Should we learn from pilot protests in EU?
 

Pilots protest over flying hours

Airline pilots who say long flying hours are "putting lives at risk" are holding demonstrations across Europe.
European air crew unions argue current rules that govern how long they can fly for are unsafe, with fatigue a factor in 15% of accidents.
But the European Aviation Safety Agency says it is still considering a scientific report on the issue.
There are no planned demonstrations in the UK, where industrial action by pilots is outlawed.
But British pilots are expected to join demonstrations at major airports on the continent with colleagues from 35 other countries.
It is not clear whether the action will cause disruption to travellers.
In one demonstration outside the European Commission building in Brussels, TV pictures showed dozens of uniformed pilots and air crew holding placards and handing out flyers calling for a change in working conditions.
Cost-cutting impact
The rules are already in force in some EU countries, but are due to come into force in the UK in 2012.

This is a defining moment in how passengers will be protected
Jim McAuslan,
British Airline Pilots Association
Pilots and air crew have complained that their working conditions have deteriorated as the airline industry looks to cut costs.
The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said two million leaflets would be handed out across Europe by the protesters.
The general secretary of Balpa, Jim McAuslan, said he feared that attempts by the EU to standardise working conditions by 2012 would put more pressure on pilots.
He said: "Only fatigue experts understand the impact on a body of flying through so many time zones, having consecutive early starts and late duties and all the other factors that make up a pilot's life".
Mr McAuslan told the BBC that while EU law meant a pilot could work up to 14 hours a day, scientists believe they should not exceed 13 hours.
"Anything over that increases the risk of an accident by five and a half times," he said.
"When that's brought home to the public, I hope the public will put pressure on the regulator to say 'you mustn't do this - you must listen to what science has been saying'."
Safety is 'top priority'
The President of the European Cockpit Association, Capt Martin Chalk, warned that "unless the EU acts now on information it already has, that it commissioned and that was delivered to it a year ago - unless it acts on that, unfortunately the safety levels we currently enjoy would be damaged".

Pilots claim long duty hours are putting passengers in danger
He was speaking to BBC Radio Five Live on Monday.
A UK Department for Transport spokesman insisted that safety would not be compromised by the new rules.
He said: "The European Aviation Safety Agency is in the process of considering the responses to its consultation on a first draft of rules establishing flight and duty time limits.
"While these are unlikely to be finalised until some time in 2011, we are confident they will maintain the same high level of safety as the current rules.
"The safety of passengers and crew is our top priority and we will not allow this to be compromised."

Without knowing all the details, and not wanting to jump the gun here... does anybody know if they are talking about duty day or actual flight hours? 2 pilot operations? "Domestic"or international operations?

Yes I absolutely think there is something to be learned from several pilot groups around the world from India to Europe trying to bring awareness to working conditions and pay. I believe ALPA should not only be proposing much more stringent work rules than what they just put out there but should be having marches and news media events to push the agenda at a time when people seem more willing to listen what with the Colgan accident and the publicity Sulley and Skiles brought. Unfortunately none of that seems to be happending. Not only is it not happening but "our" union, and I say that tongue and cheek" is proposing increasing flight times right along side the ATA. Sad.

Absolutely. We can never stop learning.

In one of the most developed and advance countries in the world we are flying some of the oldest AC's and with some of the lowest salaries in comparison. No to mention 1960's flight rules.

I just don't understand how come our union doesn't go PUBLIC with our work rules and compensation. There are some many media outlets to choose from.

Who, reads the ALPA MAG other than pilots?

A little more (ALPA) mucsle flexing would not hurt anyone.:cool:

I don't know whether I agree with your assessment about our proposal, because I still don't have the full text, but I agree 100% that we need to work the media, and other avenues of influencing public opinion.

I am very disappointed by ALPA's communication "efforts", both internally and to the public. In all fairness, I maybe going slightly overboard by criticizing something we hardly ever experience. It's a little like criticizing the lousy food at a lousy restaurant, where the service is so bad you don't even get lousy food to complaint about...

One area in which we're not so bad: we have fairly strong legislative lobbying efforts. Maybe we figure the public actually doesn't matter? While courting senators may be the best bang for our buck, I still would prefer intelligent, timely, driven communications. As it stands now, we're barely playing defense, where I would actually like to see us mount an effective offense. If nothing else, it would make me feel better to have people I pay defend my profession. Being taken seriously will be one small step in re-building this profession (assuming it can be done).

And while I'm at it, Prater needs to go. He delivered Age 65 for his friends; he can leave now. I'll support the PAC again once he's gone.

I was one of ten board members sitting on the committee that approved the resolution that ultimately went before the entire ALPA Executive Board.

John Prater never once twisted my arm for a pro age 65 vote. He, nor anyone else, made any attempt to influence the committee.

My roll call vote was insignificant in general assembly, and I must admit that it is possible that Prater politic'd long and hard for changing ALPA's stand, but the vote would never have gone to the floor if my delegate committee had not made a positive recommendation and I will again assure you that John Prater made no attempt to get the ten of us to vote either way.

BTW, we decided to remove our support for age 60 simply because we looked at the evidence and decided that the FAA administrator (and Presidential administration) had already made up her mind to change the rule. The only way to have any influence on the final language was to end our oppostion and send our lobbyists in to work for us.

The APAAD and associated groups were going for RETROactive re-instatement of over age 60 pilots. How would you have liked that?

My understanding is that it's duty day.

Fred

There is a lot to learn from Europe and striking is one of them. Here is what happened today in Brussels - you can't make this stuff up:

"Over 2,500 farmers from across the EU burned tires and hay outside an emergency meeting of farm ministers.

They sprayed milk from huge canisters, and the cow's udder, on a square close to the meeting. The jittery cow was frightened by firecrackers, sprang loose and chased an office worker down the street before it was recaptured by the farmers.

The farmers used heavy tractors to block major highways into Brussels and streets in the urban center, creating traffic chaos for dozens of miles outside the city for much of the day, keeping tens of thousands of commuters moving at a snail's pace.

Farmers' demonstrations have often been violent in the past and there was a massive police presence that further choked roads throughout the capital."

Also, a couple of months ago, I believe it was the CEO (or someone close to that rank) of Caterpillar in France was taken hostage for several hours when he announced lay offs. He was on the evening news after being released - it was hilarious to see his facial expression - I am sure he will think twice next time before making any announcements.

The Europeans take no crap; airline employees in Athens have stormed onto runways and shut down the airport in protest in the past. we just seem to bend over and take it; and that's why management gives it to us. Congress is dumbfounded; after all these years about 'commuter' pilots and will now probably invoke a knee-jerk reaction that will make commuter lives very difficult in the years to come. There is a show on television that sums it all up, its called American Greed. The almighty dollar; people in this county stop at nothing; ethics go out the window. Bottom line: if a saves a buck, so be it until blood spills and they are forced to change things

There might be some things we can learn from the Europeans but as someone born and raised there - this ain't it! Those are the thug tactics adopted straight from the Brown Shirts manual (predecessors to SA which became incorporated into the SS).

Remember that at any given time there is somebody on strike somewhere in Europe! :( It's all fun and games until you get stuck in some God forsaken little French village because the farmers at some local farm market demand even higher subsidies on their already exorbitantly subsidized produce. Solution? Just block one of the main interstates until you get what you want and when that's resolved, let the next farming commune do it all over again.

Protests and demonstrations? You bet ya! Cave in to the French redneck (or redcork?) farmer thugs? No way!!!