Why is PHX Fleet Service run different than the other Hubs

[blownkneesbob]

reference the lead problem. Why hasn't a lead signed up for OT and then grieve it when management upgrades OUT of CLASS
I realize that PHX has no District support but that should be won through the grievance committee.. what gives I thought this
problem was being addressed a couple years ago.

 

[niblet]

In PHX, leads can either be "hired-on" permanent leads or lead-qualified agents that can be temporarily upgraded.

Agents that are "upgraded" to Lead for a shift automatically have their pay increased for that shift as well, it shows up in Workbrain as a pay differential for that day. If an agent is upgraded in the middle or end of his shift, he (is supposed to) receive lead pay for the whole shift. Only agents with "quals", or team lead qualifications, can be upgraded or pick up lead shifts. Once you're qualified, the only way to become unqualified is either sign up to have your qualifications dropped with management (which they rarely allow) or get on a level three disciplinary level. I know of a few leads that either have or were considering getting on a level three just to lose their lead qualifications.

Agents that are qualified to be leads and are not "hired-on" dedicated leads may at the beginning of a new bid period sign the "no pull" list which basically puts them towards the bottom of the upgrade list. A lot if not most lead qualified agents sign the no-pull list but in a pinch they'll still upgrade people from it anyway.

This problem used to be more severe until a couple of years ago when PHX was effectively opened for transfers and furloughs to come to be leads, in fact becoming a FT dedicated lead was the only way a lot of those people were able to make it to PHX. Before that time easily half the leads on the ramp for a given shift were upgrades. Even though they had a slew of hired-on lead positions filled since that time, management has never stopped relying on the flexibility that comes with being able to upgrade certain agents at will.

A lead may get an ESON for something amiss at his or her gate, such as the main gear not being chocked, or a missing delineator or what have you since they are responsible for that gate; in fact if they wanted to they could give the whole gate crew ESON's for no one having noticed it or done anything about it. A lead won't and shouldn't receive an ESON when an agent on the crew is neglecting something that that agent is personally responsible for or his doing with his person; for example if Johnny Idiot is hopping between carts and over tongues his lead isn't going to get the ESON for it, Johnny is.

Leads do not issue ESON's in PHX, never have. Hope this clarifies...

I've seen temp upgrades but never on a daily basis. I would do the same and sign up for overtime then grieve in. Manipulation of overtime. What are lead qualifications? I dont remember ever seeing any. Any one with senority can upgrade. Even temporary

 

[strangiatotheme]

What are lead qualifications?

Being lead qualified in PHX means that you've gone through lead training, which is basically a short training course with Sabre. Before they started taking FT lead transfers in to PHX, it was almost guaranteed that anyone with quals would be upgraded for nearly every shift they worked. In fact, they would also let lead-qualified agents (not hired on) bid on open team lead lines before the general bid would come out. I did this for about a year before they put an end to it.

 

[niblet]

Being lead qualified in PHX means that you've gone through lead training, which is basically a short training course with Sabre. Before they started taking FT lead transfers in to PHX, it was almost guaranteed that anyone with quals would be upgraded for nearly every shift they worked. In fact, they would also let lead-qualified agents (not hired on) bid on open team lead lines before the general bid would come out. I did this for about a year before they put an end to it.

Thats wild. I've worked as a Lead in three cities. (All East) Senority gave me the positions. No Lead class. At one point in GSO they said we Leads had to be OPS qualified but that was the only qualification I ever had to have. That being said how is it as a company we have such different run ramps? The contract talks about temp upgrades but does not address qualifications. Only duties. An AGC would surely help with these issues.

 

[ograc]

In PHX, leads can either be "hired-on" permanent leads or lead-qualified agents that can be temporarily upgraded.

Agents that are "upgraded" to Lead for a shift automatically have their pay increased for that shift as well, it shows up in Workbrain as a pay differential for that day. If an agent is upgraded in the middle or end of his shift, he (is supposed to) receive lead pay for the whole shift. Only agents with "quals", or team lead qualifications, can be upgraded or pick up lead shifts. Once you're qualified, the only way to become unqualified is either sign up to have your qualifications dropped with management (which they rarely allow) or get on a level three disciplinary level. I know of a few leads that either have or were considering getting on a level three just to lose their lead qualifications.

