TonyC

That's the MEC Chairman's chance to say, "Yes.". Once implemented, who gets the final say in everything else?

It's not us, and there will be no going back.






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Butter

I flew with a CA within the last 2 years, when PiBs was all the talk, who used to be on the SIG and is now a DO who told me that there have been multiple software developers that have pitched PBS software to the company. He said he saw it first hand and that there are programs that will work with our system. If the VP of Flight Operations has the final say, PBS is coming in the front door via VTO's!

kronan

VTOs ARE PBS, always have been. Ask the company why XX happened and you get the response that it's a VTO Request, if you're lucky enough to get a reply.

Recent history on VTOs is bottom 10% or so have been R days. The first 10sh years I was here, the bottom 35-50% of VTO lines were R days. 2 years ago I was too Junior to hold a Reserve line, every VTO line I was awarded for 18+ months was all R days. The only exception was Christmas.

Currently, one of my buds is at the 75% level on Bus Capt VTOs. For October, his VTO line is all RA days. His perception is that he's a year away from a flying VTO line

busdriver12

Unfortunately, I think he's wrong. The bus seniority list is shrinking from the top and bottom, with people keeping the same relative seniority for years, now. He will probably still be getting RA days a year from now, especially if this TA passes and up to 20% of the reserve blocks are tossed into the VTO pot.

However, I am happy to pass on any trips I'm unable to drop, should he want them.

kronan

Well, that sucks...for him

Money's nice, but QOL is priceless. Would have sworn the 10sh years he spent as a Bus FO (after bidding off of DC10 FO) were sufficient

Didn't peruse all the October VTOs, but have the impression more people bid around their vacation/tng/carry over this month

busdriver12

A senior, dying aircraft is not a good place to be.After over twenty years, my schedule usually starts out looking like garbage. I can't imagine starting out much lower.

maddogpyrat

Fix the provisions that are impediments to retirement. For all.

Restore a greater proportion of FDX cost for health care. Going from 11-12% to 17-20% is a nonstarter.

Restore the $25K HRA for pre-Medicare retirees. For those of you who haven't done a retiree seminar, the increased premiums from retirement to age 65 (67?) delay many retirement dates. If necessary, phase $5K out each year after age 60.

Ignore the "fly sick" bribe (SLB) and the "you must retire in December" incentive for what they are - they are NOT part of a rational retirement decision. Sure, for some, they add dollars, but these pale in comparison to ...

Restore some level of multiplier for all pilots over the age of "xx" as we had in Contract 2006. Those without enough years to benefit from the next paragraph need some sort of adjustment to retain their DB pension level.

Adjust the B Plan number to reflect a true desire by FDX to move away from the DB plan. +1% at DOS, another +1% at DOS+2, another +1% at DOS+4.

Add provision to automatically adjust Section 3 compensation +3% at end of contract +12 months, then +4% at +24 months, then +5% at +36 months. Or some other incentive to negotiate.

I've seen lots of other ideas that hit QOL, deadheads, etc, and those are well and good, but we should avoid a wholesale rewrite of the TA. With the exception of the last provision I mention, there is existing language either in Contract 2006 or in the TA, and all FDX needs to do is pony up to the bar with the cash. And yes, do the envelope math, the above would be in the low nine-figures.