This tentative agreement includes a preferential bidding system (PBS) as the delivery process for monthly schedules. Hear about ALPA’s enhanced control over trip construction and how PBS will work.

Many terms may be unfamiliar. Some may find the glossary below helpful while listening to this episode.

Find more information at AlaskaPilots.org.

PBS Hotline: (833) ALA-PBS1 or (833) 250-7271

Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Glossary

Average Line Value (ALV)

The average Credit value of all lines in a Base Position.  ALV will include all known Credit in that Base Position.

Correct Line:

The initial line the Pilot should have been awarded had a PBS Misaward not occurred.

Credit Window

Credit range within which a line may be awarded.

Denial Mode

A process in PBS that:

• is performed after PBS is unable to award a Pilot a line consistent with his or her bid preferences, seniority, known absences, the FARs, and the CBA, and within the Minimum Credit Window,

Fill to Threshold

A tool in PBS that is utilized prior to Denial Mode, and continues to award trips to each Pilot's line, if possible, until such line is at or above the threshold.

Force Priority Stack Date on SLG

A tool in PBS that ensures a Pilot who is awarded a line during the SLG process is awarded a trip that is scheduled to operate on the specified priority stack date.

Max Followed By Time

The maximum time between trips that are awarded via the "Followed By" bid statement.

Max Iteration

A parameter in PBS that limits the number of trips PBS considers when attempting to construct a line.

Max Passes

A parameter in PBS that limits the number of attempts by PBS to award lines to all Pilots in a Base Position.

Max Reserves

A parameter in PBS that limits the number of Pilots permitted to be awarded a Reserve Schedule in a Base Position.

Maximum Stack Height

A parameter in PBS that limits a stack after all Pilots in the Base Position are awarded a line.

Priority Stack Date

A designated date that is unstacked before PBS unstacks any other date. Priority stack date is limited to days which receive Holiday Pay.

Reduced Lower Limit (RLL)

A line that is awarded below the minimum Credit value for the Month when the Pilot could not legally be awarded a line within the Credit Window.

Secondary Line Generation (SLG)

The final PBS process, used after Shuffle and Denial Mode, that ignores a Pilot's bid preferences in an attempt to construct a line for the Pilot.

Shuffle

A tool in PBS that:

• is utilized after PBS is unable to award a Pilot a line within his or her line credit window which complies with his higher priority bid preference(s)

Stack

The number of duty periods that remain in Open Flying Time on a given Calendar Day at the end of a bid run.

Threshold

The target Credit value for each line in each Base Position in a Bid Period.

Trailing Line Value (TLV)

The twelve (12) Bid Period rolling average of the ALV for a Base Position.

Unstack

A tool in PBS that assigns trips to Pilots in such a way as to prevent a stack that is greater than the Maximum Stack Height.

Vacation Any

A function applied during the PBS award process in which vacation days may be moved as needed so as to avoid conflicts with preferred trips. Vacation Any does not change the number of vacation days or the Credit of the awarded schedule.

Virtual Credit

A credit value applied to an activity or absence only during schedule construction in PBS.  Virtual Credit has no value once the schedule is awarded.

Hear how this tentative agreement addresses job security for pilots.

Watch the animated video SCOPE: Protect, Provide, Prepare.

Find more information at AlaskaPilots.org.

The Alaska Airlines MEC has voted to approve a Tentative Agreement (TA) which will soon be subject to pilot ratification. This is the first of a seven-episode series detailing the changes found within the TA. In this episode, Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell and guests provide an overview of what pilots will see in the TA. He is joined by MEC Chairman Will McQuillen, MEC Vice Chairman Joe Youngerman, MEC Secretary Garin Tentschert, MEC Treasurer Scott Mokos, and Negotiating Chairman Chris Gruner. 

More information about the TA may be found at AlaskaPilots.org.

When the MEC approves a tentative agreement, it will promptly be announced to pilots via email and a Textcaster message. Alaska Airlines pilots may find a signup link to Textcaster on the members’ page of AlaskaPilots.org.

In this episode, Host Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell, discusses the conclusion of last week’s negotiations session, and what to expect next week with Negotiating Chairman Chris Gruner, MEC Chairman Will McQuillen and Strategic Planning Committee Chairman Ronan O’Donoghue.  

Join Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell, MEC Chairman Will McQuillen, MEC Vice Chairman Joe Youngerman, and Negotiating Committee Chairman Chris Gruner as they discuss the current state of negotiations and what pilots may expect from the special MEC meeting scheduled to begin on August 29.

In this episode Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell discusses the state of negotiations with MEC Chairman Will McQuillen, Negotiating Chairman Chris Gruner, and Strategic Planning Chairman Ronan O’Donoghue.

In this episode, Host Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell speaks with MEC Chairman Will McQuillen, Negotiating Committee Chairman Chris Gruner, and Strategic Planning Vice-Chairman Drew Coyle about the Special MEC Meeting that concluded on July 1.

There will be upcoming opportunities for pilots and their families to meet with their ALPA elected leadership, including a Pilot and Family Town Hall in Los Angeles on Friday, July 22, and an open house held at the Seattle MEC office on Thursday, August 4. Check your email and our Facebook Groups for more information on these events.

Join host Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell as he discusses the recent increase in pace of contract negotiations with Negotiating Committee Chairman Chris Gruner and MEC Chairman Will McQuillen. Also in this episode, Strategic Planning Chairman Ronan O’Donoghue and McQuillen discuss how the MEC’s strategic plan has brought us to where we are now and how the MEC will continue to leverage it to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion in the form of a ratifiable Tentative Agreement.

On May 25, a strike authorization ballot sent to the Alaska Airlines pilots closed. With nearly 96 percent of members participating, an overwhelming 99 percent of Alaska pilots authorized union leaders to call a strike if necessary and after the parties are permitted by the National Mediation Board (NMB) to take that action.

Following the initial announcement of this ballot, Alaska management requested to meet with ALPA. That request was honored and on May 24 – 26 the two parties sat at the negotiating table in direct talks. In today’s episode, MEC Chairman Will McQuillen, Strategic Planning Chairman Ronan O’Donoghue, and Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell discuss the significance of this historic vote and the outcome of this week’s negotiations.

On April 21, the Alaska Airlines Pilots Master Executive Council (MEC) unanimously voted to approve a strike authorization ballot. While the pilot group is not on strike now a “yes” vote will authorize the MEC to call a strike if mediation is unsuccessful, all the procedures of the Railway Labor Act have been exhausted, and the National Mediation Board allows the Alaska Airlines pilots and management to exercise self-help at the end of a cooling off period.

In this episode, host Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell speaks with MEC Chairman Will McQuillen, Negotiating Chairman Chris Gruner, and Strategic Planning Chairman Ronan O’Donoghue about what this ballot means and why the MEC felt management’s actions at the bargaining table make this step necessary.

Listeners may find this flow chart of the Railway Labor Act’s negotiations process helpful.

Family members of pilots are encouraged to learn more through a committee designed for them. Please go to AlaskaPilots.org and follow the FONE link found on the top right margin.