Css Postion May Be Changing

[SegmentKing]

Nice guy, do the folks that work with you know how you feel? :down:

[post="294742"][/post]​

And the folks that work for me know I support them and treat them all fairly.

They also know the bullshit I put up with, especially when I have to deal with f'ups from reservations & clean up those messes, as well as distribute compensation when we do screw up the operation (mechnical delays) and deal with irates.

So yes, they feel we get fairly compensated and I do too... although I'd love to make more, I know that's why we're express and you all are mainline. They got someone just as able to do your job, just cheaper.

 

[hharotz]

CWA lead agent position bid by seniority.

[post="294731"][/post]​

:down:

Then really what is the point? We have some really lousy CSSs out there as is due to the way the company promotes them "by seniority" with the 3 to 1 method.

Any type of supervisory or management position should go by performance, period.

I agree with senioity for sched/vac bidding, online tvl boarding, and for bumping/furlough purposes...other than that, it shouldn't be worth squat. Being more senior does not necessarily make you the best "lead agent" or "supervisor".

 

[gso-crew]

Was told yesterday by a CWA Union rep that AWA has far fewer shift managers and supervisors, and neither is union. Said to look for the same at the new new company.

 

[deltawatch]

Some CSS’s are former part-timers that took the position to get full-time when no full timers wanted it, most qualified had little to do with it. The entire concept is flawed. How anyone can be supervisor in charge and a CWA brother/sister or in some cases a union shop steward is beyond me, either he or she short changes the company or his union brothers. This kind of restructuring also eliminates the layoff of SR CSA’s while keeping JR CSS’s. I personally think the CSS position is a waste of man power, while not always true; in many instances the company only gets 3 or 4 real hours of work from the position. Way to much time in the back office on personal phone calls and too much time in the break room chit-chatting. This is long over due ......

 

[SegmentKing]

at least in Expressland, Supervisors *do* work. Yesterday I was in the bin of a CRJ throwing bags on the belt.

Sometimes we have to come in on our days off to do paperwork. In all of my :: years :: in the business, the only place i sat in an office all day was O'Hare and I was monitoring flights, rebooking pax, monitoring employees, etc .. and even then I'd be called to a gate every hour or so with an issue.

And in regards to mainline, a friend of mine is a Supervisor in MIA and he works his ass off.... so I would say that the sups who sit in an office all day and do nothing are over or very sporadic.

 

[SegmentKing]

I can overbook "X" but not "O" on all flights... including Europe.... maybe its a office code issue?

 

[REACC1]

O is a first class booking code. It's pretty ugly trying to explain why the passenger no longer has a first class seat because of overbooking.

 

[twambassador]

I personally think the CSS position is a waste of man power, while not always true; in many instances the company only gets 3 or 4 real hours of work from the position. Way to much time in the back office on personal phone calls and too much time in the break room chit-chatting. This is long over due ......

[post="296460"][/post]​

I think agents have issues with Supervisors because they expect Supervisors to be agents with extra duties on the side. Supervisors are not agents. If the company wanted more Agents they would hire more. Supervisors are there as decision makers for the operation. When the operation is routine, the supervisors role is very limited to monitoring, staffing, as a person with higher authority to handle some situations. It's when you have the non routine operations that a Supervisor earns their money. At my HP station, we can only handle 1 flight at a time due to the size of the operation. A few weeks ago, I had 3 flights multipule operation with a staff to handle only 1 flight. The descisons made on that day were all my descisons, and the way the operation was handled was due to my descison making. Did I crawl into a bin? no. Did I take a bag claim? no. Did I issue a boarding pass to a passenger? no. But I influenced that operation more than you think.

