Finally, I have you thinking on the same team. I was getting worried that you were one of those BH's that I fly with, who love to tell me hoe great I have it. I don't need to go into that routine with you. Anyway, good to have you aboard.
All ab out Blockholders
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LCC_#1
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Oh, but you are, my pet. You should call me Gepeto. Just kidding. I really do think we are close in our concerns. In the end, I believe we do want the similar things, as do most F/A's. Better pay, work conditions, and such. First thing we need to get done is, bring the job security level of the RSV's up to where the BH's are. You know, guaranteed a full paycheck each month without having to give up their days off. I think a great way to do this, would be to implement a raotating RSV system, give everyone a feel for what is going on below them. Instead of this you have it so good attitude I still get when I go out on line. Once, we get everyone a taste of this system, we can start changing things for the better.
Travelpro72
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Could you imagine some of our most senior flight attendants finding themselves back on reserve even for 1 month out of the year. They would quit. It would never happen. Of all the changes needed a rotating reserve system is something I can surely bet we'll never see on the usairways property.
LCC_#1
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The shame about PB not being implemented is that there would be soooo many more blockholders. Reserves would then be there for the proper reasons...sick calls and irregular operations. The downside would have to do with flexibility as once everything is out, its out. The ETB would then be used for all trading, dropping, and picking up. There would be a need then for very few schedulers, so I can't believe there were no numbers given. I think it came down to every dime being squeezed.
My only issue with being a blockholder is that stupid weekend rule. Now I can luckily SAP out of weekends but many cannot. This problem in two fold. You always knew you could pick up good trips as everyone senior to me wanted weekends off. Now that they HAVE to work the weekend, of COURSE they will keep the good trip. I think I will start bidding for secondaries in Feb....better choices.
BTW, the enforcing of 30/7 are really showing. Had 6 people up for my redeye and none quailfied because of it.
My only issue with being a blockholder is that stupid weekend rule. Now I can luckily SAP out of weekends but many cannot. This problem in two fold. You always knew you could pick up good trips as everyone senior to me wanted weekends off. Now that they HAVE to work the weekend, of COURSE they will keep the good trip. I think I will start bidding for secondaries in Feb....better choices.
BTW, the enforcing of 30/7 are really showing. Had 6 people up for my redeye and none quailfied because of it.
LCC you hit the nail on the head with PB. The only thing is they would haved to automate the etb....no waiting days for processing. It would force everyone to use the etb for trip improving which would make the etb more active. All trips would change hands...not just the almighty transatlantics. Trust me it would work
hp_fa
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You may as well forget about rotating reserve, especially if the company wants to allow lineholders to drop hours.
The company literally uses reserves as a profit center by allowing line holders to drop hours and be able to replace those same hours with a less costly reserve flight attendant. There would be no benefit to the company to have a rotating reserve where it potentially would be in a position where it would potentially have to replace a more junior line holder with a more senior reserve who was on his/her rotation month. The economic benefit to the company would be nonexistent, and therefore not something they would actively seek to do.
The politics of the proposal are such that both the company and the senior folks would be pitted against the junior folks. The seniors are highly unlikely to side with the juniors in this issue since they will perceive it as a quality-of-life issue. Therefore, the union will have no support by the membership-at-large to even attempt to negotiate a rotating reserve.
The company literally uses reserves as a profit center by allowing line holders to drop hours and be able to replace those same hours with a less costly reserve flight attendant. There would be no benefit to the company to have a rotating reserve where it potentially would be in a position where it would potentially have to replace a more junior line holder with a more senior reserve who was on his/her rotation month. The economic benefit to the company would be nonexistent, and therefore not something they would actively seek to do.
The politics of the proposal are such that both the company and the senior folks would be pitted against the junior folks. The seniors are highly unlikely to side with the juniors in this issue since they will perceive it as a quality-of-life issue. Therefore, the union will have no support by the membership-at-large to even attempt to negotiate a rotating reserve.
sharktooth
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Pretty preceptive, Travelpro.
The "unlimited pass" system works very well when you have supervisors willing to "be the bad guys" and call someone to task for not flying "enough" as well as flying "too much". In quotes because those items should be fleshed out in contractual negotiations. Unfortunately, the company seems to be happier hiring clerks than people who think.
The pilot MEC rejected PB in the early 90's because it resulted in the top 1% being happy and everyone else experiencing a worse life than the pure system enjoyed by original USAir. Those that are happy with it, the NW f/as, generally came from a horrid system before, what you experience, matters.
Simplicity works very well. Complex scheduling systems only allow mgmt to interdict the contract on a daily basis. This was pointed out to me by a nameless manager who told me of nights spent figuring out how to further reduce the contract by setting "100 brush fires" knowing full well that the ignorance of the pilot group as well as the incompetance of the union allowed them to win 80 to 90 grievances per year, simply because the union did not allow the resources to fight management. He opined that mgmt gained more ground out of section 6 than at any other place, even bankruptcy.
Make the company put out blocks, even some with reserve days, run secondaries, if you wish but most important. Keep it simple so the employees can police it.
Just sayin'
No, it's not blending or they would have done it earlier. It's due to the new 24/7 rule that is making BH's on the east side fly more on avg. That is why the union asked for more TWOP. That's all, just our union helping someone out. That's what they do, help people out. Ask any RSV, they'll tell you. Luckily, this won't have to be greived.
