What's going to happen in reality, is that the top 30% are gonna drop to zero, then cherry pick all the PPU. Good on them.

The bottom 70% will be able to trade into more productive trips with better commute options. Good on them.

This is a win/win...

Uh, no.

Any LOA that impacts QOL issues must be sent out to the rank and file. This did and they didn’t. Of course the MEC determines what is and isn’t and they voted that this didn’t meet that criteria. I think it did and should have been voted on.

TA has nothing to do with it.

Oh save the rhetoric. Once again the MEC told us they know what’s best for us and passed something that should have been voted on by everyone.

Oh but wait a minute, this was a direct benefit to you so we should forget about the other two things we gave up.

Classic.

Really?

How are they going to do that with negative pool numbers on every day of the month?

If the trip is desirable, the pilot holding it needs the days off or want's to hold out for some soft time, and someone else has the room to fit it the trip will be picked up. Was the same before they started showing the pool numbers.

Silly me reading the MEC policy manual. For fun, can you cite any LOA that's gone out for membership ratification? I can, but it actually "significantly" affected working conditions.

How many guys dropped down below fifty and then didn't pick up again above fifty? Hardly any. So I agree with the "we are paid to work" argument and would submit very few guys dropped down to just take the month off. It's all about rebuilding with more agreeable trips.

So, outside of contract negotiations, the company and union come up with an LOA that gives everyone more flexibility, better QOL etc.

There is no downside, but some of us want the right to vote it down? Not enough for you? You want to drop below 0?

Sort of like the joke about the new contract where we all have to work on Wednesdays, but one DB is complaining, "you mean every Weds"?

PW should have been fed a bullet for giving away 70 seaters by side letter, I would agree with that. EVERYONE was negatively affected, except probably PW.

But wanting to vote, to turn down a freebee? I would prefer to just take it, and say thank you.

The company and the union are negotiating a new contract, and both sides are realistic that it may be a while. Instead of waiting 2-4 years for QOL improvements, the company and ALPA agree on a few cost-neutral provisions, and decide, why wait?

Bam, we get a QOL improvement now, before the amendable day. Or, we could wait a few years for a new contract, AND wait a year or two after that to implement the software to make it all work.

Or, we can take it now. I will take mine now, thank you very much.

Keep the LOA's coming. They are provisions of the new contract, ahead of the amendable date.

As 'one of those guys'.. I'll answer!

Yupe, I have rolled the dice and lost.. in a few months over the past years.
Usually drop somewhere down around 40ish hours, and have had a few months were I was only able to get it back up to the 60ish range.
(And usually get around 100ish hours.. with a high score of 154 credit hours one time! Pure 'luck')

You play, you sometimes when.. and sometimes lose.

As someone else already mentioned, it really is impossible to get down to 0 zero hours but if you want to, so be it. It just means that someone else was able to get that persons trips... win win.
Now, we could always open up the can of -
What happens to the guy (or gal) who drops down to zero for 3 months in a row and then plays the landing qual game?

This 50 hr floor limit removal is a good thing for the majority of the pilot group... just my opinion.
In a way, it is kinda like the pay bank system that LUAL had in the past, just now it is in the hands of the individual pilot to decide if he/she is ok with 30-50 hrs of pay one month, and then working their asses of other months to make up for the difference~
More flexibility for the individual pilot while the company still gets coverage of the flights.. be it by using their reserves or buy putting trips out there at PPU rates.

Motch

PS) I choose to live within an hour of EWR (in NJ) and not commute. Therefore I pay 11grand taxes a year but am also available for last minute drop ins~ What works for one guys doesn't necessarily work for the next guy. And it doesn't have to!