FedEx 58 Hour BLG
06-19-2008, 01:29 PM
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
That guy was DD...an A300 captain.
I decided to hold my tongue...I thought the "um...okay...thanks for your input" was enough.
He is not alone in his sentiment. As I mentioned, this is why I am such a fan of some of our reps...several who have personally repsonded to letters expressing similiar sentiment. The MEC is committed to doing this as a unified group.
While it would controversial with some to take a pay cut to protect the bottom X guys for a while, here's why it is a good investment. It isnt' just about being altruistic or team oriented...in fact it is just good business. A guy who has been on the street two years and comes back is NOT going to be worried about not picking up DPs, and won't give a flip about not picking up all he can during negoatiations. (You guys got yours--now I have to make some up!) He or she probably wouldn't cringe a bit if the company came after retirement pay or health care, and his compulsion to stand and fight for the guys who so happily put him on the street would likely be nil. How do I know this? Look at what happened at AA when the B scale came into fruition. That divided the force so much that years later as the "killer Bs" came into power that AA pilots typically lagged NWA, UAL, US Air, and DAL contracts for years in pay. It was also just a miserable (so I hear) place to work. We don't need that. We can pull together for 18-24 months, share a little pain, and come through all of this with our collective heads held high.
That guy making the comments? Those are water cooler statements. The CONTRACT...already defined, approved, and enacted by a majority of the crew force--gives pretty clear guidance (although not perfectly clear in a few cases) on the spirit and intent of how FDX pilots will deal with the threat of BLG adjustments and furloughs.
And to the whole "I need the extra $2400 for my high five..."--nothing in the contract guarantees anyone gets to max out their retirement. Its a goal we all want, and nothing wrong with it--but it is not contractual. And sorry dude--I'm a whole lot more sympathetic to the young family in Olive Branch keeping their mortgage paid and groceries on the table than I am you securing another $1500 a month in retirement benefits.
The good news--for those keeping score at home--is it ain't just the junior block reps who feel this way. Nobody writes me nasty letters or whines to me about BLG--but the block 1 and 2 reps deal with this regularly. If you are their FO/RFO on a trip sometime--ask them about it. I suspect you'll end up buying them a beer or two....
I decided to hold my tongue...I thought the "um...okay...thanks for your input" was enough.
He is not alone in his sentiment. As I mentioned, this is why I am such a fan of some of our reps...several who have personally repsonded to letters expressing similiar sentiment. The MEC is committed to doing this as a unified group.
While it would controversial with some to take a pay cut to protect the bottom X guys for a while, here's why it is a good investment. It isnt' just about being altruistic or team oriented...in fact it is just good business. A guy who has been on the street two years and comes back is NOT going to be worried about not picking up DPs, and won't give a flip about not picking up all he can during negoatiations. (You guys got yours--now I have to make some up!) He or she probably wouldn't cringe a bit if the company came after retirement pay or health care, and his compulsion to stand and fight for the guys who so happily put him on the street would likely be nil. How do I know this? Look at what happened at AA when the B scale came into fruition. That divided the force so much that years later as the "killer Bs" came into power that AA pilots typically lagged NWA, UAL, US Air, and DAL contracts for years in pay. It was also just a miserable (so I hear) place to work. We don't need that. We can pull together for 18-24 months, share a little pain, and come through all of this with our collective heads held high.
That guy making the comments? Those are water cooler statements. The CONTRACT...already defined, approved, and enacted by a majority of the crew force--gives pretty clear guidance (although not perfectly clear in a few cases) on the spirit and intent of how FDX pilots will deal with the threat of BLG adjustments and furloughs.
And to the whole "I need the extra $2400 for my high five..."--nothing in the contract guarantees anyone gets to max out their retirement. Its a goal we all want, and nothing wrong with it--but it is not contractual. And sorry dude--I'm a whole lot more sympathetic to the young family in Olive Branch keeping their mortgage paid and groceries on the table than I am you securing another $1500 a month in retirement benefits.
The good news--for those keeping score at home--is it ain't just the junior block reps who feel this way. Nobody writes me nasty letters or whines to me about BLG--but the block 1 and 2 reps deal with this regularly. If you are their FO/RFO on a trip sometime--ask them about it. I suspect you'll end up buying them a beer or two....
Last edited by Albief15; 06-19-2008 at 01:38 PM.
06-19-2008, 11:03 PM
#45
Line Holder
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 53
Folks,
It is very important to read the contract carefully. The company can reduce the BLG to any number they want to avoid a furlough. All it takes is 30 days notice in writing to the Union, and the company willing to take the bad press when DW is on CNN telling the financial world and our stockholders that FedEx is in such bad shape they are laying off employees, their stock price is down about 30%. They just reported their worst fourth quarter etc. I think the company will do all they can to avoid sending that letter to the Union. If they do send it things are really bad. The cut to 48/60 comes before anyone leaves the property. That is very expensive as well, a pilot flying 48hrs still accrues years of service, gets medical benefits, long and short term disability it goes on and on. Lots of bennies for very little productivity (kinda like France). The company is very avare of the cost of sending that letter.
