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CAL recalls when???

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skywdriver

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2005
Posts
230
i know this would probably be a better post in the CAL ALPA forum, but i don't post on there, so just curious what you guys are thinking. I am hoping for 2010, planning on 2011. Any word out there?
 
Well, CAL needs more pilots in the summer and they didn't bring them back for this summer. CAL claims to be staffed better than they have been in a while. (whatever!!)
Another bid supposedly in August...keep your fingers crossed but don't get your hopes up.

Sorry.
 
I'm still hearing fall, although it's quieter than it's been. If they get through the summer then they can surely get through the fall. They damn sure need them back, but are simply hostages.
 
Just my opinion...

I think August bid may have recalls for several reasons:

1-On Dec 13, 2009, the seniors start turning 62, therefore finally eligible for SS and Medicare. Some benefits many were holding out for.

2-After the recent passing of an over 60 pilot. It was realized by many that if you are active at CAL and you 'fly west' even at home, your lump sum is only paid at 50% to your spouse only, not to surviving children etc. Some of the good ones will think about their families and retire.

3-New aircraft deliveries that have higher staffing requirements.

Of course this is based on status quo of the economy, but one can't predict the future.

Yogi
 
Just my opinion...

I think August bid may have recalls for several reasons:

1-On Dec 13, 2009, the seniors start turning 62, therefore finally eligible for SS and Medicare. Some benefits many were holding out for.

2-After the recent passing of an over 60 pilot. It was realized by many that if you are active at CAL and you 'fly west' even at home, your lump sum is only paid at 50% to your spouse only, not to surviving children etc. Some of the good ones will think about their families and retire.

3-New aircraft deliveries that have higher staffing requirements.

Of course this is based on status quo of the economy, but one can't predict the future.

Yogi

1) and 2) are optimistic scenarios. Plenty of those guys were just milking the 62 excuse to justify 65 support. They will stay all the way to 65 and some will still complain then. Don't forget about our illustrious Post 60 pre 2006 flight instructors who don't understand why we think it's BS they can fly a line trip.

As for 3) you would think, but since Larry put all his eggs in the 787 basket that's not a guarantee either. It all comes down to the biz plan for '10 which has been finalized yet. Europe is going to be weaker for longer then the US, so I worry that we might pull out/slash frequencies over the next year. And I don't doubt for a second that they will hesitate to park more 737-500's now that they think the Q400 is an adequate replacement.:erm:

Of course if the union would just hurry up and sign off scope for the Star Alliance JV flying I'm sure the company would recall everyone. So it's the idiots union's fault for the furloughs...:rolleyes:
 
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1) and 2) are optimistic scenarios. Plenty of those guys were just milking the 62 excuse to justify 65 support. They will stay all the way to 65 and some will still complain then. Don't forget about our illustrious Post 60 pre 2006 flight instructors who don't understand why we think it's BS they can fly a line trip.

As for 3) you would think, but since Larry put all his eggs in the 787 basket that's not a guarantee either. It all comes down to the biz plan for '10 which has been finalized yet. Europe is going to be weaker for longer then the US, so I worry that we might pull out/slash frequencies over the next year. And I don't doubt for a second that they will hesitate to park more 737-500's now that they think the Q400 is an adequate replacement.:erm:

Of course if the union would just hurry up and sign off scope for the Star Alliance JV flying I'm sure the company would recall everyone. So it's the idiots union's fault for the furloughs...:rolleyes:

Those guys didn't need to use 62 as an excuse to gain support for the rule change. A majority was against it, and it was still pushed at the national level. Pathetic in my opinion, but honestly we weren't going to keep that one from happening. The writing on the wall was already there when the Europeans allowed it.

Now, on to the purpose of this post. I think one of the above posts made some good points regarding potential retirement incentives. In addition to the points that he made, I am pretty sure that in November the interest rate change used to calculate the lump sum will reduce the payments by an average of about $100,000 per person. Now, to the guys that really are planning on flying until 65, i doubt any of this will make that much of a difference. However, every year we are adding about 200 guys to the over 60 bunch (at least for the next 6-8 years). I am certainly hoping that at least some of these guys are ready to call it quits, especially after they turn 62.

As far as aircraft deliveries go, will be interesting to see what the next earnings report has regarding fleet for 2010. I am thinking that our recall will depend more on retirements than growth in 2010.
 
Rumors

I am hearing that only about 30 guys, as of a couple of weeks ago, have put in for retirement through the end of the year so far. That is a much smaller number of retirements than expected given the above mentioned reasons possibilities.

According to my sources, since the retirees are required to give a 6 month notice (paperwork) of intent to retire to the company in order to retain the bridge medical benefits, the company believes that if there are not any more retirement notices submitted by the end of this month, there likely will not be many more thereafter.

Like some of you, I cannot imagine anyone in their right (and unselfish) mind that learned of the inabilityto have their retirement pension passed on to there families at the full amount, would not go ahead and retire based soley on this known negative impact on their families. However, I did fly with several guys before I got furloughed that didn't seem to mind taking chances with their pensions just to be able to fly to 65.

I am not trying to get off topic here but for the life of me I cannot understand that level of selfishness. But what's new right? As long as they get theirs!
 
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thanks for the info. it is my understanding that in order to lock in the current rate used to calculate the lump sum, that the paperwork has to be in by November (when the rate will change). that is what i have been told, but i don't really have a way to verify that info. if that is the case, then it wouldn't be a surprise that more paperwork hasn't already come in. who knows, it all boils down to this - neither the company nor the union provides us with any useful information at all.
 
CAL... SUCKS
My friends on RES are doing double duty and getting days rolled!
If you are a line holder on the 756 or 737 in EWR don't call in sick greater than 8hrs and 30 mins, that way SCH can't double duty the RES!
S/F
 

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