yes... what he said!

 

In the end that is usually the motivation of the blocker. I've traded (or attempted it) several times. 90% answer and approve immediately, most of the rest are slow to answer but reluctantly approve, then there are the blockers. In my case going to the original Paris FDA. I had two blockers ironically one was a non-member and the other a Union offficer. Both sent me a message to call them as they had a 'great idea' to solve the trade problem. Their magic solution ended up being a three way trade to launch themselves into the slot I had traded for. In the end Paris was canceled so it didn't matter.

 

If these guys had any idea how much work these things take, they'd probably be ashamed at even suggesting the three way swap. I spent weeks emailing, re-emailing, calling and finally had check schedules and wait at the flight coordination desk for the last few hold-outs.

 

Blockers are akin to the guys that want the perdiem when you ask to pdo bump them.

 

I had a few interesting conversation with those guys ...

The conversation usually went something like this, "Let me explain this to you. I'll try to speak slowly, please try to focus ... I fly your trip, you get the pay and you get to stay home."

Then I would hang up on them? They must not have understood what I was saying???

 

You are them.

 

Gotta say I'm disappointed Mark, but hopefully you'll see the light.

Like most of us here, I got (when the training letter was new) a lot of those trade emails. It takes just a second to copy and paste the message.

My take is simple. If you want to trade up, go work the trade. Since I didn't want to trade (or didn't want to deal with the hassle), I wouldn't deny it for someone else.

I agree with the one guy that wouldn't approve a trade for a serial dp flyer, a wolf pack member, a nonmember, or a guy that was a draft ***** during contract negotiations. In that case, I am making it personal. You can choose to disagree with these reasons and that's ok. But, I'd never deny someone a trade just because they were "taking my slot". All this said, I've never denied a trade. I don't check calendars to check up on them, but there are a few non team players that are well known (wolf pack members or nonmembers) that I would have blocked.

 

.

Maybe that's why we get mediocre contracts?

Nobody wants to do a little bit of extra work so that EVERYONE benefits. With my 3 way trade all 3 of us win. I get an earlier training date, the junior guy gets an earlier training date and the senior guy gets a later training date (that I assume he wanted or he never would have agreed in the first place?).

Is there really anything wrong with a win - win - win arrangement. I'm done talking about it but I honestly do like the idea.


MM

 

Contract negotiations vs individual training swaps ain't in the same ballpark - they ain't even in the same league. Nice try.

Obviously the swapper was willing to do some extra work or he wouldn't have found a willing pilot and initiated the process. How much work did you do? Maybe your date somewhere between his original and the senior's didn't work for him. IMO, your viewpoint on this is tainted by an unrealistic and over-entitled perspective on seniority. You weren't willing to do the legwork yourself and find a willing pilot, but you're happy to benefit from the hard work of another at no personal cost whatsoever (hmmmm........ now we're getting the to root of mediocre contracts).

 

Maybe your training date didn't work for the junior guy due to other commitments. Maybe the junior guy didn't want to risk taking your date and then it being changed by the company.

You are correct in that there was no harm in asking. You became a tool by blocking the trade when you couldn't benefit from it even though you hadn't done any of the work. Your attitude of unless I can benefit, then no one can is the attitude that hurts us.

You are not part of the solution