Originally Posted by BrianH

Being mad about another pilot's perceived good deal is essentially what you guys are calling this. So let's unpack that.

First off not being vac'ed or not wanting to report your status because the company will not protect medical information to a medical standard is not a good deal. So that is out.

The proper protection of our medical data was not addressed in the MOU or the explanation, Why? Did ALPA even try to get our information properly protected? They are not saying. Their job is to represent us to the maximum extent possible. Should they no longer protect a single pilot who get fired? How about a small group? Surely they too will try to fly draft in the future.

No, ALPA's job is a tough one, but it is what they signed up to do. So now back to the issue.

ALPA must defend us all and equally address our issues. How much efforts have gone into fixing FDA issues? But I digress.

So let's talk about the real issue, someone else may get a chance at a draft trip you did not, and you are mad about that. That is called jealousy. It is normal, but it should not have any place here.

Or you keep saying "They" just want to stay at home and get paid draft, Heck, I'll take that. Who wouldn't? In fact, if I get paid draft to stay home I'll even toss in another incentive, I'll stop writing here as well if I get paid draft to stay at home!



So how would I address the issue? First off, I would ask the company to protect the data according to the HIPAA standard. Yes the companies were told they did not have to, but none were bared from protecting the information to that standard. If the company would not, I would let the pilots know we tried. The blame would clearly be on the company. Second. if you cannot fly to a country do to a health requirement, so be it, it is their country. But why would you be okay with a pilot loosing their paycheck because of it. Clearly ALPA cares about dues-able income. That is the only thing they fixed. Get the pilot paid. So let's see if there is a more creative way to fix this.

During the biding process, I can't bid for a SIBA trip if I am not on the SIBA list. So there is a process in place to avoid that issue. Seems pretty similar. So did ALPA ask to have the awesome biding software upgraded to flag the trips that have a restriction so the pilots who are not allowed entry by the host nation could not be awarded those trips. I doubt it. But I believe it would solve this issue. But let's say that is not possible no matter how much money is tossed at the programmers. So what else could we ask for to correct the issue? Well if I protect min days off, and a trip drops, I go into the Conflict Input Window and ask for a different trip if I want to. I would be afforded the opportunity to gain back those credit hours and earn money, that might solve this issue. Let's say you don't like that, You scream "unfair advantage!!" So is there yet another process already in place to address pilot's schedules. Well it turns out there are at least two more options. One could be that your trip is dropped and you are added, in seniority order, to the secondary line generation process. "Scream unfair" again, okay, I got your back. There is yet another process in place after the secondary lines are awarded. Just ask any pilot who finishes training. How are they awarded their flying for the rest of the month, and maybe even the next month depending on when they are released to the line. Any of those answers work for you?

So now you still may not like that. Okay, then how about this. They are dropped from their trip because of the host nation's requirement, then they HAVE the choice to sit reserve, or be given general makeup or PNP to make them whole for the month. And if they sit reserve, they are fully pay protected for the original trip. No need to Fix the "rest of your hours" with general makeup. I doubt anyone will be dumping their records so they can sit reserve too.

Any way you slice it. Every pilot should have the opportunity to earn a paycheck. I doubt anyone who is not vac'ed or does not want more of their medical information "out there" not protected to a medical standard is doing so as part of a diabolical scheme to get to a draft trip before you.


ALPA should have done better, but I doubt anyone on the NC is unvac'ed and in danger of flying to any of the countries in question. They played small ball on this one. And we are in Section 6 negotiations. I believe this may be why "Tech only" is concerned. There are several ways this could have been addressed.





Oh and where is your outrage when a pilot get bumped for training and then has the chance to elect to fly another trip at draft? And how long has that been going on? How hypocritical do you feel now?