Agents that are qualified to be leads and are not "hired-on" dedicated leads may at the beginning of a new bid period sign the "no pull" list which basically puts them towards the bottom of the upgrade list. A lot if not most lead qualified agents sign the no-pull list but in a pinch they'll still upgrade people from it anyway.

This problem used to be more severe until a couple of years ago when PHX was effectively opened for transfers and furloughs to come to be leads, in fact becoming a FT dedicated lead was the only way a lot of those people were able to make it to PHX. Before that time easily half the leads on the ramp for a given shift were upgrades. Even though they had a slew of hired-on lead positions filled since that time, management has never stopped relying on the flexibility that comes with being able to upgrade certain agents at will.

A lead may get an ESON for something amiss at his or her gate, such as the main gear not being chocked, or a missing delineator or what have you since they are responsible for that gate; in fact if they wanted to they could give the whole gate crew ESON's for no one having noticed it or done anything about it. A lead won't and shouldn't receive an ESON when an agent on the crew is neglecting something that that agent is personally responsible for or his doing with his person; for example if Johnny Idiot is hopping between carts and over tongues his lead isn't going to get the ESON for it, Johnny is.

Leads do not issue ESON's in PHX, never have. Hope this clarifies...

What a mess. I can assure you these policies and procedures are inconsistent with other hub cities and outline stations. ESONs are to be issued to the employee guilty of a safety violation. On any receipt or dispatch of an aircraft each agent is responsible for certain items. If that particular item is not accomplished the ESON is issued to the responsible agent. For example, according to the GOM (Ground Operations Manual) it is the marshaller's responsibilty to perform an arrival walk around for aircraft damage. Hypothetically, if the Lead agent does not marshal in the aircraft, are you telling me if the walk around isn't done by the marshaller the Lead could be issued the ESON? This needs addressed immediately. Oh wait we have an AGC who is missing in action. This is exactly how the company gets away with such inconsistent policies. We are all under one CBA. It needs to be enforced by the District consistently throughout the system. Until we elect a leadership team that can accomplish this the company laughs all the way to the bank.

 

[ograc]

Thats wild. I've worked as a Lead in three cities. (All East) Senority gave me the positions. No Lead class. At one point in GSO they said we Leads had to be OPS qualified but that was the only qualification I ever had to have. That being said how is it as a company we have such different run ramps? The contract talks about temp upgrades but does not address qualifications. Only duties. An AGC would surely help with these issues.

In total ageement niblet. Consistent enforcement of the CBA, throughout the system, should be a primary resposibility of whatever leadership team is elected.

 

[ChockJockey]

What a mess.

Yep, all I know is that leads have been getting called for OT and they keep upgrading people.

Hypothetically, if the Lead agent does not marshal in the aircraft, are you telling me if the walk around isn't done by the marshaller the Lead could be issued the ESON?

No, that wouldn't stick because procedure refers to the marshaller and not the lead, as you said, even though in PHX it is the lead that does the marshalling about 90% of the time. However the lead is supposed to check off on his handy dandy team lead summary sheet that the walk-around had been done ...

 

[ograc]

Yep, all I know is that leads have been getting called for OT and they keep upgrading people.


No, that wouldn't stick because procedure refers to the marshaller and not the lead, as you said, even though in PHX it is the lead that does the marshalling about 90% of the time. However the lead is supposed to check off on his handy dandy team lead summary sheet that the walk-around had been done ...

Team



Team Lead Summary Sheet? Never heard of it. I don't believe Lead Summary Sheets are required in other stations. I could be wrong but I believe PHX is being held to a different set of standards than the rest of the system. How could such inconsistencies exist from one station to another under a common CBA? I think I know the answer. A MIA AGC and District Leadership Team.

 

[ChockJockey]

Team



Team Lead Summary Sheet? Never heard of it. I don't believe Lead Summary Sheets are required in other stations. I could be wrong but I believe PHX is being held to a different set of standards than the rest of the system.

Yes. At the end of their shift the team lead is expected to have completed his Team Lead Summary™. It's mandatory. It contains the crew, gate, and flight details for that gate crew for that shift. The lead has to check off that certain things were done or verified for any inbound, turn, or terminator. "Station Policy".

