Air Canada PBS reserve

To all my fellow co-workers at In-Flight:

In 2003, when the new PBS system was agreed upon, it was supposed to improve our working conditions and save the company money. It was proposed as a win/win for all. Fast forward to 2010...and the fact is that the PBS reserve bidding module leaves a lot to be desired.

What is the problem?

1. Award Line reserve function that is designed to allow us to choose reserve instead of a block is completely useless without the daily reserve numbers being published.

Example: If the company were to publish daily requirements that 10 people out of 20 need to work on Dec 25th. It would mean that ten people would be off and I should be able to select max 9 above in order to know I could hold Christmas off.

2. When using the Time off tab, the Else reserve option is useless without the reserve requirements being published on a daily basis. I presently have no way of knowing if I selected reserve over a block that I would even get those days off.

Example: if I choose Sat/Sun off else reserve, and I end up working every weekend on reserve anyways, than I might as well have chosen to work a block.

3. Contesting system is not being used to resolve award issues.

Example: In the month of March, both #1 and #2 I/C in YUL were unstacked. In my contest, I clearly outlined a crew member junior to me that was awarded more of my 1st choices than I was. First line of my bid I requested Sat/Sun off. I was awarded 5 of the 8 days off. The block I was contesting was awarded 7 of the 8 days off. I requested a block switch. It was not awarded. The 2nd block I identified clearly meant fewer violations to my seniority.

The fact is we complain a lot in the galley, but the union cannot hear us there. Lets be a part of the solution, let our voices be heard.

Petition:

We the undersigned urgently request that the Union ensures that the company publishes the reserve requirements on a daily basis at the same time as pairings are published. With this information we will be able to protect our working conditions. Its the only way we will not be bidding blindly, not knowing if we can hold a particular day off or not.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned