CAL Contract

[flyboy006]

Hey everyone I am not a CAL guy and I see alot of talk about the CAL contract not being too hot. For lack of better knowledge whats up with the contract. Why does it suck?
also on a side note.. i jumpsat on a CAL plane and saw the weirdest thing. There was a CAL jumpseater and 2 non CAL jumpseaters(1 being me) and the flight attendant told the CAL jumpseater the back of the plane was hers and so she needs to seat us where she wants never mind what the boarding card said. I didnt mind I'm hitching a free ride but the CAL guy minded considering it was a half full flight and she put him and us near the bulkhead in a middle seats even though the gate agent gave us individual rows. The CAL jumpseater went to the CAPT who was flying and apparently he told the CAL jumpseater(his fellow peer) to just do what she says!! Guess she was having a bad day!!

 

[Jonny Sacko]

You gotta get off the coffee, or use grammar check, or just put periods every once in a while.

 

[rtseatrich]

Yep sounds like a sterotypical CAL Capt. failing to assert their Captain's Authority. I have seen time and time again at CAL. Letting a F/A run your ship is never ever a good idea. This guy probably let his wife tell him how to vote on the last contract too. Sad but true many CAL pilots lack a backbone. Our current contract is another example. The majority just let the company have everything they wanted and met their timeline too. Hopefully the new hires will change the demographics.

 

[flyboy006]

?

You gotta get off the coffee, or use grammar check, or just put periods every once in a while.

sorry.. will do next time. thanks

 

[zonker]

Had the same deal a few months ago going to ARN. We had a FedEx jumpseater and when the captain asked the ISM (#1 FA) what she thought about putting him in first class (mostly empty), she said, "I don't do that".

He tucked his balls between his legs and said, "okay".

After the door was shut I asked him about it and he gave me some lame story about how his buddy got chastised by the CP for overriding the FA. I looked at him and said, "But...you're the captain."

 

[CAL EWR B737]

Had the same deal a few months ago going to ARN. We had a FedEx jumpseater and when the captain asked the ISM (#1 FA) what she thought about putting him in first class (mostly empty), she said, "I don't do that".

He tucked his balls between his legs and said, "okay".

After the door was shut I asked him about it and he gave me some lame story about how his buddy got chastised by the CP for overriding the FA. I looked at him and said, "But...you're the captain."

That guy is a pu$$y period! When I have a jumpseater if First or Business First is open they get the seat period. I can play nice and attempt to do so in a politically correct manor first, ultimately though either way the political correctness or by excersing Captains Authority the Jumpseater will have a First Class seat! I wish our pilots (captains) would grow some balls it would certainly make my job easier.

Additionally we need to take back our jumpseat during contract 08 and get rid of our current J/S policy and return to one that keeps the J/S away from the gate agents and back with the Captain where it belongs. The current system attempts to circum navigate the Captain. I always go up to the gate area and look for jumpseaters before every flight.

Jayson Baron
EWR B756 CA
CAL SPSC Strike Preparedness Chairman

 

[waveflyer]

That guy is a pu$$y period! When I have a jumpseater if First or Business First is open they get the seat period. I can play nice and attempt to do so in a politically correct manor first, ultimately though either way the political correctness or by excersing Captains Authority the Jumpseater will have a First Class seat! I wish our pilots (captains) would grow some balls it would certainly make my job easier.

Additionally we need to take back our jumpseat during contract 08 and get rid of our current J/S policy and return to one that keeps the J/S away from the gate agents and back with the Captain where it belongs. The current system attempts to circum navigate the Captain. I always go up to the gate area and look for jumpseaters before every flight.

