Originally Posted by Myboyblue
I'm guessing draft is like picking up open time, during negotiations I'm guessing this is a big no-no.
There are actually two kind of seperate systems. What you describe as "picking up open time" we call volunteer. The pilot institutes it. Our computer system has an option that the pilot can use to volunteer for trips that crew scheds can't cover with reserves. You can even input restrictions, i.e., no out and backs, no night flying, etc. Obviously, you can only volunteer on days off.
Draft is company instituted. If they can't cover a trip with reserves or volunteers, they start the draft process. They're supposed to go down the seat seniority list and start calling offering the draft trip(s). In reality they pretty much know who does and doesn't fly draft and who lives close enough to actually be able to fly a trip. It seems to me that the same people get the calls most of the time. I rarely get called because I rarely do draft. I almost never volunteer.
By the way, both pay 150%. That puts us at right about what we should be making in the first place.