Just flew with a guy who is buddies with a Duty Officer.

Obviously this info is golden!

Anyway, apart from Airbus DOs being asked if they can fly MD trips (it has happened)...

We had an ANC MD guy finish IOE, and skeds gave him a trip a few days after, violating the contract of 10 days of free time.

He called skeds, they said "too bad". He called the DO, who said "too bad". He eventually called our new Fleet Captain who seems to have some gumption and is a pilot-type guy. The Fleet Captain called the equivalent of GOC and said "Read the contract" and the guy got his days off.

BTW, on this last thunderstorm fiasco they had our Fleet Captain and Chief of Training flying the right seat to make sure trips were covered.