Jayson Baron
EWR B756 CA
CAL SPSC Strike Preparedness Chairman

Well done- thank you for the extra effort-
I will tell you though- continental is just a wierd airline in that regard. Everyone is very nice-and i'm only grateful for the ride- but almost every time i've used them- whereas UAL, AA, DAL all assume youre sitting in 1st if one's available- and unless you're unprofessional or arrogant somehow, the FA's take care of you- at CO-i've been sent back to a full coach middle seat when 1st was open every time-- the first time- it was the captain who sent me back- I heard that employees have to pay to sit in 1st and that may be the reason why they don't like to give it away. I'm just a small sample-and again- very grateful for the ride when i've needed you- but it's nice to hear people like you who are working to take care of our own industry wide.

 

[flyboy006]

Thanks

That guy is a pu$$y period! When I have a jumpseater if First or Business First is open they get the seat period. I can play nice and attempt to do so in a politically correct manor first, ultimately though either way the political correctness or by excersing Captains Authority the Jumpseater will have a First Class seat! I wish our pilots (captains) would grow some balls it would certainly make my job easier.

Additionally we need to take back our jumpseat during contract 08 and get rid of our current J/S policy and return to one that keeps the J/S away from the gate agents and back with the Captain where it belongs. The current system attempts to circum navigate the Captain. I always go up to the gate area and look for jumpseaters before every flight.

Jayson Baron
EWR B756 CA
CAL SPSC Strike Preparedness Chairman

Thank you very much for your hospitality sir. I have used CAL alot to JS and it has been an okay experience. I do agree that the gate plays a huge role in this. At times that made it difficult. I have had a few(2) CAL Captains whos names i will never forget that give a bad name for CAL. Flat out a$$holes to everyone(to multiple jumpseaters). Hopefully the whole thing will be fixed via ur next contract. I am not too sure what is up with the first class thing. I being Non-CAL dont care if i get put in coach even if there are seat in 1st class open but I would hope that a CAL guy JSing would be offered first. As posted above I have been on CAL flights with a CAL jumpseater and he was not offered first and the seat remained empty the entire flight. Whats up with that? Is it a contract thing?

 

[CAL EWR B737]

As posted above I have been on CAL flights with a CAL jumpseater and he was not offered first and the seat remained empty the entire flight. Whats up with that? Is it a contract thing?

No, it is an overall lack of respect towards our pilots and most specifically a degradation of Captain's Authority by many within our company mostly our flight operations management. Simply put out union leadership and our pilots need to fight to reagain much of what has been lost in this arena over recent years.

Our domestic F/C is more times then not is full due to our FF upgrade policy. However if there is an empty seat all of our non revs have had a first shot at it before any Jumpseater. Unfortunately there is some anomosity from our gate agents and others and they will not upgrade non revs unless they pay for First Class. So because some FA's and gate agents couldn't get that occasional empty F/C seat (for free or at coach price if they are less then ten years) when they nonrev they take it out on pilot jumpseaters when there is an open F/C seat out of jealiousy.

Irregardless the Captain should make sure any open First Class seats go to jumpseaters period. So many of our pilots have been taken care of better off line then on our own carrier it is really sad. We need to go the extra mile and make sure our jumpseaters and especially offline jumpseaters get F/C if there is an open seat.

Internationally we do often have Business First (we don't have international first class) seats open. I mostly fly international and if I have a jumpseater and there is a B/F seat they get it period. I went back to row 20 something just before push last month to get our Alaska jumpseater and escort him to a B/F seat.

Addtionally when were negotiating our POS Contract 02 our incompent union leadership (at that time) negotiated the current Jumpseat policy and removed the captain from the equation. We are going to change that and we are going to regain the jumpseat and Captain's Authority in Contact 08.

Sorry for the long reply and I apologize for any typo's. I no longer see a spell checker when I post am I missing something?

Lastly we our slowly changing our pilot groups consistency, we have over 1500 new hires and many of our weaker pilots have retired. I think over time you will find more who share my philosphy then those who are afraid of their own shadow.

Either way we are preparing for WAR with our managment and I am hopeful we will attain a real contract.

To all pilots you are always welcome on my jumpseat and if there is an open F/C seat you will get it.

