As you can well imagine the responses run the gamut, not only relating to the issues, but the emotional aspects as well. Let me try to put some issues to rest. The committee is bound by MEC resolution to send a certified letter, return receipt requested, to every pilot who shows up either illegally over 85 hours on the High Time report from Dave Butterbaugh’s office (Claims Administration) or over bank on the Pilots’ Utilization Report. The only provision we use for stopping the letters from going out are the voluntary reporting form letters available in operations near the ALPA bulletin boards in each crew base, in the November/December US AIRWAVES, and on the MEC web site at usairwayspilots.org. You can call your Over 85 Hour representative or leave an ASPEN message, but we would much prefer the written explanation for the database. It also significantly decreases the chances of us sending the letter inadvertently.

So for all of you who feel we are "wasting your dues money," please contact your LEC representative about changing the governing resolutions. Also please use the voluntary reporting letters to help us not only save money, but also time and effort. As much as we would like, we are simply unable to look up every pilot’s schedule and try to determine his or her own specific legality for the month. We average close to 80 letters a month and there isn’t the time or the manpower available.

Other recurring themes from the responses:

• We don’t control the printing of the new Contract! We’re as frustrated as you are about not having the finished document in hand. By the time you read this, you should have it (or so we’ve been told).

• Just because you have never deviated from the rules in the past doesn’t allow you to violate the Contract now.

• "Just a few minutes over" is just as much a violation as a few hours and it will be treated the same. We actually received a response that said it was "just two hours and 12 minutes." At this pilot’s pay grade that is hundreds of dollars this individual effectively deprived a junior pilot from receiving. (Notice how we very diplomatically avoided the use of the word "stole.") You will get a letter even if you are just one minute illegally over 85 hours or over bank.

Please don’t get angry with us for doing our job. If you exceeded the parameters, explain it to us, and if the response contains an acceptable deviation, that’s all we need. The vast majority of the responses indicate acceptable deviations, i.e., a claim came in unexpected or late, originally scheduled legally but the trip went over, flying/selling back sick, vacation, or bank time and the computer hasn’t reflected it as of our getting the reports, the data is incorrect, etc. This isn’t a personal vendetta and we’re not the rat squad (you know that little weasel guy on NYPD Blue). We’re simply here to ensure compliance with our Contract to protect all US Airways pilots. We need your help and hope someday we can eliminate our committee jobs through achieving total complaince.

Please read all the ALPA and CBS letters you receive regarding Letter of Agreement (LOA) 44. The rules are still being finalized and this makes it all the harder. But it is your responsibility to know the rules. Last month’s US AIRWAVES reviewed the rules as they stood. There was also a very good ALPA mailout and CBS question-and-answer message that explained specific topics. Of course, feel free to contact your local committee representative for any assistance interpreting the latest on LOA 44.