 

[strangiatotheme]

Yes. At the end of their shift the team lead is expected to have completed his Team Lead Summary™. It's mandatory. It contains the crew, gate, and flight details for that gate crew for that shift. The lead has to check off that certain things were done or verified for any inbound, turn, or terminator. "Station Policy".

I'm pretty sure they don't even read through them. In fact, I'm almost positive that they don't. Just...trust me.

 

[ChockJockey]

I'm pretty sure they don't even read through them. In fact, I'm almost positive that they don't. Just...trust me.

Yeah nobody ever asked me about that day Eddie Van Halen was running my local bags.

 

[strangiatotheme]

Yeah nobody ever asked me about that day Eddie Van Halen was running my local bags.

Precisely. 🙂

 

[psa8979]

I will vouch for MC being MIA. He is supposed to be the contact AGC for the station I worked at that just got the axe. He was of no support during that process or any time before that process that he was "assigned" to this region. Just WHERE is he and WHAT is he doing to "earn" that nice compensation package that AGC's get??? Inquiring minds want to know! Sorry to get off topic, but I am just adding to recent comments on this thread. All part of a larger problem with the relationship the IAM has with its US Airways members, I think. Probably a large contributing factor to the impression that PHX beats to its own drum!

MC from CLT was recommended by TN to run with the current D-141 President RD and ND slate . He was elected as AGC because CLT is a HUB and members vote for who they know not always what they know. For what ever reason and in my opinion it was a bad one, MC was given CLT and the WEST. RR was another bad choice, but because he is a PHX employee and former TWU Member he was elected as IAM VP at large on ND slate. So, PHX is what it is because of some bad decisions and lack of D-141 leadership. From what I have been told both MC and RR will not be on any of the slates running for D-141 Officer positions in June. Lets hope you get recalled soon to PHX and I encourage you to get involved with the Local and GC. Personally I have worked with REZ and he does care.

 

[IAM Informer]

PSA8979,
you are partially correct on the MC situation. TN did in 2008 endorse him but like everything else when you assemble a group of 20 plus candidates there is always
going to be one or two bad apples that just don't pan out. So in 2010 when He was up for re election it was MF that embraced the thought of keeping MC around
even though alot of people were opposed. so I guess TN isn't really superman he's just someone that is trying to make this union a better place for all members. Got to say
at least he's trying to accomplish a new culture and mind set within the IAM how about you what have you done in an attempt to better this union inquiring minds
would like to know.

I will say that US airways members definitely need an Aggressive "out of the box thinking" Leader not another management type President that continues to cut side deals
with Management that type of leadership has only cost US members Job losses , Pay cuts, management friendly contract language and the list goes on. Tim's been a strong
union man for his whole career not just getting involved when its time to run for office. Of all the accomplishment he has up to this point . I think it would be fair to say his next
move would be to lead this union in "Right Direction" vs the "Wrong Direction".

 

[ograc]

PSA8979,
you are partially correct on the MC situation. TN did in 2008 endorse him but like everything else when you assemble a group of 20 plus candidates there is always
going to be one or two bad apples that just don't pan out. So in 2010 when He was up for re election it was MF that embraced the thought of keeping MC around
even though alot of people were opposed. so I guess TN isn't really superman he's just someone that is trying to make this union a better place for all members. Got to say
at least he's trying to accomplish a new culture and mind set within the IAM how about you what have you done in an attempt to better this union inquiring minds
would like to know.

I will say that US airways members definitely need an Aggressive "out of the box thinking" Leader not another management type President that continues to cut side deals
with Management that type of leadership has only cost US members Job losses , Pay cuts, management friendly contract language and the list goes on. Tim's been a strong
union man for his whole career not just getting involved when its time to run for office. Of all the accomplishment he has up to this point . I think it would be fair to say his next
move would be to lead this union in "Right Direction" vs the "Wrong Direction".

I would agree much needs to be changed regarding the leadership of the District. That being said, this election should not be about one candidate for one office, but which candidates, running for their respective office, represents the experience needed to effectively represent the membership as a whole. Remember DL 141 is made up of US employees along with UA. We are all in this together. It's time we start acting like it.