Im super surprised no one has commented on this yet. Has the legacy expressjet guys seen this yet?

Ill admit i have not read the email word for word...but a quick skim seems like there is some good info for both sides to look at.

I am still partial to "asa's" pbs system....but am open for ideas. The only problem i see with this is....ITS ALL IN THE WORK RULES. Both of these systems really dont matter until we know what the new rules would be like under the new contract...am i right or wrong on this?

 

Haven't seen anything from the company on the ERJ side on the new PBS system. However, the union on the ERJ side has been kicking it around and trying to sell it to us for phase 2 (reserve/relief lines) bidding for at least 6 months now. There's been a lot of 'road shows' and demos in the crew rooms by the union scheduling guys. I'll say this: the system, as demonstrated when I saw it, seems pretty slick and like it may be a good thing for Phase 2 as demonstrated. What has me a little nervous is that union has been basically mum on how our contract rules will be applied to the PBS build process, how our scheduling flexibility will be impacted and how to use some of the benefits of our contract with the PBS system (or if that will even be possible).

In my opinion, the union and the pilots should be a little more wary about this. The former ASA/new XJT management has shown a desire to exploit and 're-interpret' our contract however and whenever it benefits them, regardless of how marginal and/or short-term that benefit may be. I'm hoping this isn't a 'camel's nose in the tent' sort of situation here.

PS
For those XJT bubbas on the CRJ side, wait until you see this new system and you may think twice about what you have now. The main difference is that this is a live, real-time PBS bidding system. You see the effects of your changes, as well as the changes of people senior to you, immediately rather than putting in your list of preferences then crossing your fingers until the awards come out. I would definitely check it out and make up your own mind about it.

 

I could have a lot of fun with this thread, but I'll just keep my mouth shut.

 

Please, have fun! Doesn't this thing go live in EWR in the next month or two for a trial period?

 

Well Joe, you're a union rep....what is this email, and why hasn't the ERJ side seen it? Both groups are voting on this contract, why isn't there full transparency between the two pilot groups? I don't get it.

 

http://asamec.alpa.org/portals/32/pu...e_analysis.pdf


I agree with the above, it is all in the work rules. I don't care what system we use, but we need control of pairings and control of PBS. The company has proven time and time again they are inept and we can't trust them with any more control of our lives.

 

It's only live until someone senior to u bids a trip u have been awarded, then your award changes. U have to keep checking after every update, every 30 mins or whatever time frame is preset. Those pilots that are not flying the last couple of hours during the bid have an advantage. U can see the same thing with pref bid, but only in the ALPA office.
GLOBALIZATION .... Why would any pilot want to be part of a system that uses this logic.

 

From the PBS Email
"n discussions with representatives from the FedEx MEC that had tested SmartPref, an area of great concern was the ability for a senior bidder to change his Preference(s) at the last minute. This change caused “domino” effects down through the seniority list and would not allow junior bidders the opportunity to adapt their bid. They had even considered running tiers of bidding to break up the bid process into groups of seniority to limit this “domino” effect. There is a problem with this tiered system. If the first 50 bidders bid then then next 50 bidders bid, it creates a false seniority at Bidder #51. This bidder would know exactly what they are going to get. Every 51st bidder would have this advantage that bidder #50 did not have.
Globalization ..
SmartPref uses a globalizing algorithm that may bypass a bidder’s Preferences to reach the company’s specified goal. The goal is to arrive at a set amount of open-time (with 0% being the optimal amount), a preset reserve percentage, and/or a specified average line value. The parameters set in the Admin Panel are paramount to the final award. A bidder in the globally constrained group will have his pairings awarded in a manner that will look at both the Preferences of the bidder along with the solvability of the overall solution. The globally constrained group could include over half the line holders for a month depending on staffing, holiday months, block hour fluctuations, etc. According to Crewing Solution’s Programmers, SmartPref will use globalization every month to complete the solution affecting an unspecified number of bidders every month.

 

Don't get me wrong, I would prefer we keep "old fashioned" line bidding for Phase 1 bidding. Hands down, no if's and's or but's. You are correct though, when someone senior changes something, it has a domino effect on everyone junior to whoever made the change. Same thing happens when you run a normal (non-SmartPref) award. The difference is, you can see that effect on YOUR award in near real time and adjust your bid/expectations accordingly rather than just waiting until the award to be disappointed/excited. Unless a very senior guy is just an ass (not outside the realm of possibilities) there is no advantage for them to squat on the bid and then throw it in last minute to screw everyone else.

Not sure how things are on the CRJ side but on the ERJ our relief (or build-up/composite/phase 2/etc) lines ALREADY are built in a very, very basic PBS style. You basically send in an email with your preferences and someone in crew planning builds you a line that may or may not honor those requests/preferences in seniority order. Essentially, this is TRUE globalization because they really just build lines that work for their overall solution while honoring requests "if possible". I am in favor of SmartPref in this context ONLY and ONLY IF it doesn't result in there being little or no open time left for trading. As long as the union KEEPS control of line construction and sets a limit on how much open time is to be left over for trading, then this shouldn't be hard to guard against.

Now, if PBS spreads into phase 1, we have a real problem and I think most pilots will see an impact on their QOL.

 

So you're saying that the globalization is being used before it closes?