At least not every MEC member is scared...I sure wish I were based in PIT!
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4 Aug 06
Fellow pilots of Council 94:
Management has had a field day in the past few weeks telling you how to do your job. Since John and I are now under the watchful eye of Mr. Hemenway, Vice President of Labor Relations, we thought we should remind you of tasks that do NOT fall under your job description.
US Airways pilots do NOT clean airplanes. They do not tidy up cabins. They do NOT wipe down lavatories. Being the helpful, concerned employees we are, we are often tempted to do these tasks, especially to help our fellow employees. Don’t.
US Airways pilots do NOT manhandle air conditioning hoses. If ground air is not meeting the needs of your passengers or crew, have it turned off and start your APU.
US Airways pilots do NOT task load themselves during critical flight operations. If you are to cross active runways, or do not have your weight and balance on taxi, please evaluate carefully the need single engine taxi. You can always shut down an engine(s) if you find yourself in a long lineup. It is our opinion that single engine taxi is becoming less and less appropriate….especially considering the ill advised and poorly designed cockpit procedures we are being asked to implement while flying revenue passengers. Single engine taxi is a wonderful tool to save fuel, but it is just that…a tool. It is our opinion this pilot group is currently operating in the RED. Even though management has decided the Volant Model no longer applies to US Airway’s pilots…we are educated and professional enough to forever keep that model in OUR bag of tools.
US Airways pilots should NOT answer their phones on DAYS OFF. They are meant to be days free from duty. Spend time with your families….FAMILY FIRST and take advantage of every break from this stressful job you can. We understand, due to the reserve system, many pilots MUST, at certain times, answer their phones on off days (otherwise facing trip assignment at midnight) and we are not telling them otherwise. POTA was a GIFT to this company to allow them to schedule in irregular operations. They have hijacked POTA by putting more pilots on the street and using it as a primary method of scheduling. If you are aware of a major hurricane or winter storm hitting our system, we suggest pilots CALL scheduling and OFFER to help out
Otherwise, don’t answer that phone on days off.
US Airways pilots are NOT responsible for the catering of aircraft. If your aircraft is not catered properly, call out a catering supervisor and talk to him face to face about what is not satisfactory about his performance. Stop doing his job by calling in individual items. You have enough to do with keeping up with the monthly changes in your cockpit procedures…don’t do catering’s job
US Airways pilots are NOT responsible for the manning of marshalling crews. The US Airway’s flight schedule is published months in advance, and is available to even a 5 year old on the internet. If you are pushing back or arriving ON SCHEDULE do not call the company and ask to be marshaled. I watched PHL ground crews walk by our aircraft yesterday for 15 minutes as we sat, engines running, waiting to be marshaled in. Seems it was “Sno Cone†day in PHL, and each employee was strolling by the aircraft eating their newfound treat. If you are not operating on schedule, for whatever reason, then by all means give the company every notice you can to get those crews out. Otherwise..Don’t.
US Airways pilots do NOT assign seats to passengers on the aircraft. If there is a double seat assignment call operations to send an agent down to the aircraft. Do not do their job.
US Airways pilots should NOT dress as decorated military heroes (although we should point out many of them ARE!) Don’t be enamored with the constant flow of company feel good trinkets, pins, and lanyards coming your way. We even suggest you leave your service pins at home. A “diamond†now will not even get you in the left seat in many bases…that is nothing to be proud of. INSTEAD…we want to see EVERY pilot wear his or her ALPA service pin…and that pin ONLY. If you do not have a jacket, then wear it on your shirt pocket or tie. If you need a pin, call membership services, or call John or I…we will get you one. How about a show of unity here!
It is sad that current management has chosen to take this airline forward without the Pilot group. They make every effort to assail our contract, with grievances in the hundreds, and see fit to even leave ALPA out of operational decisions…most notably the ill advised implementation of cockpit procedures. Take a look, for once, at the latest Airline Pilot magazine. We have a proud history of making this profession, and our country’s air traffic system, SAFE. We cannot say how important it is for you to pay attention to YOUR job in the cockpit. Work on the new procedures until they are your own. Show management you can do your job with speed and professionalism. Also show them that ALL you do… is YOUR job.
Please call us at any time,
John Brookman
Capt. Rep
Mark King
First Officer Rep
