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Old 02-29-2012 | 05:16 PM
  #90831  
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buzzpat
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Urban chicken rancher.
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Originally Posted by sailingfun
All you have to do is talk to your reps. They are not going to give details but they will give you a general idea. A survey online by DPA has no validity to what pilots actually put in the real survey they knew was going to be used to construct a opener. Most pilots are very aware that if you over reach under the RLA you end up iced long term. There is a time value to a contract. The Dalpa survey unlike the DPA survey has real implications and pilots who are concerned about maximizing their income and quality of life for themselves and their families put a lot of thought into what they felt was achievable. I told my reps what I had put in the survey and asked how what I put down compared with others. I was told I was right at the mean in the surveys. My upfront raise was 20 percent with ongoing 5 percent raises over the life of a 4 year contract. Total 40. I wanted a lot on the other items and I was told I asked more then most in those areas. My emphasis areas were increasing copilot pay to a 15 year scale taking the max up to 75 percent of CA pay. Sick leave back to the pre 1113 program, DC up to 18 percent, reserve pay 5 hours below ALV with a 70 hour minimum, Vacation and training pay and credit for line construction and actual pay with increases to 4 hours per day for both. Section 1 gross weight maximum reduced to pre LOA 46 weight with current contracts sunsetted. 6th week of vacation restored. Distributed training pays 1 for 1.
I tried to figure a value for all I ask for and am guessing it is worth about 3/4 of a billion per year by the end of the contract. Thats about half the cost of a true restoration contract. Some items such a pay and vacation becoming pay and credit would have to be phased in because they will require several hundred more CA positions. I would give them a 2 year phase in on items like that.
Actually, you and I are close on many areas. Not all but I had similar concerns and weighed in on many of the same items. I want more up front pay (I submitted that 30% first year and 8% following. I want more then COLA after the first year) and I want a minimum credit per day so that my 36 hour layovers cost the company something and force them to use me more productively. I asked for more than 4 hours. I want the SWA standard for that. Training pay should equal training time. Why am I sitting in the box plus briefing for 6 hours and getting paid for half of that? Why does my DH from training home not count for pay? I'm not based in ATL and that's definitely time away from home in service to the company. Ditto on the distributed training. I agree on the reserve pay. Pay reserves the same value for the trip that the regular guys get paid. Plus, 75 hour minimum guarantee should be the bottom line for reserve pay. I really don't care about getting back the sixth week of vacation BUT do away with buddy passes and give me and my family a PS pass once a year so that we can actually go somewhere during my vacation. Finally, fix the medical and dental for all. Obama has thrown us all a huge curve ball but we need sufficient medical coverage for all employees, active and retired, not just pilots.

Thanks for sharing Sailing.