On January 15, 2015, the Association received the Final Award in case 2014-U-005-031R (FBO). After the Neutral issued his Final Award, the Company decided to write an optional dissenting opinion and delayed submitting it for three weeks. That dissent was received on Friday, February 6, 2015.

In his decision, Neutral LaRocco found that the Company violates Sections 20-C-2-a and 20-Q-I5-a of the UPA when it changes the positions of First Officers on augmented crews. Captains retain all Captain’s Authority.

Neutral LaRocco ordered the Company to cease and desist from violating UPA Sections 20-C-2-a and 20-Q- I5-a. The Board remanded this case to the parties to determine if any other remedy is appropriate and, if so, to fashion an appropriate remedy (or remedies). This Board retained jurisdiction over this grievance should the parties have a dispute over the remedy. The Association has attempted to schedule a meeting with the Company to fashion an appropriate remedy and has booked remedy jurisdiction dates with the Neutral.

In his decision, Neutral LaRocco ordered the Company to comply with the cease and desist order within 30 days of January 15, 2015. The Company disagrees with this timeline and intends to bring this timeline compliance issue back to the Neutral, attempting to further delay compliance with his Award.

We are aware that the Managing Director - Flight Standards has already communicated his interpretation of the Award to the Line Check Airmen (LCAs).

MEC Chairman Captain Jay Heppner has engaged Flight Operations in order to determine the exact role of the LCAs while conducting training. Our goal is to ensure a positive Crew Resources Management (CRM) environment in our cockpits.

 

Big win. Hats off to the G Comm.

 

Sadly this is what the company has to say . . .

At the moment it looks like this "win" will not change the real issue and the company will continue to move FOs to the IRO position through use of LCA authority. Now they just won't change the trip designation. Looks like another issue that will have to wait until the next contract to get straightened out.

 

Wait till the next contract to settle this issue? I'm aware that some LCA's are not going to do the company's bidding and swap FO seats. While some will kowtow to the company's wishes, I think many will not.

Maybe if we all write letters to the company telling them how displeased we are as co-workers they will relent. Be the brand baby!

 

an LCA is a line pilot first and foremost. If an LCA wants to go off the reservation and specifically act against the best interests of our seniority system, (and bidding your schedule is very much a part of seniority rights), then that guy or gal shouldn't be an LCA. You fly what you bid.

The company tells us to bid what we want, and don't bid what we don't want. Well, that works for monthly scheduling preferencing too. Maybe we just shouldn't bid at all, and let the company assign us every week.... NAH, I'd rather bid, and use my seniority to predict the quality of my trip. The quality of my trip is defined both in pay and in seat position.

The company can have the seat, it is theirs at the end of the day, they just need to pay me for it. They can FBO me, and buy my trip. I can then stay home, or decide if I want to pick something else up. But, sending me to Bunkie duty just for the convenience of the company is unsat, and any LCA that tries to abrogate my seniority is just a stooge for Howard.

 

Agree with you 100%

 

Just heard from an LCA..."be careful what you wish for".... He said Flt Ops is not telling him to swap seats...they acknowledge that could lead to a problem in the pit. But, he said....don't be surprised if most FO pairings are held back from monthly bidding, reserved for IOE... iRO pairing then become senior (only thing left to bid) and then when IOE is not being conducted the pairing is dumped to OT at last minute.

Games begin....now.

 

Pilots may request a new PI or LCA. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

I was wondering what would prevent them from just holding back trips on LCA lines when they run PBS.

Can an FO Pairing not be assigned during PBS build up, AND not be placed in open time when the awards come out?
Then again.. even if they place every LCA's FO Pairing in open time on the 17th, they (the company) has until the 1500 on the 24th to put IOE pilots on them.
[Going to be interesting to see if pairings that are in the bid package HAVE to be assigned, or if the company can withhold a portion of them. In the past, I have seen "Unavailable (Frozen for IOE)" in my bid report... so I know they've done it before. But this senario could open up the can for them holding out a chunk of 764 trips, and also some prime 756 trips]

Seems this is a 756/76T issue (primarily) so it will be interesting to see what the union does next. But didn't really see how this was a "win" for us. A win will be when (if) the FO on the trip who gets bummed out of his seat for IOE either stays home with pay OR ends up as IRO2 and double pay.
Hate to type this, but not holding my breathe for either outcomes. Hope I'm wrong..

Motch

PS> How many 756 newhires are going to be doing IOE each month? If it's at least 10 (conservative number), that's only a small % of 764 trips.. but it's still a chunk.

 

Well the new hire classes are having 8-12 757 in each class, so that's at least 40 a month, not to mention whatever people are getting on the monthly vacancy bids.

Probably 60 a month total.