US Airways' Reserve System Sucks!

[Skycat]

The reserve system needs a complete overhaul!!

 

[FlightChic]

It seems like most people are on the same page... EXCEPT the union. Reserves need to get together, determine what they want, work with the westies and present it to the union. They are out for what affects them and thier blockholder friends and have no interest or knowlege of reserve issues.

I agree. If we want to make a change to the system, WE have to take charge. If we leave it to the union, we will get the same crappy reserve system, or maybe even worse. They are only concerned about the blockholders. It is obvious that they don't ask for our input on anything, ever! They just make hasty decisions to help the selected few. We need to take a stand against the union and the company. If we don't make it happen, it will never come into fruition. There won't be a change that will benefit us.

 

[PHL BULL]

The biggest beef with the current reserve system is that no one has any senority after the first trip has been flown thus no quality of life. Or a paycheck.
Eliminate LTO. (who ever dreamed that up needs to roast in hell)

Put the International Transatalantic fence back up.
Reserves shouldn't be expected to be up since the crack of dawn waiting to get called out only to be ripped out of bed to fly London at 1:00 am. There should be separate reserve lines for transatlantic.

On and off call at 15:00.That worked well for years. And it allows those reserves who have been wasting away in a hotel room for days on end to catch an earlier flight home. Cut 'em loose.

Create more low time lines. 75 hr range. There is more than enough OT to make that possible.
And make ETB pay and credit. No need for a bid sheet or SAP.

I like the idea of putting the fence up...if you noticed there are 75hr blocks...I bid one...look up the word (reserve) in the dic. to sit on a shelf untill needed...when needed they will pull you off the shelf...

 

[Travelpro72]

The reserve system is definately broken BUT as long as the rest of the system remains unchanged it will be as it is. You will continue to have a large pool of reserves for many years. While having your seniority back while on reserve the rest of the system KEEPS you here. The WHOLE SYSTEM needs overhauled. GUARANTEED the negotiations will not be an AWESOME victory for any reserve. Trust that one. The reserves will also continue to DEAL WITH IT. We can't even inspire people to vote in ONE BASE let alone the whole system and our contract. It's VERY discouraging. I can only vote and let MY voice be heard. Nothing more.

 

[N109UW]

Something that alarms me now is the fact that Pref. Bid was never put in place, which we neg. and agrred upon. What should make us believe that if we neg. a new RSV system, that it would ever get put in place. This should be a real concern to everyone. Our union was not held accountable for this. I mean, are they going to tell us, "We will make sure they put it in, or we will grieve it". How scarry that sounds. NOT. ABA

 

[desertgal]

If you think the 73cr guarantee is lowest in the industry, guess again.
West is 70cr.

Before the merger, when West was preparing and beginning new contract negotiations, it was determined that the priority on this round would be the reserve system.
Pretty much the entire inflt group, even those who hadn't been on reserve in years, agreed it desperately needs to be improved.
With only the one base, the West officers are better able to focus on the most important issues, and the FAs feel more like they are being heard.
So, rest assured, the PHX base and LEC is totally on the same page with East FAs as far as improving reserve.

I can see the value in going to a rotating sysytem, AA and WN use it.
But I believe its only for the bottom third or so.
After we merge the seniority lists, that would prob include me.

As far as PBS for lineholders?
West is unanimously 100% against it.
We'd prob go down fighting on that one.
Flexibility was our #1 priority with the current contract, and with PBS you lose a tremendous amount of flexibility as far as conflict bidding.
The last few years, I've been off beginning Dec. 20th thru the end of the year, and thats due to conflict and certain bid options we have set up.
PBS would be the end of that.
Its a maximizer for the company.

We really, really need to pick each other's brains whenever Easties and Westies cross paths to learn more about whats good and bad in both contracts.

The out of base ETB is an excellent idea, with perhaps the home base getting first crack for a certain time frame like someone mentioned.
WN has the ability and it really creates a lot more opportunity to fine-tune your sked.
The more flexibility and control, the better.
I have a WN friend who is PHX based, which is a more senior base than BWI.
She can bid the BWI base, hold a better line, and then trade or give away all her BWI trips, then picks up PHX trips instead.
She never actually has to physically commute.

 

[N109UW]

If you think the 73cr guarantee is lowest in the industry, guess again.
West is 70cr.

