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Hiring suspended at Comair??
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captainv
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For those CMR pilots posting/reading, please note that these leaves (called COLA's) are covered in our contract, Section 13. H. Also check the table in Section 13. I. and note that pilots voluntarily accepting a COLA, lose nothing while away.
Like most other things in the contract there are links to other Sections, sometimes mentioned and sometimes not. This one is indirectly linked to Section 23. B. Staffing.
The idea of the COLA doesn't encourage furloughs. On the contrary it reduces the possibility. When the Company decides to use the COLA provision it is not an indication that furloughs are close. It's and indication that sombody is minding the store and keeping us as close to peak efficiency as possible. It is there for that purpose.
No staffing formula is ever "perfect". There are bumps and bubbles that occur often, especially in an airline like ours where change is frequent and carrying large overages of anything is critical to the bottom line. The flexibility given to the Company, actually reduces the possibility of a furlough when things don't go exactly as planned. The unforecast "slack" is picked up voluntarily by pilots that want some time off. In turn, that relieves the pressure on management that might otherwise result in an unacceptable overage, which in turn is what triggers the "furlough" word. It's a win/win.
In most cases, the pilot that wants time off is a senior pilot. When he takes it through a COLA, all that it does is help to protect the job security of a junior pilot. Remember, whenever you say "furlough", it starts at the bottom.
Section 13. H. was not added to our contract by accident and it was not demanded by mangement either. It was the result of a very carefully thought out process, in conjunction with Section 23, that our pilot negotiators developed, offered to the Company, was refined by both sides together and agreed upon. The thought process is similar to the Reallocation bid included in Section 23, i.e, if a pilot want's to do something, why not let him do that before you force another pilot to do something against his will?
I think it is reasonable to say that you won't find a staffing formula (Section 23.B.) in any other "regional" contract that provides the kind of input to the process that our pilot group has. As a matter of fact, you'd be hard pressed to find one at all. Management at the "regionals" has carte blanche on that just about everywhere, except Comair.
You will find staffing formulas in several "mainline" contracts. Most, if not all, of them are based on a series of arbitrary numbers that the Company was "forced" to accept and that seldom work in the real world. They generally produce overages and destroy productivity. Why do you think the "mainline" carriers have so many furloughs right now?
Getting away from that was something that Comair management and the CMR MEC did intentionally. Keep in mind that when this was done, we were negotiating with an independent Comair, not a subsidiary of Delta. It was in our interest as Comair pilots to keep our Company where it was -- at the top of the heap!
Your union got what it wanted and so did our management. It was beneficial to our pilot group and beneficial to OUR Company at the same time. Even though we are no longer Comair, IMO it's still a good thing and helps us to "make money" instead of loosing money --- something that we've always been above average in doing at Comair.
Even though we are now "owned" by Delta, it is still in our best interest as Comair pilots that our "subsidiary" is profitable and efficient. This item is one of many little things in our contract that helps that to happen. In turn that works out to more job security, not less.
I wouldn't worry about COLA's. They are not shots in the dark, they do not indicate a "problem" at our Company, and they benefit both the pilots and the management. In times like these, that's not such a bad idea.
Like most other things in the contract there are links to other Sections, sometimes mentioned and sometimes not. This one is indirectly linked to Section 23. B. Staffing.
The idea of the COLA doesn't encourage furloughs. On the contrary it reduces the possibility. When the Company decides to use the COLA provision it is not an indication that furloughs are close. It's and indication that sombody is minding the store and keeping us as close to peak efficiency as possible. It is there for that purpose.
No staffing formula is ever "perfect". There are bumps and bubbles that occur often, especially in an airline like ours where change is frequent and carrying large overages of anything is critical to the bottom line. The flexibility given to the Company, actually reduces the possibility of a furlough when things don't go exactly as planned. The unforecast "slack" is picked up voluntarily by pilots that want some time off. In turn, that relieves the pressure on management that might otherwise result in an unacceptable overage, which in turn is what triggers the "furlough" word. It's a win/win.
In most cases, the pilot that wants time off is a senior pilot. When he takes it through a COLA, all that it does is help to protect the job security of a junior pilot. Remember, whenever you say "furlough", it starts at the bottom.
Section 13. H. was not added to our contract by accident and it was not demanded by mangement either. It was the result of a very carefully thought out process, in conjunction with Section 23, that our pilot negotiators developed, offered to the Company, was refined by both sides together and agreed upon. The thought process is similar to the Reallocation bid included in Section 23, i.e, if a pilot want's to do something, why not let him do that before you force another pilot to do something against his will?
I think it is reasonable to say that you won't find a staffing formula (Section 23.B.) in any other "regional" contract that provides the kind of input to the process that our pilot group has. As a matter of fact, you'd be hard pressed to find one at all. Management at the "regionals" has carte blanche on that just about everywhere, except Comair.
You will find staffing formulas in several "mainline" contracts. Most, if not all, of them are based on a series of arbitrary numbers that the Company was "forced" to accept and that seldom work in the real world. They generally produce overages and destroy productivity. Why do you think the "mainline" carriers have so many furloughs right now?
