C11 Update 1/13/18:

Working for Free

You may have seen a recent CCS message regarding the IPad exchange. In part, the company says this:

To make the exchange as efficient as possible, please schedule an appointment at your assigned base.
The exchange process will take at least 60 minutes. Walk-ins (in your base) will be considered, however
appointments will have priority

Your ALPA Reps would like to remind you that we don’t work for free. Whether it’s 60 minutes, 600 minutes or 6 minutes, we don’t work for free. For those of you who are new or somewhat new, this is old-hat from management and you will see things like this throughout your career. The reason they do this is that it works: management is usually able to cull a few pilots from the heard and save money by getting some to work for free. As a reminder, you are not required to report early to “update apps” or operating systems on your IPad either. You are not required to power it up at home, let alone update or spend time fixing an IPad on your days off. You are not required to “flight plan” on your IPad at home, in the hotel room or on the van to the airport.

When Pilots agree to “work for free” it’s a great disservice to all of us. Some may see it as the path to least resistance, but in the long run it hurts our efforts to negotiate and deliver the results you are asking for. As we enter contract negotiations, it’s imperative we walk together. Old folks help the new folks; probationary Pilots call your reps with any questions or concerns.