FedEx bidding - NWA pilots plz help

[active_herk]

I would like some input from guys and gals a little more knowledgeable than me regarding monthly bidding procedures at your respective airlines.

At FedEx, we are rapidly approaching contract negotiations with our contract running out in June 2004. Rumor has it that one of the company's main points of contention regards our monthly bidding procedures. As it stands now, the company determines all the flights that need to be flown for the following month. Once these flights are determined, they put the flights together to build individual trips. The company then gets together with the union to build lines containing these trips. We, as pilots, bid on the individual lines to determine our flying for the following month. What the company would like to do though, is to get rid of the final step, and have the pilots bid to get specific trips and not bid on lines. The name for this system is Preferential Bid System (PBS). As I understand it, this is the process Northwest Airlines uses.

Having talked with numerous FedEx pilots about this proposed change, many of them are against it. What I would like to know, for the airlines out there that use this PBS, how do you feel about it? How is the program implemented (does the union control the software or the company)? What do you particularly like about it? What do you dislike about it? How would you change it if you could? I've heard through the grapevine that the Northwest guys out there like PBS, and I would like to find out why. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[JayDub]

We use the same system at jetBlue. Remember, if it's more productive for the company, it's also more productive for you. It works really well for us.

Our scheduling committee puts together the trips, and then one member helps execute the bid. Our committee is made up of three pilots, and there is also a FA committee, that usually works in conjunction.

Let me knowif you want, and I'll see if the third member of the scheduling committee (a guy I know personally) would give you some feed back.



JayDub

 

[active_herk]

Jaydub and NWA Guy,

Thank you for your insightful comments. It sounds like you are happy with the system as it is. I must admit, I have been a little skeptical of putting into place a preferential bidding system. I know the company would like this system for a number of reasons. First, they could reduce the manpower it takes to come up with the monthly lines. Using the PBS, they could eliminate all employees (or relocate them), who are involved in the line building process.

The company would also be able to optimize the schedule to get more work out of us. As it stands right now, there are certain safeguards in place when line building is accomplished. This includes things like a contractural limit between high and low paying line and minimum days off protection. I imagine these things could be worked into a PBS. There are a few items I am concerned with, however. First, I personally know of horror stories where guys have had their secondary lines screwed up. For those who don't know what a secondary line is, let me explain. There are three types of lines in the FedEx bidpack: a flying line composed of trips, an R-day line composed of reserve days, and secondary lines. Secondary lines are essentially blank lines that are built after the normal lines are awarded, and are built from the trips that get dropped from training, or vacation, or from trips that come out after the bidpacks are posted. In one instance, I spoke with a Captain who had a secondary line in December. His #1 choice was to have either Christmas or New Years day off. As it turns out, he got a trip which worked over both those days, but later found out that a guy junior to him got a secondary line was able to get Christmas off. That doesn't lend a lot of credibility to the PBS process. That is where I personally think the union needs to be the driving factor behind the software, as they are much more in tune to the needs of a seniority based workforce than the company (in my opinion).

Another reason the company would like the PBS is to usurp our vacation system. As it stands right now, we have one of the best vacation clauses built into our contract. Known as the "slip and slide", we are able to move our vacation in either direction after the bids are awarded up to five days. We can also expand the edges of our vacation to make sure it touches trips so that they get dropped. With a secondary line, however, the company would just subtract the number of vacation days we have from our line, and then build a line with the days left. This allows MUCH LESS flexibility on our part, and would essentially negate our vacation system as it now stands. This would definitely make a lot of guys unhappy.

I guess it will be interesting to see what the company proposes. If any other FedEx guys out there have an opinion on this matter, please speak up