 

[deltawatch]

I think agents have issues with Supervisors because they expect Supervisors to be agents with extra duties on the side.  Supervisors are not agents.  If the company wanted more Agents they would hire more.  Supervisors are there as decision makers for the operation.  When the operation is routine, the supervisors role is very limited to monitoring, staffing, as a person with higher authority to handle some situations.  It's when you have the non routine operations that a Supervisor earns their money.  At my HP station, we can only handle 1 flight at a time due to the size of the operation.  A few weeks ago, I had 3 flights multipule operation with a staff to handle only 1 flight.  The descisons made on that day were all my descisons, and the way the operation was handled was due to my descison making.  Did I crawl into a bin?  no.  Did I take a bag claim? no. Did I issue a boarding pass to a passenger? no.  But I influenced that operation more than you think.

[post="296837"][/post]​

In many US cities (not sure about the hubs) the ratio of supervisors to full time agents is 1 CSS for every 2 or 3 full-time agents. 90% of the time there’s not an irregular operation, so based on your comment you think it’s wise to pay someone to set around 7 hours a day 5 days a week? That’s 35 unproductive hours a week. Like I said, it’s a waste of man power. It would be far more cost effective and more customer friendly to have lead agents on the floor working flights so they know what’s going on as it happens. Having someone set in a back room is bogus and you know it, don’t expect you to admit it though. What we need is a station manger and a customer service manager, both non-union of course, then on each shift a couple of go to guys on the floor working as lead agents.

This company can’t afford to waste any money.

 

[twambassador]

In many US cities (not sure about the hubs) the ratio of supervisors to full time agents is 1 CSS for every 2 or 3 full-time agents.

[post="296847"][/post]​

At HP that person is called a Lead Agent. I think an HP Supervisor is what US calls a Customer Service Manager. Supervisors at HP are salaried not hourly. There is normally 1 supervisor on duty at medium and smaller stations.

 

[deltawatch]

I see.... in small & med. stations usair sometime has three CSS's on duty at once. They should be classified as lead agents and be part of the shift complement and work a position. How are lead agents selected at HP? Lead agents are union right?

 

[B.O.B.]

I see.... in small & med. stations usair sometime has three CSS's on duty at once. They should be classified as lead agents and be part of the shift complement and work a position. How are lead agents selected at HP? Lead agents are union right?

[post="296870"][/post]​

Rampers and Agents are not unionized at AWA. I think only the pilots and flight attendants are union.

 

[twambassador]

I see.... in small & med. stations usair sometime has three CSS's on duty at once. They should be classified as lead agents and be part of the shift complement and work a position. How are lead agents selected at HP? Lead agents are union right?

[post="296870"][/post]​

The ramp is under a union contract. The lead positions are by the bidding system. The Customer Service Representative voted the union in a year ago, but they don't have a contract. That is done by interview and a selection process. HP does not use Lead Agents in several places. Usually it's the staff and 1 Supervisor.

 

[osunut]

Let's see.....

HP Supervisors are out checking pax in or taking bag claims or doing what ever is necessary to get everyone through the day. Although I don't know if this is going to change with the contract. If so, I dare say that some co-workers of mine might be upset that they can't take that 30 min smoke break, hour lunch and would actually have to work! LOL

I know the Station Managers are out there too helping load, board, check-in or whatever if staffing is short or if they just want to help out. I feel that the Station Manager should manage the station and supervisors. The Supervisors run the operation and manage the employees and the employees manage the customers.

It doesn't make sense to have a union person in charge of the employees. How does discipline happen? Does the Station Manager have to handle that too? Seems like too much of a burden for them in addition to everything else they do.

The hubs have SSR’s Special Service Reps “Red Coatsâ€￾ which handle the operation and the Sup supports them. They are a different pay grade than a CSR, I think they are also IBT though, not too sure. That system makes sense.. Manager->Supervisor->SSR->CSR. Not too many layers of authority, but things in place to ensure that the operation and admin functions get done.

Thoughts?

 

[deltawatch]

In a med size city all you need is 1 Station Mgr, 1 Customer Service Mgr and then 2 "working" lead agent per shift.