US IAM Fleet Service topic 5/14-

[necigrad]

So I walk into work the other week and see a sign on the bullitin board. "SAM" it says. OK, this is gonna be stupid. I don't know what it is, but OK, whatever. A week later "SAM is coming". Oh good God, now 'SAM', whatever it might be, is mobile! Today "SAM is coming in two weeks"! Get me my penicillin! After making a few smartass remarks someone tells me that they asked the manager what is was and was told "Safety Awareness Month".

Yup stupid. Not stupid because I'm against safety. Stupid because they've made it into a joke weeks before it comes out. Stupid because it's a 'cutsy' acronym. Stupid because, and here's the point, stupid because WHY ARE WE AWARE OF SAFETY ONLY ONE MONTH?!?!!?? Jesus Frickin Christ, since when does safety need it's own month? Or it's own nice program? I'm sure this month will have iLearning chock full of annoying games to play to help us learn to be safe. I can see mandatory meetings. Yet I still have not been briefed on numerous GOM changes in the past few years that are to my safety's benefit, such as the thunderstorm policy. I know about it because I was nosy.

Congratulations US Airways, you have just made safety a joke in a workplace known for injuries.

Note that these are just my opinions, and is really me just venting on what I think is an exceptionally stupid rollout for what I think is an exceptionally stupid program.

 

[28L_or_10R?]

In what cities has PHX placed cameras in so that they can spy on us? We were never treated like criminals before HP showed up!

Rogue

You ain't seen nuthin' yet! PHX had cameras at every gate only because they would go to the tapes to see who was responsible for a flight leaving 1 minute past departure time. They use it to determine who punched who first (they both get fired regardless). They use the cameras just so they can be more efficient at nailing and burning people. Then there was the ramp director on the top of the parking garage with binoculars and a radio... :blink:

 

[crushed]

numerous GOM changes in the past few years that are to my safety's benefit, such as the thunderstorm policy.

What is the thunderstorm policy??

 

[goodfellow]

What is the thunderstorm policy??

Starts with lighting strikes within 3 to 5 mile proximity, All ramp goes to amber alert. Any closer than 3 miles with a lighting strike the ramp is closed until the storm safely clears the proximity. My quotes on distance could be off. Any help or constructive critique is welcome. THX GF

 

[Kev3188]

NWA has the same policy. Some cities are lucky enough to have lightning detection systems that do the "calculating" for you.

 

[700UW]

Charlotte has an automated system with warning lights on top of various places on the terminal to alert people on the ramp.

I remember when MTC used to to R&D and I was pushing LGW a 767 off of D2 and we were under a yellow alert, meaning no headsets, and the Capt refused to push off the gate unless we used the headset. I proceded up to the cockpit to inform him of hand signals only and that is when he said "I guess we will just sit at the gate until you put the headset on", I proceded to tell him that I am not going to die cause he didnt want to look out the window, I informed him we had a mechanic die in MCO during pushback when the plane was struck by lightening and it went through the headset and killed the mechanic.

A MTC foreman had to come out to the gate and had a "talk" with the Capt and we proceded to push off the gate using hand signals.

 

[Jester]

My Thunderstorm policy is simple... when the fuelers stop, then everyone out of pool. They are probably the most vulnerable standing on metal stairs dispensing liquid kerosine and their company isn't going to assume that liability with a $50 million aircraft becoming a Roman Candle (but screw the employee). Besides when the fuelers stop, the plane isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I had to argue this point once with a Stupivisor as a flight arrived and was waiting on the j-line to be marshalled. During our less than friendly exchange under the gate area and within full view of the plane, the crack of a lightning bolt striking the ground a couple hundred feet behind the plane's tail emphatically terminated our discussion.

I knew someone that was struck by lightning and dying from a slow, painful necrosis due to internal organs being cooked wasn't the way to go. The plane can wait.

So Recounts Jester.

