True story. An ASA RJ Captain is in his boat fishing on his day off. As is common when fishing, this pilot is enjoying the malted beverage of his choice. The phone rings, he answers it and is junior manned for a trip with a two hour call out, but "get to the airport as soon as you can." He says, I can't fly, I'm out in the middle of a lake with a beer in my hand. They say tough, you get an occurrence for being unavailable for assignment and we already put this trip on you. He gets an occurrence and his sick bank gets whacked for the value of the trip. The kicker is that since he was under guarantee, he gets no pay for all the sick time that he just got taken from him.
Twice I have been called on my day off, told them I was simply not available and I have the occurrences to show for it. It absolutely sucks to be with your family enjoying one of your measly 11 to 12 days off several hours from the airport and to get whacked.
Sure, you say, "don't answer the phone" but sometimes your wife answers the phone before you have time to scream "Nooooooooooooo!" and dive across the living room like a scene out of the Matrix.
Pur next contract M U S T severely limit non voluntary junior manning and like Fed Ex, the Company should have to declare an emergency and pay 250% to rob us of our time. We are not slaves, we have lives out of work. A day off is not a day of reserve. This concept is a strike issue for this pilot.