ASA Screening Call

[Texx]

The new Kool-Aid from BL is "share the profits" with employees. Yeah right!

Do you who like 'performance-based' pay really want your income depended upon ramp and gate performance?

I don't think so.

We still have to wait to park now although the ramp operation is better than in the past. And nothing will change from the gate operation because of their low pay and being undermanned. Just pay us a fair wage and stick the performance crap where the sun doesn't shine! I'd rather have a salary I can count on and NOT depended upon other employee group's performance.

Hoser

Are you going to be in YUL this month so I can give you a broken aircraft?

 

[HoserASA]

No! I'm hanging out in the other Canadian city, furthest west. lol

Hoser

ps Tex eh?

 

[Texx]

No! I'm hanging out in the other Canadian city, furthest west. lol

Hoser

ps Tex eh?

Do you still live in Blue Ridge?

 

[HoserASA]

No, moved again! Every 3-4 years, must have been the military that made me like this! Plus, the law, and ASA Scheduling Police, can't find me!

 

[Texx]

No, moved again! Every 3-4 years, must have been the military that made me like this! Plus, the law, and ASA Scheduling Police, can't find me!

Merry Xmas. See ya next year!

 

[HoserASA]

Merry Christmas to you too!

Hoser

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Do you who like 'performance-based' pay really want your income depended upon ramp and gate performance?
Hoser

Actually, the GO decided not to base our pay on ramp and gate performance. Starting in January our pay will be based on AirServ's Wheelchair performance.

 

[Crash Pad]

Just make performance based on what the can says. I'll hold up my end to make sure we get a fat bonus.

 

[shamrock]

Starting in January our pay will be based on AirServ's Wheelchair performance.

So I'm guessing we'll be seeing a truck load of payroll audit notices in our mailboxes.

"An audit of your December pay was conducted and a we have concluded you were overpaid by 100 hours. An adjustment of 37.5 hours will be made for the January 31 pay period and we expect to receive the balance owed the Company within 10 days of January 31. If we do not recieve the outstanding balance by that time the collection process will commence, and no, we don't care that you were on Military Leave, nor do we care that you notified us of the error and have already offered to pay it back. Unlike you, we have no integrity and won't hesitate to haul your ass to court to get our money."

 

[blueridge71]

Then, why the hell are you here?!?!?

Because I was furloughed and now I can't afford to leave. After spending a year working for peanuts, I've exhausted my bank account and credit. I actually took a pay cut from what I was making on unemployment.

I'm happy for the guy to have an interview, but I think that some straight talk is needed. If I had known the whole situation at ASA, I probably would have held out for ExpressJet or Air Wisconsin. From what I've heard from the people that I know there, those are much better contracts and much better corporate cultures.

As to the strike, as I said, I believe that there will be a strong showing in favor of a strike. The reality of a strike depends on the National Mediation Board and whether the management decides to give us a fair contract at the last minute.

I would not want to be a new hire in the middle of a strike and I think that prospective new hires need to know about that. Of course, the whole issue may be settled by the time he gets a class date. The new ASA Delta contract specifies that we will be one of the cheapest DCI companies in five years and I think that he deserves to know that as well, especially since other DCI companies include Mesa and Chataco.

In the meantime, a sampling of what we have:
-10 days off
-6 days off can be moved by the company at will with little or no advance notice
-15 hour reserve days
-virtually no chance of getting released early on your last of reserve
-no long call reserve
-no seniority based reserve (but you can bribe scheduling with a pizza if you can afford it)
-rampant junior manning
-no moving of your reserve days
-you can be released back to reserve after a reserve assignment but released from the airport
-no commuter clause
-occurrence system in which you can get a letter or be dismissed for being sick too much
-no bidding for sim slots - they are assigned, so even if you are senior in your class, you may get the worst slot
-an unfriendly work environment - a chief pilot reportedly told a pilot to wash his clothes in the hotel sink after his bag was lost

But to present a balanced picture, we do get:
-cancellation pay (unless you are on reserve)
-above guarantee pay for underblock
-day off if scheduling fails to notify you of a canceled trip
-good training department
-interesting flying from the Caribbean to California and from Mexico to Canada

I know close to half a dozen new hires who quit within their first couple of months because the working conditions were so bad. It really is in the companies best interest to improve work rules and morale. These guys probably cost $30K each to train and left after a couple of months with no training contract.

