Is this that union brotherhood at work. The JC crowd out with pitch porks looking to burn a witch today it seems.
If you must know, I had vacation and our contract sucks in a vacation month. A cruise booked well in advance was departing April 3. I only had 4 vacation days and with the unpredictability of reserve lines, I did not know if bidding reserve would have covered my entire cruise time. So I bid lines, and mind you, if there’s a 130 lines I’m about 10 below that so bidding about 140. I get slim pickings even if I’m lucky. 10 people above me have to skip a line bid just for me to even have a chance. My original line had a 2-day trip April 2-3 that had to be moved for vacation conflict. I ended up with work April 1-2. Regardless, an emergency came up at home and I didn’t even fly that day, nor could I have made it to picket.
Yup. I had to trade out of a vacation conflict. Line bidding sucks. $50 says with PBS I could have gotten my vacation to work out and gotten April 1 off. But some people love being in the ‘70s technology.
That’s a heck of an accusation to make, without proof. I picked up in 2019. The Contract was NOT amendable until April 1 2020. By then Covid was here. Now, I pickup from other pilots (pilot grab). It helps that pilot out and helps me out. I have not picked up a premium time (150%) in a long time, certainly before contract negotiations.
And btw, maybe some of you union folks can answer this, because I saw this at my last airline. There is no retro, instead it’s a “signing bonus.” Once a TA is AIPed, the company and union come up with a lump sum for signing bonus (retro). The company cuts a check to the union, the union decides how to split it amongst the pilot group - historically speaking. At my last carrier, I didn’t pickup because that was the “cool” thing to do, yet, after 5 yrs last amendable date we get a contract, and the union ties the signing bonus to W2 earnings since the amendable date! WTH over? So now the union is rewarding guys who picked up open time during negotiations. Yeah, because that makes sense?