kronan

The American buds say they go on pseudo reserve, day prior and each day for a multi-day trip.
Don't know what Delta's doing now, but do know one of the reserve Bro's thought the whole release w/pay for sub was a great deal back in 2002. (Had an early return home vice the 3 day trip)

But, I'm all for getting paid without SUB. How long do you think that'll take until Management sees the light?

Check 6

Shack.....this is simply awful

Albief15

Dave Webb was a former F-16 pilot. Chuck Dyer flew S-3s. Rich Zins flew F-15s and was a Desert Storm Vet, and John Cardaci is former Viper guy too. Last ALPA President Lee Moak--USMC F-4 driver...

I know there are a ton more guys who have served, but I just prattled off some I know personally off the top of my head. Dave and Chuck worked tirelessly to get ALPA on the property years ago. The other guys are your current officers, Lee Moak (love him or hate him) was a very influential guy on the Hill for several years. I'd venture to say every one of those guys has earned their stripes in the trenches working for our pilots at some point.

I get the "you don't understand its sucks here because you've never been anywhere else..." thought. What I would counter is we've had decades of hard working union guys who've gotten us 3 contracts here. The last ALPA chair here came up through the regionals to FedEx...and I liked him too, but he didn't make sub go away either.

You know what I see in the AOC? FedEx pilots. ALPA members. Period. If you want to do a DNA test on where they come from and make assumptions, knock yourself out. I think we are past that. Make your case against contract provisions, not against your fellow pilots. We should be well beyond that by now. Its been almost 10 years since I pulled the JFS handle on an F-15, but I flew a FedEx 767 into Cambodia last week. I also have a silver ALPA pin. So--does it matter where a guy was 10-20 years ago at this point?

CloudSailor

Absolutely, for this particular topic and thread.

Previous experience with scheduling beyond FDX, and RTTT in particular - where the Wolf Pack OTP/PMU discussion has lead to, seems to matter a lot, to the vast majority of our pilot group. Particularly because our NC chair just over a year ago was on an ALPA video targeted to all of our pilots, saying how RTTT was not attainable without giving up OTP/PMU (and to the extent SUB is tied into these) which is what we prefer. That was a decision made by the NC Chair to drop pursuing RTTT, after polling had made it clear we wanted it - because it is likely he had zero prior experience with RTTT.

Now, I'm a happy camper here and absolutely love my job, the crews I fly with, and the company I fly for (as much as that might not come across on the majority of my posts). I wouldn't go anywhere else, even if I could take my seniority with me. But that doesn't mean we don't have areas, particularly QOL areas like scheduling, we could really improve on. I do see the cultural mentality of "this is how we've always done it here" (like it happens at all airlines), and some guys, who don't know any better - by no fault of their own, making assumptions and decisions that affect all of us. For example, I emailed the NC twice, years ago now (before the lanyards came out), regarding RTTT programming and where it could take us. The paraphrased responses I received: "we cannot discuss the progress achieved in negotiations, but we are firm on all of our Openers, including those affecting scheduling". Yep...

It doesn't mean any group in our crew force is superior or better to any other group. But yes, previous experience has mattered a lot for this particular discussion.

CloudSailor

Another common misconception.

One does not have to live on the refresh button and Open Time page for RTTT. My previous airline, along with at least 5 others, have high quality RTTT programming that allow you to set up "alerts" via mobile text for new OT trips. You set the parameters (e.g., PDX/SEA/DEN/XYZ layovers, international only, 5 day trip max, day time flying only, double DH only, avoid MEM, etc....), and when a trip that meets your parameters comes into OT, you receive a text.

It's as if BidXguy and appDude were hired by FDX IT and given a multi million $ budget to create the best possible scheduling tools via RTTT. This stuff has been around at other airlines for well over a decade now.

busdriver12

Really great posts on this subject, CloudSailor!

I hope that when this issue is reopened again (preferably sooner as opposed to later), that they hire or consult with you or someone with similar experience. As a former military pilot, I couldn't even imagine all the possibilities that you bring up, it's an entirely different world.

Busboy

I don't know what you're all worried about. When asked in 1990 why FDX wasn't yet using RTTT in VIPS, as other airlines had for years...Jerry Wolfe told us that RTTT was just around the corner. FDX Flt ops was just waiting for the funding. Perhaps, the 3% raises we've been negotiating are what's holding up the funding for it.

BlackKnight

Albie, I don't think in this case it was a shot across the bow at us military guys, and/or questioning loyalty or volunteerism. More a simple fact that if we came straight from Mil, we truly don't have any experience under a RTTT system.

MaydayMark

Albie,

I always read your opinions with interest. They frequently include stuff that I would never have thought of!

Concerning Dave Webb ... wasn't he the guy that agreed that surely the 757 would be a narrow body in exchange for the A380 (that he and the NC Chairman would certainly be senior enough to hold) paying SUPER WIDE BODY pay. Interestingly, shortly after we signed a contract the A380 went away and we were magically getting 100+ 757s? We all got hosed on that deal. Thanks Dave!

In my opinion the 757 folks need to send DW a really big thanks for that!*?

Is he the same guy that told folks not to worry about the SFS details because "they'd never be senior enough to hold it. That it would go really senior!" That was wrong also.

Some of his positions were so peculiar that when I accused him (here on APC) of getting money under the table from Management that WR called me at home and suggested that I needed to say that at an ALPA meeting. I promised him I would.

DW did what was good for DW and it had NOTHING to do with him being a former F-16 driver!*?

Busboy

Mark, are you out on disability?

The National Enquirer and Breitbart are hiring.