ASA ALPA Survey Comments

[crj567]

Agreed. There are waaaaaay too many, and a line is better. It seemed like you were saying too bad, reserve sucks - deal with it.

Sorry-

I didn't mean to come off like that at all.. Joe Merchant is the guy for that pompus B.S.... It is his specialty, seeing that he is our own version of Gen Lee.

 

[lonestarpilot20]

Fantastic post. 100% accurate. I had a problem conveying on paper my frustration with this situation and my job. Instead of trying to work towards resolving these issues, all I hear is "suck it up", or "why not just quit".

Our union is clearly off the tracks and doesn't care. In a time when 25% of our list is on reserve they claim to have "examined" scheduling records and deemed that scheduling wasn't holding back more open time than is allowed (6% I think) REALLY? either they are complete idiots, or they think we ARE. Well, evidently we are because we allow them to lie to us with NO CONSEQUENCES.

I have to agree, I don't often post here but on this one I have to second that. CM was in the ATL crew lounge a few months ago talking up PBS and I bought up how the reserve system needs to be changed. This is what I suggested for a new reserve system. First do away with GDOs, instead make 4 day blocks of reserve using 3 different reserve periods (AM, PM, and NAP). Crew planning knows when they need the most reserve coverage based on block hours and sick calls. The reserve lines would be 4 on followed by a minimum of 3 off. Scheduling cannot move days off. That's your schedule, you can only be used within your reserve footprint, but if scheduling just has to use you outside that footprint it would be 1.5 pay on top MMG. I would limit RR to no more than 4 hours. The question then becomes what to do about LCR, because with a 12hr call out and only 4 on, that limits how they can be used and the company is going to balk. So we know that LCRs get assigned much of the uncovered open time, so why not let them bid on it. Maybe within 48hr of your 4 day block you can bid on any trip that falls within your 4 day LCR. If a trip is partly in the 4 day window and partly out and you bid and can hold it, scheduling has to drop the part that is out, but they can add within in your 4 day window honoring the 12hr call out.

Any uncovered reserve days could be put into open time, if a line holder picks up reserve days they would get the greater of min day credit or block time regardless of whether they were used or not.

When I brought this up, CM came up with some BS about some rotating RR that when I looked at it, I thought he was absolutley nuts. There was no way anyone would go for it.

My $.02, discuss.

 

[701EV]

When I brought this up, CM came up with some BS about some rotating RR that when I looked at it, I thought he was absolutley nuts. There was no way anyone would go for it.

My $.02, discuss.

lonestarpilot, I like that idea.

If CM doesn't like it to bad! He doesn't make policy

Take it to SP, RV, AH, KA, and DN. Blow up their phones with the idea. Get all the reserves on board with it.

 

[LazyLightnin']

I have to agree, I don't often post here but on this one I have to second that. CM was in the ATL crew lounge a few months ago talking up PBS and I bought up how the reserve system needs to be changed. This is what I suggested for a new reserve system. First do away with GDOs, instead make 4 day blocks of reserve using 3 different reserve periods (AM, PM, and NAP). Crew planning knows when they need the most reserve coverage based on block hours and sick calls. The reserve lines would be 4 on followed by a minimum of 3 off. Scheduling cannot move days off. That's your schedule, you can only be used within your reserve footprint, but if scheduling just has to use you outside that footprint it would be 1.5 pay on top MMG. I would limit RR to no more than 4 hours. The question then becomes what to do about LCR, because with a 12hr call out and only 4 on, that limits how they can be used and the company is going to balk. So we know that LCRs get assigned much of the uncovered open time, so why not let them bid on it. Maybe within 48hr of your 4 day block you can bid on any trip that falls within your 4 day LCR. If a trip is partly in the 4 day window and partly out and you bid and can hold it, scheduling has to drop the part that is out, but they can add within in your 4 day window honoring the 12hr call out.

Any uncovered reserve days could be put into open time, if a line holder picks up reserve days they would get the greater of min day credit or block time regardless of whether they were used or not.

When I brought this up, CM came up with some BS about some rotating RR that when I looked at it, I thought he was absolutley nuts. There was no way anyone would go for it.

My $.02, discuss.

What open time? PBS remember?

 

[No Delay]

I agree with the original post.


I have shared this before on the alpa forum, but here's my 2 cents on what needs to be done:

1. We need to close the alpa offices. Our alpa reps need to be in the crew lounge! Set them up a desk in the corner of the crew lounge. Right now it is too easy for them to be "out of sight - out of mind". I believe if they had to face the pilots they represent everyday, I believe they would be a little more accountable.

I just came through a grievance process. Never once did I feel like I was being represented! To get anything done, I had to call and call, email and text. You have to aggravate the sh it out of them to get anything done!



