Engage: The Podcast for Delta Pilots

In this episode, Communications Committee Chair Capt. Chris Hughes talks to Retirement & Insurance Committee members Capt. Scott Bowles and Capt. John Doherty about this year’s open enrollment and changes to some of the benefits offered. Scott and John also discuss the benefits of the GVUL plan, which pilots can enroll in during the open enrollment process. 

Description: On this episode, Jason discusses the dreaded Optimizer and how the Rotation Preference System gives pilots the power to fight back against bad trip design with Rotation Construction Committee volunteers Jeffrey Chang, JJ Sweetser. Stick around until the end where they discuss some industry-standard practices we could negotiate for in our next contract to improve this situation even more. (Recorded June 4, 2024)

Additional Resources

Contract Awareness Bulletin 24-04: Click here to download CA Bulletin 24-04 from the Delta ALPA MEC website (login required)

Start at 6:21 of this episode of the Alaska Pilots Podcast for a description of how those fellow ALPA pilots use their optimizer access to present their company with better trip construction solutions. If the ALPA solution meets certain parameters, the company is required to use it! Alaska Pilots Episode TA3: PBS and Trip Construction

Description: On this episode, Jason discusses the nuances of sick calls with Evan Bach and Mark Cervantes, reps for Council 66, Mike Bell, FO, rep for Council 20, and MEC Contract Admin Chair Trevor Boswell. If you’re sick, call in sick! The Chief Pilot just called. Is it a “wellness check” or a Good Faith Basis call as outlined in the PWA, and what do those mean? If you won the sick leave “contest,” did you really win? (Recorded June 17, 2024)

Council 66 Sick Leave Update (DAL MEC Login Required):

https://dal.alpa.org/Portals/1/Documents/lec/council66/other/2024/C66-Sick-Leave-Update-20240516.pdf

On this episode of Engage, the Engage team gets together to discuss topics and issues not covered by other episodes and raps about current rumors, myths, and fun facts. Producer First Officer Adam Uhan, new host Captain Jason Depew, and First Officer Ryan Argenta go through listener mail and DARTs covering hot topics such as the FAA Reauthorization, Scope protections, hotel changes for the Paris Olympics and new hotels in Amsterdam, an update on the SLC Training Facility, and more. The team also says farewell to Ryan as he transitions out of the podcast world and back to being a full-time adventurer and line pilot. (Recorded May 9, 2024)

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in the spirit of pilot mental health, First Officer Forrest Pendleton, Chair of the Pilot Assistance Network (PAN), discusses the rollout of the “Are You in the Green?” campaign to assist pilots (and all humans) in identifying their own mental wellness.  Forrest walks us through the mental health continuum and offers insight on who pilots can turn to when they’re just not feeling great.  Forrest also goes into detail about the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Committee’s recommendations on improving mental health issues and making it easier for pilots to get the help they need while keeping their medical intact or more streamlined and defined steps to regain one’s FAA medical.  For more information, please visit www.alpa.org/green  

Helping pilots and their families manage everything from day-to-day pressures and challenges to training stress to family issues to mental and physical health issues to FAA medical questions, PAN is made up of more than 40 Delta pilot volunteers who answer a 24/7 hotline. PAN is a committee within the Delta MEC and was specifically created to help Delta pilots facing physiological, psychological, and medical concerns or for those needing to talk to someone. For more information, please visit the PAN webpage on the Delta MEC website at https://dal.alpa.org/Topics/PILOT-ASSISTANCE/Pilot-Assistance-Network. 

PAN’s goal is to help mitigate the threats that sometimes put our medical certificates, our pay, and our very jobs at risk. To speak with a trained peer volunteer, call PAN at 888-4-DAL-PAN (888-432-5726) or submit a callback request here.  Calls to PAN are absolutely confidential.  (Recorded May 3, 2024) 

On this episode of Engage, we welcome Mr. Jim Starnes from Delta Flight Control Dispatch to discuss all things Dispatch-related. Did you know Delta Dispatchers are union members represented by the Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA)? Jim Starnes is the First Vice President of PAFCA and discusses the many similarities between pilots and dispatchers: commonly addressed issues with management, contract negotiations, seniority, and even bidding for monthly schedules—we have more in common with our Dispatchers than we may know. Host First Officer Ryan Argenta also asks common questions pilots have for Dispatch and learns more about our unseen siblings in Atlanta. Jim even offers pilots the opportunity to coordinate a tour of Flight Control Dispatch by contacting him directly—details within. Tune in to learn about this fascinating profession and how we can work together with our fellow employees on the ground. (Recorded December 14, 2023)

On this episode of Engage, Captain Ian Turner of the Scheduling Committee and Captain Rich Wheeler, the Chairman of the Negotiating Committee, explain how Voluntary Airport Standby (VAS) works. Discussion includes details of the completely voluntary program, how it prevents unwanted reroutes, and the lucrative pay treatments for both Regular and Reserve pilots. Tune in to learn more about VAS.  (Recorded January 22, 2024) 

On this episode of Engage, Captain Ian Turner of the Scheduling Committee and Captain Rich Wheeler, Chairman of the Negotiating Committee, are back again to discuss new contract implementation items that started in January 2024 beyond pay rate and 401(k) DC contribution increases. The group discusses new items such as improved sit pay provisions and increase to training pay for CQ and Recency type events, training golden days, new theater qualification provisions that provide pilots more flexibility, along with a completely new feature for pilots bidding reserve called “Reserve with Conflict” – a unique enhancement for Reserve pilots. Rich and Ian explain how pilots may want to use this new voluntary feature, RWC, to their advantage. They also discuss contract interpretation issues and clarify how ALPA and the Company are working to resolve these issues. (Recorded January 22, 2024) 

Resources:

Negotiator's Notepad 24-01:

On this special edition episode of Engage, Captain Rich Wheeler, Chairman of the Negotiating Committee, and Captain Eric Criswell, former Chairman of the Negotiating Committee, talk about profit sharing.  From its origin and roots to this year’s profit sharing payout, Rich, Eric, and Ryan discuss how profit sharing was negotiated by pilots in 1996; how it has changed over the years and the need to preserve this negotiated benefit that pilots and all employees now enjoy; how profit sharing is contractually calculated using PTIX and specific formulas; and how pilots can view their earnings and ensure their 2023 profit sharing payout is accurate. Happy Profit Sharing Day!

(Recorded January 23, 2024) 

Starting this month, we'll be recording with a new professional podcasting setup and processing software to level-up our podcast game. You can look forward to more great content and great sounding audio as well. Thank you so much for your support and feedback. Keep the rubber on the road!

- Your Engage Team