I see the UPS contract allows for reserves to be extended into days off under certain circumstances. I also know there was a fair amount of complaining about this when the contract went active. It seems to have gone quiet, either due to improvement or acquiescence.

So what is the story? In practice, how often does this happen? All the time, every once in awhile?

Thanks.

 

No improvement just getting use to the new normal.

 

I'm sure it's pretty fleet-specific. The Z pilots were getting hammered last spring with extensions and it seems to have dropped off. A couple 747 buds are getting hit with extensions, I would guess they're short now and it's only going to get worse as the -8s show up. Can't speak to any other fleets.

Peak is coming so all bets are off for a few months.

 

In addition, many of the complainers (myself included) no longer bid reserve exclusively. I have taken a chance with an ugly line. With multiple JA opportunities and pages of open time available, it is somewhat possible to turn that ugly schedule into something tolerable. To be precise, I previously would bid RSV 12/13 pay periods. I am now at 50/50, if you count the pay period of OCV as reserve.

The extensions are definitely fleet specific. And they do see those days as days available, if needed.

After it happened 3 bid periods (every other pay period) in a row in 2016-17, I stopped bidding RSV by choice. See above ...

 

I've been doing same thing...No one is immune to the ups s...t storm.

 

It is a bad deal for the IPA. You are required to be available for work on days that are not scheduled to be reserve days..... its not a day off, its a UPS day off.

Pilots are actually requesting Personal Leaves of Absence on their days off..... must not be a day off then.

 

I consider the days(s) "off" after a reserve block as FLEX days. UPS still codes them as OFF in the bid package and CMS, but that's incorrect, of course.

Our $1,400,000/year IPA lawyer should have put a big no on this considerable giveback

 

Don't blame him. I had an EB member tell me the company would never use it because they had to pay LAP and it would cost too much.

Yes, he told me with a straight face.

 

But wait, you get late arrival pay. RSV never got that before
But wait, it can only happen once in a bid period. Ok, maybe twice if you have more than 2 reserve periods.
But wait, you have to be the only RSV available
But wait, etc, etc

It was a huge giveback from the 120 hour international extension language that we previously had. Why can't we just admit it. UPS gained operational flexibility out of RSV like they never had before.

Actually, I don't have a problem with that. But don't try to sugar coat it and say "you get LAP", or "it won't happen often", etc, etc

Its only an extra day off above the previous language, if UPS doesn't need the day. And the problem for many, with multiple RSV blocks, which RSV block is the one that they are going to need this bid period ? Sure it can only happen once, or twice in a bid period ... but with multiple RSV blocks they get a lot of coverage with "flex" days until they actually use one.

Our mistake was not in allowing this language to exist, the problem is that there is no language to create a "guaranteed day off" once a bid period after a RSV block to help control your blocks of days off. Simple concept, used at other airlines.

Whatever, RSV will just go more junior, until the furlough ...

 

What does LAP mean? Also I heard from my buddy that these extensions can be very lucrative for a guy in his second year and higher. What's the pay structure when you get extended?