Getting away from that was something that Comair management and the CMR MEC did intentionally. Keep in mind that when this was done, we were negotiating with an independent Comair, not a subsidiary of Delta. It was in our interest as Comair pilots to keep our Company where it was -- at the top of the heap!
Your union got what it wanted and so did our management. It was beneficial to our pilot group and beneficial to OUR Company at the same time. Even though we are no longer Comair, IMO it's still a good thing and helps us to "make money" instead of loosing money --- something that we've always been above average in doing at Comair.
Even though we are now "owned" by Delta, it is still in our best interest as Comair pilots that our "subsidiary" is profitable and efficient. This item is one of many little things in our contract that helps that to happen. In turn that works out to more job security, not less.
I wouldn't worry about COLA's. They are not shots in the dark, they do not indicate a "problem" at our Company, and they benefit both the pilots and the management. In times like these, that's not such a bad idea.
FurloughedAgain
Cabin Heating & Air Tech.
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2002
- Posts
- 1,657
Another Rumor item was posted to the AIR, Inc. Web site. To see all of the posts on our Hot AIR News site, click on the following link, http://www.jet-jobs.com/memberframe.html and then click on the Rumors button in the upper left corner. When prompted, enter your User ID and Password.
Rumor: Comair is suspending interviews/hiring and is looking for pilots to take a leave of absence effective April. If Comair is unable to find pilots willing to take leave, the company will begin furloughs.
Truth: Comair has confirmed there is no truth to that rumor. Hiring is continuing as previously stated. The company forecasts hiring 40 in March and 356 in 2003.
Rumor: Comair is suspending interviews/hiring and is looking for pilots to take a leave of absence effective April. If Comair is unable to find pilots willing to take leave, the company will begin furloughs.
Truth: Comair has confirmed there is no truth to that rumor. Hiring is continuing as previously stated. The company forecasts hiring 40 in March and 356 in 2003.
captainv
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2002
- Posts
- 572
IOE
RJBum,
I finished IOE on Saturday, and I sailed through. However, some of my classmates keep getting displaced because of the horrid weather we've been having in CVG the past two weeks. So, in that sense it's taking longer than normal to finish, but it isn't because the new F.O.'s can't hack it....
Captainv
>>I have heard that the main reason for COLAs in April were do to the fact they needed more flight time dedicated to those coming out of training for IOE. Any truth to that rumor??
RJBum,
I finished IOE on Saturday, and I sailed through. However, some of my classmates keep getting displaced because of the horrid weather we've been having in CVG the past two weeks. So, in that sense it's taking longer than normal to finish, but it isn't because the new F.O.'s can't hack it....
Captainv
>>I have heard that the main reason for COLAs in April were do to the fact they needed more flight time dedicated to those coming out of training for IOE. Any truth to that rumor??
skydiverdriver
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Posts
- 869
RJ Bum
^ Not bumming it any more
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2002
- Posts
- 407
captainv,
Welcome to Comair, it is a fantastic company and I'm sure you will enjoy it. My post was not in anyway to accuse the new FOs of not "hacking it." I have have great confidense in our training department, I feel that we have one of the best in the world. I had just meant the need of increase bock hours was needed because there is a huge amount of FOs comming out of training due the the hiring frenzy that has been going on for the last few months. Not that the each new FO needed more time in IOE. Sorry for the confusion.
Welcome to Comair, it is a fantastic company and I'm sure you will enjoy it. My post was not in anyway to accuse the new FOs of not "hacking it." I have have great confidense in our training department, I feel that we have one of the best in the world. I had just meant the need of increase bock hours was needed because there is a huge amount of FOs comming out of training due the the hiring frenzy that has been going on for the last few months. Not that the each new FO needed more time in IOE. Sorry for the confusion.
See, you were doing just fine until you stepped out of your element and into territory which you know nothing about. Mainline contracts provide for this very same type of LOA, and somehow you find that inefficient at the majors while it is beneficial at Comair. Laughable at best. You want to talk about manning formulas? You'd better know what you're talking about before you spew. If you want to take a look at the manning in MCO, or just about any other category, you will find them deficient. Minimum staffing formulas are just that--minimum. Rarely do we operate at minimum staffing, and we are approaching it now. To pick up the slack, management has an out in the form of premium pay trips when the bubble is not slanted toward the hefty side of manning.
If you aren't smart enough to know why mainlines are furloughing right now, no amount of explanation from me will make it clearer. Hint: take a look in the desert and not into the minimum staffing formula. If you want to look into these contractual inefficiencies as drawbacks, you will see the primary reasons as to why people leave the regionals for the so-called inefficient majors--traditionally. Yes, there is less productivity, but there is also greater quality of life. It all depends on what you want. I have many friends at SWA, extremely productive, who I wouldn't change places with in a heartbeat. They could find out tomorrow that they are going to class for upgrade next week for the next two months. Family life be **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ed. I'll pass.
I'm glad the rumor was not true, as I suspected it would be. That was the point of my post, but also further enlightened everyone into the CL65 mindset.
C
expects a reply with the word "paradigm" in it
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