From the December ALPA System Schedule Committee Report:
Future Manpower Need Vacancy Bids, Awards, Training & Lateral Activation
Vacancy bid 19-05V opened on December 4 at noon CT, and closed on December 14 at noon CT. The effective date of the bid is May 1, 2019.
This vacancy offers “new” categories under the UPA in Captain and First Officer positions on the 787 in EWR and DEN. Per UPA 8-D-1-(e) Equipment Training Freeze only, pilots with an Equipment Freeze ( not 8-D-2 Bidding Freezes) are eligible to bid for these “new” categories for 6 bid periods after the effective date of the Categories initial vacancy.
While these vacancies are targeted for training for February and March with spill over in to April, that does not mean you will not be assigned training earlier (contractual minimum notice is 14 days prior (unless waived it) 9-B-1). Laterals will usually be towards the later end of the activation process as the company seeks to minimize triggering Delayed Activation Pay (DAP) from 8-F-5 man for man triggers. It is important to understand this possibility of early training assignment exists, and is contractually allowed. Many pilots were caught off-guard in recent weeks due to earlier than anticipated training assignments.
Additionally, the company may cancel any vacation that conflicts with its training plan, including conflicts with IOE and Consolidation (11-F-4). Training assignments are normally planned leading up to each bid period, and this plan is finalized just before the corresponding PBS Bid Window opens.
As mentioned above, the 19-05V Award has filled the majority of need for summer 2019. The 19-05V vacancy is filling training slots through April, with additional known manpower needs still present in some categories which will be addressed in future vacancies. The majority of need on the 756, 737 and 320 FO categories has triggered unfilled slots for New Hire (NH) and Furloughed Returning (FR) pilots (see below). With the training pipeline full, there will not be another vacancy for at least two more months. Any further vacancy(s) will be cleanup in nature to address the need for summer 2019 with training possible in the April thru June (if needed) timeframe.
New Hire/ Furloughed Returning Pilots Plan
In addition to Jan 7-8, Jan 14-15, and Feb 4-5 returnee/new hire classes the company has now announced the following: Feb 11-12 & Feb 18-19. The Company will be determining by January the need for additional classes for the remainder of the first half of 2019, and this will be determined by manpower needs and/or training availability. The class sizes to date have been planned to 40 NH/FRs, however, starting in February with a transition to three classes a month, class sizes will be 30 NH/FR and further adjusted as necessary. Unfilled vacancy bids from the monthly bidding process will be the biggest determining factor driving any adjustments. Crew Resources Managing Director Carlson said he will inform the SSC as further details are known. Vacancy 19-05V generated 300 unfilled vacancies now available for Manpower Planning use, which expire 3/16/2019 per 8-F-3-d.
In total for 2018, there have been 615 New Hires and 71 Furlough returns for a total of 686.
The remaining furloughees are hitting the contractual 10-year limit and some have already fallen off the list. There are 51 furloughees approaching this limit in the coming months.
Furloughees must inform the company of their intent to return 30 days prior to any specific class date that starts before their 10-year end date.
There are now 134 remaining extended furloughed pilots on the list with various 10 year expiration dates thru November 10th 2019.