Sup everybody,
Don’t forget that tomorrow is ballot count day. If you don’t have your ballot in the ballot box by noon, it won’t get counted. Ok, now here comes your update:
PAR Results
As I previously mentioned, I attended Pre Arbitration Review (PAR) in LA last week. There were 2 grievances from our building on the docket for that PAR. The first was the overtime skip one where the agency assigned OT to someone ineligible due to rest rules and thereby skipping someone who should have been assigned it. They argued that while they did violate the fatigue rules, they didn’t technically skip anybody. The neutral got hung up on the wording of “qualified” vs “eligible.” The agency called a “qualified” person, just not an “eligible” one. The neutral was leaning the agency’s direction on that one, so we took a settlement that involved them accepting responsibility for the error and agreeing to have a local level conversation about it next time before we have to grieve it. We were not able to get them to pay the contractual remedy for a skip as they did not see it as a skip.
The other grievance was the letter of reprimand for language that an OM didn’t like. When we first got to this PAR, the neutral indicated to us that the only way to remove a letter of reprimand would be to prove the employee didn’t do what they were accused of. That is abnormal IMO. Our plan was to prove to the neutral that the punishment didn’t fit the crime. We successfully argued that the agency did not conduct an investigation into the matter, and this was enough to get them to remove the letter of reprimand early. So instead of the 2 years an LOR usually stays in, this one will come out after 1 year.
Article 29 Section 3
“Employees may be granted excused absence for brief tardiness of up to one (1) hour when the employee provides acceptable justification.”
Does that say documentation? No. Does it say evidence? No. Does it say that you SHALL be granted it? Sadly, no.
With the ongoing traffic issues due to the bridge closure and poorly timed construction, I imagine that we will see more and more unplanned tardiness. Please call ahead and indicate that you are going to be late due to traffic. If there is proof to provide, you may provide it. I do not expect anyone to be taking screenshots of their maps app or taking pictures of traffic while they are driving. I understand that “acceptable justification” might be a bit vague, but I think that we can all agree that when the traffic is backed up past riverwalk and all you have to do is stick your head outside to see it, that would be acceptable justification. Please let your Area Rep or me know immediately if the agency attempts to deny this after you have provided what you consider to be acceptable justification. There have been several issues already with this that we have had to straighten out.
Facility Tours
As you have all already seen, there is a notice in TEAM saying that all tours are to be “business focused and must be scheduled Monday through Friday during normal business hours.” As we are not a business, I have no idea wtf business focused means. I am guessing this means something like Agency visitors only? It goes on to say that “Consideration will be made for visits from immediate family members; however, these visits must also be coordinated in advance and approved by management.” So I guess I can bring my immediate family if it’s business focused. One of my brothers is a landscape contractor, maybe I could get him a business focused visit up here.
But in all seriousness, this is so weird and I don’t get it. I have asked around and it seems like this is coming from way up top and is happening everywhere. I know we already had one denied and I have looked into it a little. It sounds like if a group is too large they will consider it a distraction and deny it. Here is what the 7210.3EE says on the matter:
2−7−8. FACILITY VISITORS
a. Persons interested in the services and facilities provided by air traffic should be encouraged to visit facilities for familiarization. The facility air traffic manager or a designated representative may authorize these visits if:
1. The presence of visitors does not interfere with the operation of the facility.
2. There is no breach of security directives.
3. Personnel are or will be available to conduct an escorted tour.
b. Foreign national visits must be handled in accordance with current directives.
So it does say that the ATM may approve them. It just sounds like they are tightening down on these things a little. Please keep me posted on any denials of tours so I can report them up.
UNUM Open Enrollment
If you don’t have it, you should get it. Open enrollment starts 9/1. Details HERE.
Nick Daniels Visit
We are working on getting Nick Daniels back here for another visit. If we can make an off site event work (in addition to onsite), do any of you have suggestions for a location? Would love any help I can get with planning this.
That’s it for now!
Drew