Originally Posted by
oldmako
I love the collective amnesia on this forum. Am I the only one who can remember the superior LC/SC program that we had at LUAL before the merger? The one that had reasonable transparency, that was 90 percent predictable and had a FIFO list that actually meant something? The one where virtually all SC and FSB's were assigned by 1100 the day prior and not handed out like skittles at the whim of whoever was in charge of scheduling that day? The one designed to minimize disruption of one's life and actually made commuting to reserve (somewhat) palatable?
I guess so.
I didn't know the LUAL system but the LCAL system was much worse than current, although a lot of it was pre-117. Can't do a 9:15 block to block now under any system.
I agree with what I think you're saying though--no, reserve doesn't have to be like this, and it certainly shouldn't stay like this just because "reserve always sucks here, and everywhere, and junior has to go through what I went through."
Aside from the fact that it's not always the junior person who's on reserve, having the attitude that new-hires just have to suffer like we did is pretty short sighted. Your first year at any job sets the view of how you perceive you're valued. Reserve rules are negotiated by us and our union. Treat new-hires like crap and unity goes out the window long after they're no longer new hires. Just ask the guys who were hired during LCAL period of no medical insurance for six months. Talk about throwing the most vulnerable under the bus. I'm sure even the company was shaking their head at how a union could do that to its on.