USMCFDX

Fr8Hauler,
My point was that not all stbys go to reserves.

I do not have a problem with a little make up. However, the pilots that are picking up trips and flying the carryover to have a 100+ hour line while I get 61, reserves get 60 for 15 days work and some even have 58, I have a problem with. These pilots are helping create the current problem and you will not convince me otherwise.
I am all for the shared loss of hours, but not so a few individuals can prosper at my and others expense.

hamfisted

As a crew force, we have collectively already taken action to prevent or delay furloughs. According to the CBA, 4.A2.b, ALL pilots are now being assigned less flying and the ONLY reason is to delay or prevent a furlough. Does anybody challenge or disagree with that?? If you disagree with that and you don't think there is a real fear of furlough, why do you care if guys pick up open time?
OK then, don't ask me to take ADDITIONAL steps to delay or prevent a furlough that the Union does not support, adhere to or recommend. If it's in open time and it's not a DP, I have no qualms trying to pick it up. If the Union feels strongly about guys picking up open time, it is up to them to give us some indication that doing so is having an adverse effect on trying to save jobs. Until then, if I got the time in my makeup bank, it's like money I put there. Unless the Union has a problem with it, I plan on withdrawing some of my savings.

USMCFDX

The union can not ask pilots to stop flying 100+ hour lines. That is a work action.

If we keep seeing enough pilots fly 100+ jour lines, and many times it is the junior guys, the middle group of seniority might just join the senior crowd that says "F'em lets cut 300 off the bottom and get by BLG back to normal".

Gunter

You and I are the union. The mouthpieces we have on the MEC are part of it, but not THE union by a long shot. What they can say in public has a lot to do with lawsuit potential. Talk to one of them privately and you'll see what I mean.

The excess that is coming is being partly based on how much each individual is flying now. The size of the excess, along with the economy, will help them decide if, when and how many to furlough.

Fly as much makeup as your consciense tells you to. No need to be extremist here. Both on the low and the high side.

Do you feel silly holding back using only a little of your makeup when you see pigs wallowing in the trough? Find comfort knowing that doing the right thing has nothing to do with what the herd is doing. It is based solely on your own actions.

Blackbeard

No one should have a problem with a guy flying a makeup trip(s). Remember, this was previously awarded credit that for one reason or another was not flown in the first place. Protected carryover = different story.

FR8Hauler

I have no problem with a guy being quick on the draw in open time. Everyone has an equal shot at this. If you had to drop a big trip you have the right to make it up. As it is right now if you are forced to drop a trip you just lose the money and that is that sincee there is no open time. My point is no sense casting too many stones now when the day may be coming when there are no more opportunities is pointless. Unless the union comes out and gives guidance to knock it off this is a losing battle. We can't keep guys from flying dp's when they are told not to do it.

hamfisted

Open time is fair game UNTIL the first guy hits the street. I am adhering to the CBA and following the lead of OUR Union. I'm too junior to get carrover, have never flown a DP and absolutely refuse to face the prospect of getting furloughed while I have makeup hours or money in the bank. Getting a trip in open time has no bearing on whether I'm senior, middle-of-the-pack or junior. One of the few options the junior guys actually have left to try to make some cash without undercutting the Union's efforts.

USMCFDX

And how is protected carryover a different? Where do you think the hours that some are making up now came from? These hours were not all MLA and trip drops. Your different story is just that another nice story.

MEMFO4Ever

It is the culture of this group to place no limits on the number of hours you can get paid for through carryover, makeup, trades, vacation buyback, etc. If you don't like this then recommend a change to the contract on the next go around. I distinctly remember MH telling us at a roadshow meeting after the last TA that through polling the NC was informed that "overwhelmingly" pilots do not want limits placed on their earning potential. I would say that I have to agree in principle. If guys want to kill themselves with 150 credit hours a month, let them, however we have too many pilots if that's the case. APC may just have a vocal minority because most guys I fly with really don't care.

This organization is fat and needs to be leaned out. I think that the best way would be an incentive program for the top earners to leave, but the company does not agree. They make the rules. It is their game.

-- Just another bug on the windshield of unbridled capitalism

Blackbeard

Ah, a slippery slope indeed. But I do see your point. How can we know the source of someone's makeup credit hours? That's a tough one. But it's not hard to see with our own eyes someone's calendar with all but 2,3,4 days marked up. If we demonize the occasional make-up flyer, we will just create another turf war. Could this be shades of the mid-90's?