tolipenalpria

For September only the top 34 lines had 15-17 days off. everyone else only got 12-14 off. Along with that, inefficient trips that you can't drop or trade, and no time available to pick up extra hours/pay to take advantage of our premium pay LOA. This is why 104 guys are bypassing upgrade. Mngnt sent an email begging FOs to upgrade, saying changes to QOL and pay are coming soon. I hope no one falls for that. upgrade when you know what your getting yourself into, not on hopes and promises.

beech1980

^^^^^^

100%! Do not fall for this atrocity that was sent out last night! It’s all negotiating 101. They will never pay if they can get it for free. I am extremely offended that they are truly stooping this low but not surprised.

UNDGUY

Is first year pay still 52 an hour with a 75 hour guarantee? How long can a new hire expect to sit reserve? Any opportunities currently to make more than guarantee? What’s the latest news and gossip about a new contract?

Tryin2b

I'd like to know the same. I'm coming from a 135 gig into 121 but I kind of worry this isn't the place to be based off what I've read online, especially being a commuter. I was told they're in the middle of contract negotiations but who knows how long that may take.

AzucarA

Assuming you’re a graduate with no experience. I would be more concerned of being successful getting hired by passing training. The cards are stacked against the bridge applicants according to previous applicants coming through.
With that being said, res has been lasting only a few months. Chances of exceeding guarantee not likely, but does happen occasionally.
News on the contract? It’s not done and morale is at one of its lowest levels in the company’s history…

AzucarA

Middle of negotiations is giving too much credit. Section 6 negations officially started two weeks ago This is the third week. The company claims to be saying they want it done. They requested to “negotiate” 3 days a week and normal negotiations average 3-4 days a month at some places.
It’s completely in the company’s hands how fast it gets done. They are currently hung up on the idea of out of base res. That isn’t jiving at all with ALPA.
Res is res and not built at all for commuting. It’s doable if you live in base. The past few weeks, I have seen some positive changes where they are sending me out on a dh in the afternoon instead of early morning to position for the next day. This just started happening to my trips, still to early to see if they will follow through.

Tryin2b

Res is bad anywhere for commuting. Coming from 135 you're on call 24/7, been a captain doing that for a couple years so I get it. I'm more concerned about the "6 days on, 1 day off" rigs. I'll happily get a crash pad there for those rigs with the idea you're still allotted a chunk of the "10-11" days off a month somewhere in there to go home. Other than that policy (sounds like the same is true for lineholders?) it sounds like a good place to work from the outside but something must also be stopping all those folks from upgrading aye.

nibake

There will be one 4-day off block in a reserve schedule. The other blocks of days off could be 1, 2, or 3. So there will never be 10 or 11 days off a month on a reserve line under our current program. Long call lines which had that kind of thing were tried briefly, but they went fairly senior and were phased out after only a short period.

Here are some examples from September in terms of how many days off are in each block of days off:

2,4,2,2
2,4,2,2
2,2,2,4
2,4,2,2
3,2,4,2
1,2,2,2,4
2,2,4,1
3,5,2
2,4,4

There is a handful of lines that have days on either end of the 4 day block for a total of 5-6 consecutive days off, but that is it. As you can see, mostly you are going to be getting 2 day off blocks which are not fun for commuting home. The good news is guys are typically off reserve in 4-5 months.

For lineholders there is no guarantee of a certain chunk of days off, but it's definitely easier to bid and/or trade into.

Edit: As far as guys not upgrading, it's a combination of reserve rules, the way they are treated by scheduling on reserve, the pay cut, the inability to control one's schedule, to name a few. It's not just commuters bypassing, many locals also want nothing to do with it.

nibake

I don't understand ALPA's take on the out of base reserve issue. I mean, I get it partially, they want it to be voluntarily, and the company doesn't. Ok. But what are the other issues? We don't want anyone MSP based guys to be forced into out of base reserve. Makes sense. But if the reserve blocks are put onto reserve lines (either a complete line or a block mixed into a reserve line) I see that as a feasible compromise. There are guys who would love to bid those lines, in which guys it would be "voluntary" in a sense. Otherwise, if those lines went to reserve holders, the senior, MSP based pilots would not be exposed to them. If one fell to a new pilot within the first 5 months, so be it. It's a little harder to stomach on the captain side, but I don't see a more junior pilot getting an out of base reserve line as being a deal-breaker, especially since there are probably more senior commuters who would take those lines before they get to the most junior guys anyway. Would have liked to have been a fly on the wall and see just what the company was asking for and why there wasn't successful compromise.

Also, to be fair, the speed is not completely in the company's hands. I agree that it is in general, but the size of ALPA's asks can still affect the pace of negotiating.

S4User

Thanks for that info.

What do you mean regarding the pay cut if you upgrade? And you start reserve all over for 3-5 months or is it shorter that time around?

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