Ok, here is my morning manifesto and hope for the new contract.

This "soft parameter" /DP ordeal is crazy. We obviously have too many independent contractors out there that gladly pickup these trips. The union has not/will not(?) turn up the heat on the guys that do this. Possibly they cannot due to fear of litigation?

1. In the next contract, this is my hope. The whole process goes away. We move to hard parameters, i.e. the trip is either good or it's not. If it's not, it doesn't get built. Period. End of story. The flexibility that the soft parameters offers seem to benefit the company a lot more than it benefits the crew. ESPECIALLY when we have enough dolts out there that can't keep their grubby hands off of the DPs.

No disputed pairings, no more having to spend time tracking the bozos that fly them, no more having to worry about getting them on reserve, no more getting them on your line three months later (thanks DP flyers!). Then we can move back onto something worthwhile, like complaining about the scooby snacks or the latest puppet tales (or is it tails?).

2. IN THE MEANTIME....I say we take it underground and turn up the heat on the offenders. I like the idea of the DP Flyer Circular. Omit the guys that get them on reserve, super/extra/double fact check the names and pairings and put that sucker out in the crewroom. Something simple like:

"Here is the list of Independent Contractors that flew Disputed Pairings for the month of_______. Please thank them next time you see them on your jumpseat or in the crewlounge."

Haz...out.