You mean new hires in year one aren't the only ones sitting reserve? C'mon - no place for logic and facts when emotion can suffice.

I mean voluntarily bidding for a short call only line for higher pay must be screwing someone ----Right?

Scoop

 

What if no one wants it or bids it?
Then you get stuck with a whole month of short call as a jr guy. No thanks.

I like the idea of an hour of credit on top of gaurentee for each short call. If someone wants it they can bid for it that day. If no one wants it at least then you only have the possibility of 6 to worry about for the month, rather than an entire month of it.

 

Oh the irony! That post is pretty funny coming from you.

 

Simple - then they assign SC as they do now via a monkey throwing darts. No harm - no foul.

This is just a bidding option - no one gets forced to a line of SC. Plenty of ways to do this - for example for every SC line someone bids maybe two people can bid purely LC reserve lines.

If guys living near the airport bid SC for more $$$ then commuters could logically get less SCs. Yeah - this sucks.

Scoop

 

Yes, but anyone past their first year here is on reserve by choice. For us to change reserve so that a senior guy on reserve gets an even better deal at the expense of a new guy who has few options just doesn't sit right with me.

 

You are assuming it would be a desirable option. Im assuming it would fall the bottom of the bid list. Remember, long call is one of the features that make our reserve so tolerable.

 

You are probably correct in that it would only appeal to a a small group of Pilots who live close to the airport but want a higher reserve guarantee. Think similar to RLL option - not for most, but some guys love it.

I drive to the airport and would not bid SC for more $$$ but other guys might. If not many guys bid it then not many guys get to bid a strictly LC reserve option, but if a few guys take it then perhaps some guys can bid a strictly LC reserve option. This makes reserve better for everybody.

This could be implemented on a voluntary bid basis. If no one bids it - zero change. This could be another incremental improvement to reserve which has slowly gotten better over the years. Remember reserve used to have two short call windows every day for every reserve and only paid 70 hours. Slowly but surely we have improved reserve and this could be the next improvement.

Finally, we don't have to reinvent the wheel. Some airlines already have this. Our MEC can research the pros and cons. If they decide it is unworkable for whatever reason lets not do it. This could make reserve 100% commutable for some and pay others a higher guarantee. I don't envision it affecting me - perhaps I would bid a LC reserve 1 or 2 months a year but many commuters would dig a LC call only reserve option.

Bottom line: No one stands more than the current 6/7 Short calls unless they voluntarily bid for it and they would get paid a higher guarantee.

Scoop

 

Your views seem rather firm and well defined for someone who seems to be new to the industry. I suggest a more open minded, student attitude. Sorry in advance if this comes across as dickish.

 

A simple change from 12 hour LC to 18 hour LC solves the commuter issue and gives the local more time at home. Hell they could do 24 hour LC as easily, just assign after the 7am PCS run the day before to allow lineholders to swap/WS.

 

Just going to say that I came from a company that did a short call /long call bid for awhile. It was implemented in a way that was a complete disadvantage for the junior pilots as short call lines were forced on most reserves.

It could be done in a way that wouldn't hurt the QOL of junior reserves, but that doesn't automatically mean it would be implemented that way.


The two biggest problems I see with it are:

The company won't be likely to give 2 long call only lines for a dedicated short call line because that short call won't be on short call any time they're used, so they'll want additional short call lines to keep the number of short calls available daily up to current levels.

It creates different classes of reserve for PBS to have to solve (since long call reserve days worked won't cover short call staffing). Attempts to tie the long call lines allowed to number of short calls volunteered for would further complicate it as the solver would have to adjust senior reserve schedules based on junior bids (if number of long call only lines is based on volunteered short call lines). This part could actually help junior pilots though since senior pilots wouldn't be able to get as many of the desirable days off such as holidays and still have a long call only line. You'd actually have three classes of reserve if the current system was still in place for others.



I also believe there is no incentive for the company to want to offer more pay to get the same reserve coverage for the group overall so it'd have to be a negotiating priority, but how much negotiating capital would the union use for this?