4a2b Gone Wild
 

I am sorry, but it only gets worse. I don't begrudge the Hong Kong Bus or the MEM 757 boys anything. But this 20+ hour spread in BLG each month is simply unjustifiable on the companies part.

Secondary Line Max's just published:

HKG 300 CA 99:03
MEM 757 CA 98:19

MEM 727 CA 73:59 !!

Just business I guess :mad:

Exactly right. Pure business = pure cost-cutting, the real reason for 4A2B. They could bring the HKG 300 BLGs down and the MEM 300 BLGs up by doing SIBA, but of course they won't because it is cheaper to do what they are doing.

This should be huge ammunition for arbitration, but I'm not holding my breath.

I am pleased to give gunter something to talk about.

When looking at the spread in BLGs don't forget to add in the carry over hours. We don't think about it, but the carry over hours are just as much a part of guarantee as BLG. And right now the Capt hard lines in HKG are guaranteed an average of 120 hours. Good thing we have the max 13 hour split in the CBA.

I can't believe the MEC allowed this. Any reduction in BLG should have been coupled with a cap. Otherwise it isn't a tool to prevent furloughs at all, it merely becomes a tool of management to reduce costs and further divide the pilot group. What were they thinking????

Just remember it's the company doing this to us. 25 hrs of credit difference and even more when you count carryover. Only because they refuse to manage training properly. There is no way you can justify this if you have a conscience.

It's up to the arbitrator to stop them from driving recklessly like this.

Furlough? May have been a threat before but it isn't now. Unless the economy soils itself again before the recovery takes hold. Don't forget that the SCP is talking about hiring. ;)

I too get confused sometimes. I think it's the temporary minimum guarantee cuts FDX imposed on their pilots to prevent furloughs... I remember that the expat package y'all got in Hong Kong wasn't that great (I think?) so having high value lines in Hong Kong should be a good thing at least for pilots based there, right? :confused:


PS. Seven6 - do you really have some pic time in TU95s? (your avatar)

It is a loophole in the contract. The company says we are overmanned but in reality they are playing games with reserves and manning throughout the fleets. They create an overmanning in some seats and undermanning in others. There is no excuse for monthly guarantee at one base of 73 hours and 120 hours at another base other than company mismanagement or greed.

So yes it is a good deal for the expat guys, but at the expense of someone else.

I see, thanks for the explanation...

Specifically, 4a2b is a provision in the contract that allows the company to reduce the minimum bid line guarantee to 48 hours in a 28 day bid month and 60 hours in a 35 day bid period. The normal minimum bid period guarantee would be 68 hours in a 28 day bid month and 85 hours in a 35 day bid month.

The intent was to invoke this across the board and only to prevent furloughs, but it has been improperly implemented and administered by the company and has been grieved by the union.