Yeah but you have to be careful about saying someone is "abusing" sick calls. How would we know? And even if that were so, I still don't understand not giving him his time off. There are plenty of us sitting reserve that will gladly pick up all or part of his trip.

The Chow

 

The whole idea here is that when you are sick....get a doctors note if it is more than 3 days. Also I heard from someone in the know that he called in sick something like 55 times in year. If he was truly sick he should of got FMLA. Also, he told a chief pilot what he did. If you were to ask for a day off, not get it and then call in sick, no one will know. Until you go and tell a chief pilot.

 

I still hate to see someone lose their job when all they wanted was an extra day around their wedding.

The Chow

 

I also hate to see someone lose their job. But I have no sympathy. Yes, lots of hearsay approaching: I too have heard from several people that this person called in sick numerous times. Not due to illness, but due to "schedule enhancements/adjustments". I also heard that he put in for the personal leave, but did not follow up on it. I also heard that this wasn't his wedding. It was a friend's wedding that he just wanted to go to. I understand that this is an important day for his friend, but ya know, some people consider a job as a responsibility. We have a responsibility to go to work, whether we like it or not. Just watch this X-Mas. Every year, Comair pilots successfully ruin X-Mas for hundreds of people because they <cough><cough> call in sick, and force numerous cancellations. I have seen it first hand, and it makes me sick. Please, this is not boasting or showing off, but I can proudly say that I have worked for the company for over 4 years, and have not called in sick once. I've been to many weddings, vacations, etc. Even had major oral surgery. But believe it or not, I went through the proper channels and planned ahead without burning any bridges in the process.

 

The problem here is that they are short staffed on captains and flight attendants and extremely overstaffed on first officers. This guy is a captain...so it wouldn't help us first officers sitting on reserve.

He already has his job back, the union got it back for him.

 

Great. Our fearless union helped the wrong person again. Unions are helpful in helping those who are wrongly punished or terminated, but they should have some sort of requirements for doing so instead of helping every person that comes crying to them when they did something wrong.

 

And this is based on what you've read on this forum? Just one more great example of people making judgements based on what they've heard which is all just hearsay evidence anyways. Not that I'm sticking up for the guy, but so far everything about this situation that has been said in this forum was found out through the grapevine. I don't think anyone on here can say for sure what happened and what were the circumstances except for the fact that he called in sick on his wedding day. Can you give me any other examples of when our union "helped the wrong person"?

 

Haha, no no. You've got me all wrong. I don't use these forums as gossip or gospel. Yes, it is hearsay. But when you hear the same thing from many sides (outside of these forums), it starts to have a little weight to it.

Also, on the additional examples request, unfortunately I do not have many specific examples to provide off hand, as I always just push them aside without thought. I can tell you I know of someone that was terminated after flying numerous times without their flight case (Jepps, FSM, etc) and the union worked its magic. If someone is going to intentionally break the rules, especially rules like this that are awefully easy to follow, then they don't deserve the responsibility of 50+ passengers lives in their hands.

 

Me to Planning- "I need my 100 hours and I am really worried for October, because I have a long way to go and am in a window with not muc flying"

Planning- "Well sorry, but your just going to have to put in to fly your days off if you want to get your 100 hours"

 

Have you spoken with the training department? You might get better luck there - at both my carriers I was told they'd pull an F.O. off a trip if I really needed to fly. And if Trans States would do that for their Pilots...LoL