C11 Update 1/13/18:

Working for Free

You may have seen a recent CCS message regarding the IPad exchange. In part, the company says this:

To make the exchange as efficient as possible, please schedule an appointment at your assigned base.
The exchange process will take at least 60 minutes. Walk-ins (in your base) will be considered, however
appointments will have priority

Your ALPA Reps would like to remind you that we don’t work for free. Whether it’s 60 minutes, 600 minutes or 6 minutes, we don’t work for free. For those of you who are new or somewhat new, this is old-hat from management and you will see things like this throughout your career. The reason they do this is that it works: management is usually able to cull a few pilots from the heard and save money by getting some to work for free. As a reminder, you are not required to report early to “update apps” or operating systems on your IPad either. You are not required to power it up at home, let alone update or spend time fixing an IPad on your days off. You are not required to “flight plan” on your IPad at home, in the hotel room or on the van to the airport.

When Pilots agree to “work for free” it’s a great disservice to all of us. Some may see it as the path to least resistance, but in the long run it hurts our efforts to negotiate and deliver the results you are asking for. As we enter contract negotiations, it’s imperative we walk together. Old folks help the new folks; probationary Pilots call your reps with any questions or concerns.

 

Yeah they seem to have forgotten the commuters here.....I’m not making an “appointment” that I have to commute in early for

An unpaid hour of work. I’m not down with that either, there is already enough we don’t get paid for.

 

Does seem like a mis use of resources.
300 dollar/ captain vs. intern.

There is no good reason for having pilots show up to spend "at least" an hour setting up their ipads, other than we agree to do it instead of the company paying someone to do it.

A friend works for an oil company that issues IPads. They do have proprietary apps on it as well. When they are replaced, everything is pre installed. All the user has to do is set up a passcode and email.

If I must set it up, mail it to me at home where I could set it up at my leasure. FedEx can handle getting it to me.

That's what I did the first time. Worked out fine.

 

I will not be driving in an hour early either to get the new iPad. I don't work for free. They seem to have forgotten that since the last time they rolled out new iPads.

BMEP, sorry, but I don't update my iPad at home either. Nor do I flt plan on my time. UAL is not paying for my internet service. Let alone initial setup. I update it as I can when I report for a flight. Sometimes, I have to wait in ops for the FOM to finish downloading before I head to the plane....

If they want more on-time departures, then they need to restore the duty day and earlier report times. I know the 777 is not a guppie, but a 45 minute domestic report for a basic 777 crew is not adequate.

 

Venturing wide off topic here, but what exactly is it about flying a 777 vs a 737 to ORD or OGG that requires greater preparation?

Honest question.

 

Nothing the guppie should be 1.5 hour report too. Anything that requires a map and a phone call to dispatch should be an hour and a half.

 

I’ve been on both ....

First, the chart... someone has to plot it and label it ( usually the IRO). Everyone else has to verify it’s accuracy because if the electronics fail the chart is your last resort (papa roach).
Second, is the time utilized at the aircraft completing the ETOP’s checklist.
Everything else could be arguably compared to the time needed for a domestic flight.

 

You’re missing my point: I fly a 737 regularly to Hawaii and have to plot the chart and run through the ETOPS checklist, I’m just trying to wrap my head around why the same flight (or a transcon) would require more preflight preperation time in a 777 as Capt. Fitzgerald suggested.

 

Any of You get paid for the last two iPads we have been issued? Then why would any of you think this round will be any different... we win a grievance I don’t know about for “working for free”?

 

You make a good point. Either the company is exercising its rights under the management rights clause, or the union needs to negotiate pay for "ipad refresh" or "company technology time", or some sort of pay event for this and any other type of non-normal event that takes more than a brief chit-chat with the CPO admin staff.

A new ID is a good example. just takes a minute to say hi, and grab your new ID before heading to the jet.

The entire IPAD thing is so foreign to me. I just dread it. I would rather have a root canal than sit through a bunch of beeps and squeeks that I don't understand. just give me my ipad and let me roll. I don't benefit or gain anything by sitting in a chair for an hour watching a bunch of stuff get installed. It sure is cool, but it doesn't help me understand the equipment any better. I just want it to work.