I wouldn't say that the "Chevy vs. Ford" analogy is accurate. The reason I say this is, have you read the ASA CBA to include the PBS LOA? Start with the "Scheduling" section, then go to the "Hours of Service" section after that for starters. Although there is language in there that has good intent, there's ALSO A ALOT of "management discretion", "operational necessity", etc type language that creates holes for maximum management exploitation. Similar what the original Contract 2004 had until many of them got closed up via MOUs and LOAs. And lets face it, doesn't matter if it's XJT or ASA. It's safe to say the MORE pilots get their info here, FI, as well as the respective crackpipes than ACTUALLY contacting their reps. So putting out info here, or elsewhere can do NO harm what so ever. For those that are bothering to inform themselves as well as listen anyway.

Here, as well as other places. Strange, don't think I ever saw anybody take the offer.

 

A good breakdown in that other thread of your current contract, thanks for re-posting the link.

I'm more than willing to take a shot at line bidding, does anyone want to learn me? How about PM/email me a bid pack followed by the final awards? While we're at it, a copy of your contract?

The reason ASA folks like PBS so much is because it really has been a huge improvement in our monthly schedules. My line next month has a four day, two three days and a two day. That would have been very rare during line bidding months and would have gone quite senior.

Is there still Charter flying going on? That sounds like a nice gig.

 

What's your base seniority to get the above schedule? What's the value of that line?

Vacation is a huge reason people are against PBS. With line bidding we can bid a line with trips that touch either side of our vacation week and those trips are automatically dropped but we're pay protected for them. If your bid line doesn't have trips that touch your vacation that's okay because you can change your schedule around during the line improvement window. This can turn your week of vacation easily passed the two week mark, more likely closer to 3 depending on seniority.

 

Actually the vacation has been the best part of PBS. Just ask Scott hall about vacation low!

 

It's funny how the perspective on PBS changes person to person. I mean obviously we all have our own needs. PBS for me and most people that I fly with (close to my seniority) has become kind of lame. I'm a weekend off kind of guy. Had them off for three years. During line bidding I was always able to make my schedule what I wanted with open time swaps and such. Around two months after PBS came on board I lost all but about 25% control over my schedule. Flying all 4 days over the weekend. Big change. And yes I do know how to bid correctly. I would be happy to go back to the way it was before. Probably won't see another holiday off. Guess my sick bank is going to start going down.

 

You have to remember, it's not the line bid itself. It's the work rules that go with the line bid. Just like the ASA PBS is way ahead of CAL's crappy system, the XJT line bid/workrules are way ahead of what ASA had. Looking at bid pack really isn't going to explain that much. Sadly, what would be best is to watch a guy in action during the ILIW/SLIW. I didn't do much trading on this SLIW, primarily because Sked+ is a bit of a pain and I was running out of patience. But two of my friends were complete honey badgers and rocked the crap out it. Took themselves to 17 days off, inceased block, and commutability.

If you want a copy of the XJT contract, it's up on the ALPA website.

The reason XJT likes the line bid workrules so much is the flexibility to fix your schedule if need be. PBS is about efficiency FIRST. That's just fact, plain and simple. YES, I know that ASA management is having problems seeing those efficiencies. Where a PBS pilot may not get anything on his bid sheet for whatever reason (criteria can't be met, unstacked) there's little recourse due to the reduction in open time. Not a problem under the XJT system.

Charter is done. And yes, it was a nice gig. You can't beat having a ticket back and forth from home, long layovers, not dealing with TSA nearly as much, the different style of flying, the pay overide, etc.

BelowMins, the ASA PBS software is just as good as our line bid system as far as going for max time off and retaining min pay guaranty. It's simply a matter of lining up the bid preferences correctly. That horse is well beaten.

 

Well that's good news. I just remember an ASA guy on one of the boards saying he only got 3 days off using 3 days of vacation. He must have screwed up.

 

The contract is on OurASA under Labor Relations.

No more charter. ASA nixed that gig.

 

Line bidding at XJT with ILIW and SLIW windows allows pilots at ANY seniority level to improve (often VERY signifigantly) their awarded line however well or poor they bid or were awarded. It is not uncommon to change your line value 20 hours up or down or move from zero weekends off to almost every weekend day off. Generally, feedback ive heard with PBS is there seems to be almost zero open time and very little opportunity to change your awarded line in any signifigant way.

 

Btw, this is after being able to bid specific lines, in a number of ways, to hold the highest value line (in your personal opinion) that your seniority holds.