Its official, ASA is getting PBS
 

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PBS LOA 11 and 12 Passed by 83%

Today marked the close of the pilot vote adopting Flightline Prefbid. With 71.59% of pilots participating in the vote, LOA’s 11 and 12 passed pilot ratification with 813 votes in favor and 162 against. Attached to this email is a pdf file with the official results form we received this morning from ALPA’s Election and Ballot Certification Board.


True Story.

hahaha everything seemed credible up to "true story".:D

Have fun with that..So much for you guys recalling...{edited}

Wow this is so excit........ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

just fell asleep

http://flightops.asacontract.com/ass...and-Scope2.pdf

Page 5, Line 25... no more furloughs

..Kinda like the ' No alter-ego airline ' and the ' no furlough ' thing, plus the language of ' the company understands ' has been broken down to be a lot more specific now...Is it possible this could be good for us ?

Did they already furlough up to the last guy who's name was on the list as of date of signing?

I haven't been keeping up with ASA stuff, why would they vote FOR pbs? It's obviously a concession, what are they attempting to protect?

They furloughed everyone they could, all the way from the Dec 07 class and forward... as per the CBA.

condolence to you and your family:(

I hate to, but I agree with this. I remember our union basically forcefeeding us how great PBS would be and that it would create more flying for us. What a load of BS. First, they couldn't figure out how to use PBS so everyones schedule was messed up. No one was happy with it. Now my airline wouldn't let PBS do what it was designed to do, so maybe it could have been a good thing. I honestly hope that it works out for you guys and no one has to go on the street for this. Good luck guys!!

Bet you don't have a clue what you're talking about, have fun with that...

I hope you're right. I wish we had that in our contract!

However, at minimum are going to see the quality of the lines decrease if you are junior. People barely holding a line are hosed and most are going to be down to min days off.

Hope the cool-aide was good.

Disagree. …….. PBS doesn’t change the pairing; just assist in building a more efficient line. So if you can hold 18.75+ hour 4 days (75 hour guarantee) then you only have to work 4 (if you can hold higher paying 4 days then your pay will increase as such) and depending on your bidding position you can construct the exact month you’d like. You can even mix 1, 2, 3 & 4 day pairings to build 1-6 day work blocks.

As for the rest. Until this month I was never a guaranteed line holder. I was always in the “composite” range and as long as I stayed 50% or better in that range I received a full line (4 -4 day trips) with an average of 14-15 days off and pay averaging around 85 hrs/month. If I dropped below the 50% margin as a composite lineholder my month greatly improved which is interesting seeing that my bidding position deteriorated. What happened? Well as a composite PBS lineholder I was given an incomplete line meaning I only received 2 – 4 day pairings. In-order for my credit to be brought up to min guarantee they added reserve days (@3.75 hrs per) to my schedule. During the transition period between when my award was presented by PBS and when the company finalized it I contacted my crew scheduler and requested the days I wanted to sit reserve. Since I was super senior among all the reserved, I had my pick or days. So I chose weekends off and only sat reserve on days that we had the max # of reserves behind me in order to guarantee I wouldn’t be called. Plus add to it that all composited line holders get paid all their rigs whether you break guarantee or not and you can see how my month improved. In the end, the months I received an incomplete composite line I ended up getting paid around 85 hours with more than 16 days off ().

What’s also nice about being super senior in your bucket with reserve transparency is that I could place myself as first call in-order to cherry pick the open time trips. If crew support called me with a trip I would fist look at it and if I didn’t like what I saw, I would advice crew support to passed it on to one of the more Jr reserve pilots in my bucket. Since I am voluntarily “first call” they can’t force me into the trip unless I was the only pilot left. But at least as a composite lineholder, if I had to work the trip and I worked more than 3.75 for the day, I got paid the extra unlike a true reserve pilot.

Sometimes I wish I could bid for incomplete lines.

Note: Sorry for any errors, I pounded this out rather quick.

