IFly85

Well, what you need to realize is that right now if the MEC's were to come out and tell the pilot groups to stop picking up open time, that can be construed as a change to the status quo. This can open up the MEC's to legal action. Honestly each pilot has their own idea of what is appropriate. You have some pilots that will not pick up into days off right now, and then you have people that are picking up at 150% into their own personal min days off. It is their choice, and their right to do as they wish.

Now as for what has been proposed in the joint negotiations, what has been discussed is 11 days off. Right now that will give us one more day off over what we currently have. Is this a major improvement? Maybe, maybe not it honestly depends on who you ask. However it is a move in the right direction and a move to industry average as far as days off are concerned. Sure, like Higney said 14 days off would be awesome for QOL but we can't go in expecting that.

higney85

You start dealing with differing viewpoints in the idea of working below days off. Since when does a union police its own pilots? The union works to protect the pilots as a whole from what the company can do individually and raise the bar of the group as a whole. Who is to decide what guys can pick up? The idea of "staffing concerns" is better controlled with limiting how much open time is allowed to begin with as lines are created before anything even becomes an option to "pick up". Look at past precedent.. All limiting open time pickups will do is force 95 hour lines on everyone and the reserves to be fully utilized. You want to give up days off you bid for and would normally hold but you were given "forced flying" at straight time because you fear someone else may have been able to pick it up at a premium? The company has never been properly staffed, "forcing their hand" comes with consequences that need to be fully analyzed with all applicable sections entwined.

I personally do NOT support picking up open time as a standard practice, but I also don't think any pilot should make personal financial decisions for any other pilot. If someone needs the money, what pilot has the right to say "no, you aren't allowed!?". We work to limit what the company can do to the pilots, even when working an open time trip pilots are still covered by the contract.

Who is the bigger enemy- pilots against pilots or pilots against management?

nicholasblonde

Wait--we have tons of guys picking up tons of open time, AND 10 day off 95 hour lines halfway up the list...

higney85

You key word was PICKING UP. There is not a single sole who doesn't want in stone that the company CANNOT assign flying on what was supposed to be on off day. Picking up is a choice that pilots get to make on their own. If they don't want the days off and would rather work, that is their choice. The Pinnacle MEC has NEVER (even looking all the way back to the very beginnings of ALPA on the property) tried to police pilots on what they can't work extra. A contract is to protect the pilot group of what the company can force/assign, but is not designed to remove the decision making process (willful) from the pilots. If you want to only have 8 days off a month that's fine AND YOUR DECISION, but for the guys who only get 10 days off there are few who are "ok" with being forced to work more. That also applies to a 18 day off guy. The days of the #1 guy in the company getting JA calls needs to stop. The only thing that will force that is limiting open time allowed with bidding, limited open time creates more line holders and limits the "picking" for those who feast on open time, yet still allows for trips to be there that pilots can utilize to enhance their schedule (many times simply swapping for a day that they bid for off and couldn't hold or needed off after the bids closed). The company is super short on staffing- so much that they can't pull training guys off to train upgrades and new hires. That is out of our control and the company is being hit with cancellation (due to crew) penalties. This company has never been properly staffed, trying to pin pilots from their own rights and desires does not help the company or pilot group as a whole. The company is in a jam (both at Colgan and Pinnacle) and will have to learn from the situation. Name any other company in this industry or any other that would deny a working sole the ability to put in for overtime...? If you are off for 5 days straight and want a day trip in open time to help pay for an unexpected expense who is the union to tell you that you can't?

FlyJSH

I don't want, nor can my MEC, tell me not to pick up time. I WILL always answer the phone on my days off with a beer in my hand.

If you WANT to work 26 days per month, that is YOUR call. But I want to negotiate a contract with as many days off as we can get. If we do, the slackers (like me) will be happy sipping scotch on our days off, and the Captain "Credit Hours" will get more draft pay.

Personally, except in extraordinary circumstances (ie a hurricane or other act of the almighty), picking up open time should be a rare and costly prospect for the company, NOT SOP.

mooney

the rare times I have picked up open time have usually been a defensive pickup, something to give me a 30/7 or 4 CDO in a row, when I had plans and HAD to have a day off after the trip and didn't want to risk being extended/jr assigned. I would NOT be happy with my MEC for allowing that practice to stop. I do not necessarily agree with being a time ***** during these times, not necessareily against it either, but whatever floats your boat. And most reserve guys are happy with lineholders picking up open time.

jayray2

That is a pathetic state of affairs when you have to do a defensive opentime pick up. How about they just make all jr man assignments voluntary.

Avroman

Why not take a page out of Republic and make J.M.'s illegal?

Avroman

Why not? Southwest gets a minimum of 15 days off, yes even the reserves. And in 31 day months they get the extra day OFF.

higney85

That's where we are aiming for. Days off are golden to PILOTS.