What's the draw at EJA?

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The flex sked at EJA is no good for many reasons. In my opinion, the worst thing about it is that you NEVER know when, or for how long, you'll be working.

You can get a call to go to work for 5 days. OK, on the 5th day, the company has the option to keep you out for another 3 days, 8 total, with NO hard time off afterwards. You could finish an 8 day tour and go right back out to do the same thing after less than a day's rest.

There is a myth that you can "work" the schedule to your advantage. Only a select few, read SENIOR, WELL KNOWN COMPANY TYPES, can manipulate the flex to their advantage. As for me, I was on the flex as an F/O, and after one month I was ready to jump off a bridge. Too much like work for me!

The thing I tell new guys is that while they could bid the flex, and get an extra $875/month, they could also stay on the 17 day, and hope to extend two days, get an after midnight, etc. Both of these scenarios make about the same as being on the flex for one whole month.

The pay at EJA is horrible. Don't trick yourself into adding per diem, overtime, hammer schedules like the flex, etc. into the meager base ernings just to pretend you're getting paid to fly.

Hopefully our new contract will address the pay issue satisfactorily, and guys won't have to bust their humps trying to make a house payment.

It's a fantastic job, we just need some more coin.

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[niteflyr]

flex question

When you work the flex sched, do you get to pick your 4 Hard days off, or are they assigned? Just wonder if that would be helpful come holidays if you wanted them off. You could just do flex the last quarter and get Christmas, Thanksgiving etc off couldn't you?? Thanks!

 

[been-there]

Oh how times have changed!

 

[Majik]

Oh how times have changed!

Actually, most of what was posted remains true. The entire attitude of the company changed when Boisture and Hart were hired to replace the labor friendly management (compared to our current management), and when it became apparent that Santulli's contract negotiation strategy was delay, delay, delay, frustration levels began to rapidly rise. Those 2 items, coupled with the feeling of betrayal by our own MEC caused morale to continue to decay to an extreemly low level but everything else previously posted is pretty much on the money. A new MEC is turning frustration into determination and I am more optimistic than I have been since Dec 03 (the month I came to the conclusion our old MEC was no longer representative of the desires of their membership).

 

[Schrode]

I didn't see the dates at first - I was trying to figure out what company this "EJA" was - nothing like the NJA I know. But a lot of the names were the same - just not what I see day to day. Then looking at the dates . . . I had the same beliefs back then too. Currently, we trying to bring the "good ole days" back to NetJets. Maybe these statements will ring true again someday soon.