And you said it correctly "senior" thats who favors from PBS.

As a furloughed pilot I have mixed feelings about us getting PBS. I hate the idea of having to continue putting my life on hold for an airline. But at the same time, if it brings us more flying some how, then great. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out over the next 6 months.

The growth myth.

This will be fun to watch.

I doubt any of us will be called back due to growth, but more than likely - after the company is able to rightsize with the 10-12% reduction in force as people leave later this year for the likes of Delta and AirTran (who will be running new hire classes coming late spring / early summer) - any attrition beyond the 10-12% will open up the recall window. Combine the attrition with increasingly block hours on the Delta side through the rest of this year (YOY figures - no information as far as United experiment), then perhaps by 2011 some of the 9/1 furloughees may be in an INDOC class. It'll most likely be spring of 2012 before ALL of us are back to ASA, that is if any of us want to come back after this beat down by our own pilot group.

Spring 2012, right before retirements begin again. . .hmmm. . .

I know I've enjoyed my year away, making real money and not having to deal with the mockery that is a regional airline. I must say, it is quite entertaining being on the outside looking in again.

At least we'll be in section 6 negotiations when we come back. . .

What makes you think Delta or AirTran will be hiring this year?

Do you really think we are doing this to spite you? Did you even read the LOA? Do you think it has been easy for any of us losing a ton of QOL and salary after 130+ pilots hit the streets??? Do you know that the pilots at ASA voted to supplement your medical insurance while you were furloughed? If you have a better job then don't bother talking about "when you are back" because you should stay at that great job. Do you really think we all want to be regional pilots?...

It appears AAI will be hiring, and DAL is close to hitting the execute button.

Apparently some people can't read....

http://flightops.asacontract.com/ass...and-Scope2.pdf
page 5, starting line 25

the Company will not furlough any pilot whose name is on the seniority list on the effective date of this Agreement except in circumstances over which the Company has no control. The term “circumstances over which the Company has no control” includes, but is not limited to,

a natural disaster;

grounding of a substantial number of the Company’s aircraft by a government agency;

reduction in flying operations because of a decrease in available fuel supply or other critical material due to either governmental action or commercial suppliers being unable to provide sufficient fuel or other critical materials for the Company’s operations;

revocation of the Company’s operating certificate;

war emergency;

owner’s delay in delivery of aircraft scheduled for delivery;

or manufacturer’s delay delivery of new aircraft scheduled for delivery.


The term “circumstances over which the Company has no control” will not include the
price of fuel or other supplies,
the price of aircraft,
the state of the economy,
the financial state of the Company,
or the relative profitability or unprofitability of the Company’s then current operations.


I really can't think of too many folks in the most recent furlough waves at any airline been furloughed by the section I highlighted in red.
Unless ASA financials start looking like MAG's, I don't see the company trying to violate this part of the contract...

If you have been making "real money" and you think this is job is a "mockery"....Why would you even want to come back? Seriously...do us all a favor and don't come back.....

I agree, stay away IF you're making it with your current deal. Oh yeah, now that you're doing so well maybe you'll refund my money I donated for your medical coverage? Beat down, really!

Hoser
ROLL TIDE!

Let me know when you come back so I can give you my name. Then you can use PBS to put me on the list of captains to avoid flying with. Oh yeah, I want my $2 back that I donated for your Cobra.

what is the latest news, if any, in regards to the vietnam operation?

He doesn't speak for all of us that are furloughed.. Im happy I can get called back to a company where the pilot group was nice/generous enough to donate to furloughees having COBRA. I honestly can't wait to come back and fly again, but am just happy I have somewhere to get called back to... There are some people out there that will not be able to find a flying job for years and years.. at least we were lucky enough to get hired somewhere that has growth potential, and some of the best employees I have worked with!

Because AirTran is running new hire classes right now, and Delta has the need to hire at this time.

