CSA/CSR Contract Questions

[SSRinPHX]

Thank you! I knew I had seen it but couldn't find it again! LOL. (I'm a woman...using the search feature would be TOO EASY! Just like guys stopping and asking directions...bwaaaahahaha!!!)

 

[john john]

We now follow the CWA grievance procedures

It is pretty simple if you have more seniority then the person who has the job now you ask your supervisor to put the job up for bid so you can exercise your seniority. If management says no “grieve itâ€￾

 

[crazy4newus]

well, the mando thing is pretty great...since in PHX we often get notified of mando OT with little or no notice (never more than one hour notice) and it's typically a blanket, EVERYONE stays, period. then most of us have nothing to do because they really only needed a handful of people to help.

re: the trades...who can we talk to to find out if this is being addressed and how?

 

[kao]

It is pretty simple if you have more seniority then the person who has the job now you ask your supervisor to put the job up for bid so you can exercise your seniority. If management says no “grieve itâ€￾

the ibt is sayingt we still fall under awa rules....kinda like when i got passe dfor full time...the agent that got it had been here less than 1 yr....i have 7 on her...? Awa rules....

 

[john john]

the ibt is sayingt we still fall under awa rules....kinda like when i got passe dfor full time...the agent that got it had been here less than 1 yr....i have 7 on her...? Awa rules....

File a grievance it is your union right!!!!

 

[noname]

Thank you! I knew I had seen it but couldn't find it again! LOL. (I'm a woman...using the search feature would be TOO EASY! Just like guys stopping and asking directions...bwaaaahahaha!!!)

I am also female..so that blows that theory. Honestly, the CWA contract with all the revisions is a nightmare to try to keep straight. The search function is a great tool!

 

[tadjr]

Why would I trade an am for another am on the same day?

* If you have an 800-430pm shift and have something you need to do at 3pm, you could trade for a 430am-1pm shift and be able to do what you need to do at 3pm without taking a hit on a shift trade. This also applies when trying to help someone else get off when you can work and trade shift for an earlier time to pick up an afternoon shift. You trade your 800am-430pm for a 430am-1pm and then pick up a pm 2pm-730pm shift so someone else can be off.


Do trade for trades (my shift on tues for your shift on thurs) AND drops (my shift to you, not working for you back) both count as part of that 20 times per calendar quarter? This is a HUGE one for us! We have unlimited trades. Again while the money increase may be nice, most of us LOVE the flexibility of the position. Consensus has been that agents would take $2-3 less if they have total flexibility like we have.

*Yes these count as trades. We used to have unlimited trades, but for some reason (most of us suspect with the staffing cuts we took, they wanted agents eager to work overtime, thus limited the time we can take off so we are sure to be around. This also applies to not being able to work more than 1 12 hour shift in a row due to "safety reasons", yet if its overtime you're working 16 hours two days in a row, its not a problem. :unsure: :down: )

So how many days are paid or included in the plan? We currently have 10 paid days but we are typically counseled (although it's not consistent) after 3 or 4 in a rolling calendar year. At what point does "sick time" become an attendance "issue"? Is that addressed anywhere?

*12 sick days I believe looking at the orig paper contract (although it may be changed, but I dont have the time to look it up online right now.) You can have 4 sick calls in a rolling 12 month calendar year until being called in. First verbal warning, then steps up to 4. The oldest one drops off on the 366th day after occurance. It takes quite a bit to get up on levels, although we have some up there that keep hanging on.


So I can trade 1 hour to another agent? Does that count as part of my 20 trades?

*If you trade in advance, yes. You can also VTO (voluntary time off) day of without coverage in some cases that doesnt count as a trade, just unpaid.

This certainly varies from location to location but in PHX, we've had everything from three 8 hour shifts for part timers to 4 six hour shifts to typical standard of 5 days per week at 4 - 6 hour shifts. We have had bids with 4 10-hour days for full timers but they found that it doesn't work as well for the operation so the last two bids have been 5 8-hour days but again, the flexibility to double and trade at will is just HUGE.

This would be a huge nightmare and inconvenience as it's a 16 minute ride from the parking lot to the ATO and with 2 hours in between a shift, well, you can see it would be yucky.

*I dont know of many cities that currently have split shifts. It would most likely take place in smaller cities with a limited flight schedule. You come in and work the am originator, then dont have another flight until in the afternoon so there is a couple hour gap where staffing is not needed. With the merger, many of the cities that might have had this need would probably now have enough flights to elminate this. It is allowed, but not a great way to do things unless absolutely necessary (or to piss off your agents!)

I think, overall, the saddest part of this is the trading. The holidays and vacation part are probably livable but the consecutive doubles and unlimited trades can make or break it. Many full timers do what I do and work only 3 or 4 days with drops and trades while still maintaining hours. Many (most) part timers work 3 or 4 days or even two days a week dropping to min hours of 16 per week.

* I dont think you'd get any argument about the trade or double shift things. We thought it was a problem too in the beginning, especially those of us who had to commute due to being displaced. You just have to pick and choose when you want off or want to work. It would be nice to get both of these changed if possible since some people HAVE to work hours to be able to pay their bills and are limited. I do not accept the "safety" aspect of the double shifts while we have agents who continue to work weeks doing 12 and 16 hour shifts on overtime for days in a row. Another problem with the trade offs we've had in station before was someone who was almost never at work due to trades. (They were displaced and would trade off for a couple weeks at a time to go home.) They were getting benefits and not working. I could see some restriction in place like you have to work X amount of your scheduled hours in a quarter or something along those lines to limit this problem. Maybe also you have to work X amount of hours in a quarter to keep benefits, that way you could drop an entire week and pick up hours the next week to be able to get time off when needed.

