Originally Posted by
sailingfun
You really don't want individual pilots cutting deals with the company. In the end everyone is better served if the contract is followed. What you essentially said was I would like to stay in my category and am willing to fly the aircraft for less then my fellow pilots. You are bidding your pay rate.
You also create a issue that you might be senior to other pilots in the category. Your could be taking flying that belongs to them. Someone might very well file a grievance and the company is sure to loose. Neither the company or ALPA want to go down this route.
The company does have some contractual options to bypass pilots moving up with limited time left. I don't however believe any of those options apply to moving down. There were only 6 mandatory displacements off the 73N in the last bid. There were not a huge number of pilots involved.
Sailing, I happen to agree with everything you said, but how about this : according to the PWA, the company can refuse to honor my AE award if I am within "X" months of retirement. A junior pilot can be given my award, and abrogate my seniority....that is fiscally responsible and passes the sniff test for the reasonable man.........however, it doesn't work going down, resulting in a monumental waste of money that is probably needed for more outsourcing......I got tagged this time, might be you sometime in the future.
My hope remains that all DAL pilots will reclaim their position of respect and help restore our once proud profession .
Best wishes on C2012,
BG