New CS Rules?

[WeAAsles]

It looks like it doesn't apply to the ramp

So far it doesn't look that way because we are not subject to FAR. Our Policy on the AA side of the fence is less restrictive then the language written into the IAM side. I doubt it will be touched for us until there is a JCBA and then we'll see how the language or continued policy works itself out?

 

[MetalMover]

So far it doesn't look that way because we are not subject to FAR. Our Policy on the AA side of the fence is less restrictive then the language written into the IAM side. I doubt it will be touched for us until there is a JCBA and then we'll see how the language or continued policy works itself out?

The reason for the CS policy change isn't only because of  the required days off FAR, but abuse in general. But it has been allowed to be abused, so who gets the blame? There are CS policy guidelines in place but are not adhered to. Enforcement is all that is required to end the problem.

 

[WeAAsles]

The reason for the CS policy change isn't only because of  the required days off FAR, but abuse in general. But it has been allowed to be abused, so who gets the blame? There are CS policy guidelines in place but are not adhered to. Enforcement is all that is required to end the problem.

The old AA philosophy. A few bad apples in the tree so they chop the whole thing down. Some ideologies always seem to live on.

 

[Overspeed]

Very true. Under prior VP they decided work wasn't getting done for various reasons. Company wanted SK time reduced so they cut pay in half for first two days. Three and more SK calls went up as well as SK timer overall. So then they hired a dozen or so managers to coach and counsel AMTs on why they called in SK. Counseling sessions require a shop steward and the member for about 30 minutes to an hour. So two hours of lost wrench turning time and you know a mechanic will be highly motivated to work harder after being counseled on why they called in SK when the majority only call in a few days a year prior to changing to half pay SK pay. So do the math. 12 people making $50K with benefits to counsel all AMTs when only a small percentage were really abusing SK time. Better off letting supervisors handle it and do their job and leave the people who call in only when they need it alone. Drop an atom bomb on an ant hill, it's the AA way.
 
I was told new policy is in effect 8/1.

 

[WeAAsles]

Very true. Under prior VP they decided work wasn't getting done for various reasons. Company wanted SK time reduced so they cut pay in half for first two days. Three and more SK calls went up as well as SK timer overall. So then they hired a dozen or so managers to coach and counsel AMTs on why they called in SK. Counseling sessions require a shop steward and the member for about 30 minutes to an hour. So two hours of lost wrench turning time and you know a mechanic will be highly motivated to work harder after being counseled on why they called in SK when the majority only call in a few days a year prior to changing to half pay SK pay. So do the math. 12 people making $50K with benefits to counsel all AMTs when only a small percentage were really abusing SK time. Better off letting supervisors handle it and do their job and leave the people who call in only when they need it alone. Drop an atom bomb on an ant hill, it's the AA way.
 
I was told new policy is in effect 8/1.

How about this one. Used to be if you were on your way into work and something happened like traffic or maybe you had a flat they would just either TL you for the time you were late or adjust your shift. Well the brain trusts running the company decided to put an end to that one. So what happens now? A guy get's stuck in traffic and knows he's not going to make it in on time (Hello guess who is sick)

It's an occurrence either way. I can guarantee you that 99% of people who are already on their way into work anyway don't want to burn through a sick day (Lie) But you have to love the (not) flexibility of our company in that area. 

AA makes the Policy and they have to live with it then. "Braintrusts"

 

[MetalMover]

Very true. Under prior VP they decided work wasn't getting done for various reasons. Company wanted SK time reduced so they cut pay in half for first two days. Three and more SK calls went up as well as SK timer overall. So then they hired a dozen or so managers to coach and counsel AMTs on why they called in SK. Counseling sessions require a shop steward and the member for about 30 minutes to an hour. So two hours of lost wrench turning time and you know a mechanic will be highly motivated to work harder after being counseled on why they called in SK when the majority only call in a few days a year prior to changing to half pay SK pay. So do the math. 12 people making $50K with benefits to counsel all AMTs when only a small percentage were really abusing SK time. Better off letting supervisors handle it and do their job and leave the people who call in only when they need it alone. Drop an atom bomb on an ant hill, it's the AA way.
 
I was told new policy is in effect 8/1.

On top of that, they are hiring supervisors like there's no tomorrow.

 

[Bob Owens]

Change of Shift - CS
 
I heard the same thing. Draft is being circulated with management and then will discuss with union. Supposed to be almost exactly like LUS/IAM policy and will be discussed with all TWU locals. Since AA CS isn't contractual company can implement without a vote by membership.

Like the Association. 

