Slope slope slope slope slope

 

I heard and correct me if I am wrong, GH at one point this past year worked with screw sched/planning and showed them how to improve the pairings. He showed them how to change certain parameters which produced more efficient lines. Lines that had 25 hr 4 days, a good mix of flying and little soft time. It would have benefited both the pilots and the company. GH left with the understanding that planning was going to publish these lines in the next bid and when the bid came out the lines had changed. When he asked about it the company told him that they didn't like doing it that way and that isn't the way they like to do it.

 

True
..........

 

Then everyone can redirect their differences toward the company then instead of GH.
This is just another case of amateur hour with the company not being able to manage it's resources correctly.

 

LTD question. What income does our LTD policy base our 60% payout on? Previous years W2? Current hourly rate at guarantee? Previous years credit at current hourly rate? I've heard all of these answers at some point or another and was hoping to clarify. The information I received from HR is extremely vague and doesn't really specify what income the 60% is based on. The only thing I can find addressing a specific income amount is the LTD buy up (which is based on 60% of previous years W2) but that only concerns eligibility for the buy up. Would prefer an answer from somebody who has actually used our LTD as everybody seems to have a different answer on this.

 

Exactly.

I'm on record as being in favor of the union getting out of the schedule building business, I think it creates more internal dissension than it's worth. But the other DFW scheduling volunteer assures me that they are able to make small gains in QOL for the group. Either way, the company sets the parameters for pair and line building. The CBA can only go so far in limiting them as they attempt to make us more "efficient".

 

The R&I committee has the actual insurance policy. Email them and they can give you the policy. I've used it, and I'm pretty certain that it's 80% of your base guarantee at the time you call in sick for the particular occurrence.

BTW, The Principle sux so bad as policy admins that I won't buy up the coverage. Why give those %^&*(#'S extra money when they will fight you at every turn to deny you? Buy it from Harvey Watt or someone else. Seriously, ThePrinciple treats you like you're low tier or something.

 

Technically, he can't get 12 days off conflict every month. If he gets the six off at the beginning of the month due to the previous months conflict, and then gets this last six days of the month off on the future month conflict, then he still has to work the first six days of the future month. And he would've had to work the last six days in the previous month in that scenario so he wouldn't of gotten 12 days conflict off in that the previous month either. So I would agree he gets consistently six days off, But no more than that average every month.

 

The 60% is based on the previous year's W2. With that said, I've had comical interactions with HR regarding the specifics of this plan. It's like pulling teeth; I spent months firing emails back and forth with nothing to show for it. I communicated with Principal directly; they wouldn't tell me anything and insisted that I talk to the company.

I then emailed the R&I committee. TW told me to buy the ALPA LOL product which sucks comparable donkey balls. I read the ALPA policy which includes gems along the lines of "If you've consulted any medical professional for any reason in the preceding 12 months, claims can be denied". Completely grey language; aka horsesht.

This whole process was sobering and pathetic. If I really needed to file a claim, I had no faith in the company or Principal.

I bought 2 products from Harvey Watt. The first is called Air Health 48 which pays out after 1 year wait for 4 years. It required a medical professional coming to my house to take blood, EKG, etc. The second is a product "Pilot Extended Long Term Disability Insurance" Option 5 that requires a 5 year wait that pays out 2/3 of my previous years W2 (up to $6000 a month) until I'm 65 if I can't hold a FAA medical certificate. The strong advantage here is the premiums are tax deductible. Even more importantly, since I use post tax income, the benefit is paid out tax free.

If you don't have 1 year of emergency cash, purchase their short term disability product. If you think you can't afford it, try going out on medical at Spirit Airlines.

This is very important, and it ****es me off how poor our LTD situation is now. We won't see a contract for 5-7 years; unless you're very wealthy or have a second large source of income; buy this now.

 

Thanks. I'm definitely going to look into those supplemental plans you mentioned since our LTD is so incredibly pathetic. I've gone back and forth with HR numerous times over the past 3 years as well and can't seem to get a straight answer. HR seems to think that it's based on 60% of previous year's W2. R&I guys claim buy up is based on 60% of previous year's W2, but payout is based on 60% of current hourly rate at guarantee. Either way, I can't seem to find anything in writing other than the buy up. It's a little ridiculous how hard it is to find detailed information pertaining to our LTD policy.