Nov 16, 2016 - teleconference. In order to streamline the seminars and to ensure the highest level of counseling, we are
FROM THE SECRETARY TREASURER FEDEX PILOTS' CHARITABLE FUND AND TOY DRIVE NOVEMBER ISSUE OF AIR LINE PILOT PILOTS FOR KIDS MEM MD-11 FIRST OFFICER NEEDS YOUR ASSISTANCE DECEMBER RETIREMENT SEMINAR AND CHARLES SCHWAB FINANCIAL SEMINARS FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT MEM FIRST OFFICER NEEDS YOUR ASSISTANCE DISPUTED PAIRINGS INDUSTRY NEWS
FROM THE SECRETARY TREASURER: Wet-Lease Penalty Payment Your MEC recently approved a per capita distribution plan for 2016 wet-lease penalties incurred by the company so far this year. Penalty payments were broken into three blocks of wet-leasing activity resulting in the following per pilot payment to be paid on these dates: Wet-Leasing Activity
Distribution Amount
Pay Date
January 4-February 28, 2016
$377.21
November 15, 2016
February 29-May 29, 2016
$725.90
November 30, 2016
May 30-June 26, 2016
$382.51
December 15, 2016
In order to be eligible for each penalty payment, you must have been an active pilot during any portion of the dates listed above. For example, if you were an active pilot from January 4th, 2016 through March 15, 2016 and then retired on March 16, 2016, you would be eligible for the first two
payments but not the third. An active pilot will be defined as a pilot who was employed by the company during any portion of a relevant time period as described above. Pilots on military leave during all or part of a relevant time period (as described above) will be considered on active status for that relevant period. Pilots on a leave of absence other than military leave status for an entire relevant period will be considered on inactive for that period. Pilots on disciplinary suspension for an entire time period shall be considered on inactive status for that period. Payments will be listed as a recruiting bonus on your paystubs and the amounts shown above are gross pay before any deductions. [back to top]
FEDEX PILOTS' CHARITABLE FUND AND TOY DRIVE:
The holidays will be quickly approaching us, and we, your FDX MEC, Officers and Staff are asking for your help to support the FedEx Pilot’s Charitable Fund! This fund is set up to provide monetary support around the world towards child related activities. In Memphis, the fund focuses on the FedEx Family House and the Hope House, and in Indianapolis the fund is engaged in supporting a pilot-themed room at the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. The FedEx Family House has housed over 40,000 families since 2010 whose children are facing life-altering medical treatment at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. For over four years FDX ALPA has assisted the FedEx Family House in gathering toys for children. Sadly, the FedEx Family House is telling us that if they can’t get the toys this year they might have to forgo the annual Holiday Village, where the families of children in the House are allowed to pick out toys for Christmas. Our goal is to provide at least 200 toys and a monetary contribution to FedEx Family House. In addition, FDX ALPA has supported the Hope House here in Memphis for over 15 years. Hope House provides high quality early childhood education and social services for over 150 families a year affected by HIV/AIDS, and provides gifts to over 50 families during the holidays. Each year, FDX ALPA has provided a minimum of 15 holiday meals, has adopted a family to bring Christmas joy in the form of clothing and toys, and has provided a monetary contribution to Hope House to support their efforts. This is how you can you help: Go to FedEx Pilot’s Charitable Fund and donate a minimum of $10. Another way to contribute to this worthwhile cause is AmazonSmile. For every dollar spent using this program, Amazon will donate 0.5% to your choice of charity. Please register on AmazonSmile with the FedEx Pilot’s Charitable Fund as your charity. Then, each and every time you purchase from Amazon use smile.amazon.com and not amazon.com. It will take $2,000 in purchases to equal $10, but every dollar counts. Bring a toy by the FDX ALPA office at 1770 Kirby Parkway, Suite 300 in Memphis.
Please take a few moments of your time and help support the FedEx Pilot’s Charitable Fund. Everyday can be a struggle for these children who are undergoing life- threatening illnesses. They typically are not afforded the life many of us enjoy. From all of us, a heartfelt thank you! [back to top]
NOVEMBER ISSUE OF AIR LINE PILOT: The November issue of Air Line Pilot highlights many of the issues facing the cargo industry. ALPA President Captain Tim Canoll's article "Our Union: Catch Fire" discusses ALPA's plan in "working to advance a four-part solution to safeguard air transportation from undeclared dangerous goods that is framed around public education and enforcing existing requirements, increasing packaging and inspection requirements, creating stiffer penalties, and strengthening international rules and guidelines." Additionally, our own Scheduling Committee Chairman Captain Rich Hughey, who also serves as the chairman of the ALPA President's Committee for Cargo, has a pilot commentary included in this issue. This commentary, titled "Safety on Crutches" discusses the disparity in safety between passenger and cargo operations. If you haven't had a chance to read it, we encourage you to read it now. To view the full November issue, click here. [back to top]
PILOTS FOR KIDS:
With the holidays rapidly approaching, we are beginning the planning of our Pilots for Kids events. Below you will find information regarding events in various locations and how you can participate. For information on the location nearest you, select from the list below. Please continue to read the Positive Rate Weekly as more events and details will be added. ANC LAX [back to top]
MEM MD-11 FO NEEDS YOUR ASSISTANCE: First Officer Quentin Chandler experienced a major medical issue on Sunday, Oct 16. As a fairly new crew member at FedEx, he has not had the time to to acquire an extended amount of sick
leave to afford him the time off that he needs during his recovery. As such, we are asking anyone qualified to operate in the right seat of the MD-11 to please offer assistance through a PDO bump. Below are the following trips on FO Chandler’s calendar that need to be bumped: MD11 F/O MEM 217/13NOV 349/21NOV 238/23NOV 243/25NOV [back to top]
