Really? Lets, do some math.

I've heard reserves can easily credit 85 hours a month, or $280 over guarantee . Let's be conservative at say $350/month for per diem. That sums to $630 a month and over three months $1890. At a typical 1000 credit hours a year, that is a 6.5% pay decrease. So the company can just allow a person who's ATP is about to expire, or needed for an instant upgrade to just cut everyone else and cost them approx $1890. And this leap frogging would push back the wait for sims even more, making the lost $$$ worse. As my man Chris Rock once said, "That aint right".

Training backlogs are a pain for everyone, but take a number and get in line. I guess those waiting for sim can get part time jobs to make up for the difference.

But I get it, the probationary pilots who this affects have no representation within the union. Or maybe it doesn't happen RIGHT NOW often enough to really be an issue. I should add that I am not at PDT, just trying to look out for my ALPA brothers and sisters.

 

Lol alpa brothers and sisters...thats funny.

 

May be funny to you, but I've got more than a few friends at PDT in that exact situation waiting for SIMS. Just ****es me off that they could potentially get the short end of the stick.

 

mehh I would argue it the other way. I had 12 weeks off waiting for sims, and wish I had another 12 paid weeks of vacation. Who gets that lucky!? Going right to sim sure the money is better, but who wants to work for a living!?

 

It's nice how you're looking out for your Piedmont friends but you can just tell them if they don't like it then just "resign." There's a ton of regionals hiring and it's a pilots dream to have airline scrambling to hire people. I'm sure they'd have a number of job offers in a matter of days.

Honestly if it's the money for someone and they told me my sim was going to be in 3 months then I'd get a part time job. No reason to sit on your arse if you need the money. If you don't need the money then go travel the islands and have a few drinks avoiding the winter weather here.

ALPA??? Really?? ALPA is only as strong as it's weakest link and in the regionals that link is plastic.

 

I doubt they would want to quit, but I was asking if there was a provision in the contract regarding this in the hopes that they could grieve it. Either way, seems like not much care is going into this issue, so I'll just recommend to them that they get some part time work. Thanks.

Obviously ALPA national doesn't play a strong role in the day to day issues of each chapter airline. Though given that ALPA national underwrites a lot of the CBA's at the chapter airlines, what does apply here is the similarity of specific procedures, ie grievance. Hoping that that would be an option for them.

 

Sure, 12 weeks of "vacation" is nice. Wouldn't really call it vacation when you have no pay protection for the flying you could have been doing. But to each their own.

Surviving on first year pay minimum guarantee with no per diem can be tough. Definitely don't miss those net $680 biweekly pay checks with taxes and medical deductions.

Anyway, I think I've got enough info regarding this to help out my friends and give them some good advice. Thanks guys. I'm sure the training department will eventually catch up and all will be OK

 

How many guys and gals are you guys getting to class these days? Envoy has been struggling to get double digits for a while now and PSA seems to having a tough time finding people as of late too. Just curious if it's affected you guys yet?

 

From what I read, they need 25 to thirty on the dash every month.. there just aren't enough pilots.. I'm waiting for the first regional to break and go to 50/hr fo and 90/hr captain.. the economy is changing.. even if the 1500 hour rule is broken.. It's not going to change anything..

 

Have a buddy over at PDT and all he does is complain about schedules. He is never home, he says scheduling department doesn't care about there pilots at all and he complains and is looking else where to work. It was a place I was considering, but after hearing him talk its the last place I'll go. They do have a pretty nice FLOW. I think. What's your thoughts? How happy r the pilots nowa days at piedmont?