Don't know about the days off deal, but I do know three 767 MEM Captains got involuntarily converted this month, as I'm one of them. I and another guy have spent a lot of effort try to get back a day off we had on our original reserve lines, and had plans for. I'll have to try the voluntary request/ days off deal this month.

We always honor the intent of the contract -- said no manager, ever.

I think the difference is between voluntary conversion and involuntary. On voluntary I think they have to honor your days off request but I don't think they do for involuntary.

That was sort of understood. The segment of the contract I posted specifically references only voluntary conversions.

Does anyone know if you can even submit a line construction worksheet if you get involuntarily converted? It's not very clear.

Here is how the involuntary conversion happened to me....

I was awarded an A reserve line for December. All was good until I got a crew notification less than an hour before secondary lines were released. The crew notification said something like "Due to staffing needs, you have been converted to a VTO line for December 2015." I quickly tried to submit a VTO worksheet and it wouldn't even let me open the link.

Wow. That's a serious hose job. Good information for anyone with an R-line and days off they want to actually have off to keep in their hip pocket.

I can't see why anyone wouldn't volunteer for a conversion if they are counting on their days off as scheduled.

Yep. A painful lesson, when you plan events based on your reserve line. Then, on the last Tuesday of the month, "surprise, you have a whole new schedule for next month!":(

And you wonder why Management is dragging their feet in Contract Negotiations?

A new Contact might have fixes for bad deals like this?


:eek:

And that was my takeaway from the discussion last December.

If you get a reserve line and you want to ensure days off as awarded, submit a voluntary conversion with the exact same days off as you were already awarded. Then they can't involuntarily convert you because to involuntarily convert you, they have to honor your days off!

It's essentially a loophole that (for once) benefits the crew force.

If I were a IND 767 pilot with a reserve line and wanted the days off I bid and was awarded, I would volunteer for conversion and specify the same days off that I had. Seems like a no brainer to me, but I'm sure there will be some contract interpretation the company will use which we will then have to grieve.

I'd be interested how that works out for this coming bid month.