Originally Posted by
Gunter
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.
Lets clarify the terms here: The contract specifies a MINIMUM BLG, currently 68 hours in a 4 week bidmonth. The bidpacks are built with High Line credits and Low Line credits. Low Line credit is not the same as minimum BLG. There is a requirement that the High line credit be within 13 hours of the Low line credit, but nothing that specifies that the Low Line credit must be built to or even near the minimum BLG - it just has to be above it. Nothing prevents the company from declaring a reduction in MINIMUM BLG to 48 in a 4 week month, furloughing a month later, then having enough flying for the reduced crew force that the low line credits are above 68.
This is the scenario that the richardcranium at the hubturn meeting was pushing for when he said to furlough the bottom 10% so that the 90% wouldn't have to take a reduction in BLG.
I'm not advocating that the company do that, nor do I think that they're likely to... I'm merely pointing out that should they choose to, this contract won't prevent them from doing so.
The only real cap on bidpack BLG we have in this contact, even with a reduced minimum BLG, is how much flying can be crammed in and still meet min days off and legal rest.