 

[Bob Owens]

Very true. Under prior VP they decided work wasn't getting done for various reasons. Company wanted SK time reduced so they cut pay in half for first two days. Three and more SK calls went up as well as SK timer overall. So then they hired a dozen or so managers to coach and counsel AMTs on why they called in SK. Counseling sessions require a shop steward and the member for about 30 minutes to an hour. So two hours of lost wrench turning time and you know a mechanic will be highly motivated to work harder after being counseled on why they called in SK when the majority only call in a few days a year prior to changing to half pay SK pay. So do the math. 12 people making $50K with benefits to counsel all AMTs when only a small percentage were really abusing SK time. Better off letting supervisors handle it and do their job and leave the people who call in only when they need it alone. Drop an atom bomb on an ant hill, it's the AA way.
 
I was told new policy is in effect 8/1.

5.1 was the number they gave us, thats the average number of days used per mechanic since they decided to penalize us, IIRC it was just over 3 prior to the change. Total sick usage went up by around 40% and stayed there since 2003. 
 
We showed management that they would save $7 million a year, using their numbers, by removing the penalty. They didn't care.
 
My guess is they realize that in order to retain skilled people they will need to stop offering McDonalds or Walmart benefits. In their spiteful way they figured go ahead and let them burn their sick time, then they will bring back the retiree medical where you use sick time to buy it.

 

[Bob Owens]

The flexibility of the CS policy benefits the company just as much as the employees. Many of us have become the secondary income earners in our homes, so if something comes up guess who will have to deal with it? You aren't going to put the better job at risk to save your AA job. So if people cant CS then people will call in sick, and mechanics normally make the call a weekly one because of the penalty. For several years management at JFK, citing the high number of sick calls, didn't assign anybody off at Christmas. What happened? Each year sick calls went up, and what was worse is instead of just being short on the slow travel day of Christmas itself they would be short people all week due to the tendency of mechanics to call in for the whole week since the penalty.  So then they started assigning a lot of guys off on Christmas and the problem went away. They may be short the one day but the heavy travel days around Christmas they had no shortages. 
 
Tighten up on CS rules and those who rely on them, often the same people who go above and beyond, will either push back, or leave. A former manager at JFK used to constantly threaten to tighten up or do away with CS's , I said "Go ahead", we both knew that people would take the day anyway and the company would be the one scrambling to have coverage and end up paying more OT. 
 
A flexible CS policy directly reduces OT and indirectly improves productivity. It costs the company nothing. 

 

[bob@las-AA]

So far it doesn't look that way because we are not subject to FAR. Our Policy on the AA side of the fence is less restrictive then the language written into the IAM side. I doubt it will be touched for us until there is a JCBA and then we'll see how the language or continued policy works itself out?

Federal Air Regulation

 

[bob@las-AA]

The flexibility of the CS policy benefits the company just as much as the employees. Many of us have become the secondary income earners in our homes, so if something comes up guess who will have to deal with it? You aren't going to put the better job at risk to save your AA job. So if people cant CS then people will call in sick, and mechanics normally make the call a weekly one because of the penalty. For several years management at JFK, citing the high number of sick calls, didn't assign anybody off at Christmas. What happened? Each year sick calls went up, and what was worse is instead of just being short on the slow travel day of Christmas itself they would be short people all week due to the tendency of mechanics to call in for the whole week since the penalty.  So then they started assigning a lot of guys off on Christmas and the problem went away. They may be short the one day but the heavy travel days around Christmas they had no shortages. 
 
Tighten up on CS rules and those who rely on them, often the same people who go above and beyond, will either push back, or leave. A former manager at JFK used to constantly threaten to tighten up or do away with CS's , I said "Go ahead", we both knew that people would take the day anyway and the company would be the one scrambling to have coverage and end up paying more OT. 
 
A flexible CS policy directly reduces OT and indirectly improves productivity. It costs the company nothing. 

The only-one who benefits is the employee. A employee calls in sick holding two shifts. The employee gets paid sick time from his bank, then OT is paid twice to the two employees on day off for the holes he created with the two shifts. And that employee will likely be out for three days because it is still an occurrence, but will not have to bring a doctor's note. 

 

[Salty Dog]

The ramp guys might actually avoid these new rules. The old ones certainly would be better for commuters

 

[Salty Dog]

Is Facilities and Automotive subject to FAR?

 

[AirwAr]

I don't blame anyone other than the folks who are funneling the info to Parker or the ones who actually set the policies. It's how US does it, so it shall be done. Nothing more, nothing less...imo.

Agreed.  This was not a merger...it was a US takeover.

 

[AANOTOK]

Policy Changes – Change of Shift and Day at a Time, Effective September 1, 2015
Anyone know what they are?