absolutely right - we continue to fly the highest amount of draft/vlt monthly in history - and it's more this year than it was last year believe it or not

 

Sorry for my ignorance but how do you know that?

my common sense meter says, don’t fly extra=seat manning issues.

fly at 150% up to BLG/days awarded=they still have a manning problem

difference is they pay a premium for it

 

I don’t think scheduling is looking past right now. Or flights that didn’t go from the day prior. If you fly a trip at draft and got it because you conflicted your whole month….guess what?! That trip you conflicted will likely be available at draft as well. Ava is almost always on. So you solve a near sided problem for them while creating one down line that isn’t even on there radar yet. Just don’t fly more than your BLG/work days. Better yet. Fly at draft but only 8 days instead of 12. Or is that also helping the company out too much?

 

that’s what I’m saying. If you fly 8 days at 150% it seems like that would be pressing the company harder than 12 at 100%.

 

The problem isn't the number of draft/ava hours being flown. By themselves those numbers don't state much about the manning levels. The problem is we have too many guys doing the work of 1.5, 2, or 3 pilots. Its not the people conflicting and flying at 150% that are undermining efforts to achieve a TA. Its Mr. "Capt/FO willing to extend" and the Blue man group that are self dealing to the detriment of the group. We are contractually obligated to so many days. That should be the limit. NO ONE should be castigated for what they get paid on those days.


Let's stay focused.


The company will have to deal with us if we can just tell them NO. There is a labor shortage that isn't going to be resolved in the next 10 years. Automation won't save them nor will raising the retirement age. Anything that was true regarding the power dynamics between management and labor for the last 20 years is going to be upended going forward. No need to fear the NMB or capitulate because the RLA makes things hard. The numbers are on our side the baby boomers WILL exit the workforce. There aren't enough GEN Xer's to fill that gap and they did such a good job of marginalizing our profession that the pool of millennial candidates is abysmally small.

THERE IS A LABOR SUPPLY SHORTAGE

All the signs are there:

Carrier sponsored ab initio programs

Relaxed minimum flight hour requirements

Elimination of the College Degree

Cancelled flights


DECREASES IN SUPPLY DRIVE COSTS UP


All we must do is say NO! Not "I'll consider it", simply no. Then be a little patient.


Check out Peter Zeihan for more insights into the changing dynamics.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT6HFCAFDgU&t=1033s

 

What this guy said

 

Exactly!!!

 

Drop for draft is ok? YGTBSM

Crew Scheduling is scrambling to cover an uncovered trip for tomorrow. They have coverage in 4 days from now to cover your original trip. You bail them out for greed reasons and some see this as ok because you worked the same amount of days? We are fucd.

Same goes for conflicting and then doing all draft/ava. You are bailing them out when they have no coverage. They could give two craps about paying the little extra money. They’re more worried about the revenue they would miss out on if that airplane doesn’t move or frustrating a customer. This is why pilots get played by management. They find a way to justify about anything. Even if it means it’s to the detriment of the group.

 

if you are actually a employee go look at the reserve manning. There is little coverage almost every day/night.

that voids your argument

 

No it doesn’t. Read the SIG notes. Certain seats and domiciles have good manning. Keep justifying and we will keep getting played. It’s our own faults as pilots.

Justifying drop and draft regardless of staffing is selfish and greedy.

Managment must be laughing at us currently saying “Throw some temporary money at the peasants and they will trip over themselves to fix our problems. No need to bargain on real pay and retirement fixes.”