Brinary01

Can anyone clarify the reserve improvements outlined in LOA 11? Some make sense, but for those of us who don't have 121 background, it would be nice to see how the improvements listed in LOA11 will improve QOL on reserve. On the other hand what is a "bucket system?" When will line pilots start to see these changes? Are these improvements an attempt to make upgrade, and leaving a R1 line as an FO to a CA on an SCR schedule more palatable?

blackhawk88

The LOA 11 is a concession by the MEC Chairman to increase the flow to 10/month. The Union did so without getting any input from the pilots whatsoever. Many are disappointed, including myself as you can probably tell. Only thing that remotely resembles QOL improvement is that you're no longer required to call on the day before starting a group of reserve days. I don't know of any other airline that does this; this shouldn't have been agreed upon in the first place. A major downside to this LOA is that the company can now assign trips 120 hours (5 days) in advance, meaning not all the open time trips are available for seniority-based trades for lineholders that happen towards the end of the current month for the next month. Also it made it more difficult for some reserve pilots to swap days and for lineholders to drop/swap trips. Our MEC Chairman during a conference call said this wasn't his intention. Sounds like he's claiming he got blindsided.

Before the LOA, pilots don't have a list of pilots who are sitting reserve on a particular day. The LOA forced the company to publish that list, so you can now see it on FLICA. That's the bucket system.

However, with all this being said, the MEC is still negotiating better reserve rules and pilots expect that to be published by summer. There are some line rumors as to what they're negotiating, and if those rumors are true, we'll see some good changes.

DoNoHarm

Did you miss the part of the LOA's that require significant reserve rule changes, which the MEC members have been meeting with the company about for the last couple weeks? Wait a couple weeks, allow the actual reserve rule changes to come out, and then judge.

blackhawk88

I understand... that's why I mentioned they're still working on improving it but the LOA 11 itself is a concession in my opinion.

WhiteMorpheus

Yet we still have no idea where we are in the order for getting a trip assigned, or if the other available pilots requested first or last out. Then there is the "efficiency over seniority" language that makes that a moot point. Hopefully that will all see clarification and improvement following the additional negotiations.

So far, reserve has not been that bad, but I am not prior 121 and live in base, so I have no basis for comparison.

Brinary01

Thanks for all the responses.

Brinary01

irrelevant

I'm concerned it's been two months since this was agreed to, and we still haven't seen the actual language of the flow increase. It would be nice to be able to see what holes are in the language that will allow the company to drive a freight train through whenever they want.

I'm starting to wonder if our ALPA reps even got this flow increase in writing.

Belizepilot

They said it had to go to the national level Tim Canoll has to sign. It's been 8 weeks now since the announcement, and I would think the more time goes on without any positive news coming out from these LOAs the more pilot morale is going to turn sour thus creating an even more toxic situation between the pilots, union, and management. I'm assuming some of us are questioning which side our Union is representing as these Reserve rules have cost many of us money and losing QOL.

Blazin24 7

This place is getting more toxic by the day. Thats what happens when there is no communication between the people we are required to pay to represent us. "we cant talk about on going negotiations". Yeah that worked soooo well with critical pay arbitration. Dont touch my sap with out a vote.