robthree

Give up pay? Nobody is talking about giving up pay. No one should be thinking about giving up pay. Giving up pay is not on the table. The next contract will have base pay rate increases. But work rules improvements are always more important than simple hourly rate changes.

You're right that everything has a monetary value, so how much will these changes COST the company? That's the only number we should even be thinking about. Much less discussing on an an anonymous message board.

Reserve improvements are important to me not because I'm on reserve, but because I was and conditions could have been better, without adversely affecting reliability. One day I probably will be on reserve again, and even if I'm not, somebody has to be on reserve everyday, and I don't want their QOL to suck.

Just like everyone who suffered through abysmal first year pay, or not having medical coverage on Day 1 decided that those were unacceptable conditions for those who came after them to endure, despite the fact that fixing those issues cost money from other parts of the contract, like WB Captain pay rates. So if improvements in reserve rules cost a couple cents from my base rate raise on the next contract, I'm ok with that.

Andy

Really? You think that the views expressed on this forum resemble in any way the majority of the pilots? If that were the case, the contract extension would have failed. Instead, it passed by a wide margin. That's only one example.

The average pilot's view may be expressed on here, but the extreme view is amplified on this forum. As for reserve rules, I don't think they're all that bad which is why I asked for specifics. Keep in mind that I'm a commuter on global reserve and have been on reserve whenever I've been on property ever since being hired in 2000. Is our system perfect? No. But no system will be perfect for everyone, which was my point in asking for specifics. One man's poison is another man's treasure in reserve rules.

I'd love to hear the specifics of enhancements to reserves that are cost neutral. I can almost guarantee that either some pilots would not view your suggestions as contract improvements or the suggestions wouldn't be cost neutral/positive for the company.

rp2pilot

If the proposed amendments had a cost of a few pennies in base pay, there'd be widespread consensus and approval for such. It is, however, naive to believe that you can add work rule changes without incurring a cost elsewhere. Therein lies the value of contract surveys.

bigboeings

I've been on reserve now in EWR for 2 years now on the 756. I really have zero issues with the system. I get a few short calls a month, where I have to park myself within the 2.5 hr time frame. But overall it's not that bad. I do aggressive pickup strategically. Caveat, I do drive to domicile, but it's 3.5 hrs.

Grumble

Valid point to the first.

To the second I would ask, why give negotiators to the other side ideas? If the views expressed here aren't that of the collective then we REALLY shouldn't be negotiating in public.

Andy

I look at most of this as subterfuge. The majority of pilots don't see major problems with reserve, but it's discussed here so often that the company negotiators might incorrectly think that the pilots have an extreme overweight emphasis on changing reserve rules.

I'd much rather be flying than on reserve. Maybe the company negotiators would incorrectly think that they should cut pay to lineholders and increase pay to reserves?

I don't buy the whole negotiating in public label. All it does is shut down reasonable conversation between fellow pilots. And the contract's not even amenable until 2019; way too early to get concerned about casual discussions on a public message board.

Knotcher

A wish list is not negotiating unless you say what you would give up for it.

awax

Yeah, the venue you're looking for is called a union meeting, rants on APC don't move the ball. So take your list and attend an LEC meeting.

Knotcher

I posted no list or rant on this thread at all...address the proper people. And this is a discussion board you know, the perfect place for discussion and rants.

awax

I think the point that Grumble was making, and I'll back him up, is that actually; this is not the "perfect place" to discuss negotiations.

Do you honestly not get that?