JB files with NMB for representation

[BeachBummer]

The vacation issue is less of a pilot induced problem and more of planning problem. We are only allotted 2 weeks each per year. Yet last year I was able to bid for 7 weeks of vacation! I bid RSV on purpose and rarely call in sick.

If everyone bid for the vacation they were aloud vs what was allotted we would run out before we hit 60%. The company depends upon pilots not taking vacation! Not to mention the guys who blow off vacations for sickcations that are unplanned from a staffing point. Yet they wonder why we run hot every summer...

This is one of the many things that needs attention when we get to negotiating our cba.

 

[Smarta$$]

I hope we can brake the strangle hold the "Top 100" have on the vacations, (4 weeks each summer), and crediting more than 140+ per month! There have to be limits put in the CBA or it want float!

Agree 100% bro. Rounds of bidding for vacation. Period. None of this unlimited crap.

 

[pilotpayne]

Agree 100% bro. Rounds of bidding for vacation. Period. None of this unlimited crap.

That's right.

But I think the top group might not go for it.

The company could give us all the vacation slots and we still wouldn't see Christmas as it would all be taken by the top 10%

We need more vacation slots and round bidding.

 

[Nevets]

Is Alpa going to change its merger policy when jb joins? If not, enjoy being stapled to the bottom of ual, dal, or aa.

Would they be stapled if they didn't unionize and were merged with UAL, DAL, or AAL?

 

[B6Busdriver]

That's right.

But I think the top group might not go for it.

The company could give us all the vacation slots and we still wouldn't see Christmas as it would all be taken by the top 10%

We need more vacation slots and round bidding.

They are in the minority...too bad. I'm in my 12th year and cannot hold a week of summer vacation. The system is a joke.

 

[Flyer1015]

They are in the minority...too bad. I'm in my 12th year and cannot hold a week of summer vacation. The system is a joke.

Curious, how's this possible? Don't you guys have 52 weeks each available at like 6-7 a piece (or less each for smaller bases)?

 

[Flyby1206]

Curious, how's this possible? Don't you guys have 52 weeks each available at like 6-7 a piece (or less each for smaller bases)?

Not quite. There are fewer vacation blocks in the summer months, and an extraordinary amount of vacation blocks in Sept/Oct for bidding.

For example. There are 447 JFK CAs that have to fight for 43 vacation blocks per month in Jun/Jul, but there are 126 blocks per month in Sept/Oct. These arent the "leftovers" these are what we had available at the start of the bidding process. Add in a few super senior captains with 4-5 weeks of vacation to bid and the desirable weeks go very quickly.

 

[Splert]

48 not 52 weeks available for bidding purposes.

Weeks that cross over into another month are not eligible to bid upon in the blue contrarian world.

Like many have said JetBlue sucks big blue balls.

 

[linepilot]

How about some health coverage?

Wouldn't THAT be a nice thing to have as a major airline pilot?

 

[BeachBummer]

Curious, how's this possible? Don't you guys have 52 weeks each available at like 6-7 a piece (or less each for smaller bases)?

The break down goes something to the order of for argument sake:

25% jan feb
15% mar April
5% May June
5% jul aug
20% sept
20% October
5% nov
5% dec

Add to that I'm senior and get to bid 7 weeks before you bid any and we are both only allocated 2 senior guy wins all middle senior guy gets crap, junior guy gets September.

 

[ChuckDriver]

[QUOTEAdd to that I'm senior and get to bid 7 weeks before you bid any....[/QUOTE]

So the question is are you willing to give up a couple of your 7 summer weeks so the rest of us can have a chance at them?

This is why I want a CBA so we all can share the wealth so to say.

 

[Splert]

[QUOTEAdd to that I'm senior and get to bid 7 weeks before you bid any....

So the question is are you willing to give up a couple of your 7 summer weeks so the rest of us can have a chance at them?

This is why I want a CBA so we all can share the wealth so to say.[/QUOTE]

The issue is distribution then allocation then PTV then bidding.

Bidding is a issue but it is a minor issue compare to the overall short fall.

Borton line we are about 70% slots short in summer and holiday months based upon the longevity of the JetBlue pilot group compared to our peers.

For instance

 

[BeachBummer]

[QUOTEAdd to that I'm senior and get to bid 7 weeks before you bid any....

So the question is are you willing to give up a couple of your 7 summer weeks so the rest of us can have a chance at them?

