Norman my views are not 'anti-ezy gripes', they are my gripes with the protocol surrounding the 5254 system. As i said in my statement earlier I do not disagree with the 5254 system, but why cant it be 5/2/5/4/5/2/5/4/5/2/5/4/5/2 etc etc......not 5254 randomly applied with flexible rostering periods, IDOs/ DDOs/ GDOs and the like??????
I am happy with my job, I joined EZY over 2 years ago and signed a contract based on the present system. I did this because I felt that it offered me some stability in my personal life. This stability is being removed and that does anoy me!
If EZY want to be like Southwest like we keep on hearing, then stabilty is some thing we need to offered. Southwest employs over 4000 pilots with a very low attrition rate, this is surely something EZY wants to emulate...carrying on as they are will mean that they continue to lose pilots to the likes of VA and Dragon at an increased rate. This will cause the company a massive headache...and cost them hugely financially!
The other thing to consider is that other bases have been supplying flightdeck to Luton and EDI, I am just hoping that this not to provide false figures for 5254.
Out of synch, here are extracts from the EZY and BALPA protocol to back up my comments earlier, if you see it some other way please enlighten me!
15. In the 5/4-5/2 pattern the latest rostered finish before 4 days off will be 2359 local time. Inevitably from time to time operational delays on the day will occur. Pilots are expected to complete the rostered duty. When this occurs the overrun into the first day off will be classified as either a “Delayed Day Off” (DDO) or an “Infringed Day Off” (IDO). Refer to the attached Glossary for definition. There will be a maximum of 5 Delayed Days Off (DDO’s), in any leave year, (01 April – 31 March).
The pilot’s contractual entitlement to 132 days off per year remains unchanged. The entitlement consists of 104 Days Off, 20 Annual Leave Days and 8 Public Holidays.
A pilot is entitled to 20 days annual leave comprising of four five-day leave blocks within the 5/4-5/2 pattern and off-pattern reserve period, for which the pilot will bid.
Annual leave booked within the off-pattern reserve period will attract 2 days off either side. Leave requests in off-pattern reserve are limited to 1 block and can only be booked Monday to Friday.
All statutory public holidays are considered to be included within the 5/4-5/2 pattern.
DDO: Delayed Day Off is a day off infringed by up to and including 90
minutes. Latest off duty time would be 0130 local time. There shall be a
maximum of 5 DDO’s in a leave year. On these 5 occasions a day off in lieu
will not be awarded unless the DDO becomes an IDO
IDO: Infringed Day Off is a DDO where the off duty time is later than 0130
local time, or the off duty time is later than 2359 local time after 5 DDO’s have
occurred in the leave year. IDO’s will be repaid on the next practicable
roster, or at another time agreed between the pilot and the Company.
IDO's may be used by the Company to compensate for granted
Guaranteed Days Off (GDO’s).
The aim of the off pattern reserve period is to protect the integrity of the 16-week 5/4-5/2 pattern. This can be best be achieved by including the majority of the standby days in the Reserve Period rather than potentially disrupting the 5/4-5/2 pattern by mixing them with flying duties. However there will doubtless be occasions on which standbys are contained within the working block and we will continue to review any implications for roster stability.
The 28-day Reserve Period is made up of 21-days of CAP371 rostering (the off pattern reserve period). The final period of 7-days will be used to transition pilots from off pattern reserve back into a dedicated 5/4-5/2 pattern. This transition period includes the guaranteed last weekend off prior to re-entering the 5/4-5/2 pattern. Please note, the 7-day transition to pattern is likely to include standby days and will not necessarily follow a consecutive early sequence.
I really hope these issues are resolved otherwise we are in for a long summer.
Ah well at least I can accept my command in BSL!!!!!!!