http://colgan.alpa.org
July 18, 2011
August Pairings and Lines
At the beginning of the August pairing and line construction window, ALPA Scheduling Committee members, along with our counterparts in Colgan Crew Planning, were tasked by our senior management to build several scenarios for each base. Management wanted to know if we could improve our productivity and line block average. Over those two weeks, we worked countless hours completing a number of scenarios. By July 8, pairings and lines were built with the most productivity.
The day before pilot lines were due to be published for bidding, senior management asked to review the lines. Unfortunately, with the exception of Boston, the productivity of the lines produced by the usual process was unacceptable to Mesaba’s senior management and their Crew Planning. Therefore, the lines that you see for August, with the exception of Boston, were built by Mesaba’s Crew Planning without the participation of your Scheduling Committee and the process we have used over the past months.
As you can see with the great majority of these lines, especially in the IAH and IAD domiciles, senior management is only concerned with productivity and reducing the number of hard lines in light of our staffing problems; not commutability, quality of trips, or the number of days off you have. Nor were they concerned with having your bids out on time on the 12th as is contractually required. This matter has been discussed with your MEC and we will meet with senior managers to discuss the issue in the very near future.
Over the last several months, your ALPA Scheduling Committee and Colgan’s Crew Planning have worked together in making pairings and lines that take into account all items of importance for both parties. These items include, but are not limited to productivity, days off, commutability, fatigue awareness, staffing, and so forth. In addition, each month we listen to pilots’ and management’s concerns to help improve our schedules for both the company and the pilot group. This week, Mesaba management decided that increasing the block average value and minimizing the number of heads to allow the maximum number of reserves possible was the only variable they are concerned with. We hope that this will be a bump in the road as the transition continues.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns with the pairings and lines in August, we want to know about it. The pilot group’s voice should be represented and heard at the upcoming meeting, so we need to hear from you! Please send your feedback to cjcscheduling@alpa.org.
