I'm senior reserve right now in top 3rd and think this new bucket system is horrible and will be significantly effected by it.

And fwiw there is no such thing as holding things out of seniority. If you're hired right into the ER that has a lot more to do with how much reserve sucked and the significant growth in international flying then being given something. We bid for things, we're awarded things, we're not given things. Therefore out of seniority is not excused to implement a bad idea. After all, how far back should we go in judging what's out of seniority?

But back to POS 29, you'll need to be super senior to have any QOL, right now you just needed to have some seniority. I can tell you it will be a major change for me. The PCS and SC counts or points should've been done long ago but glad we have it now, but this bucket system is a fail and I'm sorry ALPA negotiated it to be this way.

Are they really thinking the first bucket is going to be 80?? That's outrageous.

 

x2 .

 

Well for one, I think it is a huge win as it gets us closer to what we gave away in LOA 46 and for that matter C2k. In the 1999 SOT we went back to high yellow without any regard for DOA. Now we still have DOA and are limited by buckets, but at least there is some seniority.

What's next? Taking away seniority for White slips? Cause you know those senior guys get all the good trips.

Huge win ALPA and thanks for listening to our input.

 

Agree in principle, but in my and FTBs category, most reserves never get near 80 raw in the slow months. I'm mid-level reserve, junior if I bid weekends off. I see myself working a 4 day every week while the more senior reserves don't fly all month. Seniority needs to be honored, but not at the expense of junior guys flying 69.5 hours while senior reserves sit on permanent vacation. Adjusting the buckets to 30-40 point increments for fat categories would work much better.

 

If you think this is bad, it's a good thing you weren't here when a senior reserve could put in a high yellow month after month and never fly. Junior guys did all the flying. Of course we also had blind move ups, split lines, and higher reserve guarantee.

 

I'm amazed anyone is complaining about having RAW buckets that are too large. I assume this is because the complaining is done by pilots so junior they've never seen the old system.

The problem with the RAW system was that it abbrogated seniority, and prevented the flying from being assigned on a seniority basis. It's not just a question of whether one flies, but a question of how flying is distributed among those that have to fly.

The full Low AND High yellow system was so sweet that junior pilots couldn't always get reserve at all. This meant people could slip into lines sooner, and only a small portion of the guys would fly a lot, and those guys would quickly hit the limit, which was good for them (commuters would get done, and go home for the rest of the month), and good for GS opportunities for all.

The bottom line is that arguing for small RAW buckets is arguing for the company's objective, which is to have everyone come up at the same time, so noone benefits. You're saying it's not fair that anyone has a good deal, so we might as well all have... a RAW deal.

Please list me in the camp that says any RAW bucket, no matter how large, is always too small. We don't need no RAW buckets.

 

This! An actual conversation that took place this morning:

(While on a needlessly complicated departure procedure with several "cross at" or "cross at or below" altitude restrictions)

SLC Dep: Compass, climb and maintain FL350.
Me: Climb and maintain FL350, is that an unrestricted climb?
(Silence)
Me: SLC, confirm unrestricted climb for Compass.
SLC Dep: Compass, delete speed restrictions.
Me: OK, how about altitude restrictions?
SLC Dep: Climb at maintain FL350, unrestricted.

This conversation would be excusable if it happened once. I've had a variation of it on every departure out of SLC for the last two weeks and have heard it play out with many other aircraft as well. You'd think they'd get the hint!

 

Home run.

Totally disagree.

Seniority matters in reserve right now, last I check I bid for days off and I get them. I sit 30% on the list, I get everything I want off.

If the mission is not to work then I've scored that mission. I don't work and the guys senior to me really don't work. And I still see this as bad deal.

 

I don't get it. Weren't we asking for seniority ranking for reserve? Now that we have it we don't like it? I'm an atl88b line holder that chooses to bid reserve. I like having superbowl and xmas off. With this new system, senior pilots may choose to bid reserve. This may leave a couple more weekends available for less senior line holders. Seems like we got what we wanted. What am I missing here?

 

Jungle,

I am just an 88guy, not flying the glass stuff, but what is your point? I don't see the problem with ATC in your statement...

What should they have said or done?