FXLAX

Out of curiosity, how do you look up dates of hire?

Adlerdriver

Not in any normal way. I can't speak to every airline, but this is the only one I've seen that doesn't have DOH and DOB on the seniority list. Some kind of weird privacy/legal concern from the lawyers on the DOB part is my guess - no clue on the DOH.

Sometimes you can have a general idea based on employee numbers if you're familiar with a particular range of numbers. Other than that, if you really want the exact date the only thing I've been able to do is search the new hire pages to tie a particular class date with a group of employee numbers. That technique won't work forever as I imagine sooner or later, the classes from several years back will be removed.

PurpleToolBox

Busdriver12, I have nothing against you. But I want everyone who is looking at FedEx to see your comment. His/her thinking is not unique at FedEx. What is 100% acceptable and allowed at every major airline is considered very taboo here.

So if you have a long haul flight at FedEx, you're expected to come in the afternoon before (assuming your hometown has afternoon flights) or the night before.

If I slept all day and then jumped into a long haul flight, who cares? I am well rested. I am probably more well rested than the local bubba who Honey See Honey Doed all day, or who was up all day and then decided to grab a few hours of sleep before showtime, or who drove 3-4 hours to work.

Would you recommend to a new hire on probation that they jumpseat into a long haul flight? Why or why not? If you said yes, I would say you're full of ...

Section 26.J.2.

A pilot may use a Company staging jumpseat to position himself to his base for the start of his scheduled trip IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:

