PBS Question
 

I was told that if you are considered a line holder, as in you were bidding say 50 out of 100 lines, that the only way to get reserve is by bidding reserve. Is that true?

wrong place to get your answer. Send an email to the PBS Trainers or JPWG.

No, you can bid in such a way that you put yourself on reserve.

if you avoid ESN or CSSN you cannot be on reserve unless you bid yourself into it. Everything else is deniable to get you a line (except anything with CSSN/ESN attached)

I cannot emphasize how much people misuse clear schedule start next. stop using it if you don't understand it.

But but but they said you aren’t required to waive consecutive days off down from 4. Oh wait, you may not get a line if you didn’t waive and guys junior to you did. Hello rsv.

that's also true. but that doesn't mean you bid yourself into reserve. that just means you could've waived certain parts of the contract to get a line, but if you didn't then no line. That's different than bidding yourself into reserve.

Not really. It means guys junior to you waived portions of the contract that are supposed to be protected and they took the line your seniority actually holds. It’s the same principle as someone willing to do your job for less. However anyone wants to view the 4 days off, it is supposed to be protected and you essentially are bidding to the lowest common denominator if guys below you are willing to waive.

IMO, it’s a protection if you want it but it doesn’t hinder your schedule if you don’t. You want the last 10 days of the month off? Won’t get it with mandatory 4 days off. Want every Friday - Sunday off? Won’t get it with mandatory 4 days off. Being able to waive it helps far more people than it hurts. Whatever gets you fired up though...

They are not taking it from you. If the waive didn't exist both of you would be on reserve as the software ran out of ways to legally put flying down and give 4 days every time.

The guy below you who "waived" didn't take anything from you.

This is exactly the way to look at it before getting all worked up.

If you’re right there on the cutoff line , including a RLL on your bid might save the day while still giving you 4 days off.

thats not true. When no one could waive all the flying got covered. Now unless you are in the top 10% you are a distinct disadvantage if you don’t waive. All the waiving potentially above you puts pairings where it wouldn’t have otherwise fit so now when it gets mid-pack if you choose to waive but someone below you does they may get a line and you won’t. If they hadn’t waived the system would’ve unstacked and given you a line and not the guy below you. However, it would’ve hurt the guys above you that got unstacked out of their waiving. The point of it being optional has direct negative effects one way or another. Min days off between work blocks needs to have a specific value for everyone or you are forced to waive down if you don’t want the risk of being on rsv and this is more so in smaller bases. And if we just keep opening up new bases and diluting seniority you never gain any to help yourself or have the flexibility of a big pot of flying in a big base.

the 4 day off should’ve been traded for a higher monthly min. Right now we all aren’t playing with the same set of rules.

I know what you’re saying but we all need the same rules. What if I want the 4 days. I have no idea how many guys are waiving down and down to what which could put me onto rsv when I don’t want to be if I don’t waive as well. It’s not a protection if you’re a solid lineholder that can end up involuntarily on rsv if you choose not to waive you contractual right to 4 days off. Higher min day per month was the solution but we got nothing.

I often bid rsv bc I like it and really don’t understand the all the rsv hate unless you’re a commuter or are so junior you can’t hold the days off you want on rsv. But guys that should get lines and being forced to rsv because they chose not to waive their contract is big BS

i also understand where you’re coming from. Under line bidding it worked great and it also prevents the company from giving 4 on 1 off and 4 on to people so it’s great but with PBS it only flows if it’s important to you. For people in the can I / can’t I hold a line range though it really complicates life. I live in that world now but still wouldn’t give up the right to waive it because I know when I get a little more senior being stuck with 4 off would only hurt my flexibility. That’s from someone who commutes from the west coast to the east.