1stCivDiv

Had an intresting discussion with the Capt I flew with last night. We reread the 48/60 clause and I will repost it to discuss...

4.a.2.b

The minimum bid period guarantee shall be reduced to a minimum of 48/60 CH before any pilot is furloughed. At least a full bid period must follow the announcement of this action. This provision shall only be used to prevent or delay a furlough.

The way we read it was they have to drop the MIN bid period GUARANTEE to 48/60, after a bid period notice, but there is nothing in this that says they have to BUILD the LINES to 48/60. IE they could say "OK we are dropping the min guarantee to 48/60 to delay a furlough..." Then they leave the lines alone to what they are now 63/79 range. That would get them out of them having to buy up the lines to the min, as they do right now.

The way we read it was there is no requirement to actually BUILD the lines to 48/60. They would just pay whatever flying there is on the specific line. Any thoughts??

fedupbusdriver

That is what min bid line guarantee means. It only means that is the minimum buy up, so to speak. Worthless...

290kts

There is intent language to go along with the contractual language. The intent language is recorded and reviewed when the contractual intent is unclear. The intent will most likely be aimed toward preventing a furlough by spreading the flying across more lines.

Email the SIG Chairman as I suspect he has a canned response that will make you feel better.

The sky may not be falling........

kwri10s

The real issue is the company could build to 48/60 and then drop 15000 CH into open time? Do you think that those hours would not be picked up? Now if while anyone is on the street the lines must stay at 48/60 then maybe guys would step up and not pick up open time.....but if they only had to drop it down to 48/60 for a month then kick guys out and rebuild at 80 for every month after that....

The only down side for the company is the plunging stock price when layoffs are announced and the massive training cost with everyone moving to new planes. Also if anyone is on the street, expect the young guy mafia to muck up the training cycles with jury duty, bereavement, mil lv, sick, etc. Who knows what monkey wrenches can go into a process. Well maybe there are a few issues for management to take into account. They're not stupid, they know all these problems are an issue, that’s one reason we've never laid off pilots. It's really a last ditch effort to save money. If a company is rapidly losing money or market share then a prudent money saving method is to lay off workers and Wall Street understands that. If a company is making money, then layoffs signal to share holders that things are getting worse and Wall Street will punish that companies stock. That’s why cost cutting methods are called bottom line enhancements. It’s hard to put a good spin on a furlough.

fedupbusdriver

Intent, and $6 will get you a mean cappuccino at Starbucks......

MadPuppy

Interesting language in CBA, especially the "full bid period" phrase which implies that management can reduce to "48/60" for only one bid period and then furlough which will meet the CBA language requirements? Did I read that section correctly?

HoursHore

At the last union meeting, I asked this question. I was told by a MEC member (in an aside so I won't post his initials) that Yes this is the company's interpretation. The union's is obviously not. I asked why the company isn't going ahead and doing this if it would save them a million a month, I was told fuel sense saves them 2 mil a month, and the company didn't want to jeopardize that good will. Take it for what its worth.

FlybyKnite

Probably more than a grain of truth there. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has heard stories about 'tuna fuel'.

DaRaiders

No. The "full bid period" means that one full bid period shall pass after the company states the intention to use 4.A.2.b. For example, if they wanted to stop buying up lines in JAN, they would have to announce their intention invoke 4.A.2.b. to prevent or delay a furlough in NOV. DEC would be "the full bid period" in which lines would still have to be bought up to normal min BLG.

What happens after the lines actually DO hit 48/60 and the first guys hit the street is unclear to me.

FWIW, I think the language is squishy and like the other posters already noted, I am not sure how much weight intent carries.

Gunter

Wallstreet knows the long term growth story. IMHO, a cost reduction plan to improve earnings will shoot the stock up. Or, at least, cause FDX stock to fall less than the general market. Now might be the time to buy before the 'manning mitigation' measures are announced.