Originally Posted by
Nitefrater
You're correct... there is no protection with this clause. The clause specifies a minimum but no maximum. We've long operated with the current minimum BLG, and no bidpack BLG anywhere near that minimum. Only now are we seeing BLGs that are down to the minimum.
This contract allows the company to merely announce a minimum BLG reduction, "to prevent furloughs", then they can write bidpacks with whatever BLG they want above that minimum... no need to even be below 60. What we need is a BLG cap before furlough, but unfortunately, that's not what we negotiated.
If I'm misreading the contract, will someone point out the language that restricts the company to some maximum (e.g. 60) once they've lowered the minimum to 48?
There is a BLG cap. It is the 13 hr spread. The spread used to be smaller but was raised in the last contract.
If utilized, the schedule would have some lines at or near 48/60 if the BLG goes down per the clause. Assuming it won't is a level of paranoia even I haven't succumbed to yet.
Company bubbas construct the pairings. Union bubbas build the lines. This is spelled out in the contract. I don't think the company can force the union bubbas to build fewer lines in this instance by "directing" them to build closer to 61/73 (48/60 + 13 hrs). There are ways to make some of the pairings for the two departure lines above 48/60 but most lines will still be well below the 13 hr spread. Look at some older bid packs and you will see very few reach the high side. The average is always somewhere in the middle.
So the worst case, as I see it, is the middle of the spread for an average--54/66. 58 hrs is pretty close and not too far away (6-8 hrs or so) from where we are right now in the Boeing.