Originally Posted by Zoomie

With all the talk of financially incentivizing the crap no one wants, I offer this would increase QOL for NB pilots fairly significantly.

1) If a weekend trip touches a SAT or SUN, make that trip on those days M6.5, but only M5 for credit.
So in essence, any weekend trip Fri-SUN would have a minimum of a 23 hr pay. 5,6.5,6.5,5. That a min, and most I'm guessing would pay more.

OK, you might say that would incentivize the company to either 1, build more trips that don't cover the weekend, or 2, make weekend trips more productive. Isn't that what we want?
A senior bidder always has the option to go after the $$ (more money, maybe less work and more soft time if company builds trips this way) or if they want the days off they choose.
This would in essence incentivize less weekend trips (just like holiday pay will incentivize less pilots working on holidays) for both the company builder and perhaps get the more senior guys who don't care and would rather get the soft time or an easy weekend trip, one that pays 23, but only work 19-20 hrs. I used to see a lot more 25-26 hr 4 day pairing, not so much anymore.

2) The M6.5D on SAT/SUN would not pay if you call in sick. You still get the M5D for SAT/SUN and it only removes sick call based on the actual current book rig, not including the weekend bonus. So this disincentives guys to call in sick on the weekend (we know they will anyway), but also incentivizes guys to pick up those pairings that might go to a Jr bidder too. This would also help reserve coverage on weekends. The company could add this M6.5D qualifier if they see a nor'easter coming or other weather event which would also disincentivize those pilots from calling in sick also using less reserves for those events. This might also incentivize more trip trading since now a weekend trip that today is undesirable, might actually be a good trip trade if someone decided they have no plans for the weekend and would rather make a couple extra $$.

You might argue then premium pay will be less. Yes, it probably will be less for those ultra senior guys that get it all here at United. Let's be honest and say that right now, our premium pay system goes to 2 types of pilots, ones that are super senior, or those that are constantly hustling in crew companion and made trading or dropping to 0 a 2nd job. Senior guys still have those options of bidding for weekend trips that pay a min of 23 hrs and like to pick up that soft time, which sometimes is harder to get.