‘Been awhile since I’ve dived into the pool but here is a voice from the clam bed.

I agree with iarapilot. FCIF 07-0610 is an attempt to find the bottom line cost to man the FDAs with current FedEx pilots and IMHO, this FCIF represents an attempt to bargain outside our CBA and recently approved Paris/Hong Kong LOA. It needs to officially become part of the LOA, not remain a FCIF which can be withdrawn as soon as the last seat is filled.

Both the Company and our Union told us only certain portions of the crew force were targeted with the LOA expat package. If I remember correctly, the Company was looking for empty nesters and pilots without attachments (my word) to fill the seats. Families with school age children were cautioned and advised to examine all the information and issues prior to bidding an FDA and moving to Paris or Hong Kong within the framework of the approved LOA package would not work for everyone.

Two practice bids later and still short warm bodies at the FDAs. Time for adjustments, hence the FCIF in question. During contract negotiations, our Union told us to avoid informal meetings with management. The Union indicated that often times, management used these gatherings (i.e. brown bag lunches) to find out what the crew force really wanted (the bottom line) from contact negotiations. When invited to lunch with management, our Union wanted us to decline the invitation and reply with the phrase: “My Negotiating Committee speaks for me.”

What is the Union’s catch phrase for this situation?

Some suggestions…
“Get ‘er done……next time!”
“May I have another!”
“Oh my…thank you”