 

[crazy4newus]

Full time is currently (HP) required to work 128 hours in a two pay period cycle...basically 128 hours per month to keep benefits. Simply, it works out to 32 hours per week. Part time is 1/2 that, so 64 hours per month or 16 hours per week for benefits. HP Part timers do not have any family medical/vision/health etc coverage...only coverage for self unless hired prior to 93. Prior to 1993 are grandfathered in with family med. The unlimited trades works to just the situation you described...we can work 64 hours (full time) in one week and have the next week off---all through trades. It's a VERY nice benefit!

 

[tadjr]

What happens if you fall below the required amount? Do you get a warning or automatic loss of benefits? Does vacation time count toward hours worked?
I am curious because I have taken a two week cruise before requiring 16 or 17 days off (14 day cruise plus travel time) and have also taken a 3 week trip to Australia/New Zealand that was a week of vacation coupled with some day at a time vacation days and unpaid time off and would have been hard pressed to make the hours needed in the month with these scenarios, especially if there was no overtime or anyone wanting someone to work for them when I was off and could work.
How would these scenarios be handled at HP?

 

[SSRinPHX]

You're not docked for vacation time. If you schedule two or three weeks of vaca right in a row it's no biggie.
I cannot say further than that though, as I know of no one who's actually fallen below the required hours a month. (Except for medical leave...)

 

[Bambi]

OK. I stand corrected on a couple of things. The "Interim Agreement" that has been put into place does NOT mean that HP employees are completely "under" the CWA contract. Only the grievance portion and the "just cause provision in section 3H."

Basically, at this time other than the startup of our "raises" in April...everything remains status quo at HP for the remainder of the merger interim. My understanding is, after that we will most likely have to bargain for a new agreement.

My question is this: Will HP/US employees have to finally decide which "union" we are keeping? Will there be a run-off vote for representation? What happens to the "alliance" that is in place at this time? I believe it's there strictly for the merger time-frame only.

I still have my opinions on all of this, but I will humble myself and admit that I will accept things at this point. Of course, as stated prior, don't have much choice if I want to stay where I am (which I still love my job itself).

Anyway, I guess we need to see this as a "startup" company more than a merger. There will be things none of us like, there will be things all of us like, and things only part of us like or dislike. Bottom line, we need to work together for the better good of the company and employees as a whole. We need to stop our selfish whims (which I have exhibited myself on here and I do apologize publicly for now) and press forward towards the dreams of a brighter future for our company.

America was founded on a dream! Without a dream, you have no hope. Without hope, you have no future. With a dream and hope you can find a way to create your future and you will never be lacking for fulfillment or success. ONLY WE can create that. Not a CEO, CFO, or anyone else.

Let's make a difference starting today.

 

[crazy4newus]

What happens if you fall below the required amount? Do you get a warning or automatic loss of benefits? Does vacation time count toward hours worked?
I am curious because I have taken a two week cruise before requiring 16 or 17 days off (14 day cruise plus travel time) and have also taken a 3 week trip to Australia/New Zealand that was a week of vacation coupled with some day at a time vacation days and unpaid time off and would have been hard pressed to make the hours needed in the month with these scenarios, especially if there was no overtime or anyone wanting someone to work for them when I was off and could work.
How would these scenarios be handled at HP?

actually, work brain is not programmed to catch it (mgmt knows) if people fall below the minimums. not sure if it's something that will be corrected but most employees are not abusers of the system. it is possible to take the time and not fall below. a couple of summers ago, i worked my 64 hours in one week, took the next two weeks off and then the 64 the following week still covering all hours necessary but had two weeks off without using vacation time. it was an exhausting week prior and after but worked well through trades. we don't (phx ato) get day at a time vacation days. all vacation is in week chunks. it's different than rez who can take bits of vacation - even one hour. i like taking it all at once if only for the ease of bidding the days together. phx is a little different for getting hours because there are so many of us...trades and drops and hours are easily accessible. not sure in a smaller station how it works. any hp ato folks from field stations to comment??

 

[Bambi]

actually, work brain is not programmed to catch it (mgmt knows) if people fall below the minimums.

Just wondering how long you guys have had workbrain? I guess they have implemented it into rez. I also understand regarding hours worked that instead of getting paid for every 7 min worked ie: clock-in 1007 you would still get that full 15 min pay from 1000-1015. so now with workbrain for payroll every minute is counted toward our pay. So, we are paid by the minute, period! that's why the pressure for compliance (taking breaks.lunches. on time). Problem we have with this is how we always seem to get stuck on calls then we are out of compliance, and they wont allow us to make a break/lunch exception when we do sign out late.

Oh well..just wondered if workbrain is the same with ato agents..paid by the minute?

 

[crazy4newus]

Just wondering how long you guys have had workbrain? I guess they have implemented it into rez. I also understand regarding hours worked that instead of getting paid for every 7 min worked ie: clock-in 1007 you would still get that full 15 min pay from 1000-1015. so now with workbrain for payroll every minute is counted toward our pay. So, we are paid by the minute, period! that's why the pressure for compliance (taking breaks.lunches. on time). Problem we have with this is how we always seem to get stuck on calls then we are out of compliance, and they wont allow us to make a break/lunch exception when we do sign out late.

Oh well..just wondered if workbrain is the same with ato agents..paid by the minute?

workbrain started for phx ato agents less than a year ago. when it's working well, it's a much better system (from the agent's perspective) than our old manual paper trade system. personally, i like it. re: the pay...yep, it's by the minute.