FAA To Drop New Interpretation Of Mechanic Rest Rule

[Tex-Mech]

Easy there Tex. AMTs have been utilizing CS and back to back CS long before we took a pay cut.

Many of us have worked 17 and more on FT's and you know that. Many people work doubles to cut down on the time at work or commuting issues. Nice spin to try to make me look bad but unfortunately you disregard the facts...again.

Not spinning anything here. You spun this into a CS and saving doubles issue, when "in fact" this FAA ruling had nothing to do with doubles, just the ability to work up to 53 days in a row. I will likely do doubles in Miami, but I am opposed to AMT's working long hours--but I realize that many must because of the conditions we are now subjected force them to do what they have to do to survive. Still not understanding why you think it is okay to be able to work 53 days straight, and how that is a great victory for the union.

 

[dfw gen]

The cost of that industry standard pay will be tulsa.
MCI,AFW next up TUL

Yep that's what I figure 48 months....
Great negotiating chief.

 

[Bob Owens]

Easy there Tex. AMTs have been utilizing CS and back to back CS long before we took a pay cut.

Many of us have worked 17 and more on FT's and you know that. Many people work doubles to cut down on the time at work or commuting issues. Nice spin to try to make me look bad but unfortunately you disregard the facts...again.

What does the ruling have to do with doubles?

The ruling is whether or not you have to have one 24 hour period off per week or the equivilent of four per month.

So under the ruling that was overturned you could still work 6 back to back doubles as long as you took the 7th day off, but the company could not assign you to work more than six days without a day off. In fact you could stay on the clock for six straight days without any time off but had to take the seventh day off. That goes for both both voluntary (CS) or assigned (by the company) tours of duty.
As you squirm you are saying that people CS for less time at work, well then this doesnt come into play at all, as the regulation seeks to maintain at least a minimum amount of time of duty, any more than that is ok. The regulation is there to prevent mechanics from either volunteering or being assigned to work more than six days a week.

What you advocated is a ruling that states we do not need at least 24 hours off in a seven day period and its OK for management to assign mechanics up to 26 days of continuous duty, thats what the restored interpretation allows.

Congrats.

"Unions the people who brought you the weekend, and OS the one who boasted about giving it away."

So who is trying to spin here? You as usual.

 

[Bob Owens]

. Still not understanding why you think it is okay to be able to work 53 days straight, and how that is a great victory for the union.

He knows its not. He's Overspinning again. Obviously the TWU/ATD was told to go there by Ream or somebody else from Centerport and support the position that the A4A was taking. No other unions were there, any one wonder why? Maybe because Unions are supposed to support having off at least one day per week, if not two?

 

[Mired in AA Mediocrity]

This thread is confusing to say the least..........Overspeed you trumpeted Unions got us weekends off, and now we are just worthy of 4 days off per month....Once again we are going backwards thanks to you..thanks for your sterling representation Don......come back to the floor, your tour is over.

 

[Bob Owens]

I'm not a mechanic either, but here's my guess:

Most people agree that it would be unsafe if pilots were not granted by law some mandatory rest periods and limits on the amount of flying they can do in a given day/month/year. If not for the legal limits, there would be a certain number of pilots who would disregard common sense and fly while fatigued so they could pile up even more money.

Apparently there is not unanimous agreement that mechanics should be similarly protected from their own self-greed. If days off for mechanics is an actual safety measure, then the law should mandate various rest periods just like it does for the pilots. But if it's not really a safety measure (and safety is not compromised by mechanics doubling up on shifts and working week after without any days off), then mechanics can negotiate for days off with their employer just like they negotiate everything else.

I'm not taking a position on who is right here or whether safety is or is not compromised, but it looks like those in favor of unbridled self-interest (or greed) convinced the FAA that over-worked mechanics don't diminish safety of the flying public. The FAA doesn't get involved in pay rates of mechanics, so why should it mandate how many hours they may work or how many days off they get each week/month?

You assume that the limits are there to protect pilots from themselves, this should help clear up that the pilots are seeking protection from the carriers. In this case its cargo carriers getting to force pilots to work more hours than passenger airlines.
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Political-Action-Legislation/ALPA-Asks-Congress-to-Set-One-Standard-of-Safety-for-All-Flights