My biggest concern...
The more I look at D. Temporary Vacancies for HKG and CDG, the more concerned I get.
It looks to me like the company can send you involuntarily overseas for 3 bid periods every 18 bid periods, or 90-120 days ever year and a half.
All this talk of "well...we are screwing the JUNIOR folks" may be N/A. You may be screwing a lot of guys WHO AREN'T that junior into doing A300 FO flying in China who really don't want to be there--for the price of a hotel room, perdiem, and a coach ticket for family. Here's why:
First--I am not sure how USERRA affects this, but sending a guy with ANG/Reserve obligations creates a few problems. First--he/she has required drills, training, and events they must do. Second--there are likely some security issues. We've got an F-22 pilot and a 1 or 2 star general running around our campus....a former B-2 driver, etc. There may be some guys with security clearance issues. So--let's make assumption one--that some guys opt out of being "inversed" with military leave.
Next--you can only go once every 18 months. Suppose FDX needs 10 A300 FOs to fill out the China slots. They start at the bottom of the list. 3-4 opt out with military leave. We are now up to 14 from the bottom of this list. The company can inversley assign according the LOA "the most junior qualified pilots." Who is qualified? What if pilot 15 has a baby on the way, and pilot 16 has a special needs child? Who makes the call if they go? I suspect the ACP and CP would have to confer. Suppose they agree these guys don't need to go...who's next...now we are at 17 and 18 from the bottom. And guys...that is for THIS bid period of 3 bid periods. Guess what happens in 90-120 days? We start OVER...this time at Mr 18 from the bottom of the list. THIS HAS TO POTENTIAL TO AFFECT A LOT OF PEOPLE BESIDES THE BOTTOM 20%. You could end up working well up the list as guys came up with reasons--legitimate or otherwise--to opt out of going over. I can see no bigger morale destroyer than sending guys over out of seniority order, and having to involve union and company officals to decide who's "right" to go and who isn't. Think cubicile politics are nasty now? Imagine guys sucking up to CPs begging not to get sent. What would destroy unity quicker?
Since I've been at FDX, we have never really had junior manning. If you weren't on reserve, you didnt' have to fly if you didn't want to! This LOA changes all of that. How many of you former military guys sat around waiting for the shoe to drop on the next "bad deal" to the 90-120 day non flying gig? At least there you got a combat tax exclusion, which will save more money that the tax equalization proposed here. The big issue isn't money--its control! Do you really want to be called by your ACP and told "pack your bags, you are off to China for 3 months! Don't worry--mom and the kids can join you (if she doesn't work, gets all the kids their shots, finds someone to watch the house, take care of the pets, etc etc) and fly coach across the Pacific to join you in your hotel."
I think this ability to junior man the overseas bases is the most dangerous thing in a contract I've seen since I've been at FedEx. Think volunteers will suck up all these slots? What happens when the next bout of Bird Flu, SARS, terrorist strikes, or a move by China against Taiwan occur? Sure would stink to have to choose between leaving your family three months or losing your job.
For me--the more I read this--not "NO" but "HELL NO". And its not about the money. Keep the CBA as is and open your domiciles--but don't send us involuntarily.
And yes--I know they can inverse SIBA....it happened to me in 04 on the 727 (really!) But SIBA bidpacks allow you to come home every month, and are nothing like being stuck abroad. I'd compare the two to being stationed in theater like a KC-135 or an F-15, verses flying in and out of country in a C-17. Both are tough jobs, but the C-17 guy gets to kiss the wife and kids every couple weeks back home in Charleston or McChord. Those other guys are stuck away for a very, very long time.
uke:
