New Rumor! New Rumor!

jimntx

Veteran
Jun 28, 2003
11,218
3,302
Dallas, TX
www.usaviation.com
Non-revving back to DFW on Sunday (and semi-confirmed by my mole at CenterPort on Monday), I heard a new rumor...

RUMOR: The company is going to (in effect) make every base a satellite of DFW.

CLOSER TO THE TRUTH: A lot of the stuff that today you handle with your FSM will be handled via 800 number. The FMLA call-in number experiment at DFW-D has been rather successful and will be rolled out systemwide--probably in January. Attendance will be "800'd" next.

Personally, I don't see how they can manage 19,000 people with no "on the ground" supervision at all, but there are definite advantages to centralizing some of the issues like FMLA and attendance. There are obvious problems inherent in expecting all FSMs to understand, explain, and handle these issues the same and in a consistent manner. Centralizing these functions increases the chances that every f/a gets the same information in the same words every time.

As I understand it, the FMLA call-in number is working very well at DFW. If you want to apply for FMLA, you don't have to depend upon reaching your FSM by phone, and once reached getting the correct information. Also, from the company side, after you have applied, someone calls you back and goes over the requirements and ramifications of FMLA with you using a standard "script." This eliminates the possibility of the flight attendant winning a grievance/arbitration later because "my Flight Service Manager never told me that." Don't know for sure, but I would bet these conversations are recorded just like our little chats with Crew Scheduling; so that they have you on tape stating that you understand what is being explained.

United does something like this already, and it saves considerable money. Without having to deal with attendance and FMLA (which I would imagine takes a majority of a FSM's time today), one FSM could supervise more f/as. And, with the policy being administered in a consistent manner for all f/as there would be no opportunities to cry foul/unfair/discrimination.
 
I can see this happening. As it is there are no uniform checks, no check rides any more. (sadly) Get a TM, just call the computer or the 800 number.

Why not just drop a bunch of supervisors and have it all be DFW remote.
 
jimntx said:
My mole implied to me that one of the expected outcomes is that it would free up FSM time to do MORE check rides.
[post="299886"][/post]​

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jimntx,

"Your MOLE" That's funny !!!!!!!!!!
I got a GOOD laugh out of that expression !! :D :up: :p :up: :D

Hey, IF the "lines go down" ESPECIALLY over the "Flu season" (Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Years :unsure: ) I wonder how GARFIELD(the movie) and OPPERATIONS will like the NEW system :shock: :shock: ???????????????

NH/BB's
 
Uh, NHBB, you must be confusing Dallas weather with New Hampshire weather. In the 4+ years I've lived in Dallas, there has been exactly one "ice" storm. Not only did it not bring down the telephone lines--not that many are above ground in this city--I was still able to make it to the airport that day for my trip by just slowing down a little. The ice was gone by noon.

If you're talking about the lines going down in your part of the world, what would be different from today?
 
jimntx said:
Uh, NHBB, you must be confusing Dallas weather with New Hampshire weather. In the 4+ years I've lived in Dallas, there has been exactly one "ice" storm. Not only did it not bring down the telephone lines--not that many are above ground in this city--I was still able to make it to the airport that day for my trip by just slowing down a little. The ice was gone by noon.

If you're talking about the lines going down in your part of the world, what would be different from today?
[post="299964"][/post]​

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jimntx,

Your right. I had a "geographical black out" for a moment.

NH/BB's
 
NewHampshire Black Bears said:
when BIG storms (Snow/ice) knock out phone/commuter lines.
[post="299955"][/post]​

What's a commuter line? ;) Bears, unlike the more ancient civilizations on the east coast, we have something called "underground utilities" down here in Tejas. The only thing that ice tends to do is accellerate the process of natural selection amongst our abundance of stupid drivers...

FMLA calcs for ground employees are also being centralized, so perhaps HR has finally found a way to fix the inconsistencies with how some of the field offices have been handling things like FMLA in the past.
 
Former ModerAAtor said:
What's a commuter line? ;) Bears, unlike the more ancient civilizations on the east coast, we have something called "underground utilities" down here in Tejas. The only thing that ice tends to do is accellerate the process of natural selection amongst our abundance of stupid drivers...

FMLA calcs for ground employees are also being centralized, so perhaps HR has finally found a way to fix the inconsistencies with how some of the field offices have been handling things like FMLA in the past.
[post="300136"][/post]​

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Uh oh,
I better get my "prescription" checked (glasses) :shock: :shock:

NH/BB's
 
There is also a change in attendance policy comming down the pike soon...I wold imagine it will be developed to implement by mgrs. over the phone. How would you get Union reps to sit in on any attendance mtngs?
 
AC AA LA FA said:
There is also a change in attendance policy comming down the pike soon...I wold imagine it will be developed to implement by mgrs. over the phone. How would you get Union reps to sit in on any attendance mtngs?
[post="300891"][/post]​

The same way that thousands of companies all over the world do things over the phone -- conference calls....
 
Aparently Garfield was wrong. Go figure. Standby isn't going away, just being reduced. 60% system wide, according to the HI6. ORD will only have 10, down from 14 and IOR will only have 1, down from 3. Sounds good to me being at IOR. I almost always had it at 0630 and can't remember the last time I got a trip. Usually I slept in the TV room and never got into uniform. I hope this doesn't cause more reassignments.