C5 MEC Conference Call

I. Commuter Policy
1)The intent of the language is to protect a pilot who makes a good effort to get to work. No more disciplinary action for commuting failures if a few conditions are met.
2)Pilots must register as a commuter pilot, but previous provisions related to investigating sick calls have been removed.
3)One primary and one backup flight with no specific number of available seats. The jumpseat counts as an available seat.
4)Company-paid hotels for commuters who choose to commute the day prior to a trip. Each commuter pilot may receive four of these per month.
II. Alternate Deadhead
1)Pilots will not lose deadhead pay when they chose to cancel a deadhead to or from an assignment.
2)Example 1. An IAD-based pilot has a trip that begins with a deadhead from IAD-EWR. The pilot lives in CLE, attempts to commute to IAD but finds an available seat on a flight from CLE-EWR. The pilot calls scheduling to cancel his deadhead, and is paid for the deadhead.
3)Example 2. An EWR-based instructor pilot is scheduled to deadhead from EWR to ATL. The pilot intends to commute from CLE to ATL, so he calls scheduling to cancel his deadhead form EWR to ATL. The pilot is paid for the deadhead.
III. Uniforms
1)New-hire uniform costs will now be payroll-deducted across 20 months, with the deduction offset by a $25 credit each month.
IV. Parking
1)Existing language on in-domicile parking.
2)Commuters will now be reimbursed for their cost to park at home, for the lesser of their actual cost, or the cost to park in domicile.
V. Pay Rates
1)Pay rate increases for all pilots on property.
2)1st F/O pay $30/hr, 2nd year $32, 7 year cap of $37
3)No more q300 override for first officers
4)Except 1-3 year captains, all captains receive $4/hr raise on the Q200
5)1-3 year captains receive slightly more than $4/hr
6)New pay scale created for Q300 captains: Q200 + $5/hr

While this LOA does not completely bring us up to par with some other pilot groups, it is a great step forward. It addresses major concerns for commuters, increases pay, and helps incoming pilots afford their uniforms. It should improve pilot quality of life, and we hope to improve QOL even further as our Scheduling Committee continues to learn the ins and outs of how to build better schedules and lines with our new PBS system. If the agreement is ratified and slows our attrition, this alone should ease the staffing constraints that are currently making all of us work so hard.
LOA 8 is NOT an extension of our existing contract, or a new contract. The agreement provides mid-contract improvements in advance of our amendable date, which is still December 1, 2015. Later this year the Negotiating Committee will begin planning for our upcoming contract negotiations, where we hope to raise pay and QOL even further along with other improvements to our CBA.

Here is the rest of the E-mail
 
Impressive, this LOA is better than XJT's TA in a lot of ways. For example the company refused to give us pay protection for alt deadhead.

Company paid commuter hotels? That is revolutionary. I don't believe any airline has done that before
We are losing 15 FO's a month and captain attrition was pretty bad too the past 2 months.
 
That's better than I thought it would be. Good job to the union guys. Now get started on the next raise.
Maybe the Republic guys we'll see that C5 guys are flying 37 seat props for more than their big jets/Q400s and reconsider their proposal.
 
An excellent job by the MEC and also to Commutair management for stepping up. I guess when faced with loss of money or possibly no money at all, the former option looked better. The LOA might not be the best, but it's a giant leap in the right direction.

Lets hope it's not too little too late. I doubt it will stop the Captain attrition, those who are going to leave will, but it might slow it down. But it should stop the FO loss and maybe attract some new guys who are immune to SJS. If only we knew what the base situation was going to be...
 
From the sounds of those directly impacted, this is a move in the right direction.

I am happy for our C5 brothers and sisters. However, ultimately, it needs to pass. That is, if a majority of your C5 folks want it.

Good luck and nice job to your Association leadership team.
 
this is absolutely fantastic. I wanted to go to commutair a few months ago but ultimately chose elsewhere just because of bases (still on tprops, no SJS here!). But damn, with this, IF they open an IAH base I may have someslight jealousy towards you guys. Very well done this is great movement.
 
From the sounds of those directly impacted, this is a move in the right direction.

I am happy for our C5 brothers and sisters. However, ultimately, it needs to pass. That is, if a majority of your C5 folks want it.

Good luck and nice job to your Association leadership team.

Everyone has their grumbles about it( we are pilots,after all) but I don't see it not passing. It's a big change, in the right direction, with very little given up and a lot gained, especially for the junior people and commuters. There's still problems here at C5 that need fixed, largely in scheduling, but this is a positive change where there might not have been one before.

If it doesn't, I don't think we'll have to worry about the December 2015 contract, because there might not be a December 2014. I'm not a " the sky is falling" person either. The attrition has been very real in the past few months and the attraction rate to Commutair is low. This might change it, IF it passes.
 
All the Endeavor guys about to get displaced to NYC could jump ship to C5, make about the same amount of money, not have to worry about commuting, and potentially see an upgrade sometime this decade. Verrrrrryyyy interesting!

Excellent work guys!
 
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