How is your night time accounted?
According to our local labour law, workers are entitled to additional pay when doing night work. Exact amount and method of determining what exactly the night work is, are left to the labour agreement, collective or otherwise. We had the system where night was considered to be fixed time period throughout the year. On average we fared quite well, as actual winter flying during darkness that was accounted for as daytime, evened out with the hours flown during daylight in summer that we were paid night rate for.
However, our early departures got earlier, our late arrivals got later, our winter flying trebled and as summer months had too little days to squeeze additional flying in, we felt we got a bit shortchanged.
During CLA negotiations we proposed that we use the same principle used for logging the night hours: SS+30 to SR-30 for each and every day, IAW tables & codes. First it was objected that it was too costly as company would need to employ at least two additional accountants to keep track on our day/night flying time. We proposed that we, as flightcrew, log day or night time on pro bono basis, yet this proposal was vehemently rejected.
So I'd like to hear from you how do you account night time for remuneration purposes and what is your extra pay for night flights. Any input from anywhere in the world is welcome. If you can name the airline, or give us a hint - great. If you are unable, we appreciate your contribution anyway.
Thank you in advance for your kind replies.