Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2007
Posts: 593
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,273
Ok, I'm very new at reading the contract and have a question on category freezes. I found this statement on pages 2-5 and 22-1 in regard to category freezes:
during which the pilot will (unless declared eligible by the Company) be ineligible to be awarded another AE with an earliest conversion date falling within the freeze period (other than to a new or reestablished category) for which qualification training is required.
This statement leads me to believe that even with a category freeze, when a new category opens such as SEA 737 I may bid and be awarded that category. If that is a true statement, how long is the category considered a "new or reestablished category"? For example, I am so junior I doubt I'll be able to get this in the January AE, but lets say that a couple months later there are vacancies and it is offered again, would I still be eligible to bid this, or would it no longer be considered a "new or reestablished category" which would require I wait until the expiration of my seat lock?
I know it's highly unlikely this will fall as junior as me but I'm going to take the advice I've heard several times of "bid what you want, and want what you bid", just curious if there will be a 2nd chance when my hopes are dashed the 1st time .
during which the pilot will (unless declared eligible by the Company) be ineligible to be awarded another AE with an earliest conversion date falling within the freeze period (other than to a new or reestablished category) for which qualification training is required.
This statement leads me to believe that even with a category freeze, when a new category opens such as SEA 737 I may bid and be awarded that category. If that is a true statement, how long is the category considered a "new or reestablished category"? For example, I am so junior I doubt I'll be able to get this in the January AE, but lets say that a couple months later there are vacancies and it is offered again, would I still be eligible to bid this, or would it no longer be considered a "new or reestablished category" which would require I wait until the expiration of my seat lock?
I know it's highly unlikely this will fall as junior as me but I'm going to take the advice I've heard several times of "bid what you want, and want what you bid", just curious if there will be a 2nd chance when my hopes are dashed the 1st time .
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2012
Posts: 359
On another topic from DPA:
In the meantime, we have learned that a very experienced Pilot Negotiator, Heiko Kallenbach, has just resigned from the ALPA Negotiating Committee. Heiko is known as an asset to the Delta Pilots and it should bother everyone that the Negotiating Committee is struggling to stay together this close to potential early openers. Who will ALPA send to the two week negotiating school this late in the game to go head-to-head with the company's finest? Shouldn't we have Professional Negotiators employed full time right now?
Carl
In the meantime, we have learned that a very experienced Pilot Negotiator, Heiko Kallenbach, has just resigned from the ALPA Negotiating Committee. Heiko is known as an asset to the Delta Pilots and it should bother everyone that the Negotiating Committee is struggling to stay together this close to potential early openers. Who will ALPA send to the two week negotiating school this late in the game to go head-to-head with the company's finest? Shouldn't we have Professional Negotiators employed full time right now?
Carl
This is the stuff that drove me away from DPA. For years we have heard how horrible our negotiators are and that they should be replaced. Now one leaves and he was the best thing that ever happened to the pilot group and man are we screwed. Which is it?
Had DPA run a more positive campaign not focusing on comparing our contract to Chinese forced abortions, irrelevant hacking scandals turning into a "federal case" and other bogey man type antics there would have been a vote by now. Unfortunate TC is blinded by his anger and ambition and can't give up control. I keep hearing that there are former "good guys" from the MEC and various positions who have seen the light and are just waiting for DPA to come to the rescue.
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Position: window seat
Posts: 12,522
Ok, I'm very new at reading the contract and have a question on category freezes. I found this statement on pages 2-5 and 22-1 in regard to category freezes:
during which the pilot will (unless declared eligible by the Company) be ineligible to be awarded another AE with an earliest conversion date falling within the freeze period (other than to a new or reestablished category) for which qualification training is required.
This statement leads me to believe that even with a category freeze, when a new category opens such as SEA 737 I may bid and be awarded that category. If that is a true statement, how long is the category considered a "new or reestablished category"? For example, I am so junior I doubt I'll be able to get this in the January AE, but lets say that a couple months later there are vacancies and it is offered again, would I still be eligible to bid this, or would it no longer be considered a "new or reestablished category" which would require I wait until the expiration of my seat lock?
I know it's highly unlikely this will fall as junior as me but I'm going to take the advice I've heard several times of "bid what you want, and want what you bid", just curious if there will be a 2nd chance when my hopes are dashed the 1st time .
during which the pilot will (unless declared eligible by the Company) be ineligible to be awarded another AE with an earliest conversion date falling within the freeze period (other than to a new or reestablished category) for which qualification training is required.
This statement leads me to believe that even with a category freeze, when a new category opens such as SEA 737 I may bid and be awarded that category. If that is a true statement, how long is the category considered a "new or reestablished category"? For example, I am so junior I doubt I'll be able to get this in the January AE, but lets say that a couple months later there are vacancies and it is offered again, would I still be eligible to bid this, or would it no longer be considered a "new or reestablished category" which would require I wait until the expiration of my seat lock?
I know it's highly unlikely this will fall as junior as me but I'm going to take the advice I've heard several times of "bid what you want, and want what you bid", just curious if there will be a 2nd chance when my hopes are dashed the 1st time .
"New...category means, for the purposes of Section 22, a category that has not been in existence for 60 days since the date of the first opportunity for the first conversion"
So you might get another bite at the apple if there is another immediate AE the following month. I'm not sure though. New categories coupled with almost constant mothly AE's is somewhat uncharted territory so I hesitate to say for sure. Normally in most cases you only got 1 chance to bid it but in this case you may get 2 depending on the frequency of the AE's in conjunction with the new category.
