That was my first thought as well. Consider this:

The company staffs to fly the heavy summer schedule. This is very apparent to us reserve pilots that rarely fly from Labor Day to Memorial Day and then redline all summer long. Mgmt is apparently fine with the carrying costs of keeping extra pilots in the shoulder months - this is good for the pilot group as it keeps more of us around.

Now, if we allow them to fly our reserves past the redline (ALV), they will be able to fly the summer schedule with fewer pilots thus lowering their carrying costs in the shoulder months.

Of course this staffing impact can be mitigated by other areas (min calendar day, like ACL mentioned, among others.) It will definitely be a total package decision to make (much like the scope decision we will be facing.)

So far, there's not enough information to begin forming an opinion. The big items (scope, payrates, duty rigs, premium pay, vacation/training pay, etc) will decide whether this is worth going after. It is nice to see some of the items cleaned up like sick harrassment, 75% pay, and so on. I do appreciate the NC's effort at the table and taking the time to send us some info, as we're clearly information starved here

 

All true. We shall see.

 

Did the survey results really show people wanted an increase in the ALV? I'm still trying to understand why it's being discussed being increased. Total non-starter for me.

 

There are pilots that did not want to get rid of trip parking. There are some that are totally in it for them. No need to get worked up about it though.

 

Why are elements of this NN appearing concessionary?

I agree we dont have enough info to decide anything, but there are concessionary element speckled throughout.

 

We have to see the whole product first. This may have funded a better min day, training pay etc. not too fond of the reserve changes and they will result in less staffing needed because the summer months will be able to flex up so much.

 

I've got a quick question about reserve. I'm in a two day bucket coming up and I've flown so my RAW score is pretty high right now. I'm still first on the list to be called, though, because I'm the junior guy. If seniority now rules, what is the point of a RAW score? As I understand, I can have a RAW score of 100 and have five senior guys with 0 RAW scores, yet I'll still be called to fly before them. Am I reading that right?

 

Really?

Here I was hope the days of "funding" were coming to an end.

 

Don't kid yourself. This document wasn't produced by the NC out of the goodness of their heart.

They are busy working to finish the agreement, and the last thing they want to do is take a "time out" to crank out a document like this. Not to mention having to be VERY careful in not "spilling the beans" or showing their hand.

No, this was produced because the MEC Admin is reading the tea leaves (maybe confirmed by Wilson polling), and they needed to quell the "vote NO until we get it sorted out" and the "one more RJ and I vote NO" sentiment that currently has a 40/60 + no vote going on.

Lots of reps are fielding a LOT of calls to the negative, especially on the RJ issue, and that we shouldn't rush into any agreements. There is a good amount of discussion going on at the rep level, and my guess is that they aren't holding hands and singing folk tunes.

The MEC admin probably sees things differently, and probably thinks they need to garner some calls from the folks that ACL is talking about...the people where it's "all about them", to put some counter pressure on the reps in favor of an agreement.

My interpretation. Your mileage may vary.

Nu

 

Just opened my e-mail.
I am stunned!! Appalled!! This Negotiator Notepad is unbelievable. I can't imagine why they would put this out.
Are we back in bankruptcy? This is all increases in pilot productivity with nothing good attached to it but trivialities.
We've just lost maybe what? a thousand pilots with this disaster. More?

Raise the ALV? Lose jobs. Make July and August into 30 day months to pack that ALV into? Lose jobs. Bump the reserves to ALV+15? Lose jobs. Let reserves sell their X days for more guarantee? Lose jobs.
This is freaking horrible! If this stuff makes it into the contract we will not see another positive AE for a long long time. The 100 hour month *****s among us will love this contract. Makes up for the loss of trip parking and then some.

I will repeat -- I am stunned!
What the hell is Scrappy thinking putting this out? Could it be a cry for help? Is he warning us that things are going badly? The good things in it are trivial and infrequent. We can now call in sick for a toothache? Yippee!!

I suppose I will eat my words if there is a 50% pay raise attached but for now --- WOW. We are getting our butts kicked.

There better be some VERY serious coins coming along with all these work rule concessions.

Somebody tell me why I shouldn't panic. Please.
Did I read this wrong? Its all concessions to my mind. That can't be right.
When people filled out the survey was "work longer hours" the number 1 vote getter??
I'm just shocked at this. Sorry. Time for some single malt.