My bad, I assumed he cut/paste from the message line, which got it right!

 

They'll do whatever we allow them to do--maybe it will finally be time for crewmembers to stop flying extra and stick to the contract word for word!!!

 

ORIGINAL LOA LANGUAGE

If a pilot is inversely assigned, the following shall apply:
a. A pilot shall not be inversely assigned to a temporary vacancy at CDG or
HKG more than once in any period of six times the duration of the STV
(e.g., for a temporary vacancy of 3 bid periods, a pilot could not be
assigned more than once every 18 bid periods).
b. The pilot may not be inversely assigned for more than three bid periods at a time.


CURRENT LOA LANGUAGE

If a pilot is inversely assigned, the following shall apply:
a. A pilot shall not be inversely assigned to a temporary vacancy at CDG or
HKG more than once in any period of six times the duration of the STV.
b. The pilot may not be inversely assigned for more than one bid period at a time.

 

If enough people do not bid for CDG/HKG, how will the inverse assignments work?
Inversing pilots permanently into an FDA is not allowed by the CBA. If the vacancies are not bid by crewmembers on the property, then new hires would be the only option available, short of canceling the FDA. The STV option was established for flexibility so that if crewmembers exit training late (training problems, simulator problems, etc.), if the aircraft arrive early (right!), or aircraft utilization is increased initially, we could still man the flight schedule. However, long term relief by use of the STV program is not an acceptable option.

I think the company may have more of a problem hiring into FDAs than they think. Lots of buds coming up for retirement this and next year, and not one has said he'd be willing to move to HKG or CDG for this job. Or should I say their wives are less than enthusiastic. Especially with other airlines beginning to hire.

Management forgets that prior to 9/11 no one wanted the FDX job. It may be more attractive now, but a weak union, schedules that are getting more optimized each month, and trying to live in CDG on peanuts for the first year or two will not get us a lot of volunteers.

 

"Management forgets that prior to 9/11 no one wanted the FDX job."

Say again..over. You are weak and unreadable. I may be no one to you but there were those of us with other options that saw FedEx as the best option when everything was taken into account. That being said, I see your original point as very valid..

 

I'm confused. Admittedly, I never got in on the SIBA deal in the Boeing, but are the SIBA lines paying 90 hours in a 4 week month? Just looked at the Nov A300 lines and SIBA looked to be 11-14 days away for 70-76 hours pay. Not much different than a regular line except all in one chunk with Intl override and per diem.

 

If we need to hire to fill the FDAs, me might not get the standard old buddies from the squadron or our last regional airline like we have for the last umpteen years...but we'll fill them.

I work with a handful of folks every month getting ready for Cathay and Emiriates. The Emirates deal is similar in my opinion to what we offer--a chance to join a solid company flying good equipment to interesting destinations with a secure financial future. For now...their package is a better deal for expats...but then again you cannot bid back to MEM from Emirates in 3-4 years. Point is the guy who wants to work for one of those companys abroad would probably consider our company in the mix now too. Fact is sometimes those guys don't look as good "on paper" as our traditional candidates, but I suspect they'll line up for the jobs and a few will get them.

As for our own pool....I know at least 2 and possibly 4 that are saying "no thanks" to HKG if offered. They hope to stay in the pool for later slots--but if they can't they will pass on the FDX job.

 

I was just using the example provided in the posts above mine.

11-14 days away is even better.

SIBA could be lengthened to do what STV will do. But it is more expensive. Pay for days off instead of just per diem. Hence the great new plan of STV.


You get the point. The company is getting a huge windfall with the STV deal.

 

It has nothing to do with cost associated with hotels, per diem, airline tickets, etc. IT HAS TO DO WITH MANNING. If SIBA was less expensive, why even start an FDA? They can man a FDA with less pilots than doing a SIBA every 3 months. I am guessing it is almost a 2:1 ratio (at least 3:2 ratio) in comparing SIBA to FDA (or STV). When you have 10-15 vacancies, it may take up to 25-30 pilots flying SIBA to fill the vacancies. It only takes 10-15 guys at a time doing STV to fill the same vacancies. NO BRAINER.

 

Spot on!

...and those new hires that do accept an FDA could be there for YEARS! (...not just 2-3).

Remember, they must bid back to an open MEM/LAX/ANC vacancy.

....and how many domestic FO slots did we have on this posting?

ZERO!

Most likely, these retired types and their wives have already "lived the adventure" at one overseas location and are looking for domestic stability as they retire ----- not all of course, but most.

It will be interesting to know the actual "thanks, but no thanks" rate that happens when the poolies start getting the FDA offers.