US IAM Fleet Service topic 3/6-

[C Lenzi]

Sorry to burst your bubble LAS2PHX but Chock Jockey is not the GCC.

FYI I had one LAS transfer come to me about not getting a lunch and I believe that issue has been resolved since I have not heard from him in three weeks. As for ramp 5-international, there is a problem with not getting lunches in the "middle part of the shift" for the 1200-2030 employees. They are getting a lunch, just not in that time frame. The grievance committee discussed this issues with the ramp director yesterday. LAS2PHX come talk to me or anyone else on the grievance committee if you have any issues. I gave everyone my phone number when you guys were in training and its not hard to find me on the ramp. If you don't care to talk to me, we have 25 other stewards you can talk to or you can call our AGC NH to discuss your concerns.

 

[LAS2PHX]

Las2phx,


When it comes to lunches, has it been an issue in the past? Sure it has. The issue is that a shift manager will tell an employee no and that employee bitches or complains but doesn't seek out a shop steward or fight for their own rights. This is the employees fault for not fighting for their right or getting a shop steward involved. I'm sure that all cities have management personnel that will flex their power on the weak. You aren't letting this happen to you Las2phx are you?

after discussing with some local boys they #### and complain because in the past going to a shop steward never resulted in getting anything done. A perfect example of this is right here between our 2 committee people one posts "its the employees fault and we can't do anything unless you tell us" and the other committee person (posted below) "they are getting lunches just no in that time frame" so you see you guys know
theres a problem but yield to managements side. Might I remind everyone that the time frame for lunches was mutally agreed upon by the company so hold them up to their end of the bargain .

Sorry to burst your bubble LAS2PHX but Chock Jockey is not the GCC.

FYI I had one LAS transfer come to me about not getting a lunch and I believe that issue has been resolved since I have not heard from him in three weeks. As for ramp 5-international, there is a problem with not getting lunches in the "middle part of the shift" for the 1200-2030 employees. They are getting a lunch, just not in that time frame. The grievance committee discussed this issues with the ramp director yesterday. LAS2PHX come talk to me or anyone else on the grievance committee if you have any issues. I gave everyone my phone number when you guys were in training and its not hard to find me on the ramp. If you don't care to talk to me, we have 25 other stewards you can talk to or you can call our AGC NH to discuss your concerns.

seems putting on here works pretty good since this has been a problem but since its on the boards now it got the committee to actually approach management about it. Here's another question for you
what exactly is a Unit Lead . Don't see it in my contract, employee handbook or ground ops manual anywhere must be something special just for phx . I know there is no such thing in vegas and talked to a philadelphia
friend and said she had never heard of such a thing . it must just be a mirage in the hot sun of phoenix

 

[ChockJockey]

They need to get a UL out there at night who actually knows what they're doing. Too bad all the good ones moved over to N1...

Gates per unit lead per shift:

R1: 7
R2: 7
R3: 6
R4: 6
R5: 15

I've never had a problem with the UL's out there, at least they're on R5 by choice which only proves that they are insane. Maybe the "good" UL's are so good because they have the cake ramps. IMO the international gates (the sometimes R6) should get their own UL for each shift.

I have no idea what your talking about

Unless I'm discussing specifics I should not be taken seriously. Sorry for the confusion; I'm just a mouthy jerk that tries to stay in the know. Welcome to PHX. B)

Case in point: At PHX on the ramp and especially in the bag room, if someone has a beef with someone (eg. talking too much on the cell phone, reading a newspaper, co-worker is making faces -I'm serious, folks!-, etc.) they usually run straight to a manager and start tattling. That really bugs a manager as they have bigger fish to fry and they usually end up making a mountain out of a molehill.

I can see this in the bag room, especially in the mornings. It's seems like it's a repository for the crabbiest, most wound-up anal retentive lot of rampers you're likely to encounter. I'm not just saying it to say it, it's established in my mind and reinforced with dozens of minor incidences over the years that have kept my mind blown and eyes a-rollin'. The schoolyard drama in the bag room is palpable, and therefore to me entirely hilarious. I'll take any gate any shift over the bag room any day (unless it's raining).

Sure the ramp has plenty of drama queens and blowhards, but snitches not so much. These days it's an excellent way to shoot yourself in the foot, besides.

Ratting others out is a part of the culture. You have to watch your back as PHX fleet does eat their own.

Not sure what you did in PHX or how long it's been since you were there but I don't think that's a fair indictment of the entire PHX ramp. Yeah there are some bad apples in there ( though a lot less now than when I started) but it's my perception that there's a lot more people watching each other's back than there are whiners going to management. Your post paints a mental image of agents tripping over one another to report their inventory of transgressions to the managers and this simply is not how it is. Again, can't speak to how it was five years ago only the present day.

