Originally Posted by
DC8DRIVER
100% correct !!
Many major airlines have multiple day courses on oceanic flying and/or tailor their training and line bidding for flying in one specific oceanic area. Atlas can sign a pilot off for line flying after only one or two crossings of any ocean which would "qualify" them to cross all oceans.
This process has allegedly led to a Pacific trained crew to cross the Atlantic with no oceanic clearance. This is but one example of the hazards that the shortcuts in the Atlas training regimen bring to both new hires and captains here.
It is NOT a contractual problem.
It is not the unions place or responsibility to create the training syllabus, nor is it the unions responsibility to prevent company regulation violations. If Atlas produces pilots who violate regulations due to training deficiencies, that is a company problem, not a union problem. Typically, if the investigation of an incident finds that the pilot was properly trained, the pilot is held responsible and the union will defend him. But if the training is found to be lacking, the pilot (who may be retrained) would not be held responsible and the company would have to answer for the violation.
This is so far reaching is is ridiculous. The notion that you propose that Atlas "produces" a pilot that violates the FAR's is utter nonsense. A pilot is responsible to know the FAR's. PERIOD.
Nobody is claiming that it is the unions responsibility to create a training syllabus but if the company is paralyzed to make any changes to it's training curriculum without the union screaming bloody murder because it is not CBA compliant or it requires an LOA pursuant to chapter X paragraph Y, what do you expect is going to happen? Atlas will push through within the current framework of the contract any FAR required training.
I am not saying it is the unions "fault" but the union is leveraging every available resource at this moment to force a favorable contract. It is a negotiating tactic. If that means that it won't allow an LOA to institute positive training changes or allow for pay raises or psuedo gateway travel because it my be perceived as "caving", then yes it is a contractual problem. Agreeing with the way our negotiations are progressing is irrelevant because we signed up to be part of this union and this is what our union has decided to do during these negotiations.