Another Attendance Violation
Your management is running folks up the attendance flagpost at record clips from what I have heard. What is most troubling is that it is doing so by violating contractual terms. For instance, once on 'initial discussion', it takes 2 pts to get to the level 1 discipline level. The problem is that employee X was on initial discussion, then dropped the dime on December 1st, dropped the dime again on December 18th and is getting put on level 1 discipline on December 20th.
In putting 'employee x' on level 1, in doing so, the company is issuing discipline by basing said discipline on an incident that occured beyond the 14 day window. In the example above, 'employee x' sick call on December 1st can't possibly be used against him on December 20th.
Every station, steward, Local Committee, and AGC needs to pick up on this.
Question 1 in my mailbox: "Tim, since the initial discussion uses a rolling system that considers sick calls from the past 12 months, why can't we prohibit the company from using those occurances from being placed on initial discussion?
Answer: Initial discussion isn't recognized as discipline by the company. IMO, since it is under the discipline umbrella it is discipline but this is a matter of interpretation. My interpretation might not be finally convincing to an arbitrator. BUT, issuing discipline on level 1, 2, 3, 4, based on incidents more than 14 days old is a clear violation of your contract. Remember, any policy your company has is subject to terms of your agreement. The issuance of discipline is a 'crystal clear team.' Therefore, any remedy must ask for the employee to be made whole, including any backpay, system transfer award, that the employee would have otherwise been entitled to.
Question 2: "Since we haven't complained about alot of company contract violations before, won't an arbitrator just side with the company over these new disputes that are only being raised by our new leaders?
Answer: Canale didn't do squat and caused USair to disrespect fleet along all levels. But there is no mythical duration in which someone can file a grievance and precedences are only set after an item reaches step 3 in the grievance process. Remember, just because you had previous misleaders who were really management 'ploys' doesn't mean that the stance taken by the new leaders is invalid.
regards,
Tim Nelson
IAM Local Chairman, 1487, Chicago