Originally Posted by
Timbo
Here's more info on what is driving the CPO to call you sick puppies...
Seems some numbers wonk told RA that the Delta Pilot Group uses, on average, DOUBLE the "Industry Average" of sick days/hours/what have you. RA put out the word to the CP's to crack down on Sick Leave Abuse!!
The CP's found that "Double the Industry Average" thing a little hard to believe, so they did some research (what a concept!).
Turns out the other carriers used in the Industry Average all PAY their pilots their unused sick hours/days at the end of the year, or they can bank it and roll it over to the next year, and save it for a really rainy day, or an early retirement, like NWA used to be able to.
The CP told me, "Well of course if you give the pilot's an INCENTIVE to NOT use sick leave, they are not going to use as much, as a pilot group with a 'use it or lose it' type sick leave policy."
So...there you have it. RA thinks we use twice the Industry Average in sick leave, because some numbers geek who only looked at one metric said so, it must be true.
Timbo,
Thanks for the information.
Pardon the vent ... but since we are on the topic. Our management does not seem to appreciate that flying is a little different job than the position they hold, with different sorts of responsibilities. Mr. Bastian might be able to come in the day after surgery, but are the decisions he makes nearly instantly irreversible with bent metal, a deviation, or a life in the balance?
Unlike manning a desk, there isn't a "
<--- Backspace" on any airplane I've ever seen. Further, I don't know how many back to back all nighters Ed works which leave him in places where there is no place to eat, or if he shares a workspace with another executive seated 40 inches off his shoulder for 8 to 10 hours at a time. If he's a little under the weather and out of it he might say "uhm" more than normal while delivering a presentation. Perhaps he should consider that briefings are just a presentation while under motion, while operating machinery, reading AWABS, while talking to ATC getting clearances, running checklists, starting engines and talking to flight attendants ... mostly semi-simultaneously. They say humans don't multi task well ... how about a human with a head cold?
Further, do our executives obtain a medical for ongoing certification in their jobs?
IMHO, they fail to make a fair comparison. IMHO more pilots fly when they should not than sick out when they should fly (& maybe I'm a survey of one).