hammer pants

I would rather take my chances in the gulag than fly Airbus schedules. Plus by the time you finish training Covid should be behind us.

whalesurfer

True about the epicenter and you might be right about the system bid not being affected by this, who knows..

However, the big difference here is China’s public hospitals and the fact you have no rights whatsoever if you test positive.
Fedex has a large number of crews refusing intra-China trips right now. Basically, until their company and the union give them some kind of guarantees no one wants to fly into China.

The Chinese testing kits are so flawed that many countries stopped using them altogether. ..and yet, these are the type of tests which might put one of us in a Chinese hospital.

Here are Chinese citizens who’re being dragged from their homes when they failed a temp check. Being hospitalized in the US or Europe is VERY different from being forcefully moved to a Chinese quarantine hospital.

Wuhan citizens forcefully removed from their homes..
https://youtu.be/SLirQXbJrNA

tnkrdrvr

So you are saying six months to 74 Capt?!?

whalesurfer

6 months?!? Haha, don’t be silly.. Of course not... this is ups after all. :-)

Because of this pandemic the 15 year 74 captain who was displaced to the MD might actually have a chance to come back to the whale. Maybe..

Seatwarmer

I don’t see this affecting guys equipment bidding choices. There are plenty of guys willing to fly to China for 150% pay, for some money alleviates any risk. Since all of us can opt out of China if we choose I don’t get the constant complaining about the testing procedures over there. Simple don’t like it, don’t go.

Will be interesting to see what happens if unfortunately someone pops positive over there. You think this place has your back, I seriously doubt it. Also read the ANC chief pilots messages, what a pos this guy is. Just lean forward and do more for ups, gnafb!

fightandflight

Based on the message that just went out I guess we’ll soon find out.

whalesurfer

Good point and maybe you’re right? The next system bid will be ‘interesting’....

“Simple don’t like it, don’t go?” On the 74, unless you’re senior pretty much every ANC trip takes you through China.
So let’s say someone utilizes LOA to avoid China and his/her 12 day trip is dropped. To restore (get paid) you have to pick up from OT. Most trips in OT go through, you guessed it, China.

So how are the junior folks supposed to do it? I mean it’s as simple as “don’t like it, don’t go”, right? ...and then the following month just “don’t go” again! Correct?

LOA was/is great but in effect it put most China trips on junior pilots’ shoulders.
Now, I don’t know what the solution is and I’m glad the union negotiated this option for us.

However, please don’t tell me it’s as simple as “don’t go”. The probationary guys/gals are literally relying on credit cards to get through probationary pay. Now, their “easy choice” is to utilize LOA and then either pick up other China trips to restore ...or to forgo their pay.
No, for some it’s not as simple as “don’t like it, don’t go”.
YMMV

Seatwarmer

Surfer

To a certain extent I get what you are saying, probation is a shlit sandwich on a good day. There are work arounds (spouse working, moon lighting, etc). During the furlough we had guys doing all kinds of jobs to keep the lights on and this is nowhere close to that.

Part of it is there are a good number of guys who rely on JA’s, busting the credit cap and making side deals with scheduling that the thought of working for 40-50 hours for a couple of months is unthinkable. It doesn’t help that the douche bag cap in ANC puts out that it is imperative that we lean forward, operate at all cost, etc. to make it happen. This puts pressure on the probies and some others to waive the contract and go well beyond to get it done. Apparently it is working.

Anyone beyond 2nd year pay should have an emergency/strike fund at this point that they could tap into if needed.

This is not limited to the ANC guys, SDFZ flies in China as well. I was in CGN last week listening to guys brag about being on 60+ hour JA’s and complain about the China testing procedures in the same breath.

If enough guys declined China flying ups would be forced to make system changes. Boxes are moving so there really isn’t a problem. Besides the vp has your back regardless!

Hose11

Purple guy here checking in to see what y'all are experiencing in China with testing. Heard you can refuse the nasal swab and receive 2 throat swabs instead. Also heard you had a crew member forcibly held down and given the nasal swab. Any truth to this rumor?

UPSFO4LIFE

I have not heard that rumor. We did have a crew member test positive then tested inconclusive on the second test. That person is now in quarantine I believe in ANC.