Ya, come to my airline and see if you like PBS. If you're not senior (top 1/3) in your catagory...BOHICA. Also, scheduling and planning are not exactly hands off when it comes to trades or buidling pairings.

But, in a few years the flows will start happening and people will move up the list a little faster. But, until then...

Same here. I actually got a job with ASA in the office till I get called back. And I truelly can't wait. Im not cubicle kind of person. But I tell you what, I have a lot more respect for the people that are here behind the scenes. They deal with a lot. And its a never ending cycle of what can be done or improved upon.

To the guy that likes it better on the out side. Stay there. Its where you belong. Your just going to be like the pilots I used to ask questions from on this industry where I got responces like" go mow lawns, you'll make more." I mowed lawns for a living, I didn't make that much. So people like you are just full of it.

A little off topic but I have a cousin who mowed lawns in college. He now owns the largest landscaping business in our city of half a million. There is no way I will ever come close to his yearly salary as a pilot. I wish I would have listened to people who told me to stay out of this business and mow lawns, four wasted years in this crap storm. I'm seriously thinking about mowing lawns this summer. You have to start somewhere.

Well it looks like the MEC is starting to figure out the crap storm they pushed on us will be a big pay cut for the top 50%. They are figuring out that the company can set the line value at 60hrs and with the +/- 15 that is a top of 75hrs for the month every month not just Sept and Jan. Add to that no open time with pbs and no language for trip pairings you will fly 4 crap trips for 70-75hrs. Everyone at min pay, brilliant! Now the company is fighting the Mec on intent so bad they may have to put the PBS back out for a new vote. Like I said before look at the red arrow BS, and now they can't even agree on what they agreed on for pbs to get it even started.

Really, where did you hear this??

Haven't heard anything about this so can't validate if its true. However if it is true that is huge cost savings for the company. Basically eliminating the disadvantage ASA has of being a more senior pilot group. Save money, gain more flying, then bring back the furloughs. Nobody flies over 75 hrs until the furloughs come back. Thats how it should be. If somebody doesn't like it because of the pay, tell your reps to negotiate higher monthly guarantee.

Ever think we're bending over backwards for people who've got other jobs and don't plan on coming back ? ( the majority, no offense intended )

It's a little off topic as well but that ASA Today message about the Skywest INC numbers on revenue, flight loads, ASM, etc made me wonder a bit. I wonder about all of those increases in flight statistics and how much of them are a result of ASA. Not to be that "I feel like the red headed stepchild" guy but I have only noticed the block hours going down at ASA. INC saw an 8% increase in block hours from the same time last year but ASA has had 6 50 seaters on the ground getting refurbed for a month or so and we are around 150 pilots shorter than last year. It doesn't seem possible for ASA to be flying more than last year.

I think that PBS crap will work great for the company. All the pilots that voted in favor and forgot about the reserve guys, that have been sitting with no change for 3 years now, will find that the company stuck both ends of the stick in shiznizzle.

PBS was a concession all around. Fortunately for the very bottom of the group it couldn't get any worse.

Over heard a mec rep telling a Capt this in the crew lounge.

But it makes us so competitive the union says we will get tons of new flying and if we didn't get pbs Jerry will shut us down. Like the union said "We better wake up and smell the coffee!!!!"

Don't forget "ignite" upgrades...... And I voted no.

This doesn't make since for anyone bidding with half a brain. If your max line value is 75 hours, everyone is going to select 45 as their TLV. Not so efficient for the company now is it.

Just to be clear, I was in the small majority that voted NO.

But if they want to build my line to 45 hours, I say bring it on!

The union and the company have not yet signed the PBS LOA. They are still tying to negotiate some necessary side letters. Apparently SH is insisting that CM made a bunch of "promises" that change the "intent" of a lot of the language, and no one else on the PWG was aware of it. Now the MEC is about ready to let the whole thing go down in flames because of this. So we may not be getting PBS after all...