Please find below an update on Part-Time contracts, Direct Entry Contract Captains, Delayed Reporting, Pilot Seniority and Medical Assistance in KRW.
Part-Time contracts
Following our email dated 30 May 2017, we would like to give you an update on Part-Time contracts.
After it has been brought to our attention, that a clause was added into Part-Time contracts forcing a pilot to either obtain a license issued in Luxembourg or any other license management deems necessary, on 21 June 2017 Michael Kaiser and Dirk Becker met with the Deputy Chief Pilot Geoffroy Bemelmans and the Chief Flight Instructor Wolf Brandes to discuss this issue.
The meeting was held in an open and constructive atmosphere and all arguments and concerns were discussed. In that meeting, management did honor the fact that any flight crew license issued in accordance with EASA Part FCL qualifies to operate Cargolux aircraft.
Reasons why it is desirable to have a license issued by the DAC-L from management’s perspective were also discussed. These are mainly related to the administrative requirements for License Proficiency Checks, which are still not fully aligned throughout Europe. These include for example that each TRE must be familiar with the requirements of each authority prior to conducting a check, which may in parts greatly differ between the different authorities.
We appreciate that management agrees to withdraw the paragraph in question and intends to re-issue the Part-Time contracts without this clause.
Direct Entry Contract Captains
Recently we have learned that the non-type rated Contract Captain, who was hired and trained to join the joint venture airline in China once this company would start operation, has left Cargolux. We highly appreciate that the mutual agreement between our CEO Richard Forson and the ALPL has been respected at all times.
Until today there is no clarity in regards to how the joint venture airline will be crewed. This includes possible job and career perspectives for Cargolux pilots and eventually training of pilots for the joint venture airline. We believe that it should be possible to find a solution for all parties involved.
Delayed Reporting
We are still waiting for Flight Operations to correctly apply the regulations and comply with the finding made by the DAC-L on delayed reporting at the out stations. It was indicated that it is work in progress and that Cargolux is in touch with AIMS to find a solution for that.
We have had members also highlighting that crew control is omitting to inform crews of the first delay and only sending a “delayed reporting” notification after the second delay or even none at all.
The intention of the regulation is to limit the total time of wakefulness prior to commencing duties. If delays do occur more than once the FDPs will have to be reduced whereby an operator either augments the crew to extend the FDP or replaces the crew for the FDP.
Please be vigilant and read the delayed reporting procedure to know the requirements of the regulations. If for any reason you feel that you have been awake for a period of time prior to commencing a FDP which may impact or potentially impact your ability to perform safely your flight duties inform crew control and dispatch if you will require additional rest and complete a proactive fatigue report.
Pilot Seniority
In June we were approached by Flight Operations Management and HR to find a solution for some Lufthansa CityLine pilots, who flew with Cargolux for a period of 2 years on a fixed term contract, chose to leave the company and went back to CityLine. Some of those former colleagues raised the interest to re-join Cargolux but asked to consider the time spent in Cargolux when determining their new seniority date.
We are fully aware of the fact that Cargolux needs more pilots but the proposed way raised serious concerns and questions, which we did communicate towards Management.
Pilot seniority is the main factor when it comes to salary and career progression within the company, the allocation of vacation – and off days. It therefore must be respected and applied for all Cargolux pilots the same way. To make an exception would not only water down the seniority principle in general but would also severely disadvantage all pilots who have been employed after the departure of the CityLine pilots back in 2016.
Medical assistance in KRW
We have been approached by several colleagues, who raised concerns in regards to medical assistance in Turkmenbashi (KRW). According to International SOS, emergency services in Turkmenistan are unable to provide adequate assistance due to lack of training and foreign language skills. In addition, strict travel requirements and restrictions are in place. An initial request to get clarification from Management last year did not lead to a satisfactory answer. Please click here to read a letter from the Delegation, that was sent, amongst others, to the Manager Operational Health and Safety aiming at getting satisfactory answers on certain questions.