It is very important to read the contract carefully. The company can reduce the BLG to any number they want to avoid a furlough. All it takes is 30 days notice in writing to the Union, and the company willing to take the bad press when DW is on CNN telling the financial world and our stockholders that FedEx is in such bad shape they are laying off employees, their stock price is down about 30%. They just reported their worst fourth quarter etc. I think the company will do all they can to avoid sending that letter to the Union. If they do send it things are really bad. The cut to 48/60 comes before anyone leaves the property. That is very expensive as well, a pilot flying 48hrs still accrues years of service, gets medical benefits, long and short term disability it goes on and on. Lots of bennies for very little productivity (kinda like France). The company is very avare of the cost of sending that letter.
06-20-2008, 08:53 AM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: leaning to the left
Posts: 4,184
This is taken from another thread(uh-oh). But, I thought it was just as pertinent, in this one.
Isn't that pretty much what we're doing at FDX? My pay is being reduced so that the less fortunate junior guys, don't get put out on the street. Must sound like some left wing socialist agenda to all you hardline conservatives.
I'm proud to be part of a group that is willing to do whatever it takes, "out of fairness", to keep everyone employed, here at FDX.
I'm proud to be part of a group that is willing to do whatever it takes, "out of fairness", to keep everyone employed, here at FDX.
06-20-2008, 09:44 AM
#47
Ok, No more sleeping Dog
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: MD-11, F/O
Posts: 889
I'm a hardline Conservative and I think it's great that we have provisions to prevent un-employment. In fact I thought this section was one of the strong points in the contract I voted for...........
06-20-2008, 10:50 AM
#48
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: DA-40
Posts: 290
Folks,
It is very important to read the contract carefully. The company can reduce the BLG to any number they want to avoid a furlough. All it takes is 30 days notice in writing to the Union, and the company willing to take the bad press when DW is on CNN telling the financial world and our stockholders that FedEx is in such bad shape they are laying off employees, their stock price is down about 30%. They just reported their worst fourth quarter etc. I think the company will do all they can to avoid sending that letter to the Union. If they do send it things are really bad. The cut to 48/60 comes before anyone leaves the property. That is very expensive as well, a pilot flying 48hrs still accrues years of service, gets medical benefits, long and short term disability it goes on and on. Lots of bennies for very little productivity (kinda like France). The company is very avare of the cost of sending that letter.
It is very important to read the contract carefully. The company can reduce the BLG to any number they want to avoid a furlough. All it takes is 30 days notice in writing to the Union, and the company willing to take the bad press when DW is on CNN telling the financial world and our stockholders that FedEx is in such bad shape they are laying off employees, their stock price is down about 30%. They just reported their worst fourth quarter etc. I think the company will do all they can to avoid sending that letter to the Union. If they do send it things are really bad. The cut to 48/60 comes before anyone leaves the property. That is very expensive as well, a pilot flying 48hrs still accrues years of service, gets medical benefits, long and short term disability it goes on and on. Lots of bennies for very little productivity (kinda like France). The company is very avare of the cost of sending that letter.
The way I'm reading (and of course I may be WAAY wrong), it seems the CBA allows the company these options:
1. Normally BLG is 68 CH minimum and they must pay that according to CBA
2. They decided that going less than 68 is advantageous so they notify of "potential furloughs"
3. They begin to reduce below 68 CH as allowed by the CBA. Now they have 2 options
a. Go to 48 CH min for at least one bid month and then furlough (that is the option everyone has been debating on here with the 13 CH spread, too many flight hours to allow that etc)
b. Go to somewhere between 68 CH and 48 CH to "delay" the furlough (there is no time limitation for this option)
I may be wrong, but it seems this can happen. Remember, the company has a history of liberally interpreting the CBA --- (ie if it's not prohibited specifically, then its allowed)
Last edited by MalteseX; 06-20-2008 at 11:02 AM.
06-20-2008, 09:08 PM
#50
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Posts: 503
Offer incentives to not bid
UAL offered their guys either 45 or 55 per month, but they bid for that line and it did not include any flying. They took their CH and went home. It was a monthly bid line. If you wanted the lower pay but no work you bid it and stayed at home. You just had to maintain currency in order to bid. Of course you'd have to bid a line at least every three months to get your landings. Assuming of course you could afford to take the pay cut. That way the guys tight on cash can continue to get paid normal and those that can afford not to work can do so. If no one wanted the line I suppose it would go to the guys at the bottom, but better than a furlough. The bottom line is still the same for the company. Most at 68 some at 50. Things that make you go Hummm.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
