aa73

fwiw.. I do recognize that there are pilots families out there who are in dire need of supplemental income up to and including vacation float due to extreme family situations whereby those needs come far ahead of any union business... and Erroneous if you fall into that category then I recognize that and understand. My previous post was directed to those pilots not in those circumstances, but chose to float anyways due to personal choice. Sorry if my post came out too harsh.

Rawhide16

To the noobs,

You have to go into the APA site and opt in to email communications. It defaults to NO.

CoolHands

I just finished up my first year with the company. Besides the union emails, I also received a letter in the mail dated December 6th from the APA basically stating the need for the entire membership to take ALL of their vacation. In my opinion, the union did a good job of communicating the no float initiative but I understand that not everyone feels that way. For what it’s worth, because of the information I received from the union I did not float a single day of vacation.

PRS Guitars

We were only bidding for round 1. So unless you bid all 3 weeks for one stretch in round 1, you should have 2 weeks left (assuming you’re less than 6 years on property). Our will bid 1 of those for round 2 and one for round 3. Though it’s all done at once.

PRS Guitars

Guys with the email problems, please take the time to visit the APA web site from time to time. Think of it like reviewing CCI. You need to stay informed. There is a ton of info on there. You’d have known. Hell, you need to go on there to look at the 3XP PBS report anyway. While you’re there...read some base blasts.

Erroneous

Because this time around it was not about a no float campaign. Union sent emails out to take your vacation which most of us would reccomended anyways.

Erroneous

In the end I am the one who should probably apologize. I did not float either time but I can tell you it does burn me to see folks get lumped into a category without any consideration. Quite simply if you are within 5 years of retirement and floating all your vacation the assumption that it is for purely money might be valid. I have no idea what the latest union emails were about but it did not seem like anything more than working on the mental health of our pilot group in light of what I perceive to be an increased suicde rate. It is almost comical, if not so upsetting, that on a current suicide forum everyone is so understanding and yet on another we are willing, if not asking, to publish names and condem individuals with no understanding. Sorry to be the Debby Downer but something’s shouldn’t be done. Unity amongst this pilot group isn’t not calling out and seperating individuals. If anyone has a problem with a fellow pilot we go to Professional Standards, not the company or airing greviences to the masses. Same thing applies here. If anyone has a problem with how I operate or anyone else then sound off to the union and demand they handle it. Unified front to the company while handling issues internally.

aa73

Valid points about not lumping everyone into the same category. But the intent of no floating went far beyond the mental health of the pilot group, and this message was displayed more than once in APA emails: it was done in order to display a show of unity by a long row of Zeros down the float column.
Simply said, it’s the senior guys within 5 years of retirement that should be the first ones not to float! I mean, how much are they making as 777/787 captains... and yet they need that extra $15 or $20k that bad?
If I have any empathy for guys who floated it would be the ones who are in dire circumstances.
But when your union asks for a show of unity, you comply knowing and expecting that your union brother and sister next to you has your back by complying as well. That is the most basic foundation of unionism. Everyone sacrifices together for the good of the contract and future contracts.
The company fears one thing the most - that is a Unified pilot group. Nothing else even comes close.

DarinFred

Come on Slice. Stop being a vagina and show your face!

AFTrainerGuy

I’ve agreed with everything you (and others) have wrote. It was about unity. I think what gets a lot of people is the majority that floated were senior in seat/aircraft and/or WB guys. For some reason it isn’t the junior that floated that bothers me, it’s the senior. There is a stigma of “you’ll be senior one day... blah blah blah” and this just reaffirms this stereotype. Don’t get me wrong, it was not all of them and a lot of guys retiring this year gave up a lot of $$$ to support the masses. But it was clearly a majority in favor of the senior. QOL and other issues don’t really effect (affect?) them and it’s the appearance that they can care less. What sorta scares me is if these guys making 300K+ either can’t subside on that income without floating for one year, or simply use the tired excuse that “they gotta make up for the last decade”, where does this leave us as a group when push comes to shove here soon and we’re offered cash over real QOL changes. You know where the Slice’s of the world stand. On a bright note, CnR says 87% didn’t float so it’s really only 13%. if you take out those who probably needed too, were back to the 10% rule which holds true anywhere. There’s the cup 1/2 full