2. We need to fire our alpa lawyer and DEMAND alpa provide a better one!
My grievance eventually went to mediation (or whatever its called). Our lawyer was so unprepared it was embarrassing. He started trying to argue my case, it was so obvious he didn't know what he was talking about. He had everyone jumping page to page in this info packet he made up. Most didn't have anything to do with my case. Everyone's packet was out of order and pages were missing. He just confused the whole group. He was a cluster.

My meeting lasted maybe 20 minutes. But in that short time frame, it was sooo obvious our layer was not together. Now, the company's lawyer....it didn't take but just a few minutes to realize he had his act together. You could just sense he was a bulldog.



3. We don't need pilots negotiating our contract. We need pilots giving input...and have an experienced professional to negotiate. Baseball players don't negotiate there own contracts. There hire professionals to do it. I am sure they are involved. But they are not sending a bunch of outfielders in there to negotiate.

 

[No Delay]

Here's 2 questions for our reps:


Are there any loop holes in the section of the contract that got you 6 hours per day?



How is it that you could negotiate 6 hours of pay for a couple of hours in an alpa office...but could only get me 4 hours of pay for my 8 hours of ground school or my 8 hours of ready reserve?

Just wondering


Here's an idea: You get paid what we get paid. Then maybe every 6 months let the pilot group vote on some type of bonus pay. If the majority of the pilot feel you have done a good job, we can back pay you the extra 2 hours. Or if you only get 40% approval, you get 40% of what your bonus could be. Man, that might motivate someone. We could vote on each person individually.

 

[lonestarpilot20]

What open time? PBS remember?

Well that's true, but in that case I suspect there will be fewer conversions to LCR. And another thing, scheduling could only convert one 4 day block of LCR to SCR with no RR per month.

 

[COOPERVANE]

Here's 2 questions for our reps:


Are there any loop holes in the section of the contract that got you 6 hours per day?



How is it that you could negotiate 6 hours of pay for a couple of hours in an alpa office...but could only get me 4 hours of pay for my 8 hours of ground school or my 8 hours of ready reserve?

Just wondering

This little hidden gem really burns me up. No personal motivation to sell this POS PBS to the pilot group....noooooooooooooo.....

 

[the palm]

This little hidden gem really burns me up. No personal motivation to sell this POS PBS to the pilot group....noooooooooooooo.....

I don't get it. Why would you be mad about that? Seems to me that paying someone 6 hours a day for doing work is WAY better than giving them a 100+ hour guarantee for doing nothing.

 

[COOPERVANE]

You know Palm, right after I posted that I thought better of it. When I had heard about that 6 hours of pay it was 'splained to me that it was an increase from four hours. I hadn't verified it with any credible source.

So you are saying this is INSTEAD of the 100 hour guarantee?

 

[the palm]

You know Palm, right after I posted that I thought better of it. When I had heard about that 6 hours of pay it was 'splained to me that it was an increase from four hours. I hadn't verified it with any credible source.

So you are saying this is INSTEAD of the 100 hour guarantee?

That's the way it was 'splained to me. No more 100+ hr guarantees. Now they work 4 days a week in the office for 3 weeks and fly the other week.

Quick math = 4x6x3 = 72 hrs + whatever they fly.

This was changed by the new MEC reps due to a few "abusers" in the previous MEC. And I guess I'm no "credible" source either, but I did ask a rep about it.

 

[crj567]

That's the way it was 'splained to me. No more 100+ hr guarantees. Now they work 4 days a week in the office for 3 weeks and fly the other week.

Quick math = 4x6x3 = 72 hrs + whatever they fly.

This was changed by the new MEC reps due to a few "abusers" in the previous MEC. And I guess I'm no "credible" source either, but I did ask a rep about it.

Well-

Some do that, most don't.. I know a lot of guys get their trips taken for union work, so I am not sure exactly how that is compensated, but I do know of a few who are never on line anymore.

I have also heard of guys getting "persuaded" with credits. Obviously, whoever controls these new credits has a lot of power. All I know for sure is that everyone winds up on the same page with scary regularity. I am just pissed that we are paying dues to run our "2nd G.O." we get hosed enough by the original G.O. for free.

I really hope the XJET guys pay very close attention what has happened around here the last couple of years-it is a serious mess.

 

[JoeMerchant]

I really hope the XJET guys pay very close attention what has happened around here the last couple of years-it is a serious mess.

Have you been reading the XJT "crackpipe"? They have a bunch of whiners like you over there complaining about their MEC too....Y'all can get together and whine about which MEC you dislike the most...:laugh:

 

[the palm]

Well-

Some do that, most don't.. I know a lot of guys get their trips taken for union work, so I am not sure exactly how that is compensated, but I do know of a few who are never on line anymore.

Who? The rep told me that everyone in the ALPA office is now line qualified and flying every month. If he is lying to me I want to know.

 

[the palm]

Have you been reading the XJT "crackpipe"? They have a bunch of whiners like you over there complaining about their MEC too....Y'all can get together and whine about which MEC you dislike the most...:laugh:

Yes it is funny. It's like you could delete XJT and insert ASA in all their posts.