So which is it here? "None at all" or you're "doing it [picking up OT] now." Same thread. 180. Too bad you left. The hole gets deeper and deeper. [LilJ note to self: Retain lawyer for June 1st]

Was this furlough threat announced BEFORE "the last few bids"? Hmm. Sounds like someone may me suffering from a bit of shame after all. I've only pointed out 2 of maybe a half-dozen flip-flops by LilJ on this thread. I hope I'm not the only one that sees through this charade. If anyone is friends with LilJ in real life, please encourage him to do the right thing after June 1st.

I think you just made the point for the folks arguing against your point of view..

So you say no fleet is undermanned. Why is that? Could it be because either:

1) The retirement age changed
2) people are picking up open time/JAs
3) 300 of the most junior people applied, and UPS hired them.

I guess group #3 are the ones to take it up the ass so groups #1 and #2 can carry on?

Without any regard to the current furlough threat from the company....when it comes to this whole JA/OT flying debacle, we (the pilots; especially greedy ones) are our own worst enemy.

Why does the company offer JA/OT flying? Because they've run out of reserve pilots to cover trips left over in open time, or because someone called in sick, and again....nobody left on reserve to cover it.

What would actually happen if our pilots stopped shooting ourselves in the foot, and just flew our lines (or the trips we were assigned as reserves)? What if we actually didn't work on our days off? Management pilots would have to cover the shortages until the company reevaluated their staffing needs, and maybe even hired more pilots.

Does the company want their management pilots flying as much as they have in the last two weeks? I say no way. They'd rather have them in the training centers and offices writing MRBs ad nauseum, giving checkrides, and asking me, "where is your hat?"

But as long as we have guys (and gals) that gobble up the open time, overtime, and JAs like kids in a candy store, the company is not going to hire anyone, because we (the IPA pilots) can always be counted on to pick up X% of the slack for a few extra bucks. Accomplish more flying with decreased pilot staffing requirements! What a concept! The company uses our own greed against us in order to cut costs. Brilliant!

The only time the company will hire is if they can't consistently cover the open time/sick call requirements (inclusive of the JA flying pilot's assistance), new flying/system growth, or due to retirements.

I can only hope that our pilot group recognizes that picking up overtime/JAs only hurts us as a whole in the long run, but I fear that the lure of the JA gravytrain will overshadow this concern for short term gain.

Cheydog, I like the way you think. We beat me to all that.

I don't need my union president to tell me not to pick up OT/JA. Look, I used to pick up OT all the time, UNTIL the company threatened a furlough.

Let me get this straight, you're saying that OT/JA is just fine until the moment BM says it is not? The only reason he is waiting to announce the OFFICIAL ban is because he is legally and contractually constrained from doing so until the furough notices get mailed.

You and me both.

All rationalizing (for whatever reason) aside, at the end of the bid period one needs to do the right thing. I for one don't need any politician (be it union or governmental) to tell me what that is. Just in case there's any doubt, to me at least that means:

No contract waivers/favors

No JA

No OT

No (or damn few) meals/drinks purchased by guys/gals at risk on the road

Backing up my crews when anybody tries to hose them

This isn't rocket science or a hobby.

What bothers me is 7 days of DEAFENING silence from the IPA=Individual Pilot Association that's for Li'l J. Seinfeld


100% IPA

If you were working on the furlough LOA (covering what happens to sick, vacation, etc) for the group that gets furloughed, would you advertise it? Nope, you'd create panic. People even might stop OT and JA, which of course would not be legal.