Open Time Programming Changes

eMaestro update tonight

There will be an eMaestro outage beginning at 11 pm Pacific Time tonight (Wednesday, January 27^th) for a system update.  This update should bring the programmed Open Time (OT) trading rules into contractual compliance with the language in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) §12.F [Open Time Trial]. Changes to trading rules will be effective when eMaestro is brought back online.

Pairing codes and trading rules

The new OT system will include codes displayed next to the pairings.  The codes will be TO (“Trading down is Open”) / CP (“CouPon Drop”) / DD (“Direct Drop”) / TX (“Trading down is eXcluded”)—or the code may be blank.  Each pairing with the code TO, CP or DD on a particular day of departure together make up the Threshold Sequence Number (TSN), which determines if the day is “limited” (closed).  Any trip with the TO/CP/DD code may be traded up or down regardless of the number of days as long as the trip exchanged reports on the same day.

Day for day trading!

With this update there will be additional trading capabilities regarding day for day trading, including multiple sequence trades in Open Time! The multiple sequence trading rules are more favorable than the language currently in §12.F [Open Time Trial], which was a pleasant surprise to AFA when discovered earlier this week. Management has agreed to incorporate these multiple sequence trading rules into the OT Trial. Due to the short lead-time, the parties were unable to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to supplement the language of §12.F prior to the programming patch going live. However, we will publish that MOU as soon as possible.

Single or multiple sequence trade: TX or uncoded

If a pairing in Open Time is labeled TX (“Trading down is eXcluded”) or it has a blank designation, then that pairing can be traded for one or more pairings on your line as long as the trips being traded off of your line cover the same dates as the trip being picked up in OT even if there is a gap between the trips being traded off of your line. The trip(s) on your line does not necessarily have to report on the same date of report as the trip in OT as long as the trip(s) being traded off of your line covers the same dates as the trip in OT or more.

Example: Two turns on your line starting on the 1^st and 2^nd can be traded for a 2-day in OT starting on the 1^st that is coded TX and the 1^st is “limited” (closed).

Example: A turn starting on the 1^st and a 2-day starting on the 3^rd on your line can be traded for a 4-day in OT starting on the 1^st that is coded TX and the 1^st is “limited” (closed)—even though there is a gap between the trips being traded off of your line.

Single sequence trade: TO/CP/DD

No change to current trading rules.

Multiple sequence trade: TO/CP/DD

If a pairing in Open Time is labeled TO/CP/DD, then that pairing can be traded for one or more pairings on your line as long as the trips being traded off of your line cover the same dates as the trip being picked up in OT—even if there is a gap between the trips being traded off of your line; none of the days of departure of the trips being traded off of your line can be “limited” (closed) in OT. Again, the trip(s) on your line does not necessarily have to report on the same date of report as the trip in OT as long as the trip(s) being traded off of your line covers the same dates as the trip in OT or more.

Example: Two turns on your line starting on the 1^st and 2^nd can be traded for a 2-day in OT starting on the 1^st that is coded TO/CP/DD if both the 1^st and the 2^nd are open.

Example: A turn starting on the 1^st and a 2-day starting on the 3^rd on your line can be traded for a 4-day in OT starting on the 1^st that is coded TO/CP/DD if both the 1^st and the 3^rd are open—even though there is a gap between the trips being traded off of your line. In this case, it does not matter whether the 2^nd and the 4^th are “limited” (closed) or open.

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More information can be found in §12.F [Open Time Trial]. Because so much of this is new to everybody, naturally there will be questions. Use your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers or Scheduling Committee members as resources but please be patient while everyone familiarizes themselves with the new rules. We’ll have several weeks to play with the new trading rules prior to March Open Time opening on February 17^th for Seattle and February 16^th for all other bases. The Open Time Trial as referenced in §12.F.10 will officially commence on those dates.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones