Again, I think we're talking past each other. I did not say that everything was relative to our peers. I said that some measure our reps' past strategies by how little we've regained of our former buying power, while other measure them by how well they've performed relative to our peers.

That is your opinion, and I respect your right to hold it. All I'm saying is that calling those who disagree with you on the subject misguided or dumb is arrogant, as there is no way to prove or disprove either opinion.

 

Not at all. If you give me and a couple of other pilots in your category all of your flying for the month, Delta has gained or lost nothing other than the possibility that I might have otherwise picked up something off the open board. You were still available to them to be awarded a full line of flying or reserve, and that is what their staffing models are based upon.

Agreed.

 

Absolutely agree with respect to lineholders. They get the greater of 3:15 per vacation day or trips dropped. With good bidding and enough seniority, a SWA pilot can drop 2 4-day trips in a 1-week vacation, getting himself 8 additional days off and 45-50 hours of pay for that one week of vacation. It's the best deal out there that I can see.

Our 1 week gives us exactly 3:15 per day and only about 4 additional days off.

OTOH, I believe that our vacation system on reserve is better. While they simply get 3:15 per day of vacation on reserve, we get about :45 per vacation day added to our reserve guarantee. Neither of us gets more than about 4 additional days off on reserve for a week's vacation.

 

I think it's great for now, and compared to what it was in the past. I never said it couldn't be better. But for now.. yes I am happy. It's really too bad your world sucks so much that you cannot see some of the good things we have.

 

Yeah.. it's gszg throwing another turd out there to see if it floats in the punchbowl.

 

I agree. You don't know what being on probation has to do with this conversation.

 

Educate this dumb new hire. What does being on probation have to do with determining what a landslide vote is?

 

Which means that they have reserves sitting around collecting reserve guarantee while lineholders soak up most of the open time. Every pilot who drops flying creates at least an opportunity for a reserve pilot to use up some of his guarantee, thus saving the company that much money.

One guy, maybe. But I don't see how it would be the case that a significant number of pilots in a poorly manned category could do so. Their only likely option would be QPDs or the Swap Board, and to the extent that the ALV is likely to be high in such a category, many pilots would have little room on their schedule under the FARs.

 

That is my point. I see virtually nothing posted by Drank or Carl as balanced or productive or building unity. Anything that slams ALPA they go "atta boy" or are strangely silent if the information posted is dead wrong. Here is my other problem: This is the C2015 thread: is continually disparaging C2012 and our reps really productive? If we really want significant improvements on this contract we need unity. We are close to openers. ALPA will represent us. The first and most basic step is a 100% survey completion rate and everyone needs to say something similar to this: "I expect significant improvements in this contract and I don't expect to give up squat." Add your own specifics or pet peeves. Otherwise, as a realist I have to put myself in the negotiators shoes. How do I pretend to have any power if my constituency won't even take the time to fill out a survey?

 

I'll bet there will be at least one significant giveaway on the TA that wasn't addressed in the survey.

Why is Dalpa even considering concessions? Why are we even discussing them in this negotiating climate?