Originally Posted by
Noworkallplay
Are we speaking conjecture or facts? Im looking at the contract comparison document and my previous experience at another legacy and neither validate your assessment.
1. Work Rules - Both the comparison document and my experience says we are substantially ahead of many other major/legacy airlines. We have the ability to swap/drop/add regardless of line holder or reserve. We can drop to zero if we would like. Neither of these was possible at my previous gig. Reserves can turn themselves into line holders. They can trade R days, etc. Reserves can pick up on days off. All of this is staffing dependent like all airlines. Our scheduled work rules are also substantially better. Operational limits can use some work, but I don’t hesitate to not fly fatigued. Fatigue calls are pay protected in the CBA after all. Operational is the area to attack and be specific instead of broad statements that are not based in facts.
2.) Revisions/Extensions - Once again the ability to be extended in certain circumstances and with limits is common. Look at the comparison document. Some don’t ask for them, but many begged for them. It was purely a financial decision for many. We are our own worst enemies at times. Just check the trip notes over the last 2 years. Watch open time in all the fleets. It has all gotten eaten up.
3.) In the Contract openers doc I see numerous quality of life issues they are going after. Take a read of it. Hint: They are going after a few good things in 5, 8, 12 and 25. Those sections address QUALITY OF LIFE. It appears many who are posting have not looked at the comparison doc or the openers.
4.) Pay - This is assumed we pattern bargain. I bet we end up industry top again especially when you add in our international override and block over 8 and 10. Many others either don't have these pay kickers or are substantially smaller. Once again total pay per hour on a paycheck is much different than just the standard pay rate per hour.
Many of the things you mentioned are things that almost all the airlines have in some form or fashion, even regionals, swap, drop, or add as lineholder or reserve, trade R days, drop to zero, etc. None of that is anything to write home about.
Having to rely on fatigue as a work rule just makes the point that scheduling work rules lag.
Take a look at American’s, Delta’s and United’s contract comparison document. Each has the major all items. And each has specific items they compare. But theirs are a lot more detailed and show more differences.
For example, recovery obligation (revisions and extensions):
American - 6 hours availability after report and return from original trip is 4 hours or same calendar day for ocean crossing; Delta, 4 and 4 or 30 hours for ocean crossing; United, 2 hours and original trip, respectively. The supposed fact that you say pilots ask for extensions is irrelevant. Pilots could continue to ask for them if the rules were more strict.
The only section I would say we are substantially ahead is vacation and that’s it.
The contract openers document have a grand total of 21 distinct and specific items (I’ve lumped the retirement part as one item). And some of those are things that are changed EVERY new contract, like pay, perdiem, retro pay. Some of those items are administrative, like improving hotel selection process, incorporating settlements, OIMs, MOUs, improving the system board process, and duration of the contract. So that leaves 13 items, three of which are just changing current systems we use, like hotel expense reimbursement procedures, simplifying and expense reporting procedures, and improving the bid line adjustment system. So in total, we have 10 specific contract clauses being negotiated that deal with deadheading, hours of service, scheduling, plus retirement. That’s it, ten specific items in the QOL sections.
We operate in, arguably, the most difficult system form than anyone else. So why shouldn’t all the work rules be better than everyone else? Maybe expectations need to be raised? Or do you not believe we should have the best?