New Payroll Numbers

[firstamendment]

I know this is looooooow priority at the TEMPO, but

Having lived through the many US East mergers of past, I am curious as to how the new US Airways will provide payroll numbers. We at US East have crazy numbers that have no rhyme or reason to when you were hired...unless you were original US Air.

After the Piedmont merger, I hate to say it, but all of us were targets for those trouble makers that wanted to create problems with the merged work groups and visa versa. This put the employees in a very uncomfortable position.

I hope Mr. Parker and the TEMPO realize that if we are indeed one company...when the time comes to merge the work groups... that he replace employee numbers in order of when hired so that there is no question as to who you use to work for. Also, since our jobs are senority based, it makes it easier when you see a list of coworkers and can pretty much spot out your working position.

To be honest, as much as I would like to think we will all get along after the work groups are merged, people are human and there are always those few who are just jerks. If I were so inclined to live in PHX and be based there, I don't want to constantly be ridiculed for bumping someone down a notch based on my payroll number. And I would say the same the other way around. We all heard it.."Oh , we have a Piedmonster" or "It's a Pitbull" (no offense Pitbull) or "oh. it's one of those shuttle girls." We even had a few...and I mean few..captains who would not put payroll numbers of certain f/as in because they had their own personal grudge. This was before they were automatically put in the computer.

So I hope if anyone is reading this from the TEMPO that they keep this is mind. It wipes the slate clean and truely brings us together as ONE employee group.

Anyone heard anything? I'm sure there will be plenty of remarks.

 

[MarkMyWords]

First -

While it would be nice to re-do everyone's payroll numbers to shuffle the deck back to seniority order, I don't think it will happen that way. I think what you will see is something like AWA employees keeping their current payroll numbers, but go to the six digit numbers starting with 1. So if my employee number at AWA was 54321, after integration I would become 154321. At US if I am 065432 I will remain the same.

Just my opinion.....

 

[firstamendment]

First -

While it would be nice to re-do everyone's payroll numbers to shuffle the deck back to seniority order, I don't think it will happen that way. I think what you will see is something like AWA employees keeping their current payroll numbers, but go to the six digit numbers starting with 1. So if my employee number at AWA was 54321, after integration I would become 154321. At US if I am 065432 I will remain the same.

Just my opinion.....

Therein lies the problem. You can still tell who you worked for. It's not about senority but identitiy.

 

[MarkMyWords]

I agree 100%. But I think they will do what ever is easy and cheap.

 

[BoeingBoy]

It's not about senority but identitiy.

It's also about cost. Changing 40,000 or so ID's at one time costs a lot more than changing just one group or the other. From a cost standpoint, it would make sense to do something like MMW's idea - change the smaller group only. One possibility would be to use the "open" employee numbers on the East side for the West folks if there are enough of them, rather than using something as distinctive as a different 1st digit.

I agree that it would be nice to not be able to look at an employee number and immediately know which pre-merger group the person belonged to - giving everyone a random number or basing it on birthday or whatever - but hopefully for the vast majority it won't make a difference anyway. For the very small minority for whom it does, it'll only take a minute or two of conversation for them to find out anyway irrespective of employee number.

Jim

 

[exB717Flyer]

I don't mind keeping my "identity".

 

[UPNAWAY]

On the West side we do have a Payroll number, but asside from payroll it is hardley used.
Our Badge # is the one that is used. Computer systems are set for badge numbers so that has to be accounted for. Also while there are letter groupings with few exceptions (inflight) yours don't always change each time you move to a new divison. After 10 years I have my original badge number that was for a very specific work unit even though I am in my 4th distinctive work group, my badge never changed. However, I have friends that have made the same moves as I and somewhere along the way the got a new number. So at AWA you may make an assumption on how new somebody is but it could be very wrong. A 15 year Res agent could get a brand new number at the ticket counter and you might think they a newbie!
But to me the bigger issue is why is this kinda stuff even an issue. That is what needs to changed in this industry. It needs to stop being US vs Them, Unions vs Mngmt, Sr vs Jr, All of use vs the customer.

