I agree that base trades should be fulfilled before new hires get assigned, but surely there must be a few people who want EWR and are equally unhappy in one of the other bases? Which base are you trying to get?

 

ALPA is allowing that??

 

I don't believe this is actually happening but if it is, instead of complaining on here you should talk to ALPA and file a grievance. On page 39 of the contract it states, "New hire pilots will not be advanced to vacancies in a
domicile until existing pilots holding first officer vacancies in the same
domicile have been advanced to that domicile."

I know thats very poorly worded however it clearly talks directly to this point. I keep in touch with many of the new hires I train and i can't recall even 1 recently saying they got assigned a west coast base even despite requesting such. Keep trying to base trade until the next bid, otherwise be patient and wait for the bid..... Things will start moving again by spring.

 

its one of the areas that can be approved in our contract. we can base trade at any time with another pilot in another base as long as he is willing and the trade is advertised on our company website for 30 days(i think thats the time frame). anybody senior to the two can object to the trade in that time frame and "steal" the trade. Otherwise the only way to change bases is what is called a Perm bid over here. They usually come out every two-three months (only two required per year) and the next one is due out at the end of January into early February. I don't know what that person was saying about being stuck for 6 months to a year but i believe he was exaggerating quite a bit. If he really wanted out he could very simply start looking for people to base trade with. There are people out there but if your too lazy to try and make the trade work then you wait for the perm bid. There were two signs put up in our ewr crew room this week that would have helped this guy out but i guess he wants to perm bid out there or doesn't understand the system.

Its not a bad system but with newark reducing lines it is becoming very senior. So the new guys that are here have to work to get out. For people starting out at the bottom i guess they really don't understand the whole idea of paying your dues. Its not the first time a new hire was put into a base they didn't want. Most regional airlines take a minimum of 2 -4 months to get into the base you wanted. Except for eagle and the choose your base thing.

 

Doesn't sound like agreat system to me...

 

Well what system is better?

If there's no vacancy in a base, how's someone gonna get there?

It sounds like the original post that talked about being stuck in EWR slightly exaggerated it. If that poster was stuck there for an entire year I would be surprised.

Again, I am curious to know what system is better.

 

For the better I hope.

 

I hear ya, just think I am one of the few in the company that wanted EWR, and got CLE, so I agree the system doesn't always work out and isn't fair, but if you think being based in EWR is the worst thing that is going to happen to you in this industry, you better brace yourself...............To make the time pass if you are in a crashpad and want to go get a beer in Hoboken, Ill even come pick ya up, beers on me

 

We arent "allowing" anything, we can make suggestions but we can't tell the company how to run an airline. Everything the company is doing is within the limits of the contract, I talked to Peter S several times and predicting/forecasting pilots in and out of bases is not as easy as we think. Like I said, I think it blows but its an airline, you knew it coming into it that you may not get your base of choice.........

 

What part of the contract is ALPA allowing the company to brake?

ALPA is always looking for ideas to improve the contract. If you have any suggestions as to how to improve this particular section please forward it to the negotiating committee or the MEC for future contract negotiations.