Union Contracts Keep (s)Crew Scheduling in check

F

Firebird2XC

Well-Known Member
Okie dokie.

Had some fun today. Had a mechanical on initial climb out. Skipper decided to make an air return to the out station.

Made sense, too, because it's a maintenance base.

Proceed to watch us get jerked around, put in another plane, then have another crew displace us.

We're not sure what they heck is going on.

"And the Captain says:"

"I think we're about due a hotel for an extended sit period in our scheduled time."

Funny, I just decided to carry my UNION NEGOTIATED CONTRACT (ta-da) in my roll-aboard the other day.

Turns out, if we have more than 5 hours "scheduled" between events in our sequence, the Scheduling department has to pony up hotel rooms so we have to rest.

I actually had to quote page and paragraph on the phone to make it happen. I think the Skipper was proud- he let me go to work on 'em.

It brought such a warm and fuzzy to my heart.

About the time I got passed off to a supervisor who finally caved (because we were RIGHT) I remembered that one time-

Ah yes. That time at that 'other' airline without a contract to back us up. That time the Skipper I was flying with and I got stuck in the bowels of Boston until 2 am... we sat there in a small, windowless room for over ..

THIRTEEN HOURS.

Today, we got hotel rooms. Took an hour or so for a nice lunch, then a nice length nap.

Sure felt better when it was time to go back to the line.

Next time somebody says

"What's that UNION stuff done for ME lately?"

Tell them- probably nothing, that that's their own fault, because the CONTRACT that the Union pried out of management's hands to give to you does NOTHING if YOU don't use it.


This has been a public service announcement.:nana2:
 
Firebird2XC said:
Okie dokie.

Had some fun today. Had a mechanical on initial climb out. Skipper decided to make an air return to the out station.

Made sense, too, because it's a maintenance base.

Proceed to watch us get jerked around, put in another plane, then have another crew displace us.

We're not sure what they heck is going on.

"And the Captain says:"

"I think we're about due a hotel for an extended sit period in our scheduled time."

Funny, I just decided to carry my UNION NEGOTIATED CONTRACT (ta-da) in my roll-aboard the other day.

Turns out, if we have more than 5 hours "scheduled" between events in our sequence, the Scheduling department has to pony up hotel rooms so we have to rest.

I actually had to quote page and paragraph on the phone to make it happen. I think the Skipper was proud- he let me go to work on 'em.

It brought such a warm and fuzzy to my heart.

About the time I got passed off to a supervisor who finally caved (because we were RIGHT) I remembered that one time-

Ah yes. That time at that 'other' airline without a contract to back us up. That time the Skipper I was flying with and I got stuck in the bowels of Boston until 2 am... we sat there in a small, windowless room for over ..

THIRTEEN HOURS.

Today, we got hotel rooms. Took an hour or so for a nice lunch, then a nice length nap.

Sure felt better when it was time to go back to the line.

Next time somebody says

"What's that UNION stuff done for ME lately?"

Tell them- probably nothing, that that's their own fault, because the CONTRACT that the Union pried out of management's hands to give to you does NOTHING if YOU don't use it.


This has been a public service announcement.:nana2:
Click to expand...



:yeahthat: X 1000!!!





Kevin
 
Yep yep.

And when Crew Scheduling has to answer to accounting for the silly charges like hotel rooms just for the afternoon- guess what happens to your schedule?

I might've even let it slide, yesterday, if a flight for Dallas hadn't left without us.

Granted, those chose to accomodate customers first, which I do support. But still. There were earlier flights back than what we got.

On ANOTHER note:

Note that the Skipper let ME go to work on scheduling:

This reinforces another idea: First Officers should never let themselves be ''gear yankers" and that includes OUT of the cockpit as well. Make the outside world follow the chain of command as well. While Captain's authority is final, the Skipper should be the LAST person problem causers have to have to deal with. If they get THAT far, they oughta KNOW they screwed up. :)
 
Rock on brosef.

Way to use your contractually negotiatied benefits to preserve the profession - and your sanity.

Fatigue is a bad monster.
 
Forget Union Contracts... I'm just so happy that Pinnacle lets me sit in the right seat of our wonderful CRJ's that I would do anything they told me... and oh ya did I forget to mention they even pay me... and get this its 20.73 an hour. I feel like I'm ripping them off.

:yeahthat:
 
Excellent example on how the union can certainly help you out. THESE are the things I like to see on JC...not crazy bickering.

Now...how can I get my AF unit unionized?!? :)
 
GalaxyIFE said:
Excellent example on how the union can certainly help you out. THESE are the things I like to see on JC...not crazy bickering.

Now...how can I get my AF unit unionized?!? :)
Click to expand...

Technically, you already are.

As operational officers of the 'Original' American Union, your job upholds that which makes all other unions possible.

It's a burden to bear, but we all thank you and those like you for it.
 
I encourage all the new FOs that I fly with to carry a copy of their contract on them at all times and read it.
 
:)
Firebird2XC said:
Technically, you already are.

As operational officers of the 'Original' American Union, your job upholds that which makes all other unions possible.

It's a burden to bear, but we all thank you and those like you for it.
Click to expand...

True 'dat...but I can still complain when I'm alerted on hour 47 of my bravo alert onto a broken jet just sit for 6 hours then take off, turn around 'cause they really didn't fix the problem and sit for another 8 hours...BUT I'm not complaining!!!
 
GalaxyIFE said:
:)

True 'dat...but I can still complain when I'm alerted on hour 47 of my bravo alert onto a broken jet just sit for 6 hours then take off, turn around 'cause they really didn't fix the problem and sit for another 8 hours...BUT I'm not complaining!!!
Click to expand...

You can't be fired, so you can complain up a storm. Thank the Ultimate CBA for that- the US Constitution.
 
Firebird2XC said:
You can't be fired, so you can complain up a storm. Thank the Ultimate CBA for that- the US Constitution.
Click to expand...

Sure, I might not get fired, but I could be given some jobs that *aren't that appealing*....and really, I don't have too many complaints anyway. It's a good gig. :)
 
SmitteyB said:
Gotta be nice benefiting from others hard work!
Click to expand...

:crazy: :panic: :banghead:

Well, they did it for the betterment of the profession. Good on em'

Now it's up to our generation to carry onward and improve it back to, and beyond, what it was a decade ago.
 
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