You bet they Do. The company constantly runs practice bids to see what people are planning, especially before a new planned domicile ( Like LAX a few years back) or preceding a New vacancy Bid..........like is rumored next month.

The bean counters are all over this............except it is ficticious info..................just watch how the practice bids change form the final real bid.........................

Tony C just may have something........................Everyone BID MEM 737 Cap and MEM 737 FO as your back up................................
Until the seconds before the actual Bid closes

 

[QUOTE=RedeyeAV8r]Its true, every time we get into it with the company, there are all kinds of "good" distractions to make you wish we'd just get back to moving up seats and getting better lines. A good portion of the crew force wasn't here for the last negotiations, and as such is unaware of the PR campaign that Fedex has and will muster to move things in the way they see fit. All the usual enticements, advance VLT, VAC buyback, mega bids, and others, all part of the "game" to soften up the fence sitters and play to the air who*es.
Forget Europe, the A380, the 727 replacement, think about how you can help your union get this contract settled. Its your future, and we all got to do our part!

 

That serves the same purpose, but I refuse to bid the A380 until we negotiate a pay rate.



Oh, I wouldn't go that far. I think everyone should bid exactly what they want on the Practice Bid. To do anything else will only confuse your fellow pilots, and that's not the point of this exercise. The Company can see the bid preferences in a snapshot at any moment, and they can run their own private practice all day and all night, and we're none the wiser for it. They'll do those practice runs and analyze the results to help refine what vacancies they want to post. If we all bid 737 Captain, they will have no results to analyze.

So, bid the 737 Captain (that's code 810), and then bid your current position, and then bid 999 ("End of Bid"). For every practice bid they run with those selections, there will BE no results. They'll still have to post vacancies, and as soon as the Bid is posted, immediately change your standing bid to what you really want.


That's my take on the matter.




- The truth only hurts if it should -

 

Its true, every time we get into it with the company, there are all kinds of "good" distractions to make you wish we'd just get back to moving up seats and getting better lines. A good portion of the crew force wasn't here for the last negotiations, and as such is unaware of the PR campaign that Fedex has and will muster to move things in the way they see fit. All the usual enticements, advance VLT, VAC buyback, mega bids, and others, all part of the "game" to soften up the fence sitters and play to the air who*es.
Forget Europe, the A380, the 727 replacement, think about how you can help your union get this contract settled. Its your future, and we all got to do our part![/QUOTE]

This is just one more distractor to keep us from focusing on the contract. It doesn't surprise me that our chief pilot is the puppet deliving the message to "please help". I wonder if he sends pleas of help to the management to get the pilots what they deserve for all their hard work. Ha!

 

I don't think we as a group will ever get what we truely deserve or seek. We have too many I's and not enough we's. Look how quickly our pilots continue to sell back vacation, not use sick time, work overtime.

Support the Union and its endeavors. JUST SAY NO. Try it, its not that hard. JUST SAY NO. See how easy it comes off the tounge..... Sorry to rant, just tired of almost 2 years without a contract and watching guys continue to bend over backwards to help themselves!!

 

Rather than publicly rag on the few that haven't figured it out like me (please note the syrup of sarcasm that I have dirzzled over this statement) and focusing on the negatives, I choose to focus on the positive. It's great that there are a lot of guys that think like me, and are only happy to give 100.00% until we get a new contract that rewards our contributions to this company's success. I will enjoy my Vacations, I will fly my awarded trips, I will take the scheduled deadheads, I will fly the Flight plans. The Company will get nothing extra from me until we have a deal. If you feel the same way, fantastic.

If you don't, then I hope you'll come around. I'm not going to belittle you for selling back your vacation, but I hope you're using the extra money to build your strike fund so you'll be prepared to walk away from this job if the time comes. (Not everyone has been on the property as long as I, and they haven't had the opportunity to build a war chest.) If you don't take the scheduled deadheads, I'm not going to fault you. I live in domicile and it's not a very painful option for me. You're probably a commuter, and it would involve a much greater sacrifice. I empathize with your perspective. If you choose to Volunteer or accept Draft, I hope you've got a good reason. Maybe you've got unexpected medical expenses for your child, maybe you dropped 3 6-hr trips at regular time, and you're replacing that income with one Volunteer trip of 12-hrs at time and a half -- same pay, less work, less productivity delivered to the Company. I can appreciate that strategy. Maybe you've bid the line with Carryover because you're senior enough to bid a conflict the following month and give the Company only the required days.

Or maybe you haven't gotten the picture and you're doing those things for selfish, short-sighted reasons. I don't know, since I can't read your mind. All I know is what I'm doing, and I hope you'll pay attention, and I hope you'll follow my example. I have a positive outlook.


See you tonight in the hub - - bring your 100.0% hat, and don't forget to change the standing bid to 810.







- The truth only hurts if it should -