 

[MarkMyWords]

It is not an US vs Them issue. In our previous merger, you could tell where someone worked by thier employee number. The previous merger was somewhat bitter and left a bad taste in peoples mouths.

With the current merger, it is being handled in a completely different way. The heritage loop and retro airplanes are a prime example. So while there may still be some contention, I honestly hope that lessons have been learned and that there won't be as much animosity.

 

[firstamendment]

On the West side we do have a Payroll number, but asside from payroll it is hardley used.
Our Badge # is the one that is used. Computer systems are set for badge numbers so that has to be accounted for. Also while there are letter groupings with few exceptions (inflight) yours don't always change each time you move to a new divison. After 10 years I have my original badge number that was for a very specific work unit even though I am in my 4th distinctive work group, my badge never changed. However, I have friends that have made the same moves as I and somewhere along the way the got a new number. So at AWA you may make an assumption on how new somebody is but it could be very wrong. A 15 year Res agent could get a brand new number at the ticket counter and you might think they a newbie!
But to me the bigger issue is why is this kinda stuff even an issue. That is what needs to changed in this industry. It needs to stop being US vs Them, Unions vs Mngmt, Sr vs Jr, All of use vs the customer.

Because my friend, people are human and humans do stupid, hurtful things...regardless. I don't like it. That's life. All I am saying is that when I go to work I don't want to add to the daily routine having to worry about a reaction when a crew goes to see who they are flying with and see that I am not original this or that. Please don't fool yourself. It will happen.

 

[UPNAWAY]

Because my friend, people are human and humans do stupid, hurtful things...regardless. I don't like it. That's life. All I am saying is that when I go to work I don't want to add to the daily routine having to worry about a reaction when a crew goes to see who they are flying with and see that I am not original this or that. Please don't fool yourself. It will happen.

Well, then I would just say to that FA or Pilot "grow up and kiss my @$$".
Actually If they said something snarky, I would say "yes I am proud of my AWA, PSA (or whatever)
background and what that brings to our company, well what's your background? That's great too."
And if they still had a "tude" I would use the first line above!

Jeez louise we got some many more things to worry about!!!!

 

[usairmech41]

I tried.............................

 

[firstamendment]

Jeez louise we got some many more things to worry about!!!!

Not worried my friend. I'm tougher than that. Just trying to make a suggestion that could prevent ill will. You just wait and see.

 

[UWCactus]

Not worried my friend. I'm tougher than that. Just trying to make a suggestion that could prevent ill will. You just wait and see.

It is my understanding that they would lke to rebadge every employee. One of the reasons is to prevent anymoer of the "where are you from" complications. They are really trying to ensure a good mix of people and though it's important that many will have a previous history, it shouldn't affect how we come together now as a new company. This merger is much different than the previous mergers of US Airways and keep in mind, they have to win the battle over the skeptics.

 

[firstamendment]

It is my understanding that they would lke to rebadge every employee. One of the reasons is to prevent anymoer of the "where are you from" complications. They are really trying to ensure a good mix of people and though it's important that many will have a previous history, it shouldn't affect how we come together now as a new company. This merger is much different than the previous mergers of US Airways and keep in mind, they have to win the battle over the skeptics.

Thank you..The TEMPO team seems to get it.

 

[AstroLounge]

Rebadging numbers is the ONLY way to go......eliminates any bias and preconceived opinions. I am only interested in working with people that are HERE to work, not tell me where they came from or how they used to do it at airline "X,Y or Z". Slotting people into deactivated employeee numbers was tried in the past and some of those people thought they could use that NUMBER to their advantage and circumvent the seniority system to their advantage.....and I should not have to check someones ACTUAL seniority everytime I report to work to "call them on it". (If people were honest about it that would be a different story)