General:
Shortly after the current contract was signed life became nice at ASA...briefly. Then as company began finding ways around most provisions via the ridiculously weak contract language, things have changed dramatically with little support from ALPA reps. Our schedules and lines are awful. Scheduling is terrible. Our trips have degraded dramatically with few enjoyable overnights remaining. Most of us are stuck on four day trips and away from home longer. Reserve is heinous with often 25% of our pilots on reserve. Maintenance is understaffed and suspect. Chief Pilots are unresponsive when needed, but right there to assign discipline at any opportunity (an arena where representation is admittedly much appreciated). Our company is no longer trustworthy and is resorting to intimidation tactics. And worst of all: our elected reps are now seen to be company shrills and also not trustworthy. Then we witnessed the PBS show with company and our elected reps singing the same song. This of course, was an ominous warning sign of things to come. Now as our quality of life has plummeted to rock bottom we see our reps at the cusp of negotiating a JCBA. Virtually the same crowd who brought us the weak '07 contract, the PBS agreement which is also full of holes and lacks substantive reserve improvements, is now to be trusted with the most important instrument of all, the JCBA.
Folks, your credibility is at an all time low. You are now seen as a country club with your 6 hours per day. Very few of us have any confidence in you any longer. Many would vote to ouster ALPA if given the chance, others are scheming for recall. In my opinion, you will no longer be able to count on the widespread apathy among the ranks. I would therefore suggest gentlemen, that it would be in your own best interest to get it right. That means FOR ALL OF US from seniority number one down to the lowest reserve pilot!
Scheduling:
Receiving an ACARS msg while on arrival/approach for scheduling issues is not acceptable any more than a radio call was! This and other ACARS msgs are distracting pilots at inopportune times. This must be fixed! How did we ever agree ACARS was an acceptable form of notification in the first place!? The stupid auto dialer system is rapidly becoming a solid pain in the buttocks as well ringing phones repeatedly on off days, etc. BULLCRAP!
In regards to reserves, the present situation is beyond unacceptable! The philosophy of our elected reps that reserves are there to take all the heat off of line holders WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED! There is a growing group amongst our pilots who are not going to allow this horsecrap to continue. The suggestion by you guys that line holders accept reserve days in their lines to relieve reserve pilots is not the answer! Clearly the answer is to improve reserve conditions markedly, making life on reserve tolerable. At many carriers reserve is frequently bid for by senior pilots because it has favorable work rules. Why is this not acceptable here? The bloody archaic notion that reserve pilots must suck it up for line holders is solidly rooted in the dark ages. Obviously conditions in modern day see pilots trapped on reserve seemingly in perpetuity, often year upon year. How in God's name do you guys and the senior pilots justify allowing so many of your COLLEAGUES to have to bear the antiquated and intolerable reserve conditions here? And on top of that, as much as reserves have stepped up for so long, they must also bear constant harassment and intimidation from CPs despite the fact that they've majorly helped carry the company. And where is ALPA on that? Telling us "we can't do anything which might infringe on the rights of the line holders." And that company isn't holding out any flying from lines into open time. Right! If you folks truly feel reserve pilots have less rights then we will begin instituting a dues reduction/waiver program for them.
Personal Time/Sick Time:
It is well past time for ASA to join the 21st Century and provide for personal time for its pilots. The present situation requires a pilot to call in sick in most cases and can easily lead to disciplinary proceedings from the company CPs who are out for blood. Currently, attempts to receive personal time off legally usually require us to go through the very contentious Chief Pilots Office. Often, if one is actually able to reach a CP, the outcome is not favorable even when justified. As our company grows more and more contentious with CPs who will place blame on pilots at every opportunity, it is time for our elected reps to step up and support the ones they represent on such issues.
Scope:
For me and everyone I've talked to, solid provisions for scope protection will be necessary for a yes vote on the JCBA. None of us will be satisfied without provisions preventing SKW Inc from transferring aircraft or flying to another airline under their control. Desired protections will also include provisions preventing the creation of alter ego airlines as well as acquisitions. Of course the ultimate objective must be to see one list between SKW, ASA and XJT.
