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"O" and the hub-turn meeting

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"O" and the hub-turn meeting

Old 07-11-2008, 02:17 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Beertini View Post
I hate to get away from all of the MEC bashing and return to the question at hand, but here is what I got out of the "O's" talk the other evening.

1. Volumes are at levels not seen in 10 years, but with much different system form (we are set for a more international vice domestic staffing)
2. 757 production issues are largely resolved. They are still planning on purchasing the full complement of a/c (87 I believe).
3. 777 posting should happen in the Oct/Nov (ish) timeframe. There is a potential it could be staffed at 20 crews / plane (still in negotiations). In the spring of 2010 they are anticipating needing 250 or so pilots to staff 777.
4. The recent problems with the training letters are due to interpretation issues between the company and union and are currently being addressed.
5. Early retirement has / is being looked at. Right now the beancounters do not feel it is currently worth pursuing.
6. Depending on who talk to, the "O" said we are somewhere between 200 and 500 folks fat. He wouldn't specifically give a number so he tap danced on this question a bit.
7. The letter of intent for a 135 certificate has been sent to the FAA. Both certs will be maintained (121 for charters). Expect 135 in the middle of next year.
8. The 10 will be shut down completely after peak and probably by February (ish). There might be some guys in limbo after the 10 stops flying and before they have a training slot.
9. The airline 'cannot operate at the contract BLG minimums.'10. They do not plan to furlough (barring anything 'catastrophic'). In 12 to 18 months they are going to need everybody so they are pursuing other staffing models. Specifically, he said that 08-03 was canceled so that they could work with the union on options that aren't specifically address in the CBA (carryover). These options are currently being negotiated. There will be another excess posting that will have less impact on the crew force.
11. 16 310's are being parked or returned to the leasing companies.
12. The "O" said he reads these boards so I would just like to tell him hello.

There were a few other things, but that is all I can remember. Hope that helps. Now back to the MEC chat.

Cheers,
Beertini
What does 9 mean? We cannot operate at 48 BLG? Or they don't want to continue at 65 BLG buying up to 68?
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Old 07-11-2008, 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by pdo bump View Post
i was at the meeting too....very good recap, you beat me to it.

gotta say too, O was very forthright with info. he (in my opinion) was giving us the scoop as he knew it. i especially liked how he stated that even though a few on the seniority list might want to "whack" a couple hundred off the bottom to protect "their" blg's, this wasn't going to happen.

very good news to those on the bottom of our seniority list.

i guess at least our chief pilot is looking out for them, dw sure isn't.

thanks O

(since you do read this )
I know you must think hell is freezing over, but I have been very impressed with DW's committment to protect the contract and defacto the same junior guys O mentioned.

I've said as much in person and on the ALPA boards. The MEC reps are also committed to this. Nobody's perfect, and (like you) I rallied against regulated age changes and LOA I, but you don't have a stronger "we are in this together" cheerleader than DW.

I'll offer a bit more commentary later on the new LOA improvements later--still a bit under some kind of bug and don't feel very much like writing volumes.
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Old 07-11-2008, 02:39 PM
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i trust you MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more than dw. that's why i voted for you as my new block rep.

talk is one thing, but actions speak MUCH, MUCH, MUCH louder. dw could have "done the right thing" and opposed or even stood neutral on the age 60 change, following the majority of his union members for which he stands. even if the law "would have changed anyway," at least he would have stood up for the MAJORITY of his union members. (not the majority of the fdx non-members)

ALPA would have still endorsed it, ALPA would have still had all that "influence," etc., etc.

dw would have actually been leading, not just talking through the mustache.
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Old 07-11-2008, 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by viperdriver View Post
What does 9 mean? We cannot operate at 48 BLG? Or they don't want to continue at 65 BLG buying up to 68?
The impression that I got is that the system form (international) does not lend itself to operating at the minimum BLG. In other words, try to build a two week international trip with a 48 hour BLG.

Beertini
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Old 07-11-2008, 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Piloto Noche View Post
Thanks for the update. I hadn't heard about a 135 certificate application. What is the purpose of that and how would it affect our ops?
I think it is geared toward the ULR flying for when the 777 comes online. It will affect us most apparently in the whole alternate thing. I am not sure of the specifics, but those are the biggies I believe.

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Old 07-11-2008, 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Beertini View Post
I think it is geared toward the ULR flying for when the 777 comes online. It will affect us most apparently in the whole alternate thing. I am not sure of the specifics, but those are the biggies I believe.

Beertini
I thought that was "flag carrier" regs? Are they the same thing?
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Old 07-11-2008, 03:09 PM
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Part 135--Operating Requirements: Commuter And On Demand Operations And Rules Governing Persons On Board Such Aircraft

Must be the On Demand portion of 135 that they are going for. Either that or we are going to start putting our guys into the ATR's
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Old 07-11-2008, 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Beertini View Post
The impression that I got is that the system form (international) does not lend itself to operating at the minimum BLG. In other words, try to build a two week international trip with a 48 hour BLG.

Beertini

This issue has been decided. The union has stated that the min BLG of 68 hours is not really a min. It could be 66 hours, or 64; whatever the company wants. Sure am glad we have that furlough protection in there.

No I don't want them to furlough the JR guys. What I think good furlough protection would be is 68 hours is min BLG. If the company wants to furlough they would have to lower min BLG to 48. This would require them to hurt a lot before they violate min BLG. With the current union position they just have to be hurting a little. Glad we rolled over on this one. At least they haven't announced they can reduce individual MDS's, maybe they are saving that good news.

But at least we have a decent hub turn recap, thanks to whom it may concern.
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Old 07-11-2008, 03:20 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by koz2000 View Post
Why not set a structure such as this.
MEC will get RLG plus a certain number of hours (lets say 20hrs). When RLG is 72 they would get 20 hours per month to equal 92 hours. When RLG is 91 they would get 20 hours per month to equal 111. They get 1180hrs per year (4- 5 week months, 8 - 4 week months). That's better than 98 hrs per every month. But since we're a RLG low it would drop them down as well - but same amount of work days. Same as a reserve guy, Flex, mgmt.
If we go to the 48/60 the extra hours would go to 10 rather than 20. They're still getting paid more than the line dog but not some extravagant amount. As the words of THE DW come to mind... "It's the right thing to do."

I think the housing allowance is a crock... If a MEC officer needs a place to stay - let him do what all commuters do - it's called a crash pad. I'd probably not feel so strongly about this but since the MEC's thought's on HKG's housing allowance was so pathetic, what's good for the goose is good for the MEC.

AMEN Brudda!
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Old 07-11-2008, 03:28 PM
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Latest from FDX ALPA:

48 hour Minimum Bid Period Guarantee and Furloughs- There are rumors that the company will soon reduce Min Bid Period Guarantee to 48 hours on a 4 week month and 60 hours on a 5 week month and then furlough. The MEC has elements of a potential LOA in works that addresses manning mitigation options that could be taken without reducing MBPG’s, should management approach the union stating their intention to reduce MBPG’s, Options include reducing or eliminating various overtime flying, charters and several other provisions to minimize extra flying. This LOA could be employed if we learned of the company’s intent to reduce current MBPG’s below 68 hours/4 week month and 80 hours/5 week month. (Yes, any LOA would need to be ratified by the FedEx pilots). Additionally, the company has a lot of latitude between our current MBPG and 48hrs MBPG which would precede furloughs. The company could, for example, reduce MBPG to 66 hours for months, then if conditions warranted reduce again to, say, 64 hours and so forth.


Where are these rumors coming from...us?

Last edited by magic rat; 07-11-2008 at 04:01 PM.
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