DECEMBER RETIREMENT SEMINAR AND CHARLES SCHWAB FINANCIAL SEMINARS: MEM Retirement Seminar: The next available Retirement Counseling Seminars will be held on December 7th from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Central Time at the FDX MEC Office, 1770 Kirby Parkway, Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38138. The Retirement Seminar is geared towards pilots preparing for retirement, providing general information on retirement benefits and the retirement process. While we encourage all pilots to attend the Retirement Seminar, preference will be given to those closer to retirement. For pilots who are unable to attend in person, we will provide access to the seminar via teleconference. In order to streamline the seminars and to ensure the highest level of counseling, we are limiting each seminar to 28 slots. Spouses are welcome to attend. To register for a Retirement Counseling Seminar click here. Please be prepared to provide your ALPA member number. Since the seminars fill up quickly, you should register as soon as possible. Schwab Individual Retirement and Financial Counseling Sessions: Memphis: Dates: Thursday, December 8th. A Schwab Executive Services Financial Consultant will be available on Thursday, December 8th to conduct individual Retirement & Financial planning sessions with FedEx ALPA member pilots and their spouses. See the link below for available times. The sessions are free and scheduled for one hour in length. The slots fill up fast, so reserve yours now by clicking here. Charles Schwab is ALPA’s preferred financial provider. Some of the benefits available for ALPA member pilots from Charles Schwab include complimentary financial planning, low-cost trading, educational online resources, etc. To learn more about the ALPA-Schwab relationship, please visit www.schwab.com/alpa or contact Sylvia Arellano, the lead Executive Services Financial Consultant for FedEx ALPA pilots, directly at (720) 418-4200. [back to top]
FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE:
Layover Gouge
Do you have a favorite restaurant, bar or activity while on a layover? Do you have airport or transportation gouge? Please consider contributing to our Layover Gouge page. We would like to highlight the Layover Gouge icon which is located under the Pilot Services Bar on the fdx.alpa.org homepage. A great amount of effort has been put into place to allow pilots the opportunity to go to this page and not only find great information for various layover locations but to also contribute. We have many new pilots on the property who can take advantage of valuable airport or transportation gouge that can be provided at this site. Please contribute and help make our Layover Gouge page the best place to find all information related to layovers.
MEC YouTube Channel Have you ever wondered where to go and watch current or past videos? Your Communications Committee would like to take this opportunity to highlight the YouTube link on the fdx.alpa.org homepage. Located under the Reference Bar, when you click on the YouTube icon you will be taken to our MEC YouTube page which is where we keep all the current and past videos that we have published. This is especially important during the current open enrollment window for our healthcare benefits. You will find videos ranging from Safety, Retirement and Healthcare to Negotiating Committee and Chairman’s updates. Once there, please take the time to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you won’t miss out on any of our future video releases. To go directly to our FDX MEC YouTube page, please click here. In addition, we also include a YouTube link at the bottom of every Positive Rate email we publish. [back to top]
RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT: The following retirement announcement was submitted by Captain Carl Gustke who will be retiring on November 19, 2016 with his final flight taking place on November 16, 2016. We would like to congratulate Captain Gustke and wish him all the best as he enters into retirement. In 1965, The Byrds rock band released a song called Turn! Turn! Turn! I was amazed to find out that the lyrics from the song came from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. For those of you too young to remember that song or haven’t read through Ecclesiastes in a while, the first verse says “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. I now find myself at one of those distinctive points in life where my path changes direction. I am comforted by the assurance that The God of Heaven and earth has directed my path throughout my life and will continue to do so as I transition from a commercial pilot to a full time husband, father, and grandfather. Some of those major Turn! Turn! Turn! moments in my life were dating Debbie as a freshman in college and marrying her 18 months later; beginning USAF pilot training in 1974; Fatherhood in 1974, ’76, ’79 and ’82; USAF retirement in 1996; Hired by FedEx in 1997; Thirteen (yes, 13) grandchildren beginning in 2002 and now retirement from FedEx. Next year I will become a Constable for my township in Arkansas, and hope to become a Reserve Deputy Sheriff for my county. Your prayers are always welcome! It has been a dream come true to have two careers flying with fantastic professional aviators. Every flight has been a learning opportunity, whether sitting in the right or left seat. Hopefully, I have been able to pass along some “wisdom” and helpful philosophies to those who come behind me. Thank
you to all those who have saved my bacon and kept us safe while flying together. Teamwork is a beautiful thing! I will miss you all. My parting prayer for each of you is from Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless you and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” God Bless, and fly safe! If you would like to contact Carl, he can be reached at
[email protected] or 501-259-0359. [back to top]
MEM FIRST OFFICER NEEDS YOUR ASSISTANCE: Memphis 757 First Officer John Ohm has a family health issue that requires him to be home. We ask those of you qualified to operate in the right seat of the 757 to look at John's schedule and offer a PDO bump, if possible. Please consider this request to allow John the ability to better care for his family. [back to top]
DISPUTED PAIRINGS: November
None December None [back to top]
FedEx's Holiday Season Volume Pegged at 360-370 Million IATA: Global Air Freight Perks Up in September on Europe, Asia Growth Southwest Airlines Pilots Approve New Contract
[back to top]