I don't know who that particular poster is, but LAS sent some kick ass rampers down to PHX. You should be honored to have them.

This is entirely true, I've had a lot of time to work with and talk with them a lot of them. Some were given very short notice they'd be coming to PHX, some are commuting with their families the next state over or some other part of the country. It seems the company invested a decent amount in trying to train the transfers in PHX procedure via the mentoring program; can't speak to the success of effectiveness of this but it's my hope that our people in PHX have been as welcoming and helpful as possible to these guys and gals, I know I've tried to be, regardless of whatever idiocy I might post here.

Or maybe you're just bitter because your move to PHX suddenly necessitates you having to learn how to perform a pushback?

Derp derp derp. PHX has very specific pushbacks depending on the gate and aircraft, some of these are rather tricky and quite challenging. Some of the folks that have transferred in took team lead positions when they'd never done it before, maybe they were cargo or bag room for years. Given how busy PHX is, how tight and congested the ramp is and the very specific pushbacks I'd think PHX would probably have to be about the worst place to have to learn how to do it.

I got respect for those trying to hang in there; I can only imagine how difficult, challenging and stressful it is to have to transition to PHX in the lead position because it is not easy; in some ways it never gets easy.

Here's another question for you what exactly is a Unit Lead . Don't see it in my contract, employee handbook or ground ops manual anywhere must be something special just for phx . I know there is no such thing in vegas and talked to a philadelphia
friend and said she had never heard of such a thing . it must just be a mirage in the hot sun of phoenix

.
The functions of the UL were once performed by a supervisor, there used to be one supervisor per ramp, or five sups for just the ramp per shift. Now as you know it's one manager per two ramps (or concourse) and one UL per ramp. It's quite possible that, at least in the pm's, they may go to one manager per every three ramps, or just two ramp managers per shift. This is kind of a big deal because when people note how there are always managers out and about on the ramp and how they have an iron grip on everything that goes on it seems to me that the indications are this is and has been changing, albeit slowly.

Not sure what you'd like to see in place of a UL; as I said it used to be a manager. The concourse manager is concerned mostly with administrative/staffing stuff and the UL is an operational coordinator for a given ramp; in PHX the unit lead is an operational necessity. That's simply my perspective based on how the operation is currently staffed and configured.

You are correct in that is not a recognized position, just a shift assignment. Management doesn't want to recognize it as such and so as far as I know there's no official job description for the position. They don't want it to be a biddable position because they want to control which individuals can be unit leads. The union of course has a different position on this, and maybe C. Lenzi or P. REZ can better describe what that is and what's been discussed with management on the issue.

In furtherance, I can attest that the union in PHX is, so far as I can tell, larger, busier, and more professionally ran that it was when I started. The boards are being updated regularly with topical and current information and concerns and there are a lot more shop stewards today than there were a couple of years ago where it seemed like they were down to seven or eight. I know these guys are racking their brains and trying everything to increase turnout at the union meetings but there's only so much they can do short of kidnapping people. Is unionism and union influence as strong in PHX as it is in the other hub cities? Probably not, but it is coming on slowly and with a lot of hard work and time from these guys.

PHX is getting better and will continue to once people become less concerned with how it was and more interested in what it can be...yeah I get defensive about it but it's only because I'm crazy enough to love working there.

 

[strangiatotheme]

Gates per unit lead per shift:

R1: 7
R2: 7
R3: 6
R4: 6
R5: 15

I've never had a problem with the UL's out there, at least they're on R5 by choice which only proves that they are insane. Maybe the "good" UL's are so good because they have the cake ramps. IMO the international gates (the sometimes R6) should get their own UL for each shift.

The last few nights I've worked there has been an R6 UL, not sure if that's a new thing, but it is nice to say the least. As for the "good ULs," they all used to work R5/6 nights, and it sucked when they left because the learning curve for new people out there is steep. In that regard I guess I can't be too critical of those working out there now, and hopefully it's all starting to settle in for them, but there are still days when you have to consistently point out obvious conflicts in the lineup. That's what gets me the most.

 

[HotSauce]

WOW! I just love how people like to hide behind a computer and talk smack about things they know nothing about(28L_or_10R?), Las2Phx C. Lenzi told you if you have any problems with anything here in PHX that you can talk to him or any GC here. I have never had a problem with getting a lunch break because I don't allow them to get away with it , if you or any of the transfers ever need someone to hold your hand so you can get a lunch break just let me know!, just ask for the Angry Hotrunner and I will make sure you get one. If you hate PHX so much and the way we do things here you should quit and go back to Las, If your reps in Las where so good you mite still have a job there but........ I'm sure someone else would love to be able come here and take your place or you should transfer ASAP. I'm sure the grass is greener on the other side. C.Lenzi, P.Rez and the rest of the committee do a GREAT job here in PHX day after day, Remember when you point the finger at someone ,their are four fingers pointing right back at you. This goes to everyone on here who wants to put the blame on the other guy. PHX is not perfect by any means but it is a great place to work ,with a lot of good hard working people. Step up, Put up or Shut up.

