Originally Posted by
savedbythevnav
DL is mad about the time between brake release and wheel movement (i.e latency if you weren't familiar) and OO management is now tracking the latency of every Captain and "informing" them during "routine" meetings about their latency time and that it needs to decrease. This means CA's are not permitted to drop the brake for ANY reason until they are going to push immediately after dropping the brake.
No dropping per the FOM. No dropping for de-ice. No dropping because you want to be paid.
The ORD chief put names of low latency CA's in an email and told everyone to contact them for "tips" as if they don't know how to drop a brake or manage their airplane.
Since this is the ALPA drive thread, I’ll just say how I think this would be handled if there was an actual NMB certified union. The reps would poll (formerly or informally) to find out the reason, if not already widely known. Then they would confer with management on how to deal with Delta’s (the customer) concern. And they would suggest ideas on how to lower latency. I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with getting paid historical block or better? If it is, then the reps could suggest going to a block or better as a good faith gesture to these obvious bad apples (sarcasm). Then management could do with that as they deem necessary. An honest and fair management would consider this especially since it’s industry average.
This way, you always have a dialog with the reps (who have legal authority to speak and act on behalf of all the pilots) and management when issues come up. Each airs their concerns and each come up with a mutual solution. Instead, what you have now is a management that uses coercion and intimidation against its pilots knowing they don’t have the protections of being represented by a union who would grieve and arbitrate any pilot discipline.
Legal representation, using contemporary issues as a means to incrementally improve the contract and solve problems in a mutual way, and of course the safety/security advocacy aspect of ALPA should make this a no brainer.