SWA wants to fly from HOU to MEX and SouthAmerica

[SKC]

No, they are using a benefit agreed to in negotiations. Now, other work groups may be exceeding their qouta.

Sick time is negotiated so you will be paid when you are sick. Not to be used anytime you want to go to the lake. At that point, not only are they paying you, but the person who has to cover your shift.

That hurts my profit sharing. If you are sick, use it. If not, go to work.

 

[PCL_128]

Sick time is not a synonym for vacation time. Just because it was negotiated does not mean that it should be abused when you're not sick.

 

[scoreboardII]

I never said abuse it.

 

[SKC]

My point was that anyone that is calling in sick when they're not is taking money out of my pocket.

 

[waveflyer]

I never said abuse it.

I don't blame you for your interpretation- personally, "sick time is like an insurance policy" is a foreign concept to me. But, we all know there are pilots who strategically call in sick when it benefits them-and take advantage of the fact we can't be questioned too much about it. it's not just about being sick or fatigued- pilots use it to get legal 30/7, and be available for premium trips they know are coming up. Cartels will solicit junior folks to join up and call in sick at the last minute, triggering a FCFS that they are dialed up to get, and legal for bc they called in for their weekday trip- then that junior pilot is now legal for a sweet weekday trip he'd never hold when another cartel member calls in for that- its kept quiet and to credible amounts- but it goes on. The motivations are there in the contract and regs.
It's just as short sighted as the legacy pilots who slow taxi to pad the check- It works, but it weakens a company that doesn't deserve it nearly as much as the corrupt legacies do.
That said, I do think it should be countered at two levels- peer pressure culture- but "the few" won't be affected by that- got to revamp the whole thing-
I think if you call in sick - the value taken out of your sick bank ought to be artificially applied toward 30/7, so pilots aren't benefitting from sick time-
We should have some way to cash it in well ahead, and maybe even at a discount to get a day off we need, so at least we won't have the chaos of a 'line improvement sick call'
But it's a bit irresponsible for the union to fight for 'something for nothing' benefits in our contract and expect everyone to just leave it on the table-
Until then, we lose a lot of credibility if we fail to do the right thing- when management does do the right thing by us.
Too much of this behavior and we lose profitability- it'll end up being paycuts in equal or greater amounts-
It's already paycuts in less profit sharing and less capital to grow with-
My feeling is, I will make a lot more money if I get to the left seat quicker and I have confidence our mgmt will grow if we rise up and cut our absenteeism in half-
So I called in for 11 days last year, 3 3-days and a two turns.
My goal is to call in for 5 or less this year-
Reserving the right to break that goal if 100% needed.

 

[fr8doggie]

Question:

Doesn't SWA use reserve pilots to cover sick calls? If that is the case then they are already being paid to stand by so I don't see where the $500M/yr comes from. If guys are getting called in on their days of then I could see it.

Regards,
Fr8doggie

 

[texman]

What ever work group it may be, we need to foster a team effort to battle the cost.

 

[texman]

Question:

Doesn't SWA use reserve pilots to cover sick calls? If that is the case then they are already being paid to stand by so I don't see where the $500M/yr comes from. If guys are getting called in on their days of then I could see it.

Regards,
Fr8doggie

This includes FMLA and other costs, Not just sick calls.

 

[fr8doggie]

Question:

Doesn't SWA use reserve pilots to cover sick calls? If that is the case then they are already being paid to stand by so I don't see where the $500M/yr comes from. If guys are getting called in on their days of then I could see it.

Regards,
Fr8doggie

This includes FMLA and other costs, Not just sick calls.

So that's company-wide then? Not just the pilots?

That ($500M) seems so high. Wonder what it is at FDX? Company has never said sick leave usage is a problem.

Has your management come to the pilots saying sick leave usage is a problem? just curious.

Regards,
Fr8doggie

 

[outerlimits]

Sick time is negotiated so you will be paid when you are sick. Not to be used anytime you want to go to the lake. At that point, not only are they paying you, but the person who has to cover your shift.

That hurts my profit sharing. If you are sick, use it. If not, go to work.

What do you consider sick? I know the flu is, but?

Family problems ?
Sick wife ?
Sick child?

How about some very very special occasion, that is a once in a life time, and your to junior to get it off?