Originally Posted by
Verdell
Ahh. Ok I can see your point there and its merit. I think we can agree then that SS in their current form lack a proper leveling mechanism. I'm curious what others think, let's brainstorm the last few posts.
1) Keep SS as-is
2) Make SS have a counter like GS do, and award only 1 per PCS cycle
3) Make SS count towards GS counter, and GS count towards SS counter. Share a counter. (1 per PCS cycle?)
4) Get rid of SS altogether
I personally don't like #1 or #4. I think #2 and #3 are much better. And I think that 1 SS per PCS cycle is important.
Silver slips were the biggest concession the pilot group made on this last contract. GS on RES is absolutely massive with regards to premium time generation. A 3-day GS on RES wipes out 5 days of RES availability, many times on more critical days such as weekends and holidays, compounding the amount of premium time being handed out. If a RES has any availability left, the company is forced to break up efficient 4-day bid packet trips as for example, into a 2-day and 3-day high credit trips, further compounding premium time flying. I easily would vote for #4.
If not, #2 or #3 as its ridiculous that so few benefit to the detriment of the rest of the pilot group.
Finally, there are more than enough military bros abusing the system that I propose, just like sick time and GS slips, that if only through the use of MLOA you become legal for a SS, you go to the bottom of the SS list. If your use of MLOA has no bearing on whether you could have been awarded the silver slip, you keep your priority. Exactly the same as sick and green slip. Sick and GS was put in to prevent abuse, and this would be exactly the same. They want to get a good deal at the expense of the company? Have at it. But if they want to do it at the expense of the rest of the pilot group, I have a serious problem with that. I'd love to hear the mental gymnastics on how this would be unfair.