Toronto base wins the PRIZE!

[Crewbunk]

Everybody has valid points, but think about this ….

Air Canada REQUIRES VO and draft to operate. Period. That’s the way crew planning works. So, as they are looking towards a very busy summer, AC knows that the only way it’s going to work is with VO/draft.

Today. If everyone stopped accepting drafts and stopped volunteering for overtime, today, AC would start to panic. Today. Not next month, not maybe when I can afford it, not when we’re on strike, but today.

AC would come to the pilots offering a solution. Averting a strike. This puts the pilots in a leveraged position of power. How much do you think Air Canada would pay to not have to cancel 15% of their flights this summer?

Yes, VO and draft are in the contract. So is not doing it. So is living on flat pay for a month. You know, the flat pay you knew you were going to make before you were hired.

It’s what the crusty old guys like me keep saying …. short term pain for a huge gain. The opportunity is there. There’s only been a handful of times that AC’s pilots were in a position of power. Every time, they blew it and listened to ACPA.

We’re in a position of power again …. let’s not blow it ….again. If we wait until the autumn, it’s too late. Then we’d have blown it … again.

[2Shoes]

I have never listed for VO. I have done VO once from a cold call in all my years with AC.

The MEC was very clear in their direction, it is you who are not following it. Do I really need to spell this out for you?

Refusing VO NOW gives the Company a heads up to prep a July schedule that reduces the requirement for VO. Increased DBMs and more of us on reserve will reduce the amount of VO that they need. Any action NOW will give them a heads up.

It is far better to WAIT until the July schedule is published. Normal VO NOW will give them a sense that all is well and then come JULY... no VO and they scramble. If your MEC wanted us to enjoy time off NOW they would not have worded the direction specifically saying SUMMER. You are giving away the element of surprise.

To answer your questions, I am using the MECs own criteria, not my own like you are using. The 'exact date' you refer to is AFTER July blocks come out.

Is it making sense now?

Thx for ruining it for all of us.

Easy folks, slow down.

Our MEC recommended we enjoy our short Canadian summer with our families. It isn't summer yet. There should be no complaint with doing VO now, but come next month and August it will be a different story. Save the jabs till warranted.

UNREAL. Are you the guy that determines when "the jabs are warranted"? What criteria are YOU using? Your own? How about listening to the damn leadership who's job it us to actually LEAD. That's why they are there.

This started the second they pulled our B1's. That was a direct jab right at your head. What did you miss? Attitudes like this sound like another "money grabbing excuse" while the rest of us do our part and actually LISTEN and ACT.

When EXACTLY do we "all pull together". Got an exact date in mind? Let us know. Meanwhile we'll do the heavy lifting for you. In vain obviously.

DEFERRING THIS DOES NOTHING BUT PUSH IT DOWN THE ROAD. Acting in a disjointed fashion makes look nothing but weak, in turn making our job HARDER later.

[flying4dollars]

Excuses? Who do you think you are and what right do you have to tell another FO not to do what they need to feed their family. It’s not excuses — it’s desperate. I feel for anyone on flat pay. It should’ve been abolished long time ago. Having flown with some I’m hearing some dire circumstances.

It is sad that our FOs are at that point in Canadian aviation. Working at AC and making poverty wages. Again no captain should be picking up any VO however no one even on slack has the balls to say anything to them.

Half the guys calling out people on slack have actually picked up fair amount of VO last few months. I love the audacity some of these guys have. Call out the Captains. I know i will be.

The thing is any FO on flat pay right now knew exactly what they were signing up for at AC. If they can't "feed their family" it's because they painted themselves into that corner. They chose to be some of lowest paid pilots in the world by accepting the job. Now these desperate actions are undermining their future ability to feed their families too. They should know better, and if they don't, they need to be informed.

Sorry mate, picking up VO is still part of the contract then. A lot of them know there is VO to make ends meet. None of us have the right to stop people from doing what they need to do. Like I've said... Captains picking up VO to me right now is directly working against the pilot group. I don't really care if a FO on Flat Pay picks up VO to do what they need to. Every single FO here even the ones super loud and wild have picked up VO. Expecting the new guys coming in to live off just flat pay...Sorry who are we to tell them that.

