FC,

I'm not a UPS guy, so please pardon the intrusion, but after reading your post for the third time, I'm wondering if anyone, other than yourself sees anything good coming out of this new negotiated short-term agreement? Being somewhat familiar with Brown, I wonder why you actually think that they will publish lines and accept volunteers (for part-time months), while leaving themselves "short" of help. If you ran a business, would you do that to yourself? I do agree that it would be nice to have the ability to shorten a work-month now and then, but from reading your post, it seems that you will only realize this benefit when the company allows you to.

Also, you say "In a time when the Company firmly believes they are overstaffed, we aren’t predicting a quick end to the furlough. But it is time to do all we can to help steer the ship in a different direction, particularly if we can gain a contract objective in the process. We think this is a good move for all members, furloughed and active."

To this I'd reply that I hope when your negotiating committee actually sits down opposite your management, in full scale negotiations, that they negotiate the types of things you've brought up here, but with some teeth, such that regardless of what management wants, you guys could bid a reduced schedule, with all the "benefits" you've outlined above (if that's what your membership wants.)

Good luck, and I hope your furloughed pilots are recalled ASAP.