Originally Posted by
Baradium
Since you don't seem to actually be reading what I am saying, I'll try again. This is exactly what I said:
And you don't seem to be hearing what I'm saying.
"My experience with TDYs is that senior pilots would bid it to get the per diem and hotels. The big change here though is that they'd have to give up all their seniority so I imagine it'd go more junior. TDYs generally go to commuters who don't live in a base period. "
Well, I see you're beginning to come around to my side.
I already gave you that it'd go more junior with the Delta rules, so you can argue that with yourself all you want.
As far as only people who would bid to that base if they could... which doesn't really make sense what you're upset about there the more I think about it. If they aren't senior enough to hold it they'd be at the bottom of the seniority list in that base anyway (where they'd definitely be under the TDY rules). Anyone else who wanted it would be able to bid for the TDY as well.
A reason for someone who doesn't live in a base to do a TDY is pretty clear. Paid hotels etc. Just paid hotels is money that costs the company. That is a cost that a based pilot doesn't have since they would be responsible for their own lodging. If a TDY pilot gets per diem it just goes up.
As far as why senior guys would do it, since I specified that it was the case in OTHER contracts, but you don't want to include them for discussions about TDYs overall it makes it difficult. You don't seem to be advocating against TDYs as currently written, you're against all TDYs regardless. If you would like to change your argument to TDYs as currently written per our contract aren't really great, we can have a different discussion. My point has simply been that they can be done in a beneficial way to the pilot group and are not cheaper than a based pilot.
IMO Temporary Duty potentially will be a huge hit to manning and overtime. It is a step in the direction of making ATL an even bigger pilot base than it is... I foresee the company making any/all category/s in Atlanta bigger while not increasing time and then using TDY to "right size" an outlying base on a month to month basis. This is NOT good for the pilot group.
You have not convinced me of what your last sentence says. You can say that all you want. The devil is in the details and you haven't provided any. I don't like the company's potential in our details. I think it's a baaad idea. Like I said in a previous post, it's probably not going to effect me much if it is implemented. I'd end up being more senior in category but probably lose out on overtime because of more pilots in a category with the same amount of flying.
Any way, it's been a good discussion and I'm sorry if I've ticked you off.
Denny