a. the period beginning at scheduled showtime of a pilot's inbound jumpseat and ending 30 minutes after the scheduled termination of his first duty period must be less than 13:30.

~~~~

d. if a pilot positioning to his base on a Company jumpseat consistent with the provisions of this paragraph cannot report by showtime due to bump, cancellation, reroute, or delay of his inbound jumpseat, CRS (scheduling) may remove the pilot without pay. If a pilot is removed under this paragraph, he shall be eligible for make-up (and shall not be eligible for substitution). There is no discipline associated with the removal if the pilot followed the parameters described above.

While you state there is no prohibition, the prohibition is implied. You aren't allowed to schedule a jumpseat if you are violating the provisions in the following paragraphs of 26.J.

I personally know the crew member who was a new hire removed from his long haul trip following jumpseating. There were no other circumstances involved. Even if so, why was the senior FO sitting next to him on the same jet removed from his trip for jumpseating into longhaul? What extenuating circumstances did that crewmember have?

I agree the company isn't necessarily out there looking for people who violate this provision. However, doing so only highlights yourself and can/will be used against you when the company needs it to.

Yes, 26.J.

Valid point regarding the major airlines requiring an additional flight -- to any type of flying, long or short haul. But here's the difference. When you look at the RA reserve list for the 777, there will be 20-30 people on reserve (1 or 2 on consolidation or first fly) but there's only like maybe ten 777 departures a night out of Memphis? On the 757 it is ok to jumpseat into your flight because of the shorter duty day, but the 757 probably has five times as many departures a night with just as many sitting reserve. The long haul flights from my experience has more slop time in the schedule when it comes to delays. Whereas in many cities that are served by short haul flights, the timing is critical in meeting FedEx First Overnight deadlines so those flights are listed as high priority yet the company isn't worried about them so much due to jumpseaters missing their flights.

I agree that we are fortunate to be able to use a single aircraft to commute to work. I also think that if you can't get good sleep while jumpseating, you probably shouldn't be jumpseating to work, long haul or short haul. However, I think the 13:30 provision was created for crew rest/fatigue management versus protecting long haul flights. I could be wrong. Anyone know the history behind that language? There's plenty of reserves for the few long haul flights.

Yes, exactly! I'm not trying to persuade someone from coming to FedEx by airing the dirty laundry, although I think those folks should be told what is messed up here. I am posting what absolutely stinks so perhaps those higher up in the union or possibly those in management tasked with "how can FedEx attract top quality recruits in the future" see whats wrong here. If enough of us complain, then maybe these things will get fixed.

Another example of WTF??? The MD-11 pilots use a gym mat, thrown onto the floor, as a crew rest facility. That's not a joke. The pilots on the few MD11s without a sleeper bunk, on long haul flights, have a mattress similar to a gymnasium mat that is laid onto the dirty floor that they sleep on in the courier area of the airplane. How in the world was that ever deemed acceptable?

I know I've stirred the hornets nest. I did it for good reason. Some people will continue to defend how great this place is yada yada and nothing is wrong. Yet, there's plenty that needs to be fixed. Some of our work rules are absolutely ridiculous if not non-existent.

We shouldn't accept this crap because "thank God I don't have to deal with passengers, 3-4 legs a day, being in airports all day long etc.etc." Instead we should be finding ways on improving our work rules so this absolutely can be called the best job in commercial aviation.

I'm sick and tired of ALPA setting future expectations. How many times have you heard someone, even ALPA leadership say "its going to be 2-3 years after this 6-year contract before we get another." NO NO NO NO NO!!! Why are we setting expectations like that? Eff that. That is not acceptable at other airlines and it shouldn't be acceptable here. We should be reminding FedEx management of the amendable date and that we demand a contract within an acceptable time frame. 2-3 years isn't acceptable and we won't stand for it.

We must get united as a crew force now. I am hoping that we hire as many regional bubbas as possible, people who have been screwed over by other managements and know what it feels like and looks like. Nothing against the military pilots as I am one, but many of them don't know what they don't know. We need people willing to stand up and say no instead of folks whose mindset is to get the mission done at all cost. FedEx pilots can't afford another C2015. We can't afford the mindsets of "well we've always done it that way" "what will we have to give up in order to fix that" "it is better than the way we had it at company XYZ/USA/USAF/USN/USMC/USCG" to keep screwing us over. We must unite and fairly demand a contract and work provisions similar to or better than our passenger counterparts. Our job involves higher risks than them and according to the leadership notes on PFC, our crew members continuously step up during critical operations to keep this train on the tracks.

Shaman

This right here ^^^^^^^

Flying Boxes

I drive more than 4 hours for international flights.....to a sleep room! I think I am more well rested than taking the evening Jumpseat into MEM. And it is not a big deal either.

This means you are not protected from discipline. Not that it is prohibited. We are expected to be mature adults that show up for work (well rested) reliably because it's our job to do so. If you want to chance it, feel free to knowing you may/will be asked about your judgement. Personally, I'm more concerned about fatigue and not making my flight causing a lose in pay. Not really concerned about the discipline side.

FedEx did not design that MD-11 with a lack of bunks, that was the configuration when they purchased them (as I understand it). And they are not going to spend the money to make pilots "happy" when it is not required. It simply is what it is. Luckily FedEx was not the launch customer for the B777...or it would probably have floor mats as well!

FedEx ALPA IS setting expectations.... for the retirement agenda first. Since they want to change it outside of Sec 6. And that may not be a bad idea based on our negotiating history! They are busy convincing us how bad the A Fund is and that we need to change that portion of the retirement before worrying about the next contract. We are being educated on how ALPA wants the VB plan to work. If we have independent thought will they try and squash those with different opinions like C2015? Why do they want to set expectations? Because of the 25 YOS limit. ALPA (we) have been unsuccessful at being unified during negotiations to improve the A Fund that now ALPA has decided to change tactics (change the retirement plan). They are strategically messaging information to achieve their goal of changing the A Fund the way ALPA wants, not necessarily the way the crew force wants (all seniority tribes). Notice we are being told what the plan is versus having input! For the over 25 YOS crowd it is a huge win (In my opinion, ALPAs real intent & first priority is to make it retro active), they will have a 25 year/high 5 risk free portion of the A Fund plus VB to offset some inflation issues (individual mileage will vary based on many factors). For the young hires it is a "strategically messaged" potential (Not Guaranteed, but more responsive to inflation) increase in retirement money, with much increased risk involved. It is the "middle" seniority that is where it gets questionable. How does the A Fund get frozen? Are there enough years to make a difference in the retirement pay out versus increased risk? Too many mid seniority pilots (my opinion) will have increased risk in retirement with the reward of "meeting" the current A Fund expected payout.

What other retirement options were we educated on?
What is our "minimum" acceptable VB variables?
Since the VB is so lucrative, maybe we should negotiate to completely change the A Fund to the VB so all seniority tribes have the same risk/reward?
(As I understand it, ERISA law prevents company from forcing a change, but allows unions to "negotiate" a change).

THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON THE VB PLAN

Timing for ALPA is important!!!! We have to settle for what ALPA negotiated, they haven't asked what we consider minimums as that will tie their hands and potentially result in failure. I do not fear the change itself, but that they are more concerned with the change to get retro active retirement and hurt the remainder of the crew force in order to achieve that goal. Every dollar earned counts!

Is ALPA setting expectations for the company or the membership? If they energize us to be ready for negotiations, they would have to meet those expectations. So far ALPA (WE) has fallen short in that area.

pinseeker

OK, based on that "rule," you can't jump in the night before A reserve or the morning before B reserve. You can't jump in just before starting a hotel standby, and possibly can't jump in from the west coast to start a trip the operates back to the west coast.

Why aren't you listing all of those restrictions as well? I know, because they don't exist. You can jump in whenever you like, you just aren't protected from discipline.

There is no rule against jumping in the night before a long haul departure. I've done it many times and will do it again. And you are correct in stating that the company doesn't actively look for it, but they were actively looking at your buddy. Why?

djslappy

Is CGN junior or senior and what equipment is based there. Would love to be there if given the opportunity!

busdriver12

Purpletoolbox, I do agree with some of your points, but I think you're going to have a hard time convincing people to be passionately angry about the company not putting their blessing on jumpseating into long haul flights. They can't control whether someone is appropriately rested going into a flight, but that doesn't mean they have to put their stamp of approval onto something they believe is a bad idea.

I've been here for a rather long time, and our safety record is eye opening. Fatigue has been a huge factor in this, and the improvement in safety over the last several years is substantial.

I can also imagine how it would be tough to cover a 70-80 credit hour trip when the jumpseat goes kaput at the last minute. No backups, very little notice. There are plenty of things that need to be fixed, but not too many people are going to get spun up about this one.

Hacker15e

What the hell are you talking about? If you can't get "good sleep" in an airplane seat, in a variety of conditions including sitting in the next-to-the-lav seat in a 76, you shouldn't jumpseat to work?

Somehow I've been able to do it without ever sleeping...but apparently I should just pick up and move the family to MEM because of it?

Draw the logic train on that one for me.

Fdxlag2

CGN has 757s exclusively. It is probably a lot more senior than MEM 57, but not unreachable. It looks like most junior FO is Seniority #4699, so a fairly recent hire. There is turnover so I am sure you could get it in a couple of years, if not sooner.