I think it’s pretty obvious where the greener grass is, and that’s by a country mile. as some have said before, folks have came here and said wtf? also, some have gone back to the pax side as well.

vacation drops and pensions are cool and all but the rest of the contract belongs in a dumpster.

sigmund frog

 

Understatement of the decade.

-Expense report was off by 3 cents due to a mistake by the company, so now you're being payroll deducted $1,500 for that deadhead ticket since this month's expense report deadline is closed. Better figure it out on your own! Or better yet, maybe not notice it at all thus lining the company's pockets!
-"Welcome to XYZ hotel. This is a non-contract hotel so we will be needing your company credit card for payment." Same story - payroll deduction.
-Oh, you're sick? Here, give us a doctor's note. And in the meantime, fill out this irregularity report because you're being put on double secret probation.
-VIPS is down. Again. Just like always. Better luck next time. And just a heads up, it'll be down again next week, like clock work.
-Reserve is an hour and a half call out...BUT, the company can reduce that to one hour.
-Have big plans after your trip? No you don't, because here comes an 80 hour extension and you will LIKE it.
-System bids happen every leap year. Oh you want to finally bid over to the triple?...Well too bad because new hires are getting stapled to the bottom, so (Seinfeld soup nazi voice) "NO SLOT FOR YOU!" Not to mention nobody truly gets how the bids work. Not even the company (see recent bid).

This crew force is (okay, maybe not everyone) deathly afraid of PBS. I'm curious to see if bartering happens where a notable pay rate increase happen in exchange for PBS.

There's so much that needs to be fixed. But senior guys have ensured us we will have more negotiation cycles to fix these things. As long as they get their pension bump on the way out.

 

Listen to Nightwing. The plug's seniority number in April of '23 is based off of the July, 2022 seniority list update.

 

Exactly! Not to mention, the SIG chair updates say that on average, we have had 20 guys retire and 2 quit per month since the TA was turned down. That equal a little over 500 since TA 1.

 

Yep, we proved that correct during COVID. Guys were tripping over themselves trying to get extended as long as they could. Way to set a precedent and then complain about it. Getting sprayed with unknown chemicals didn't seem to phase them then.

 

That entire list of absolute ridiculousness and you want to single out the absurd company practice of 80-hour extensions and then act like the abuse victim who blames herself for getting beat up by the abusive spouse? Things that happened in CoViD prior to contract negotiations is a ridiculous self-blaming position. Stop blaming the pilots--trying to drive wedges between groups you are making irrational assumptions about. This is a COMPANY-imposed situation we are in now. The sooner everyone gets on board with that idea, the sooner this gets finished. Yes, maybe you're angry that we aren't under TA1. We are past that now. It wasn't a close vote. It would be more of a blowout now. Trying to issue blame for our situation where the company has refused to move the needle at all since July of 23 on pilots is not only unhelpful, it is actively damaging to our prospects.

 

I would like to see "click in fatigued." The duty officers are calling people back with their personal cell phones following fatigue calls (to avoid the recorded line) to pester them, shame them, imply they are on the radar, and make accusations of immorality for calling out fatigued.

 

I'm talking about costing out for the previous TA that the company did. We're talking about a difference of 500+ pilots not being here anymore. So why is the company not costing a new TA with an updated pilot amount?

 

UNSAT AF. That needs to be DARTed if so.

 

This is a big one, and youre the first guy other than me I've heard say this. Been here since post 9/11 and one of things often asked in the recurrent group ground school day was about FDX and Fatigue, do you believe we are friendly and supportive of pilot fatigue calls, why do we have far less fatigue calls than the big 3 x per capita....
what could be done to make things better....

I always raised my hand and said what you just did. Make a fatigue call the same as a sick call, ie CLICK here to call in fatigued, wait around for 20 minutes in whatever location youre in, see what they come up with for GT back to the hotel (if youre out of domicile), or the trips over if youre in domicile etc.

I said take the "I feel like Im talking to my dad about missing a day of school part out of things". Make me still fill out the same IOR and fatigue reports, but make the actual fatigue call an automated/internet only thing. A lot of guys don't like having to explain their exact situation to the DO, while they are actually fatigued and in a reduced brain capacity.... in whatever timezone they're in, on the spot. I'd imagine this is especially true for many of our younger crew members that grew up with the internet and in a more feel good/less confrontational environment. They would be much more comfortable clicking in fatigued, knowing they can explain themselves in writing after the fact vs talking to a superior.


No one ever really responded to me when I'd bring this up. Glad someone else thinks the same.

I have not heard anything about DOs calling guys after a fatigue call shaming them etc, but its been a long time since I've called in fatigued so who knows whats happening now.