From the East Pilots' MEC Code-a-Phone (June 29):
Item 1. With the summer season underway, and the number of passengers traveling by air at an all-time high, US Airways management has suddenly realized that they are woefully understaffed and have approached the MEC with a "deal" that would, as they put it, "minimize any adverse impact such shortages would have on our pilots or our customers." Surprise, management says that they are "very tight on 76I pilots and base imbalances in other positions."
Month after month we have been on the emergency relief valve of 95 hour pay caps, additional flex, and ‘Priority of Trip Assignments’ (POTA), all with over a one thousand four hundred US Airways pilots on the street. For months we have told management and the press that we are understaffed, resulting in our pilots being tired and fatigued with data from the Wilson poll to prove it. Management’s answer has always been we are properly staffed. Now they want staffing relief from you.
Basically, for the months of July and August, management is looking to bribe our pilots and offer 25% percent premium for any block hour flown over 85 hours in exchange for major scheduling relief including moving line holder pilots. A short term fix with no long term benefits to our pilots. We say we have many contract issues and parity is a starter. We will not sell ourselves out. This one way street where management continues to ignore our needs and expect us to address theirs by throwing crumbs on the table is insulting.
We have a strategy called the “Three Prong Approach.†There is no doubt your efforts are being noticed. One of the prongs calls for our pilots to “Do Your Own Job,†and give an opportunity for the other work groups to do their job. We now ask management to do their job including staffing and operating the airline successfully. That takes more than figuring out how much you squeeze out of your employees and how little you can compensate them.
Looks like all of the employees in the east have Doogie's attention. Now it's too late for him to find out that merely throwing a pittance of money in our direction will have any effect.
-- Respect.
-- Adequate staffing.
-- Fair, industry leading compensation.
These things for ALL the employees MIGHT bring the operation back from the brink of oblivion. I think it's way too late for Doogie to accomplish this. It will be a LONG, HOT summer.
Item 1. With the summer season underway, and the number of passengers traveling by air at an all-time high, US Airways management has suddenly realized that they are woefully understaffed and have approached the MEC with a "deal" that would, as they put it, "minimize any adverse impact such shortages would have on our pilots or our customers." Surprise, management says that they are "very tight on 76I pilots and base imbalances in other positions."
Month after month we have been on the emergency relief valve of 95 hour pay caps, additional flex, and ‘Priority of Trip Assignments’ (POTA), all with over a one thousand four hundred US Airways pilots on the street. For months we have told management and the press that we are understaffed, resulting in our pilots being tired and fatigued with data from the Wilson poll to prove it. Management’s answer has always been we are properly staffed. Now they want staffing relief from you.
Basically, for the months of July and August, management is looking to bribe our pilots and offer 25% percent premium for any block hour flown over 85 hours in exchange for major scheduling relief including moving line holder pilots. A short term fix with no long term benefits to our pilots. We say we have many contract issues and parity is a starter. We will not sell ourselves out. This one way street where management continues to ignore our needs and expect us to address theirs by throwing crumbs on the table is insulting.
We have a strategy called the “Three Prong Approach.†There is no doubt your efforts are being noticed. One of the prongs calls for our pilots to “Do Your Own Job,†and give an opportunity for the other work groups to do their job. We now ask management to do their job including staffing and operating the airline successfully. That takes more than figuring out how much you squeeze out of your employees and how little you can compensate them.
Looks like all of the employees in the east have Doogie's attention. Now it's too late for him to find out that merely throwing a pittance of money in our direction will have any effect.
-- Respect.
-- Adequate staffing.
-- Fair, industry leading compensation.
These things for ALL the employees MIGHT bring the operation back from the brink of oblivion. I think it's way too late for Doogie to accomplish this. It will be a LONG, HOT summer.
And with Record load factors in the terminals, the FUN HOUSE is good for a Good Laugh too. <Let ME At 'Em!>. Where in the hell is the Cotton Candy and Popcorn?
