Here is an excerpt from our contract, Section 25.N.4:

1. Advance Volunteer Assignment (AVA)
   The Company may advance assign a VLT trip prior to the open time assignment window subject to the following:
   1. AVA shall be available and assigned to all eligible pilots beginning 7 days prior to showtime for that assignment, based on the reserve forecast.
   2. A trip is eligible for AVA assignment only if the trip has a showtime:
      1. between Thanksgiving day and December 31; or
      2. during a bid period in which the Company has requested voluntary vacation cancellations in the pilot's crew position; or
      3. during a bid period in which the Company has involuntarily canceled a vacation in the pilot's crew position.

I was wondering how everyone else interprets this section.

To me, that says that AVA should be available (to request, not necessarily to get) for ANY trip that shows between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. No need for vacations to be bought back or canceled during that time frame.

Last year I did an AVA trip before Christmas and I don't remember there being an FCIF from the company saying it that AVA was available, but contract enforcement says that there was one in Oct 06. I tried a FCIF search but they don't go back that far, unless it hasn't been suspended yet, so I can't confirm that the FCIF exists.

Anyway, Contract enforcement said that the company doesn't need AVA this year so they aren't putting out an FCIF and so AVA isn't available in my seat this year. It is their option to put out such an FCIF based on staffing levels and they don't intend to do so this year.

To me the contract says that we should be able to request AVA from after Thanksgiving to the end of the year regardless. I understand that they may not grant the request, but I should at least be able to put it in.

What do you think? Does anyone remember a specific FCIF announcing AVA availability before the start of the Thanksgiving to Christmas rush?

Thanks for your thoughts.

FJ

History has proven that the company will interpret the contract however THEY want and ALPA contract enforcement will allow them to do so ... any questions?

Can't remember, but I'm pretty sure they have to put out a fcif for AV or vacation buybacks. It won't be a player this year for either with manning levels high. Don't quote me, but I think Subic Capt's just had a fcif for AV.

I just went into VIPS and clicked on "Advance Volunteer Request (AVA)"

Here is what came up:

AVA is Not Available for your seat

I agree with your interpretation though - AVA "should be" available from Thanksgiving to 31 Dec.

But, if the company locks you out from even putting in a request........???

In ANC last year, Nov and Dec were both voluntary vacation cancellations and AVA was available - (I'm pretty sure, don't quote me on that, and I don't know about other than ANC)

You are correct about Subic.

That was because of the voluntary vacation cancellation in Nov.

To me it seems that just by hitting Thanksgiving we should have a similar FCIF then for every seat. Or no FCIF, since it is in the contract, shouldn't AVA be available (to request) in every seat?

FJ

Also, I know manning levels are high, and lots of trips are picked up at straight time, but in the Boeing right seat there are 22 open trips on 23 Nov and 20 folks on reserve. They will be drafting that night no doubt.

I think we deserve to get paid time and a half if we choose to work extra, especially during peak, and its allowed in the CBA.

FJ

The first sentence reads:

Advance Volunteer Assignment (AVA)
The Company may advance assign ...

It doesn't say will allow, just may. Their option.
That's how I read it.

Out of curiosity --- how do you know there are only 20 folks on reserve that day?

Are you looking at the "max open positions #"?

I thought that # was approximately, half the # of total folks on reserve, since you can't drop a trip into open time unless the # of folks on reserve was at least twice the # of current trips in open time??

Doing all of this from memory now, without a copy of the contract in front of me.

All --- please jump in and explain.

Sorry FJ, they can call for draft when they're short but it's their option to do AVA during this time.

me too - company "may" not "must" or "will"

maybe the company just decided right now they don't need to offer AVA and can cover everything with reserves, draft, and/or regular volunteer (if they need to) instead?

you can still straight Volunteer (VLT) for specific trips in open time.....just not ADVANCE volunteer (AVA).

they just won't assign those as far out as AVA

company holds all the cards on this one......