Before the merger, when West was preparing and beginning new contract negotiations, it was determined that the priority on this round would be the reserve system.
Pretty much the entire inflt group, even those who hadn't been on reserve in years, agreed it desperately needs to be improved.
With only the one base, the West officers are better able to focus on the most important issues, and the FAs feel more like they are being heard.
So, rest assured, the PHX base and LEC is totally on the same page with East FAs as far as improving reserve.

I can see the value in going to a rotating sysytem, AA and WN use it.
But I believe its only for the bottom third or so.
After we merge the seniority lists, that would prob include me.

As far as PBS for lineholders?
West is unanimously 100% against it.
We'd prob go down fighting on that one.
Flexibility was our #1 priority with the current contract, and with PBS you lose a tremendous amount of flexibility as far as conflict bidding.
The last few years, I've been off beginning Dec. 20th thru the end of the year, and thats due to conflict and certain bid options we have set up.
PBS would be the end of that.
Its a maximizer for the company.

We really, really need to pick each other's brains whenever Easties and Westies cross paths to learn more about whats good and bad in both contracts.

The out of base ETB is an excellent idea, with perhaps the home base getting first crack for a certain time frame like someone mentioned.
WN has the ability and it really creates a lot more opportunity to fine-tune your sked.
The more flexibility and control, the better.
I have a WN friend who is PHX based, which is a more senior base than BWI.
She can bid the BWI base, hold a better line, and then trade or give away all her BWI trips, then picks up PHX trips instead.
She never actually has to physically commute.

That's interesting. I think most of our BH's on the East could give a rat's ### about what is happening to a rsv. Most of them still think we have it pretty good. Most of our BH's haven't spent much time on rsv and haven't been on it for along time. The ones in PIT are getting a good dose of how well we have it. The problem is that beginning with the 1989 classes they have been on rsv for their whole carreer. Do the math to figure out the years I am talking about here. A rotating rsv system would wake a few of them up.

 

[Zarah]

8 hour OPR - NO. I would rather stick needles in my eyes then do that again.

No open time should be left after creating lines.

Out of base ETB is okay by me.

Shifts for reserves would be good.

Keep the international fence down.

 

[flybynite]

I've talked to more than a few people that use the PBS and from what I've heard...we don't want it. The top third get what they want and everyone else is stuck with the left overs.

Keep in mind that if we go with PBS, there will be no AIL or SAP. That will go bye-bye.

If we make ETB pay and credit along with PBS, that should give us the flexability we all enjoy. There is no need for AIL or SAP. One hopes. :unsure:

And, if there is no AIL or SAP, more lines can be created, getting alot of people off reserve.(hundreds?)

And once again, no LTO. Increase days off to 12 a month. Create more pure reserve lines. (4 on,3 off)That alone will prevent reserves from having to sit for days on end twittling thier thumbs. Separate reserve lines for Transatlantic. On & off duty at 15:00.

 

[etops1]

Something that alarms me now is the fact that Pref. Bid was never put in place, which we neg. and agrred upon. What should make us believe that if we neg. a new RSV system, that it would ever get put in place. This should be a real concern to everyone. Our union was not held accountable for this. I mean, are they going to tell us, "We will make sure they put it in, or we will grieve it". How scarry that sounds. NOT. ABA

carol austin was a big player in not having the pref bid implemented.

 

[Travelpro72]

Thank you Carol. Luv ya....Don't ever change. It's only a matter of time folks.

 

[ussnark]

carol austin was a big player in not having the pref bid implemented.

That is not fair to Carol.

There were problems in the software that the company was not willing to spend money fixing, resulting in a worse situation than what the FAs have now.

Blame it on the myopic tightwad who cannot see beyond his spreadsheet, the same guy that will step over a dollar to pick up a penny.

One way to do it is to think of Carol as a gatekeeper, making certain that changes are for the better for all and not just a few.

 

[Itestwell]

That is not fair to Carol.


One way to do it is to think of Carol as a gatekeeper, making certain that changes are for the better for all and not just a few.

I can think of a few thousand reserves that may question your assertion that CA is making positive changes for ALL. :mf_boff:

 

[beachboy]

Omnipotent Carol? No No my dear :down:
But I do agree PEF bid was a loose loose. It would have caused major dowsize and disruption. Look at Ed Bulars letter today! Still blaming ice pellets?! Still choosing crew software? Blah blah blah. The more things change.

 

[N109UW]

If that was the case, why did our union tell how good this was going to be? Also, why wasn't the LTO attached to Pref. Bid? The "no later than June 2004" smoke up our azzez was great, thanks. They should have been tied together, just like RSV override and Sec lines/SAP. RSV's lost about $400,000 on that one. Thanks again.