max8222

Most PBS systems will only protect your actual vacation days. So If you had vacation this month for seven days starting on 13 july-20 July, PBS would only ensure you had those days free from vacation plus any buffer. So it is much harder to put you off days next to your vacation days. It could put an out and back ect just before your vacation and one just after. Under our current system I can usually have three weeks off in a row with 7 days of vacation. With PBS this will not happen except for the most senior. Where do you think they will want to put the west coast min turns on your schedule?

Gunter

FedEx is, effectively, instituting it's own brand of PBS RIGHT NOW.

Only, for us, it's a steady, slow application of computer generated efficiency instead of an instant turn on of a new program like it was elsewhere. The only things modifying the computer's output are our pesky vacation policy and a few work rules.

I don't think they need PBS. It won't make us any more efficient. In fact, they don't want control taken away from them and given to reasonably defined parameters. I get the impression that the "parameters" restricting the optimizer now are far less limiting than those covering other airlines PBS programs.

Gunter

My point?

I'm glad our optimizer is a myth. Otherwise I might just believe all your stories about chopped up R days and unturnable >8 hr in 24 hr pairings.

Anyone who can't see all the connections can't possibly be paying any attention. Glad we were focused on those A380 rates.

The optimizer isn't traditional PBS, it's better. They can change the parameters, since they don't share them with us at all, any time they want.

jagplt

The system as it is now, is way beyond broken. Last August that we are referring to, was built by 16 crew members who worked to protect us from basically, stupidity. If the company computer is left to come up with it's own pairings and lines, you get something close to what we are going to be experiencing this August.

With the lockout of the PSIT, we now have 3 crew crew members who are working to screen the pairings and lines. With only 3 of them, they are struggling to get any meaningful input into the process. All the lines that are generated make it nearly impossible for them to analyze each pairing and line and dispute them in the build process. With minimal input from our side, they seem to build whatever they want. Which is what we are seeing now.

I am not sure why we are even playing in the process. All that is getting caught now are the glaring FAR violations and basically illegal trips from being published. Not sure if it's our job to send 3 guys to protect the company from their own scheduling buffoonery.

Another issue that concerns me is the SIG letter that is published. The July letter was pretty much the same paragraph for each acft type. I questioned how that can be and find the company edits our letter from our SIG to our members.

Is it just me, or does this resemble when the company told us who we could use as a negotiator for contract negotiations? Seems the Company gets a lot of input into our process, but we get little or no input into their process.

My question is, how have we gotten to this point? ... and where to from here?

In Sept I'd like to see the difference in sick use between Aug 08 and Aug 09.

MaydayMark

My awarded AUG line is worth 59+21 ... I thought the min BLG was 68 hours!* Thank you very much for 4.a.2.b Capt Cassel.

FXDX

You forgot to thank Capts Prater, Webb and Emens. There are more, but those 3 come to mind immediately.

Credit where credit is due.

KnightFlyer

Disregard...

MaydayMark

Never mind ...

"Due to an error in the original August bid awards, they have been canceled and are being reawarded. Please review your award after 2100 CDT on July 16 and, if you submitted a request in the Conflict Input window, adust that request as necessary."

fecav8r

It's a good thing I'm not paying more than 2% for all this.

ERJFO

I'm not at Purple, but if I PM'd an e-mail address could someone send me a few FDX bid packages? I've seen them in the crew rooms in LAX and OAK when I've been jumpseating, I've just never grabbed one.