This is why I want a CBA so we all can share the wealth so to say.[/QUOTE]

Under the current system no. If my seniority holds it we are stuck in the system available. But lucky for you guys I don't bid for vacation.

Your totally missing the point. It's not the fact that I'm senior enough to get the tidbits that are available and others are to junior. It's the fact that there's only tidbits.

Let's take mco on the 190 for example. There is only one slot per week allocated. I could literally wipe out the whole summer. Myself. It's not right and needs to be addressed. One of the many fixes the DR should have so nimbly been able to correct.

 

[Smarta$$]

I have to disagree. Bidding DOES matter. And, in addition to improving our allocation or vacation slots, I EXPECT AN INDUSTRY STANDARD BIDDING IN ROUNDS. You could double or triple the allocated premium weeks, but if you don't change our unlimited bidding, the premium weeks will be gone in the first 15% of bidders instead of the current 5% of bidders.

Bidding F*((^^^%% matters, that is why the rest of the industry doesn't do it like we do. Total windfall for the senior right now, and must be fixed along with allocation.

 

[Splert]

Bidding does not matter in the sense that the fix is free to the company

Allocation and distribution is not free. That fix will cost 200 more pilots.

That is why the company only wanted to fix bidding.

Of course bidding needs to be fixed but without allocation and distribution the company wins again and is why the company will blame the PVC for not "fixing vacation".

Thier fix is to bidding only.

 

[Smarta$$]

Bidding does not matter in the sense that the fix is free to the company

Allocation and distribution is not free. That fix will cost 200 more pilots.

That is why the company only wanted to fix bidding.

Of course bidding needs to be fixed but without allocation and distribution the company wins again and is why the company will blame the PVC for not "fixing vacation".

Thier fix is to bidding only.

Ok, so if your ONLY criteria for something to "matter" is if it inflicts pain on the company, then fine. If your criteria is improving the lives of a majority of pilots here at JB (you are senior, so this is NOT your priority), then you need ALL THREE LEGS OF THE STOOL. You need allocation, distribution, AND BIDDING.

Cost money, doesn't cost money... I care about fixing all three legs of the stool, and fixing this ponzi scheme of a bidding system that is a windfall for the top at the expense of everyone else.

 

[Splert]

Dude get a grip.

We get a 1/4 of the vacation of our peers. Without fixing allocation and distribution the bottom 85% will see no change by changing bidding to 2 weeks per bid.

It's math not emotion.

Grow up. The company wants the zero cost solution. Give it to them and they will stop talking about vacation fixes because they just fixed it.

My definition of fixed is all 4 legs of the stoll. Fixed for everyone.

 

[Blue Dude]

Yes, vacation bidding needs to be fixed, but that won't fix the problem. The company would be more than happy to (eventually) fix vacation bidding (spread the "wealth" around) and walk away from the real issue, which is unreasonably low allocation and wildly unrealistic distribution. Fixing bidding without anything else would have the effect of having vacation work for the top 5% to having it work for nobody. And I'm OK with with that, but not if that's where the process stops, which seems all too likely if we keep our half-a$$ed DR.

 

[Smarta$$]

Dude get a grip.

We get a 1/4 of the vacation of our peers. Without fixing allocation and distribution the bottom 85% will see no change by changing bidding to 2 weeks per bid.

It's math not emotion.

Grow up. The company wants the zero cost solution. Give it to them and they will stop talking about vacation fixes because they just fixed it.

My definition of fixed is all 4 legs of the stoll. Fixed for everyone.

You just said NOTHING ASSSSSHOLE. Nothing. The MATH, says that bidding DOES help a LOT of pilots. YOU are senior. You only want to fix the OTHER legs of the stool. Sorry, they ALL need to be fixed. Your Ponzi scheme will be over soon.... Just like DL, UAL, AA, SW....

 

[Smarta$$]

Yes, vacation bidding needs to be fixed, but that won't fix the problem. The company would be more than happy to (eventually) fix vacation bidding (spread the "wealth" around) and walk away from the real issue, which is unreasonably low allocation and wildly unrealistic distribution. Fixing bidding without anything else would have the effect of having vacation work for the top 5% to having it work for nobody. And I'm OK with with that, but not if that's where the process stops, which seems all too likely if we keep our half-a$$ed DR.

I said I want to fix bidding, allocation and distribution.