Originally Posted by TOGA LK

A brilliant concept and most definitely in-touch with the reality around junior pilots. With just a few hundred retirements per year until the later part of this decade, there will be many guys forced into a reserve life-style in those categories. The realities are, a SLC or LAX type may very well be a reserve on the junior most eqiupment from 2008 until 2016 or even later, depending on the negotiations concerning scope with Alaska and 70+ seat flying conducted by Skywest. (It's obvious in our network where the Trojan Horse was cut loose, the furthest most direction away from mecca.).

Now that I have complained, a possible solution.

If said pilot is living within 180 miles of a Delta pilot base in the junior most category:

Artificially beef up the staffing formulas on the bottom of said categories.

Alternate said pilots between a month of reserve and a month of holding a schedule. No one is punished as the staffing is artificially high to begin with.

or

If a currently commuting pilot maintains a bid prefence under his AE and/or VD indicating ONLY a preference to be based within 180 miles of his home of record AND maintains that top preference until he is awarded a base within 180 miles of his home of record:

a. Positive space to work for shortcall assignments

b. Positive space for the assignment of a trip

c. Paid hotel rooms and perdiem a. and b.

d. An alternating monthly schedule of reserve and block

e. Seat locks will be removed as required to enable the pilot to bid into a base within 180 miles of his home of record, in seniority order

and

For all reserve pilots:

a. 15 days of availability for 75 hour guarantee, based upon average daily credit of 5 hours per day. This can be shifted as low as 13 days for 65 hours of pay enabling the pilots to maintain a line of work outside of flying as a hedge and preparation against future economic downturns and furlough. Such pilots will be permitted to conduct outside flying under part 91, flight instructing, EMS, police, fire, etc. Such pilots must ensure that this time doesn't conflict with FARs.

b. The ability to bid short call RAP periods and/or longcall in seniority order, a maximum of six short calls per month.

c. The option of bidding all shortcalls for the entire month and being awarded the higher of 80 hours, the ALV or the actual hours or days flown based upon all the duty rigs associated with a regular line pilot and five hours per day guarantee.

d. Scheduling will maintain a ratio of long call and shortcall, with a minimum staffing for shortcall.

e. Trips in open time awarded in seniority order. If a pilot has not put a yellow slip request in, then trips for the following day must be offered by scheduling in seniority order, unless the senior pilots has indicated a preference via yellow slip.

f. Eliminate the requirement to check your schedule on a day off. However, a pilot can expect an assignment or RAP as early as 12:00 the first day and a commuting reserve pilot must anticipate a positive space flight to his base of coverage on the first mainline, codeshare or DCI flight available from his home of record.


These concepts would reward those attempting to bid into a base in which they already live within 180 miles of and rectify the pay discrepancies between those stuck each month at 70 hours and those that can hold regular line positions. In effect, everyone would have about the same pay and 15 days per month of obligation. Of course greenslips and working over the ALV with swaps and open time would still be an option.

Originally Posted by sinca3

While I don't doubt you had to wait or were late in ATL, it wasn't b/c of station personnel. The power that be need to get a handle on the poor planning of dep and arr into the "busiest airport in the world!!"

Originally Posted by sinca3

While I don't doubt you had to wait or were late in ATL, it wasn't b/c of station personnel. The power that be need to get a handle on the poor planning of dep and arr into the "busiest airport in the world!!"

Originally Posted by scambo1

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Toga;

this matrix didn't get enough attention. I like it a lot.

Especially the positive space and hotel part.

Now if Intl shortcall would be reduced to the point of being able to back to back them.

Originally Posted by brakechatter

I don't. Guess we negate each other's votes.

Originally Posted by 80ktsClamp

I hear newK designed this play:

Video: The middle school trick play that gained worldwide fame - Prep Rally - High School - Yahoo! Sports

Originally Posted by Denny Crane

Look at 737 and 767 in LA (Los Angeles for those of you on the east coast!), you could be living there and not be able to hold a line in either category. Same goes for SEA which just has widebody cats. Now your saying I have to move/change bases/downbid to get this deal? It'll never float.

Fire Away!!

Denny

Originally Posted by Check Essential

It is just plain dumb, not to mention inefficient and illogical, to waste our leverage going after contract terms that would allow more guys to live in Wyoming and be bidding reserve in Los Angeles. I'd much rather use that leverage to get better payrates, higher DC contributions and sick rules and all the other stuff we want.

Originally Posted by Check Essential

LAX73NB and SEA7ERB would be included in the deal.
Whatever is the most junior category in every base.

The incentives could even vary by base. Whatever it takes to get people to want to be on reserve at that base. Pay a bit more for NYC for example (because few live there and there are less potential reserves). A bit less for SLC or ATL.

I doubt the idea would fly. Too radical.

ACL is certainly correct. It would tend to make reserve more junior in the upper categories. But so what? People would still bid what they want and want what they bid.

What it does is shift contract negotiation "resources" away from those folks who want to spend our negotiating capital to make reserve more "commutable".
I know I'll draw flak, but in my opinion if you are going to commute you should bid a category where your seniority allows you to have a regular line. The guys who live in base can sit reserve. It is just plain dumb, not to mention inefficient and illogical, to waste our leverage going after contract terms that would allow more guys to live in Wyoming and be bidding reserve in Los Angeles. I'd much rather use that leverage to get better payrates, higher DC contributions and sick rules and all the other stuff we want.

Originally Posted by scambo1

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Toga;

this matrix didn't get enough attention. I like it a lot.

Especially the positive space and hotel part.

Now if Intl shortcall would be reduced to the point of being able to back to back them.