Originally Posted by
Probe
What is funny, is that a couple of pretty sr folks are complaining. Until 06 or so, LUAL's reserve system was 4 hours to pushback. So 3 hours to show. Now long call is 12 hours, short call is slightly shorter to show time. But we get paid an hour for the SC. We used to be on SC every single day, and get paid guarantee.
I have been over 80 hours on reserve all except one month when I bid it. Two months, I made 90. I have not flown over 25 hours on reserve in 2 years.
Our current reserve system is the best it has ever been, by far. I also have zero sympathy for somebody that bid to commute to reserve, and then complain that they can't sit at home every day and wait for the call.
None. Zero.
I'm not advocating sitting at home and doing nothing I don't mind sitting SC and I am a commuter.
What I am demanding is control over my life. Currently, other than the FIFO list there is no transparency. I have seen days where not a single reserve was put on SC and the weather was crap and they started SRM. And I have seen days where every reserve in base was put on SC and there wasn't cloud over the entire country. Where is the consistency? The crew desk on multiple occasions have built reserve periods at 11pm and assigned them immediately to me. Why? what is the point of this? When I ask why they say it is because nothing restricts them from doing it. All I want is more control over my life than a couple hours in advance. I have no problem commuting to reserve, I accept what it is sitting at home waiting for a call is to stressful for me.
There are so many holes in the reserve section that cause us to be abused. These reserve rules were meant to make our lives consistent. Why can't the crew desk build all reserves for tomorrow by noon the day before? Weather doesn't just pop up out of nowhere. If i could see a 6am, noon, 1500 , 1800, and 2000 SC I could pick the one that works better for me. Instead I see 1 1500. Then at 11pm I'm called for a noon that didn't exist until 2 minutes ago.
Did you know that a SC assignment needs 12hrs notice if assigned between 1800 and 2359? So if they build a 10am at 11pm its illegal but if they wait until 0000 its now legal. Thats crap and it is abuse!
Why on earth is a line holders day off more valuable than a reserves day off?? if you work into a day off you need to get add pay period. I know we have 10 day trips and thats what the company needs to roll us, and thats fine but we get Add pay too. If they don't want to pay us then they can use DH's to split the trip.
Conclusion.....Transparency, planning, add pay for rolls and consistency in SC building is what I'm asking for. I'm not asking to sit home on long call. When I was asked over the phone on the survey what I would take for this to pass I said 20% pay raise and better reserve rules. I can accept 19% and current book, that would get a yes from me. But 13% and no fixes is telling me that I have to give on EVERYTHING I wanted. I don't need the money thats being offered what I need is a better QOL. Even when I was a line holder I bid min Schedule and if I was awarded a line in the 80s I tried to drop a trip. I don't pick up overtime, I don't do SRM, I don't pick up a trip if I'm FBOd, I don't pick up SC and I don't do VDOs. Its not because I am a commuter its because I plan my life off of guarantee thats how much I want to work. So for me to bid off of the 777 back to the 756 would be about a 22% pay cut for me. So I can hold out until they offer me something I am willing to accept.