Originally Posted by
wt932051
Yeah I just looked and found the two sections. Looks like they would be stuck as an FO. I hadn't thought about this situation in this way before. Man Mesa really knows how to screw guys over. I hope they didn't bid to downgrade then if they had an equipment lock. I don't get why they would want to bid to downgrade anyway because if they just upgraded, why didn't they just bid to upgrade in the E-jet instead? Maybe they realized the mistake they made upgrading in the CRJ and being stuck at the bottom for a very long time and are jealous of the E-jet guys junior getting lines now.
Well, when I say "recently upgraded" I mean in the last 3 years. Like, people who upgraded before the EJets were announced. If I was one of those folks I'd be ****ed.
This is the problem with the RLA, grievance, and negotiating process we're stuck with as pilots--there is a glaring difference in opinion between the union and company on:
1) How the CLT closure is being done ("it's kind of closing Dec. 1st but not really"????? What?????)
2) This unintelligible paradox: the base variant for all CRJ pilots is a 50-seater (for pay purposes), but the EJet--an all 76-seat fleet--is somehow not considered a "pay raise" for equipment bidding purposes?
...yet, it'll take months, years, decades before any new contractual language or arbitration results in any resolution of the above issues.
A "better" RLA would enforce short, firm timelines for the resolution of disputes designated as "high priority" by companies and/or unions. If >6 months goes by after a high priority grievance (such as the CRJ CA->EJet CA issue), it automatically goes to an arbitrator for a decision. If >6 months goes by after a CBA expires, any open sections automatically go to an arbitrator for a decision.
There needs to be a fire under both companies and unions to resolve material disputes and issues with economic consequences for employees and/or corporations. Otherwise, no company has any incentive but to twist language beyond the limits of insanity and deal with the minor economic consequences years later. And no union has any other incentive but to defend even the most obviously-belligerent, incompetent pilot from discipline/termination, because our current grievance process is like a messed up long-term horse trading game where the only people who lose in the long-run are the average line pilots who just wanted to show up, fly, go home, and mind their own business.