A contract is a matter of perspective. If you've never had a good one, then maybe it doesn't look so bad to you. If you have had a good one, it's hard to go back.

Congratulations on the phone interview. Good luck. I wish you well. Look at the whole picture before you commit to going anywhere. Look at some of the other threads about ASA to help you decide.

 

[flyinhigh6165]

I was also interviewed the week of Oct. 24th and got the job. I am in a hiring pool and heard January or early Feb for a class date.

 

[AlphaSierra01]

How strict are they on the 100hours/ 6months rule? I don't have that but I've have considered sending my stuff in.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Do you who like 'performance-based' pay really want your income depended upon ramp and gate performance?

Hoser

I think perfomance based pay would really help get the ramp and gates up to speed. Perhaps we could even fix the "ain't my zone" problem.

As a pilot, I would have no problems with a little performance bonus. But, I don't think it has much effect on pilots. Our quality of life is better if we can fly the schedules we bid, without delays and the added pressures of trying to make up time here and there. We are already motivated to run on time.

Profit incentives are a usually a good thing. It brings together all the employees to work for a better overall result. There is less shifting the blame and more effort put in to making things work.

~~~^~~~

 

["GO AROUND"]

A contract is a matter of perspective. If you've never had a good one, then maybe it doesn't look so bad to you. If you have had a good one, it's hard to go back.

That statement explains a lot about "oh please". From his perspective the current contract is not bad for him so he could care less about changing it for the people that it effects badly. Seniority's a bitch unless you have it, right oh please? At least that's what I get from past posts from him.

I've been at a worse company than ASA, but I know there are better than ASA as well.

 

[ohplease!]

Blueridge,

for the most part, I couldn't agree more. For those of you who like to go back and read any and every past post I've made, if you'll look, I have said all along that we should concentrate on scheduling issues and not worry so much about payrates. If we had trip and duty rigs (which I don't fully understand) I believe scheduling would be forced to not do some of the silly things that they do. They would be forced to be more efficient. Plain and simple!

I know is sucks to be on reserve. I've been there. If I had it to do over again, I'd have waited until I could hold a line before upgrading. Reserve sucks. what else can you say? I hope it gets changed but I don't want to walk away from what I've worked hard for and enjoy to make a point about reserve.

What about the guy's/gal's with 18-20-25 years? Do you think they should have to give up a couple days off a month or a week of vacation so that newhires can have an extra day off? BS. They put in their time. They deserve to have first shot at days off, holidays, higher block, etc. etc.

Some of you think I don't care because I've got it pretty good. Well, you couldn't be further from the truth. I care about me and mine first! After that its everyone else at ASA. For the most part in decending order of seniority. Not just pilots. We are only a tiny part of the "machine". If we "burn this palce down" (makes me laugh every time I hear that) for no great reason, we'd be putting people who do the very best to support us and our operation out of a job and benefits. You say I don't care...I say you don't care.

There is a system to get this done. That system is running its course. I don't like the system but, its what I agreed to work under. I choose to be happy and let that system run. When asked for my suport (info. picket, attend gatherings and meetings, etc.), I've been there. If asked for a strike vote, I'll vote yes. If we don't get 95%+(ala UPS) its going to hurt our CNC and us. If it ever came to a strike, I'd walk too. Much as I'd hate to. my not agreeing with the system, does not mean I don't see the importance of being unified. Trust me, I get that.

We won't strike for many reasons...I truely believe that. Look at Comair's offer, its pretty close to what we'll get. We'll also be flying for another carrier sooner than you might think and flying larger planes. In a few short years, this industry will come around again (as it always has) and we'll make up for our "losses now" then. The pool of pilots and mechanics WILL shrink and we'll have gobs of leverage to push the salaries up. Until then, the most we can hope to do is improve some QOL issues.

Again, I choose to be happy. It makes life soooo much better. I'm sorry that you feel so trapped. I don't. I like it here (as long as I don't sit in the pilots lounge too long...depresses me). We will continue to grow and people will leave. You will get off reserve and be able to hold better trips. Try looking at others around you. Not just those above you. We can't all have 16+ days off a month and someone HAS to be on reserve, its that way EVERYWHERE! Even at those legacy carriers you covet so much (though their QOL and pay isn't nearly what it used to be).

It's just too bad you guy's try to shout someone down and call them name's when they disagree with you. It shows insecurity.


Anyway, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a happier New Year. Peace.