jimntx
Veteran
Non-revving back to DFW on Sunday (and semi-confirmed by my mole at CenterPort on Monday), I heard a new rumor...
RUMOR: The company is going to (in effect) make every base a satellite of DFW.
CLOSER TO THE TRUTH: A lot of the stuff that today you handle with your FSM will be handled via 800 number. The FMLA call-in number experiment at DFW-D has been rather successful and will be rolled out systemwide--probably in January. Attendance will be "800'd" next.
Personally, I don't see how they can manage 19,000 people with no "on the ground" supervision at all, but there are definite advantages to centralizing some of the issues like FMLA and attendance. There are obvious problems inherent in expecting all FSMs to understand, explain, and handle these issues the same and in a consistent manner. Centralizing these functions increases the chances that every f/a gets the same information in the same words every time.
As I understand it, the FMLA call-in number is working very well at DFW. If you want to apply for FMLA, you don't have to depend upon reaching your FSM by phone, and once reached getting the correct information. Also, from the company side, after you have applied, someone calls you back and goes over the requirements and ramifications of FMLA with you using a standard "script." This eliminates the possibility of the flight attendant winning a grievance/arbitration later because "my Flight Service Manager never told me that." Don't know for sure, but I would bet these conversations are recorded just like our little chats with Crew Scheduling; so that they have you on tape stating that you understand what is being explained.
United does something like this already, and it saves considerable money. Without having to deal with attendance and FMLA (which I would imagine takes a majority of a FSM's time today), one FSM could supervise more f/as. And, with the policy being administered in a consistent manner for all f/as there would be no opportunities to cry foul/unfair/discrimination.
RUMOR: The company is going to (in effect) make every base a satellite of DFW.
CLOSER TO THE TRUTH: A lot of the stuff that today you handle with your FSM will be handled via 800 number. The FMLA call-in number experiment at DFW-D has been rather successful and will be rolled out systemwide--probably in January. Attendance will be "800'd" next.
Personally, I don't see how they can manage 19,000 people with no "on the ground" supervision at all, but there are definite advantages to centralizing some of the issues like FMLA and attendance. There are obvious problems inherent in expecting all FSMs to understand, explain, and handle these issues the same and in a consistent manner. Centralizing these functions increases the chances that every f/a gets the same information in the same words every time.
As I understand it, the FMLA call-in number is working very well at DFW. If you want to apply for FMLA, you don't have to depend upon reaching your FSM by phone, and once reached getting the correct information. Also, from the company side, after you have applied, someone calls you back and goes over the requirements and ramifications of FMLA with you using a standard "script." This eliminates the possibility of the flight attendant winning a grievance/arbitration later because "my Flight Service Manager never told me that." Don't know for sure, but I would bet these conversations are recorded just like our little chats with Crew Scheduling; so that they have you on tape stating that you understand what is being explained.
United does something like this already, and it saves considerable money. Without having to deal with attendance and FMLA (which I would imagine takes a majority of a FSM's time today), one FSM could supervise more f/as. And, with the policy being administered in a consistent manner for all f/as there would be no opportunities to cry foul/unfair/discrimination.