 

[john john]

My Thunderstorm policy is simple... when the fuelers stop, then everyone out of pool. They are probably the most vulnerable standing on metal stairs dispensing liquid kerosine and their company isn't going to assume that liability with a $50 million aircraft becoming a Roman Candle (but screw the employee). Besides when the fuelers stop, the plane isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I had to argue this point once with a Stupivisor as a flight arrived and was waiting on the j-line to be marshalled. During our less than friendly exchange under the gate area and within full view of the plane, the crack of a lightning bolt striking the ground a couple hundred feet behind the plane's tail emphatically terminated our discussion.

I knew someone that was struck by lightning and dying from a slow, painful necrosis due to internal organs being cooked wasn't the way to go. The plane can wait.

So Recounts Jester.

Yea! Relay on someone fueling to make serious safety decisions about your work

 

[necigrad]

Here in LAS it's airport policy to stop fueling when lightning is within 5 miles, as determined by the airport. Personally I think it's a good idea to use this when available; the airport calls each airline to notify them of the fuel stop anyway. As the policy is right now it just states then "When 'X' then 'Y'". If a manager decides that the lighting is 5 1/2 miles away, because of his exceptional meteorological talents, then we work as normal. Take the company out of the process and make it black and white as determined by a third party.

 

[Jester]

Yea! Relay on someone fueling to make serious safety decisions about your work

Only trust those who have as much to lose as you do when things go terribly wrong.

Company greases a ramper or a fueler with a lightening strike? No big deal... it was an Act of God, plausible deniability, pay the 2x annual salary on the death benefit, name a tug after them and move on. Company loses a $50 million aircraft, not to mention scores of passengers on on-board due to a fuel explosion, and that's reckless disregard for the passenger safety and the loss of an expensive piece of capital equipment, then that's something to lose. Follow the money.

So Maneuvers Jester.

 

[charlie Brown]

As far as clt goes on the lightning, we have an automated system here.When a strike is 10 miles away we go to amber, and then when it gets within 3 miles we go red and the ramp is closed. The system is on a screen in the local tower, and we also have shopstewards that are trained on how to read it, and one of them goes to the tower during storms to make sure that managment is doing the correct job at reading it. If a strike does not happen within 10min or within 3miles the ramp reopens to amber(no headsets) until the storm is 10 miles away. Like I said this is all backed up by our own shop stewards so its a pretty good system. I assume its the airport that pays for this system but Im not sure. Maybe other stations should check into this system instead of depending on managment to make the call.

 

[roadtrip]

Got a call today about an issue that took place in IND seems to be the station manager wanted extra help and put up an OT sign up sheet to cover for the Indy 500 race volume of traffic coming in to watch the race. Since not enough coverage was at hand the manager got workers from DFW to come in to work in IND! Seems that if you do that you should have gone to a system notification for Overtime to help out IND. I'm sure the AGC for IND will direct the members there and will CORRECT this direct Violation of our CBA thru a grievance. I know of many workers who would have gladly gone to IND from Philly to work the OT.

 

[doing it on my knees]

Got a call today about an issue that took place in IND seems to be the station manager wanted extra help and put up an OT sign up sheet to cover for the Indy 500 race volume of traffic coming in to watch the race. Since not enough coverage was at hand the manager got workers from DFW to come in to work in IND! Seems that if you do that you should have gone to a system notification for Overtime to help out IND. I'm sure the AGC for IND will direct the members there and will CORRECT this direct Violation of our CBA thru a grievance. I know of many workers who would have gladly gone to IND from Philly to work the OT.

This is a topic that always intrigued me. Why wouldnt the company allow those station who are fully staffed go cover other stations that need the help? this topic would make a good debate.

 

[rufus]

Could someone tell me the article(page) in contract that covers the following. If a OT grievance is worked on first day off and overtime is awarded on your second day off, is the second day at double time rates?

 

[DFWFSC]

The same thing has gone on at AA in the past. The AA GM in ABQ usually requests extra help during the big balloon festival every october' so the GM just calls a good friend who's a GM in another station and solicits for extra folks...agents and rampers...without putting out a system wide offer...I think the ramp union put quick end to that....as it should..