The Alaska Pilots Podcast Alaska MEC

March has marked several significant transitions for the Alaska pilots and their elected leaders. This episode covers some of those important changes. The implementation of Contract 2022 will be complete in May when pilots begin working under the first monthly schedules built using preferential bidding. MEC officer terms started on March 1. Perhaps the biggest transition facing pilots is the merger between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. In this episode, each of these topics will be discussed. 
Included in these show notes are a table and flowchart of the monthly PBS bidding timeline. If they don’t show on the device you are using, scroll down and select “Episode Website” to view.  
 

 
PBS BIDDING TIMELINEAll Times Seattle Local

 1st 0900 - 7th 1200


NavBlue Bidding Open


 7th 1200 - 11th 1600


Trading closed for Last 10 Days of Month


 11th by 1600


Awards Published in Crew Access


 11th 1700 - 13th 1500


Secondary Reserve Bidding Open


 13th by 2100


Secondary Reserve Bid Award 


 14th at 0900


Trading for BBH Open


 16 at 0900


Trading for Reserves Open

 
 
Letter to CEO Mr. Minicucci 
Request to Negotiate Transition and Process Agreement 
 

This episode includes conversations among Host Strategic Communications Chair David Campbell, MEC Chair Will McQuillen, Negotiating Chair David Wilhelm, Scheduling Chair and MEC Secretary-Elect Scott Rubin, and Strategic Planning Chair Brad Beachler. McQuillen gives some details of the recent MEC and Joint MEC meetings that occurred in January. Wilhelm explains the Incentive Line (IL) LOA (24-01) including the provision suspending reserves’ ability to pick up flying on their days off while the LOA is in use as well the replacement of LOA 22-06 with LOA 24-02 which enhances reserves’ ability to pick up work on days off when the IL LOA is not in effect. Rubin discusses preferential bidding which will start on April 1 for the May bid period and explains where to find training materials. Finally, Beachler discusses upcoming unity events. 
For answers to questions about the new reserve system, please listen to episode 61, TA 6: Reserves.

Preferential bidding will go live on April 1 for the May bid period. Now is the time for Alaska pilots to become familiar with the new system so that they may achieve the best possible outcome in the bid award. A great number of resources have been created to facilitate this learning including three rounds of mock-bidding beginning on Monday, February 12. In this episode, Scheduling Committee Chair Captain Scott Rubin and other members of the Joint Preferential Bidding System Working Group (JPWG) including  Captains Ben Brooks, John Owens, and Jake Woods explain how and where to find these training materials and discuss the details of the final implementation timeline. Pilots may find additional support by using one of the contact methods below.
Send a DART – Use the PBS topic
Call the PBS Hotline 833-252-7271 – Rings all ALPA members of the PWG. If no answer leave a message for a callback.
For company support, e-mail Pilot_PBS_Support@Alaskaair.com (search PBS and it will pop up)
Additional information on PBS is available on prior Podcast Episode #58 PBS and Trip Construction.
 

On December 3, Alaska Airlines announced an agreement with Hawaiian Airlines to merge. Pending regulatory approval, this announcement begins a long process that will conclude with a merged pilot group working under a single Collective Bargaining Agreement. In this episode, Host Strategic Communications Chair Capt. David Campbell discusses the steps required before a merger will be complete as it relates to pilots. Broadly, these steps include negotiating a Transition Process Agreement and a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement, merging the pilot Seniority Lists, and finally merging the respective Master Executive Councils into what will become the new governing body of the merged pilot group. Campbell is joined by MEC Chair Capt. Will McQuillen, MEC Executive Administrator Drew Coyle, and Alaska Merger Committee Chair Capt. Greg Wertz. 
 
Pilots of either carrier may submit questions via the DART system.  
 
DART.alpa.org
 

Following the third Quarter MEC Meeting, Host Strategic Communications Chair David Campbell speaks with MEC Chair Will McQuillen, MEC Executive Administrator Drew Coyle, and Scheduling Committee Chair Scott Rubin about the state of the union. Some topics discussed are basing, contract implementation progress, and staffing.

The Alaska Master Executive Council oversees more than 40 pilot support committees, which are run by dedicated pilot volunteers (overseen by elected leaders) working daily for their peer union members, who are Alaska pilots. Much of their work goes unnoticed, but today we are shining some light to show what these committees do. Our ongoing goal is to periodically spotlight the incredible work our dedicated volunteers do on behalf of our pilots, as we've done in the past. Join host Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell as he speaks with MEC Chairman Will McQuillen, Professional Standards Committee Chairman Scott Hathaway, Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion (DEBI) Committee Chairman Mario James, and DEBI Vice Chair Jenn Taylor as they speak more on these committees’ work. 
For an earlier episode highlighting other committees working within the umbrella of Pilot Assistance, including HIMS, Aeromedical, CIRP, and Professional Standards, click on the link below. 
CALL ALPA FIRST