the buckets are built. (seniority? random?)

Do I endorse it?

Hmmm...it's much better than what we have now....which is no system at all. Buy them a pizza and tell them your preference. But the truth is, I don't know very much about reserve. I started with ASA at a time of exponential growth back in the late 90's. Back then, in the John and George days, they assigned you what was referred to as an NQP line for your first month. Then I held one single month of reserve in Dallas on the E120 and that was it. Not another reserve line in the history of my career. During that month, I actually wanted to fly. It was all new and exciting and I actually called them everyday and asked if they had anything. My how times have changed.

I suppose the long call system, more organized methods of sorting pilot callouts and some form of transparency is an improvement. It seems to be in line with other regionals, but again, I'm no reserve expert. That's the best I can do; neither a committed endorsement nor a condemnation.

 

[bmpilot2003]

bear in mind, there are a vocal few here at SkyWest that consider the bucket system the root of all evil, world hunger, and global warming.

your experience may differ

Its is because WE CAN NOT SEE IT. We have NO transparency how DUMB are you? Your post get worst by the day.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

bear in mind, there are a vocal few here at SkyWest that consider the bucket system the root of all evil, world hunger, and global warming.

your experience may differ

Not quite true, that position is reserved for you!
PBR