I don't know what "O" is talking about. Since last August I have not been able to move, drop, or swap any Rdays at all period not one. July 08 and before you could move or drop anything anytime. August 08 nuttin at all.
It had to be a policy change to happen that fast. Since Aug 08 I've probably tried 2 to 300 moves or drops and ZERO have been approved. The only days I've dropped were through an ACP since last Aug.
It's just a "beat down" of the junior guys. I don't buy the "O" gram 1%

Lowest pay and least flexibility.... nice

 

Good job with this discussion everyone. Now take if off the ***** board and take it to the sad selfish jerks flying the DP's. I aim to with e-mails, phone calls, and the proper treatment in person.
Funny story. Captain who flew #564, 30June (initials BC) flew a trip with me and an RFO a while back proudly displayed an ALPA 25 year pin and lanyard en-route to CDG. After chatting it up like a bum on the street who needed someone to talk to there was no pin and no conversation (not a word) on the way back to MEM. He had figured out that the group we were having fun with that night ratted him out as a non-member (he was sitting in the corner by himself and I was wondering why he hadn't joined us). He wore the pin hoping we hadn't looked at the non-member list just to have someone to talk to for a leg. That's how pitiful these pilots are. It's sad really because it is so easy to just do the right thing.
I've dropped two 60+ hour trips in the past I mistakenly traded for. These jerks steal from all of us for 6, 8 hours. Like I said...just sad.

 

CaptainGator,
I agree with you 100%. Great story about BC, not sure why he thought he could get away with it. Glad he got to enjoy the evening with himself. If is a guy is a nonmember that pays dues, I've got no problem with that. The non dues payer is a leach that has no problem with us paying his way. About a month or so ago there was a nonunion member going to Aghanistan and needed a vacation swap. I am a military person myself and have spent some time in that area. Also, it would have been a beneficial swap for me as well. Although I appreciate his service, I don't appreciate the fact that he has decided to take a free ride while his coworkers pay. No vacation swap for me.

You are right, these DP folks aren't helping out the team. I generally regard these folks much like a nonmember or scab. Sure, that is harsh, but they do have something in common. Their short term personal agenda effects our long term quality of life. If I were a commuter, I would particularly take notice of this month's DP design. If your line was built full of these pairings, you couldn't turn and would spend alot of time in Memphis (and I know how painful that is for some). This pairing design could be used on practically every west coast trip. It is hard to build a decent line when you need a day of rest between pairings.

I know some guys don't realize they are flying a DP. We get bombarded with union and company emails, FCIFs, etc. I tend to look at the type of trip, and it easy to determine which trips are disputed. Still, ignorance is no excuse.

I realize the union does not want to harrass DP fliers because it may be seen as an illegal job action or member coersion. I think they should send the usual email and display pairing number/date and the name of the pilot that flew it (obviously not a reserve guy that had no choice). Maybe more people would stop flying them if they were humiliated and left sitting in the corner by himself. If we refuse to do anything about it, we should simply stop the process since it doesn't work anyway. Let's just let the company schedule by hard parameters only. It just divides us more to continue our current process.

 

I flew with this clown in June. Possibly the biggest richard I've had the pleasure of flying with at FedEx. He like's himself a lot and brags about the fact he really doesn't need this job anymore becuase he's making so much money on the side---he's doing it becuase he loves the flying. YGBSM! For a guy who's so well off why does he need to fly DP's for a few extra dollars? I checked the list after my first trip with him and it all made sense when I saw he was a
non-dues paying NM who callender blocks. What a Richard!

 

He is probably told you can move and drop R days. You don't expect him to ask any line guys, do you?

 

I remember Bill C., the non-member turd. Yeah Bill got fired as an Airbus LCA due to all of the complaints of how he conducted line checks. Glad to hear he hasn't changed!

 

Glad to see some of the DP are being flown by the over 60 crowd in the left seat of the MD. No big deal for them, make some extra money and then retire. Then the rest of us are stuck flying this crap forever! Once again, it's all about them!

 

Which over 60 people are you thinking of? Maybe a former manager?

 

Yep, plus a few more

 

Does his last name rhyme with fruity? If so, had a line check with him years ago in the bus; SFS-KUL-PEN. After 7 hours of napping, he gave a 3.5 hour debrief!! Yea, we didnt have a perfect ride, but there were no major problems. And it is true....BC really likes himself. The cabbies in PEN said he was a major cheapskate.