Work days off for no pay? Unbelievable!
If the company does not have a published work/overtime schedule published, you'd best stand firm and refuse. For those pilots that will work for free to build hours, I hope they are working for a charitable organization. If a commercial company takes a person on staff in that regard, shame on the pilot and double shame on the company taking advantage of an incredibly stupid, selfish person or they are a complete loser of a cutthroat moron that has only done harm to the industry and fulfilled a bean counter's dream.
When I work overtime and get paid overtime, it is mutually convenient. Sometimes the company is in a bind and they show me their appreciation by paying me more when I go above and beyond.
Any pilot that works extra when he is already tired or close to going over legal flight hour limits is a hazard to those around him and should be a candidate for euthanasia, but you just can't legislate common sense and good judgement. It only takes a few idiots to screw things up for dedicated, career helicopter pilots such as that which I consider myself to be.
[This message has been edited by Hoverboy (edited 16 November 2000).]