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Voluntary Temps at Delta?

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nwaf16dude

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Posts
305
FDAL Guys,

Just wondering if there is a provision for Vol Temp positions in the DAL contract. At NWA we had the ablility to bid monthly for a temp position at another base and it was a great deal for commuters. I was based in DTW, but spent several months in either msp or mem. You got positive space from your home to commute and company paid hotels for the whole month when assigned a temp block or reserve status in another base. You also got paid per diem from when you left home to return home instead of just time away from base.

It would be a great thing to have in the contract if these displacements result in a lot of people being forced into commutes.
 
It would be a great thing to have. Unfortunately, they don't have anything like this that I am aware of.

The closest Delta has is out of base pick ups for trips. This is on a trip by trip basis.

Usually it works out that at last minute the trips are dumped on Crew Scheduling who covers the out of base trips with voluntary pick ups, or reserves.

Others may have a better answer to this question ....
 
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Yeah, it's a shame we didn't have more time to negotiate some of these things. Commuting to reserve sucks, no way around that...but if you're staying in the Hilton and collecting per diem it doesn't suck as much.
 
NWA - just curious how many of your pilots commute to reserve? Frankly, I would think the pay just would not make commuting to reserve worth the effort.

I mean, most could make more money turning wrenches at the local Honda dealer, or teaching at a local College. There are a million different jobs out there that pay more and can be had on a relatively short term basis.

I asked DAL about taking leave rather than start the whole commute to reserve deal. The first response was, "we need pilots on the MD88, so NO."
 
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NWA - just curious how many of your pilots commute to reserve? Frankly, I would think the pay just would not make commuting to reserve worth the effort.

I mean, most could make more money turning wrenches at the local Honda dealer, or teaching at a local College. There are a million different jobs out there that pay more and can be had on a relatively short term basis.

I asked DAL about taking leave rather than start the whole commute to reserve deal. The first response was, "we need pilots on the MD88, so NO."

I commute to reserve and it's no big deal at all. I get long call alot so if I don't get a trip then I am sitting at home with the family. Here lately I have been flying alot though. Once we get the reserve rules change for the Nwa side it will be even easier. Also alot of the locals bid reserve and low pref so they don't have to fly and can stay home. Play the game :)
 
I commute to reserve and it's no big deal at all. I get long call alot so if I don't get a trip then I am sitting at home with the family. Here lately I have been flying alot though. Once we get the reserve rules change for the Nwa side it will be even easier. Also alot of the locals bid reserve and low pref so they don't have to fly and can stay home. Play the game :)


The NWA guys are going to get a big suprise under the Delta rules. You cannot bid low pref at Delta. We have a raw score system. It is a formula (too complicated to explain). The flying is spread around to all reserves. A 1 year guy and 20 year guy on reserve will fly about the same amount each month. There is no senority on reserve, that is why a lot of guys avoid it. All reserves, senior and junior share the pain.
 
The NWA guys are going to get a big suprise under the Delta rules. You cannot bid low pref at Delta. We have a raw score system. It is a formula (too complicated to explain). The flying is spread around to all reserves. A 1 year guy and 20 year guy on reserve will fly about the same amount each month. There is no senority on reserve, that is why a lot of guys avoid it. All reserves, senior and junior share the pain.


I bid reserve in November and flew 6 days. 2-3 day
trips. many guys flew much more than me. A lot of it is timing. If you are off on weekends on reserve, you will fly less. Many local guys--like myself--bid short call since those trips are usually 1 or 2 days, which often get white slipped. There are still tricks.
 
NWA - just curious how many of your pilots commute to reserve? Frankly, I would think the pay just would not make commuting to reserve worth the effort.

I asked DAL about taking leave rather than start the whole commute to reserve deal. The first response was, "we need pilots on the MD88, so NO."

Heyas Fins,

Sorry to hear about the leave not working out.

Not many NWA guys commute to reserve. That was one of the great things about the separate B/R positions. If you look at the seniority that each B/R position has, you'd see a huge split.

The reserve rules got marginally better with the long call, and you can designate high/low list for your first day, depending if you want to go early (commuters) or stay (townies).

Throw in a TDY (temp position) as a blockholder, and there was SOME opportunity to mitigate the situation.

Back in 03, I commuted to reserve for a couple months. It suxxored, fer sure, and I had my own room (for almost no money) in a nice townhouse and a car in MSP. I would not do it again willingly.

Nu
 
FDAL Guys,

Just wondering if there is a provision for Vol Temp positions in the DAL contract. At NWA we had the ablility to bid monthly for a temp position at another base and it was a great deal for commuters. I was based in DTW, but spent several months in either msp or mem. You got positive space from your home to commute and company paid hotels for the whole month when assigned a temp block or reserve status in another base. You also got paid per diem from when you left home to return home instead of just time away from base.

It would be a great thing to have in the contract if these displacements result in a lot of people being forced into commutes.

I agree it would be a great thing to have at the "new" bigger DAL. We currently don't have it. However...

We actually have a record the past couple of years of reaching some side letters of agreement with mgmt that have been beneficial to the pilots. (disclaimer: I realize that they pale compared to the hugely concessionary side letters cutting our pay and gutting our pension; however let us put that to the side for now).

I strongly urge you to contact your current pre-NWA ALPA reps to voice your suggestion, and suggest that they bring that up to our negotiating committee. I am sure that there are a lot of good things that we could piecemeal into the contract via side letters. We will never know if we don't pursue it.
 

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