Fedex Practice excess Bid looks GOOD!

[USNFDX]

Just the practice bid, the real thing closes Monday, but the results are promising for all.

It appears nobody will be involuntarily excessed as enough people will bid to relieve the excess. Apparently 2 people voluntarily did bid to go the back of the 727.

Net result is the the 727 S/O will stay very undermanned, which will more than likely force the company to begin hiring! Rumor is some poolies should start class in April.

 

[sandman2122]

Don't get your hopes up!

Guys at FDX are notorious for "screwing" with the practice bid just to see where they would end up - for their own jollies.

Hope this is an exception to our past history though!

 

[USNFDX]

Good Point Sandman!

 

[TonyC]

Is that only visible to DC-10 S/O's?? I can't find it anywhere on my VIPS.

 

[VaB]

Tony,

I think VIPS is all fecked up right now.

 

[USNFDX]

Try it now

 

[sandman2122]

Subic is popular!

Wow, I know it's a practice bid but I'll bet $5 those guys pull their bids to Subic!

Any takers!

 

[PurpleTail]

Don't Hold Your Breath

What a joke, these age 60 guys just refuse to go down without a fight. I mean...how many ex-wife's do you have if you have to go from the back of the 10 to the back of the 27...never will happen.

Doesn't look good for me in LA either. It is staffed where they want it and now another 5 guys get LA awards...guess I'll get use to getting my 3/3 every 90 days in MEM.

PLEASE drain the pool asap and get some more guys on property! Things will look ALOT different when the final come out in a couple of days...I guarantee it!

 

[FoxHunter]

Purple Tail,

Look son, I know your new to the industry, but I have a little problem trying to blame your problems on the age 60 crowd. We have a good number of guys that are ex EAL, Ex Braniff, Ex Continental, Ex Pan Am, Ex People Express, not really a problem with ex wives. Son, it seems to me that you may just have that problem in the future. Now, I realize you know that that world owes you a living, and you should have been a wide body Captain yesterday, be patient. You may get what you really deserve.

 

[FedExpert]

Foxhunter,

Way to go Dad! You're so old, but wise. I didn't know you could use a computer. Thanks again for letting the rest of us in the show. I guess you can serve the coffee too.

 

[fox3]

Poor Decisions

FoxHunter,
Most of us have no problem with over 60 guys in the back of the 10 -- they just need to go to the bottom of the list.

 

[VaB]

You'd think that at least 30 of the old coots would step aside. I know, I know some don't have a retirement. But there are guys, and I know this because I've flown with them, that say they just want more money. So save the sob stories. I've got no problem with them doing there thing in the back, but when it starts to screw other guys, well, I think they should reconsider. If you can't pay for the Viper, don't buy it.

Was there even 1 over 60 dude move?

 

[FoxHunter]

fox3,

Their seniority would not allow them to go to the bottom of the list.

VaB,

We all want more money. Seems to me you have your own sob story. In any case it will get worse, more DC10 leaving, more guys reaching age 60 and going to the back seat. My guess is that in 24 months there will be no one in the back of the DC10 under the age of 60. That of course may change if the front seat retirement age changes to age 66.



FedExpert,

I've never been a F/E and don't think it is a rating I need.

 

[Murdawg5]

OK....
Lets get real now... The guys in the back that are over 60 have the RIGHT to be there... They got hired, have the seniority, and can bid whatever they can hold... They are our union brothers (most of them anyway), and still pay their dues just like the rest of us... We also know that they won't be able to hold that job forever (even though most of them will retire before FedEx has no more S/O's) and the age 60 rule enables the rest of us in the hired FedEx pilot force to hold window seats that wouldn't otherwise be there... We all knew this when we applied and got hired @ FedEx, just like the over 60 guys know that it's an uphill fight to repeal the age 60 rule (of which I'm definately not in favor of) and that they'll take a big paycut if they decide to go to the SO seat...

So what am I saying??? Live with it, and quit crying about it... Sure, it would be nice to have the extra guys on the property (which will happen very soon), but let's not even begin to start this type of division when we all are in this together for the upcoming negotiations... We can wait to bash the over 60 guys when the contract is signed and we all have our SIGNIFICANT compensation increases...