Shortly after the current contract was signed life became nice at ASA...briefly. Then as company began finding ways around most provisions via the ridiculously weak contract language, things have changed dramatically with little support from ALPA reps. Our schedules and lines are awful. Scheduling is terrible. Our trips have degraded dramatically with few enjoyable overnights remaining. Most of us are stuck on four day trips and away from home longer. Reserve is heinous with often 25% of our pilots on reserve. Maintenance is understaffed and suspect. Chief Pilots are unresponsive when needed, but right there to assign discipline at any opportunity (an arena where representation is admittedly much appreciated). Our company is no longer trustworthy and is resorting to intimidation tactics. And worst of all: our elected reps are now seen to be company shrills and also not trustworthy. Then we witnessed the PBS show with company and our elected reps singing the same song. This of course, was an ominous warning sign of things to come. Now as our quality of life has plummeted to rock bottom we see our reps at the cusp of negotiating a JCBA. Virtually the same crowd who brought us the weak '07 contract, the PBS agreement which is also full of holes and lacks substantive reserve improvements, is now to be trusted with the most important instrument of all, the JCBA.
Folks, your credibility is at an all time low. You are now seen as a country club with your 6 hours per day. Very few of us have any confidence in you any longer. Many would vote to ouster ALPA if given the chance, others are scheming for recall. In my opinion, you will no longer be able to count on the widespread apathy among the ranks. I would therefore suggest gentlemen, that it would be in your own best interest to get it right. That means FOR ALL OF US from seniority number one down to the lowest reserve pilot!
Scheduling:
Receiving an ACARS msg while on arrival/approach for scheduling issues is not acceptable any more than a radio call was! This and other ACARS msgs are distracting pilots at inopportune times. This must be fixed! How did we ever agree ACARS was an acceptable form of notification in the first place!? The stupid auto dialer system is rapidly becoming a solid pain in the buttocks as well ringing phones repeatedly on off days, etc. BULLCRAP!
In regards to reserves, the present situation is beyond unacceptable! The philosophy of our elected reps that reserves are there to take all the heat off of line holders WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED! There is a growing group amongst our pilots who are not going to allow this horsecrap to continue. The suggestion by you guys that line holders accept reserve days in their lines to relieve reserve pilots is not the answer! Clearly the answer is to improve reserve conditions markedly, making life on reserve tolerable. At many carriers reserve is frequently bid for by senior pilots because it has favorable work rules. Why is this not acceptable here? The bloody archaic notion that reserve pilots must suck it up for line holders is solidly rooted in the dark ages. Obviously conditions in modern day see pilots trapped on reserve seemingly in perpetuity, often year upon year. How in God's name do you guys and the senior pilots justify allowing so many of your COLLEAGUES to have to bear the antiquated and intolerable reserve conditions here? And on top of that, as much as reserves have stepped up for so long, they must also bear constant harassment and intimidation from CPs despite the fact that they've majorly helped carry the company. And where is ALPA on that? Telling us "we can't do anything which might infringe on the rights of the line holders." And that company isn't holding out any flying from lines into open time. Right! If you folks truly feel reserve pilots have less rights then we will begin instituting a dues reduction/waiver program for them.
Personal Time/Sick Time:
It is well past time for ASA to join the 21st Century and provide for personal time for its pilots. The present situation requires a pilot to call in sick in most cases and can easily lead to disciplinary proceedings from the company CPs who are out for blood. Currently, attempts to receive personal time off legally usually require us to go through the very contentious Chief Pilots Office. Often, if one is actually able to reach a CP, the outcome is not favorable even when justified. As our company grows more and more contentious with CPs who will place blame on pilots at every opportunity, it is time for our elected reps to step up and support the ones they represent on such issues.
Scope:
For me and everyone I've talked to, solid provisions for scope protection will be necessary for a yes vote on the JCBA. None of us will be satisfied without provisions preventing SKW Inc from transferring aircraft or flying to another airline under their control. Desired protections will also include provisions preventing the creation of alter ego airlines as well as acquisitions. Of course the ultimate objective must be to see one list between SKW, ASA and XJT.
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