Block representation basically disenfranchised one group of pilots from each of the small bases. Before block representation each base had a voting Captain rep and a voting F/O rep.

After block representation, one of those small base voters disappeared.

The funny thing is, SEA always had the hammer. It was called "Roll Call". In effect, any measure could be voted by the reps, each having the number of votes that matched the members they represented. SEA, with over 900 members, could control any issue.

Block representation or not, SEA always was the 900 lb. gorilla. Before block representation there was always a gentleman's agreement that each LEC rep carried equal weight in all discussions. Votes were based on the majority of 6 voters with the MEC Chairman casting the deciding vote only if there was a tie.

Block representation is a very valid system in a pilot group with thousands of members. When it was adopted by the AS MEC, the only group using block representation was FedEx. There was a rumor that ALPA National really wanted to extend block representation to a passenger airline, but the large MECs weren't interested.

Alaska MEC Chairmen have historically closely supported the agenda of ALPA National. It is not a surprise, therefore, that block representation was adopted by the AS MEC without much of a fight.

If anyone wants a detailed description of how the system came to be at Alaska, PM me and I'll give you a point of contact who can give you the details.

 

For me, I'd never want to be at an airline while PBS is being instituted but I'd prefer to be at an airline that already has PBS because it is a preferable way to bid if done right.

Now I sat beside an Expressjet pilot one day and we compared our PBS systems. You guys are exactly right to be concerned about the quality of the PBS system you go with. If it is cheap, like expressjets seems to be, it will be miserable.

But of course that depends on what that transition would look like, do they all of a sudden become overstaffed because of PBS? Then no PBS.

If you want to see our PBS gouge it's open on the internet for viewing: http://www.pbshelp.info/delta/PBS_Gouge.pdf but I'll admit that is kind of a daunting thing to look at. Basically:

• When it comes to reserve you bid the days off you want in the order you want them and the computer tries to give you as many as it can in order left to right. If it can't give you what you want it takes away the last day and then retries.
  
  
• For lines there are so many ways you can attack it. I first say what days off I prefer and that becomes controlling as much as feasible. You could then say I want 4 days that xyz (which can be dozens of things in various combinations) on dates ### and so on. I do that but I generate what individual trips there are and then bid those trips specifically. And then I relax my constraints on the next line and so on. For Christmas I had about 6-10 Else Start Next bids, so my line bid group 1 had a few things that were a must else throw the bid away and go to group 2 which was slightly different and if you can't give me that toss the whole group out and go to 3, if not that, go to reserve but it must be these days off, if not that, go back to line holding but this time..., etc.
  
  
• I like that we can slide vacations, I had a mid November vacation and slid it back a couple of days over Thanksgiving and had the week off. The computer then built a line around that. Same with December, mid December vacation became Dec 25-31 and then it built the trips around that. Sliding vacation only happens if you could get those days off anyways, if you weren't senior enough to hold 26-28th off, then it won't slide over those days, but it might slide 19-25th. Not bad.
  
  
• So you do bid a plan A, plan B, plan C, plan D, etc. unless you are insanely senior in category. Even then I'd bid at least to plan c.

/Delta pilot commenting on the Alaska pilot only thread

 

Thanks for the input. I'm still very skeptical of PBS, especially at Alaska. As far as I'm concerned it would further erode seniority even more than it's already been eroded over here.

 

I don't want PBS for Alaska pilots either. Like others have mentioned above, I'm not at all confident that the company will buy the best software available. They'll buy from one of the cheapest vendors. Besides, PBS won't be all that great if the company keeps writing crappy pairings.

They want PBS without having to give up anything. Well, how about giving us better vacation & training pay, giving us more flexibility to manipulate our schedules, etc.? I like the idea of being able to slide your vacation mentioned above regarding DAL's PBS program.

 

Let's shake things up a bit. Any bets on how soon it will be before the 'Mo starts service to Havana? After seeing Mr. O on the news today liberalizing travel to Cuba I'm betting it won't be long before we start looking into service there. Before any of you think I've been breathing too many chemical fumes while cleaning toilets at corporate West Jet was serving 4 cities in Cuba last time I checked.

 

I dunno about Cuba, but I'd like to see AS create some Caribbean markets from SEA with the max. SEA- Jamaica, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands to name a few. Oh & Belize needs to happen yesterday.

 

I agree with the Caribbean markets. Let's do it!

 

But let's do it from our new San Diego base!!!!

 

SAN can be our reach into Costa Rica (max could probably do SEA also) Panama, Colombia & Venezuela.

 

"Oh & Belize needs to happen yesterday." I agree with that... That would be awesome..