 

[orioleman]

Hey CJ
not going to quote you since it was rather long but just want to say glad to see PHX seems to be turning the corner but I am confused

about one thing , You mentioned I believe the company picks who a Unit Lead is . If a Unit Lead is another name for Lead Agent then that is

a major violation of the contract. I remember years ago when we went from RSS (ramp service supervisors) to Lead Agents it took alot people a

while to adjust to being a LEAD and not a SUPERVISOR . I'm sure you know that type the go to the portrait studio wearing there SUPERVISOR badge and

carrying a RADIO and then sends the pics out with christmas cards to all the family to show they are someone special (LOL) . A friendly reminder

A Lead Agents job is to Lead and direct. No discipline can be issued from a Lead Agent to a Fleet Service Agent . it has to be done through a manager

Anyway the O's are once again in last place the dream has died for a chance for a pennant this year such is life.

 

[28L_or_10R?]

If you hate PHX so much and the way we do things here you should quit and go back to Las, If your reps in Las where so good you mite still have a job there but........ I'm sure someone else would love to be able come here and take your place or you should transfer ASAP.

So let me get this straight... Are you saying that LAS is no longer a hub because the union reps were not good OR are you saying that everyone should have been allowed to stay after the flights were drastically reduced but the reps didn't do their jobs? :wacko:

 

[freedom]

So let me get this straight... Are you saying that LAS is no longer a hub because the union reps were not good OR are you saying that everyone should have been allowed to stay after the flights were drastically reduced but the reps didn't do their jobs? :wacko:

you'll have to excuse our co-worker hot sasuse , he tends to get "heated" he's just very defensive and proud of our PHX station ... as am i ...

i think our union reps do a fantastic job and that any problems in the bag room are drastically over stated ...

let's be honest here, not everyone is going to love PHX ... if someone's been forced to transfer to another station against their will , it's just not going to be a lovely experince ,i can understand that ...

all things said , i think we have the best station in the network with some of the greatest people !

EDIT: uh , i don't really "speak " for hot suause , he's his own man just so that we're all clear ( in other words i retract my statment asking for you to "excuse him " )... but i will say this , he's a very passionate union worker , the likes of which even O-man would be proud to call brother .

 

[HPMKE]

Does anyone have any current information on the status of the outsourcing grievance?

 

[HotSauce]

:wacko:

So let me get this straight... Are you saying that LAS is no longer a hub because the union reps were not good OR are you saying that everyone should have been allowed to stay after the flights were drastically reduced but the reps didn't do their jobs? :wacko:

You seam to be a know it all with your 312 post, You tell me, what did they do?. Did they organize, did they rally the membership, did they protest, did they put up any kind of fight to save flights and save jobs or did they lay down and die. Sorry if I'm wrong, but I know the GC here in phx will do whatever it takes to save every job they can. I'm saying we don't need their las,phl,clt or pit rep's to come here and show us anything. And as for you, your no better than those people in the bag room that you are talking about you just have a bigger forum. As long as we have people like you and las2phx we will never be a union. You must be management trying to keep us fighting against each other. There is a time and place for everything and this is not the place. It seams to me that you are the one that eats his own.

 

[JoeDirt]

I have to say one thing about Hot Sauce...........I like your passion and the fact you seem to take pride in your station and job.

O-man sorry about your O's

 

[28L_or_10R?]

:wacko:
You seam to be a know it all with your 312 post, You tell me, what did they do?.

What, pray tell, is a 312 post?

 

[Edward]

The personal attacks stop now. Next one gets time off.

Posts have been removed.

 

[Harry Callahan]

For the people in Charlotte. I heard what I hope is true & thus good news. Some of the very senior early morning abr guys said we are getting back freight & mail & also that US wants to expand catering. Have any of the rest of you heard this ?


Also one of my co-workers who was up at Burger King Fr. said a shift manger from US was up there handing out business cards telling them US would be hiring soon. Also great news. Any one have info. on that ?

 

[28L_or_10R?]

Also one of my co-workers who was up at Burger King Fr. said a shift manger from US was up there handing out business cards telling them US would be hiring soon. Also great news. Any one have info. on that ?

I'm sure they will find some quality workers at Burger King! They'll do anything to get away from the King.