That said, it really doesn't matter because you're either going to get it or you're not if you have a bid in for it, and you should NEVER have an AE/VD bid in for something you don't want or even want less than what you currently have. In your case that also means don't have a bid in unless you're willing to be the plug…possibly for a while. If that bothers you, throw in a percentage qualifier. However if you do that, you need to be OK with not getting it when you could have been the plug.
Just to muddy the mud even more, the flying in new categories tends to suck for a while. However the first attempt might be your only way in for a long time, precicely because more senior pilots who want it, and intend to bid it in the future, may bypass on the first attempt. That could get you a plug position, but then on future AE's here come the senior bidders "pushing you down" and keeping you the plug, possibly for years.
Do not bid it unless you want it. If you want it, don't forget to bid it.
It also says:
"New...category means, for the purposes of Section 22, a category that has not been in existence for 60 days since the date of the first opportunity for the first conversion"
So you might get another bite at the apple if there is another immediate AE the following month. I'm not sure though. New categories coupled with almost constant mothly AE's is somewhat uncharted territory so I hesitate to say for sure. Normally in most cases you only got 1 chance to bid it but in this case you may get 2 depending on the frequency of the AE's in conjunction with the new category.
That said, it really doesn't matter because you're either going to get it or you're not if you have a bid in for it, and you should NEVER have an AE/VD bid in for something you don't want or even want less than what you currently have. In your case that also means don't have a bid in unless you're willing to be the plug…possibly for a while. If that bothers you, throw in a percentage qualifier. However if you do that, you need to be OK with not getting it when you could have been the plug.
Just to muddy the mud even more, the flying in new categories tends to suck for a while. However the first attempt might be your only way in for a long time, precicely because more senior pilots who want it, and intend to bid it in the future, may bypass on the first attempt. That could get you a plug position, but then on future AE's here come the senior bidders "pushing you down" and keeping you the plug, possibly for years.
Do not bid it unless you want it. If you want it, don't forget to bid it.
"New...category means, for the purposes of Section 22, a category that has not been in existence for 60 days since the date of the first opportunity for the first conversion"
So you might get another bite at the apple if there is another immediate AE the following month. I'm not sure though. New categories coupled with almost constant mothly AE's is somewhat uncharted territory so I hesitate to say for sure. Normally in most cases you only got 1 chance to bid it but in this case you may get 2 depending on the frequency of the AE's in conjunction with the new category.
That said, it really doesn't matter because you're either going to get it or you're not if you have a bid in for it, and you should NEVER have an AE/VD bid in for something you don't want or even want less than what you currently have. In your case that also means don't have a bid in unless you're willing to be the plug…possibly for a while. If that bothers you, throw in a percentage qualifier. However if you do that, you need to be OK with not getting it when you could have been the plug.
Just to muddy the mud even more, the flying in new categories tends to suck for a while. However the first attempt might be your only way in for a long time, precicely because more senior pilots who want it, and intend to bid it in the future, may bypass on the first attempt. That could get you a plug position, but then on future AE's here come the senior bidders "pushing you down" and keeping you the plug, possibly for years.
Do not bid it unless you want it. If you want it, don't forget to bid it.
My wife followed me for 16 years in the AF so I promised her she could pick any domicile where I could hold an airframe. She has given me the options of Seattle and Atlanta. I currently live in San Antonio and hate how I'm basically a prisoner in my own home for 5-6 months of the year due to the heat/humidity and I don't see that being any different in Atlanta. Due to kids in school we need to move this summer or not at all, and even on positive space I don't like commuting which means we are definitely moving this summer. If I can't get SEA on the January AE then it is unlikely I'd be able to get there any time soon anyway so I feel like this is my one shot to break free of the south .
As for the new category, tell me about it . I'm ecstatic to have been hired by DAL, but my 717 NYC reserve schedule in January will not be one of my selling points to the bros who are asking about staying in/getting out. I think it would sting a lot less if my goofy reserve schedule was spent sitting at home with the family rather than commuting back and forth to the crash pad.
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,227
This trend to more and more 5 days as highlighted in the scheduling alert sucks. No matter how you slice it, we are paying for that 5:15 guarantee.
Got this email today from the DPA. It looks like the MEC administration is up to its old tricks of "receiving" resolutions:
First, I really applaud the ATL based line pilots for pushing this resolution. Second, didn't the administration promise to stop "receiving" resolutions from the members? I thought they were going to simply vote on them and stop the editing process as well.
For those of us not in ATL, I'd really like any info you could give me on this movement for transparency. This is going to get visibility because of all folks here who've consistently claimed we can change DALPA from within. I guess we'll see.
Carl
First, I really applaud the ATL based line pilots for pushing this resolution. Second, didn't the administration promise to stop "receiving" resolutions from the members? I thought they were going to simply vote on them and stop the editing process as well.
For those of us not in ATL, I'd really like any info you could give me on this movement for transparency. This is going to get visibility because of all folks here who've consistently claimed we can change DALPA from within. I guess we'll see.
Carl
The C44 resolution was not "received". It was amended and passed unanimously. According to a summary of resolutions from my reps in their latest update, "14-148: Directs the MEC Chairman to investigate possible enhancements to the membership balloting and confirmation process. [Unanimous]"
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Joined APC: Dec 2013
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Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: DAL FO
Posts: 2,143
1. We are no longer fat staffed
2. Mainline block hours are way up YOY but staffing increases haven't kept up
If they want to fly the projected schedule the only option is to squeeze more out of the pilots that are currently here.
I still hate 5 day trips, and prefer to not do 4 days either, but to blame the entire thing on 5:15 ADG doesn't tell the whole story. I'd still like to see it go to 5:45 or 6:00 ADG in C2015. If that results in more 4/5 day trips domestically then so be it - at least they'd be worth more.
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