 

[IAHERJ]

We were flying back from Europe several months ago when a JetBlue jumpseater came up to ask for the jumpseat. The gate agents had already given him his seat assignment(coach) but we had Business First seats open. The captain chatted with him but did not offer him a first class seat. The IRO and myself shook our heads and decided to take care of it ourselves. First, I asked the captain if he thought we should offer the jumpseater a seat up front. He said that it was "not his call". I walked up the jetway and spoke to the agent who said "you guys are the pilots, you can do what you want once he is on the plane". The IRO then asked the ISM(international service manager) if she minded if we envited him up front. She not only thought it was a good idea, she offered him a full menu for meals and made sure he got his 1st choice. He was greatful and we told the Captain in cruise what we had done. His response was "wow, that was nice of you".
It should have been nice of him. It is amazing that we had to go through all that just to do what most other airlines will do automatically for offline guys/girls. Change will come but slowly I believe.

 

[imadumbpilot]

I recall reading, when we went to the automated jumpseat system, that first class upgrades WOULD be given to jumpseaters. This was in one of the union news letters. I will have to look back and see for sure. This crap really peaves me, we were coming out of MXP and had a jumpseater a while back, I asked the Captain if we were allowed to put him in BF, and he said no. It turned out it didn't matter because it was full, but these guys have been so friggin imasculated over the years.

 

[waveflyer]

Well- i again can appreciate the change in culture- Thanks again- and don't worry so much about the jumpseat/FC- I'll go in the overhead if it gets me where i'm going- You're one of the most successful airlines out there and I think have a good product- You get those rates and work rules up- that's what will benefit you and ALL of us the most.

Who can justify being higher paid than CO right now? You all have performed well since 9/11- time to get rewarded for it.

Good luck- whatever support you need - let us all know.

When is your contract due up again?

 

[flyboy006]

good

We were flying back from Europe several months ago when a JetBlue jumpseater came up to ask for the jumpseat. The gate agents had already given him his seat assignment(coach) but we had Business First seats open. The captain chatted with him but did not offer him a first class seat. The IRO and myself shook our heads and decided to take care of it ourselves. First, I asked the captain if he thought we should offer the jumpseater a seat up front. He said that it was "not his call". I walked up the jetway and spoke to the agent who said "you guys are the pilots, you can do what you want once he is on the plane". The IRO then asked the ISM(international service manager) if she minded if we envited him up front. She not only thought it was a good idea, she offered him a full menu for meals and made sure he got his 1st choice. He was greatful and we told the Captain in cruise what we had done. His response was "wow, that was nice of you".
It should have been nice of him. It is amazing that we had to go through all that just to do what most other airlines will do automatically for offline guys/girls. Change will come but slowly I believe.

that awesome of you to go out and do that. we are all in the same boat here no matter what airline we fly for and therefore should take care of eachother. I find it hard to believe that CAPT's at CAL are that spineless.When i am hitching for a free ride i dont really care whether i am in first or not, im just greatfull to be on. Looking back at the many times i jump sat on CAL its true though, that the F/O was the one talking to the FA about if there were any 1st class seats open, or if there were any open rows in coach etc. To my limited memory, i dont recall any of the CAL Captains asking. Dont get me wrong, the CAPTs were all pleasant except for 2 prick CAPT's who i would love to run into in the future, but none really went out of their way to accomodate. It was always the FO.. good for you though!!

 

[BigMeat]

Ive done a similar thing. Our Capts need to wake up and get their authority back!!!!

 

[LUalum]

Got to say, though, I have commuted for years from DFW to ATL and now to EWR. The same practice, sitting J/S riders in coach when first class is open, happens everywhere CO, AA, DL. I don't think it's malicious policy, just that crews don't care anymore and don't make an effort to correct it. Pre 911 in my experience it was the norm to be seated in first if available. If we want this issue, or any other fixed, we need to step up.