UNITY brothers....UNITY!

Take care,
Murdawg5
PS... I'll get off my high horse now

 

[VaB]

Hey girls,

I'm not crying. I just stated my opinion that I was surprised more of those guys didn't move out of the way when the excess was announced. Maybe they will, we'll see Monday.

Murdawg: You're right they do have the right to be there, I didn't say they didn't. But it's just like anything else, just because someone has the right to do it doesnt' mean it's the right thing to do or that we all have to be happy about it.

FOxhunter: No sob story from me. I got to the right seat of the maddog in less than a year and I'm sitting around my house in Memphis on reserve fat dumb and happy. Most of the dudes I know are furloughed, so I've got nothing to complain about.

So, let's all hold hands and sing a nice campfire song and turn this energy towards the fight that's coming up in the next few months.

Now will someone explain who thought it was a good idea to put shredded carrots and pineapple together and call it catering?

 

[General Lee]

We had those age 60 guys at Delta--called them ROPES (Real Old Pilot EngineerS)--and a lot were from Pan Am or Western that needed a couple more years of service to be elligible for a "Delta Retirement". I remember some in my intial 727FE class way back when, and here are these guys who were just Delta 767ER Capts in NY flying to Moscow, Athens, etc ....and now were going to fly on the panel to Monroe, LA and Tulsa. They were not happy....Then after 9-11 we got rid of all the L1011s and 727s, and the FE panel was gone. But, we still have ROPES on medical leave to this day....

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[AlbieF15]

I will not openly complain about our post 60 guys hanging out and maximizing their retirements, etc. Bad form for unity, etc.

I would ask, however, those guys like the LA MD11 captain I heard bragging about his DRAFT trip to Mem with a DH home the same day to maybe just keep their volume down a bit too. Its one thing to "pay your dues" in this tough industry, but sometimes the perception of the junior guys on the property is the "I got mine crowd" only preaches unity when they want us to support them (ie...Captain relief fund, etc). I know there are early 90s hires who stayed on the panel 5 years because they had no other choice. Right now many guys feel like the hiring freeze is directly related the the enthusiastic extra work done by many of the widebody crowd. I won't get into a pro/con discussion...that's a dead horse....however if you are doing a little extra work here and there a little tact and discretion in front of your bros goes a long way.

I've preached the unity mantra on here before, and will continue to do so. However, those of you who are "finally" in that dream seat might do well to show a little restraint in front of your junior co-workers. Six months on the property in 2001-2002 made the difference between an LA MD11 driver and a 727 FE stuck on VTOs/Reserve, so I don't think the "paid my dues" mantra makes a huge case when guys are talking about 6 months difference DOH. Enjoy your job...that's why we all want to be here. Just remember that more seniority means more money, not more talent, insight, or skill. If you want the support of those last 300 guys or so on the property, just throw us a bone by not rubbing our noses in your paycheck or the improving scores on your golf game.

 

[fox3]

Thanks Albie

Albie, Well said. Are you sure you're a fighter pilot? I just never knew any so eloquent.

 

[VaB]

Yeah, eloquent. However, I see nothing wrong with a little lively debate. We're all together, just checking each other's viewpoints. Maybe Foxhunter will be able to change my opinion, I doubt it, but you never know. He's senile, I think, but don't tell him.

I think this is some good stuff we're finding out here. The ALPA boards sure aren't working all that well. I say, let the free exchange of opinions flow. Opinions can't be wrong, except of course for Foxhunter's.

Later.

 

[Falconjet]

Unity

Unity is great, but it should work both ways. I have no problem with FoxHunter stating his views on the forum and he of course is correct in most of his points.

What I do find disturbing is the tone of his posts and his obvious superior attitude. I don't need FoxHunter talking down to those junior to him and calling them son (could be a women after all) like he is the burning bush or something.

You have to earn respect (unlike seniority) and in that aspect the hunter is certainly very junior. Must be fun to fly trips with someone so old and wise (and humble, Yeah right). Perhaps we should have the hunter teach CRM too, probably knows all of that already too.

Even so, I'll back him when it comes to contract time, I hope he does the same for me, but from his tone I'm not so sure.

FJ