I say this to everyone when it comes to discussing new hires, flat pay and the need for VO to make ends meet. Quite simple really, if you can't survive on the base pay alone, which is definitely garbage even at year 4, then coming to AC was the wrong choice. I didn't come here because I was 'okay' with flat pay. I just knew that the contract WILL improve and until then, personally I can financially manage. Those who can't, should wait until the contract improves or go somewhere that will support their financial needs.

Also there are a lot of captains picking OT here which is triggering the collective group. It's not so much the flat payers.

Anyways I digress.

[WhatThe?]

"I have never listed for VO. I have done VO once from a cold call in all my years with AC.

The MEC was very clear in their direction, it is you who are not following it. Do I really need to spell this out for you?

Refusing VO NOW gives the Company a heads up to prep a July schedule that reduces the requirement for VO. Increased DBMs and more of us on reserve will reduce the amount of VO that they need. Any action NOW will give them a heads up.

It is far better to WAIT until the July schedule is published. Normal VO NOW will give them a sense that all is well and then come JULY... no VO and they scramble. If your MEC wanted us to enjoy time off NOW they would not have worded the direction specifically saying SUMMER. You are giving away the element of surprise.

To answer your questions, I am using the MECs own criteria, not my own like you are using. The 'exact date' you refer to is AFTER July blocks come out.

Is it making sense now?

Thx for ruining it for all of us."

They cannot put more on Reserve, they don't have enough pilots already for the current schedule, that is why they are delaying our July block already. They know and have to do cartwheels just to give even a hint of being able to make a schedule that works.
Now is the time to do nothing extra.

[RippleRock]

There once was a pilot named Ripplerock,
Whose demeanor resembled a caustic shock.
He grumbled and fussed,
Always union-bound, he thrust,
A troll in the skies, spreading words that mock.

His plane flew with turbulence and strife,
Passengers trembled, fearing for their life.
But Ripplerock cared not,
For his union, he fought,
With bitter words, he stirred up endless strife.

His demeanor, oh, so unhappy and sour,
He'd troll online, hour after hour.
But in the air he'd soar,
While spreading discord galore,
A pilot whose actions made many cower.

So if you're flying and meet Ripplerock,
Prepare for a ride that'll make you talk.
For this union-happy troll,
With his caustic control,
Leaves no one aboard in a state of shock.

Like a train wreck it's impossible to look away.

I just wanted to pop back in and thank you for the well thought out poetry! That must have taken some time, and a bit of courage as I am another man. I'm very happy and flattered to have struck such a powerful note with you that you spent so much time in acknowledgment! That was so sweet.

Thank you, seriously. At least I'm getting through to someone!

Anyway, it's been a pleasure doing my part in accelerating your path to irrelevance. It must be a real change having all this spare time without the phone from upper management ringing off the hook. It's amazing how fast you can be dropped like a "hot rock" when you cease being "useful" isnt it?

Look on the bright side though. It's finally giving your "creative side" the opportunity to flourish!

Thanks again for my first poem ever from another guy! Amazing times were living in!

[BingBong]

Thanks again for my first poem ever from another guy! Amazing times were living in!

[bcflyer]

I have never listed for VO. I have done VO once from a cold call in all my years with AC.

The MEC was very clear in their direction, it is you who are not following it. Do I really need to spell this out for you?

Refusing VO NOW gives the Company a heads up to prep a July schedule that reduces the requirement for VO. Increased DBMs and more of us on reserve will reduce the amount of VO that they need. Any action NOW will give them a heads up.

It is far better to WAIT until the July schedule is published. Normal VO NOW will give them a sense that all is well and then come JULY... no VO and they scramble. If your MEC wanted us to enjoy time off NOW they would not have worded the direction specifically saying SUMMER. You are giving away the element of surprise.

To answer your questions, I am using the MECs own criteria, not my own like you are using. The 'exact date' you refer to is AFTER July blocks come out.

Is it making sense now?

Thx for ruining it for all of us.

Are you seriously suggesting that Air Canada doesn’t have their July flying figured out and that somehow us surprising them by doing VO in June will catch them off guard? Give your head a shake. The tickets have been sold for months. We are short on pilots. They have no solution other than VO. Quit trying to justify those among us that are sabotaging the leverage we have.

Btw Summer starts in June in most of the country.