mulcher

If I remember correctly, it wasn't fully agreed to. But it was agreed to be added on the next contract to vote. The concept of the change was agreed to because SWA do whatever you want. SWApA had choices and the group spoke. However, in order to be implemented. It will need to be voted on when we get our next contract. If I recall correctly. It was worded so that the passing of the TA hinged on it. I could be way off base, but I think that's it.

mouthbreathers

Wrong!!!

The exact method was voted on and agreed to and I bet most here chiming in don’t know what it is.

mulcher

The method I said was agreed on. The membership voted on that. Any two weeks first round. Then second round on whatever. The implementation of what was agreed on by the membership hasn’t been agreed to between SWA and SWApA.

Lewbronski

Unless you got their consent, please try to avoid specifically naming people who aren’t public figures like Bob Jordan, the SWA CEO. If necessary for context, use initials. The other forum is a private forum open only to SWAPA members. This is a public forum open to any rando from anywhere and searchable by Google.

And I’m not sure that it’s cool in terms of simple coolness and also in terms of the TOS either here or on the other forum to copy and paste quotes directly from the other forum.

mulcher

You are right I meant to cut that.

Lewbronski

I get it. Thanks. Any chance you could edit your post to remove the posts from the other forum and the specific names of people from over there?

ZapBrannigan

So this year was the first time I was able to take advantage of this scheme.

I was awarded a 3 week late summer block. Traded out the middle week for something earlier in the year. And now I'm taking a 5 week vacation from mid July through late August.

No intention of picking up any additional flying in July, but maybe in August after the kiddo goes back to school.

It's an amazing feeling to look at your schedule (I'm sorry I can't call it a board) and realize that you've been able to accomplish something like that - turning two vacation weeks into well over a month off. So I completely understand why those with the seniority horsepower to do it want to hang on to it.

That said, as someone who might well go back to junior vacation status sometime next year, I still get why it's unpopular among the masses.

Being senior means you should be able to be first in line for the buffet at Thanksgiving Dinner. Get the best cuts of Turkey, the best slices of pie until you fill your plate.

It doesn't mean you should be able to take the entire Turkey and all the pies and trade them with other pilots for their mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cookies. That subverts seniority.

But here's what I'll say. You only have kids at home for 18 years and then they're gone. With our without a vacation award, take those family vacations during summer break or Spring Break. The airline will be just fine without you for a week or two. Family is important and if every so often that requires a sick call, so be it. They built this system, they'll deal with its unintended consequences.

WHACKMASTER

😂😂😂 I’m glad I’m not the only one that can’t bring myself to call it a “board”.

Crockrocket95

But 1982 called....

SlipKid

I've always thought that the block bidding nonsense was, well, just that. Even being pretty senior these days, I still think it's a stupid system. That said, I've always made it work for me, even when I was junior.

I was all for changing it to something better, as long as it didn't subrogate seniority.

Unfortunately, and ironically, (considering that the folks screaming loudest for the change touted seniority subrogation as one of their major gripes with block bidding), roughly 40% of the pilot group ultimately voted to do exactly that.

FWIW, Only 50% of the total group cared enough to vote in the first round, and 64% in the second round.

In keeping with the Thanksgiving metaphor, if these changes ever get implemented, the senior folks will be forced to leave 3/5 of their turkey and pie to those junior to them on the first pass at the buffet line.