New ASA/XJT JCBA rumor....

[bigshooter107]

I've been listening to your oral diarrhea on here for quite some time. Its mostly amusing however I have to comment here. I'm sorry sir however I have no want to continue this after the merger. Furthermore I wouldn't even still be the chairman now if it weren't for the fact that my MEC has requested that I stay. I've been on this committee for a very long time and bring more experience to the job that the combination of most of your volunteers put together. That said, I don't care two shiits about smartpref. I have no loyalty to them. The reason why it's recommended is because it is the best system out there. It has an entirely new approach to bidding by use of the live bidding and has the best chance for ensuring we maintain our quality of life. Contrary to lies spread it does not globalize and take trips from the most senior bidders to give to junior ones. Further more I suggest you get your facts straight about how much "research" your side has done on the topic. Not that I think you'll care or that it'll chance your mind, however you should know the truth about exactly what has been done.
With regards to your system being the best out there, well, I suppose thats a subjective argument. I don't think it's a bad system and when used appropriately and as designed it's able to perform its function properly. However it is not able to do that in it's current form. You can argue with me all you want but I can show you side by side runs with smartpref, line bidding and flightline. And your system simply will not provide our pilots the same quality of life that can be achieved with either of the other two systems. What can you show me to back up your claims? You can't because you are simply a mouthpiece for those who tell you what to say and provide you with what they consider the facts although with nothing to back it up.
So blast me all you want, make it personal for all I care but at least try to get some of your fact right.

Surely your are not the real XJT MEC Chairman posting on this board.

 

[Baronman]

Surely your are not the real XJT MEC Chairman posting on this board.

He's not. He's a volunteer. Scheduling is his business.

 

[COOPERVANE]

Pickle, first off, I am no fan of PBS. It mostly seems to benefit the senior and gets more guys off reserve. And now I'm working 4 days with 2 days strung together.

Please explain how live bidding works unless EVERYONE participates in it. It looks like a flashy gimmick to sell the software that won't work in the real world. How do you know it will work? Our flight attendant PBS does it, but it seems to be useless, totally useless. I don't want to make a choice based on some gimmick that won't work and then have our reps say Oops...we were mistaken.

It also make everyone nervous when a software vendor is pushed that has no customers. But one person who seems to be a really big fan. Yes I know somebody has to be the first, but I don't want to be. Period.

Im not flaming, just asking some questions. I dont know jack about smartpref, just rumors. And of course that needs to change. I am asking you to give us more information..

 

[Whydoitry]

I dont know jack about smartpref, just rumors. And of course that needs to change. I am asking you to give us more information..

He will probably answer your questions, but the question our side keeps bringing up is why is your MEC not providing you with any objective information? Our scheduling commitee Did research and published a report, why does your MEC refuse to do the same? I want all the information I can get before I vote on anything, the CRJ side seems to be content just blindly following their reps.

 

[mckpickle]

Pickle, first off, I am no fan of PBS. It mostly seems to benefit the senior and gets more guys off reserve. And now I'm working 4 days with 2 days strung together.

Please explain how live bidding works unless EVERYONE participates in it. It looks like a flashy gimmick to sell the software that won't work in the real world. How do you know it will work? Our flight attendant PBS does it, but it seems to be useless, totally useless. I don't want to make a choice based on some gimmick that won't work and then have our reps say Oops...we were mistaken.

It also make everyone nervous when a software vendor is pushed that has no customers. But one person who seems to be a really big fan. Yes I know somebody has to be the first, but I don't want to be. Period.

Im not flaming, just asking some questions. I dont know jack about smartpref, just rumors. And of course that needs to change. I am asking you to give us more information..

Very valid questions. Frankly, when your side brought up their concerns about the fact they were a new-ish company without any customers, we listened. We originally back off smartpref. But then it was flightline or nothing...which our MEC was unwilling to do. It was hoped that by implementing the system in phase II we could learn what would be needed for a full roll out without the risk.
As for the live aspect, everyone is required to have a standing bid set up. If you live locally then you mostly bid for 1 and 2 day trips. If you commute, you bid for 4 days. The system would have that information in the form of a standing bid. The system take that info and does the initial run before bidding starts in order to establish where the global constrained line falls. (this line is determined based on seniority processed live everage trend, or splat, and the vertical and horizontal stacking of trips. As bidding progresses that line moves based on bids. For instance normally senior pilots bid lower line values....but if a few senior guys bid higher, junior guys in the restricted grouping are allowed to fly less. This is of course all dependent on the negotiated work rules such as credit value of preassigned credit and allowed open time.
Hope that helps.

 

[mckpickle]

Surely your are not the real XJT MEC Chairman posting on this board.

Nope, scheduling committee chair for the last 7 years and on the committee for the most part since early 2000. I know most "union types" stay away from these boards. But I find it a decent way to communicate....well, until John and Will speak as though they actually have the "facts".

 

[79%N1]

What was the big issue against Flightline? You put in prefs, it awards the pairings. I'm not talking about the work rules, just the software.

 

[Clutch]

This is so played.

 

[www.]

All I can say is BAhahahahahahahahahahaha!

 

[mtsupilot376]

Unless smartpref has a mobile iOS app and is willing to support a mobile platform in the ways that flightline already does, I'm not interested. I enjoy the convenience of having my schedule, hotel info, etc. one click away on my iPhone. I hardly print pairings any more. It's yet another great feature of their system.