THE “300” REPORT
(Q&A on the 300 new hires)
During our lounge visits, we receive many inquiries on a variety of subjects. We forward these questions and concerns to the MEC or appropriate committee chairman and broadcast answers to you via several vehicles, normally, C20 Updates, Notices, Contract Awareness Bulletins, Vectors, or in this case, an ST-BLAST.
Below are the answers to questions that were posed last week during our lounge visit regarding the 300 pilots being hired (or returned from furlough) beginning in November 2013.
Note: Every month that the MEC does not meet, your LEC conducts a “lounge visit,” held just outside the pilot lounge. We are there to answer questions and to forward your concerns to the MEC. Please stop by and visit with us during the upcoming (proposed) dates:
September 16–20, 2013
October 14–18, 2013
“300” Q&A
Q. What are the numbers of pilots Delta will hire in each class?
Class dates, other than the very first one of November 4, have not been released. However, Delta has announced that they will hire 50 per month, starting in November, through early 2014 and then 20 per month for the balance of the 300 pilots. (Flight Operations Weekly Update 07-12-13) (DeltaNet Link)
Q. How many furloughed pilots does Delta have at this time?
We currently have 203 furlough bypass pilots. Of that number, 171 pilots will have to make a decision to come back to Delta or be taken off the seniority list; 32 of those pilots still have the option of bypassing recall but may return when notified. Note: As of this report all furloughed pilots have been contacted by Certified Letter (distributed July 15), and CPOs are now backing those letters up with phone calls.
Q. How many furloughed pilots will definitely return?
There is no way of knowing how many will return. The good news is that we should know by September how many elected to come back and any (of the 32) that have bypassed once again.
Q. What is the hiring priority for the announced positions?
1. Furlough Bypass
2. Compass Flow pilots
3. Mesaba Flow pilots
4. Off the Street Hires
a. 1/3 of the offers must be Endeavor (Pinnacle) pilots
Q. Is Compass second in line due to the flow agreement?
Correct, Compass pilots are first to “flow up,” at a rate of 20 per month until they reach approximately 100 in a rolling year. This is a rolling 12-month calculation that the Company must adhere to. (See PWA, LOA #9, 13 [Flow Up], pg. 7)
Q. Is Mesaba third in line due to the flow agreement?
Correct, Mesaba is the next group of pilots to flow. If we are hiring more than 20 pilots per month, Mesaba pilots will get the next 9 slots. Note: Mesaba pilots must meet the requirements per the LOA which state that he/she (1) be a captain and (2) meet all objective hiring criteria and requirements established by Delta. (See PWA, LOA #10, 2 [Flow Up], pg. 3)
Q. Are there any other flow-through airlines?
Yes, Endeavor (Pinnacle) is entitled to one-third of all available positions, apart from those filled under LOAs #9 and #10 of our PWA. Max number of SSP (Streamlined Selection Process) pilots for each new-hire class will be: 12 for 2013–2016, 15 for 2017, and 20 for 2018 and beyond. Note: Endeavor (Pinnacle) pilots must meet the provisions of the bridge agreement, which consists of three components: (1) a streamlined, one-day selection process in seniority order; (2) a structured opportunity to repeat the process in the event a pilot does not successfully complete the process on an initial attempt; and (3) a commitment by Delta to hire a minimum number of Pinnacle pilots until the process is exhausted. The SSP states that the pilot must: (1) be a captain and (2) meet all objective hiring criteria and requirements established by Delta. (See PCL-DAL Bridge Agreement 1-15-13, 2 [Establishing Enhanced Career Progression] pgs. 3–6)
Q. In a typical class make-up, what would the breakdown be?
Delta furloughs first. After all Delta furloughed pilots have returned, then the flow through and bridge agreements would kick in. During the last round of hiring, Delta did not mix furlough bypass/recall pilots with new-hire pilots before the flow ups or off the street. So, yes, all Delta furlough bypass pilots first.
Q. When would new pilots “off-the-street” be introduced to a new-hire class?
Let’s assume that all the furlough/bypass pilots are trained in November. If we hire 50 pilots in December as planned, 20 will come from Compass, 9 will come from Mesaba, one-third of the remaining 21 pilots (max 12, in this case 7) will come from Endeavor (Pinnacle), and the remaining would come from “off the street.”
Q. Does planning know where these pilots will go initially (base and A/C)?
Not at this time.
Delta has not decided what aircraft and base they will be offering the furlough bypass pilots. Remember, the furlough bypass pilots do not generally have a choice of aircraft or base. However, they do not incur a freeze. Recall that our new hire pilots do incur a 12-month freeze. (22G1)
An excerpt from Steve Dickson’s July 19 Flight Operations Weekly Update:
“The furlough bypass and new-hire pilots will occupy unfilled positions in the Advance Entitlement posted today. This AE is intended to continue the flow of pilots through 717 training and includes 717 first officer openings in ATL and DTW. Thirty-five Atlanta and 65 Detroit slots are required due to our aggressive delivery schedule. ATL 717 service will begin in late September, and Network has informed us that the 717 will begin flying out of DTW in December.”
I hope this information addresses the questions raised during the last week’s lounge visit. If you have additional questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact any of us.
Fraternally,
Tom Bell
DTW Council 20 Secretary-Treasurer