Greetings All,

As usual, I will try and keep the words to information ratio in check. There is enough email for you to sort through on a daily basis as it is:

Section 11 Focus Group

Captain Rick Irgens, our new Negotiating Committee Chairman, is working hard with his committee to ensure that Section 11 issues are properly addressed. There is presently not an agreed upon date to commence discussions relating to Section 11. However, Captain Irgens fully recognizes the complexities and challenges related to our portion of the CBA. He has expressed a desire to build upon prior work to ensure that his team is well versed in the desires and needs of the instructor group. To that end, he has contacted me and asked that I solicit volunteers to form a focus group devoted exclusively to the issues facing the pilots of Section 11.

The focus group will analyze the current state of our openers and consider opportunities to enhance Section 11. This group would serve to offer suggestions and provide subject matter expertise to our Negotiating Committee when requested.  Out of efficiency and necessity, this will be a small group.

Captain Irgens and his committee will decide upon the participants based upon prior experience and expertise amongst other factors. Those interested in being a part of this group may send your resume, with relevant particulars, to:

 paul.bjornstad@alpa.org

Scheduling Survey

This truly impacts  us in some pretty remarkable ways. Thus far, we have had significant number of responses to this survey. Yet it is clear that we have not heard from all. In order for Rich Hughey and his group of scheduling gurus to do your bidding, they really need to know our scheduling needs and our desires.

Look, they are doing the hard part and we are getting the easy part. The survey takes about 10 minutes. It pays remarkable dividends.

Use this link, and you only have to put in your password:

http://www.alpa.org/SurveyPointLinkThru/tabid/3343/Default.aspx

Training Scheduling

A great deal of time ago FedEx training endured a reorganization that was the result of a company-wide austerity initiative. The reorganization sought to find efficiencies in how FedEx training was run. In doing so, the vastly more intelligent consultants felt that the airline would be much better served if the training schedulers were moved under the empire of Crew Scheduling.

I have been involved with many training scheduling issues during my tenure as your rep. Though this re-org might have looked good on paper, I can assure you that it did not work well in practice. The regulations, qualifications, and complex scheduling issues that are part of our lives imbue a need for training scheduling to work closely and in concert with the instructors.

Well, that is obviously the way that Mr. Gorman (VP of Training and Standards, if you have been napping) sees the situation. Therefore, he has reorganized Training Scheduling so that they once again work for and with Training and Standards directly.

Presently, Mrs. Penne Lapusnak will be running Training Scheduling until a permanent manager is found. This is a very favorable thing for all.

To put a fine point on the issue, Mr. Gorman even maintains that there no longer needs to be a locked door between the schedulers and the FedEx instructors with whom they work. However, we need to be mindful that the open door is for FedEx training and standards stuff. If we end up hanging out and talking about sailing and football, we will risk this valuable access to those people who have control over our lives.

I have to offer my compliments to Mr. Gorman for this recent success. This very favorably affects all flex instructors, LCAs, and SCAs.

Council 26 Election and Block 11 Election

As many of you are clearly aware (I have received a very large number of nominating ballots already), the nominating process for Block 11 representative is presently open. As mentioned previously, I have elected not to run for a second term. Though I have truly enjoyed the privilege you have conferred by allowing me to serve as your block rep, I am bound by the promises that I have made. More to the point, we are fortunate to have other, more talented individuals who have committed to work on our behalf should they be elected.

The first part of our election process will end at our council meeting next week on Tuesday the 19^th. At that meeting the nominating ballots will be counted. The two individuals who receive the most ballots and who have marked the box on their ballots as “I am willing to serve, if elected,” will become the two candidates for the election of Block 11 representative. This election will be accomplished electronically in the weeks following the nomination. You will be able to vote not only for the candidates within our block, but also for the individuals running for the rep positions within the other blocks that constitute Council 26.

As I consider departing this role as your representative, I do so very heartened by quality of the individuals who have spoken to me about the position and that of the individuals who have publicly made their candidacy known. These are good men who are moved by the best motives in seeking your support. I am privileged to have known them for a great deal of time and consider this block fortunate for their desire to serve us going forward.

With the best regards,

Paul

Paul Bjornstad

FedEx Council 26, Block 11

The Air Line Pilots Association

paul.bjornstad@alpa.org

901 277-7976