ATM denying leave like it comes from his paycheck

[KnockKnock]

During summer our minimum staffing is 3 CPC morning, 3 CPC evening and any extra people get a 10. Our ATM/FLM is denying AL and shift changes for the 10's saying "workload" requires them as a 10 to open a standalone CIC position.

Question 1: Any experience with fighting this? We're about to rain grievances like parade candy.
Question 2: Thoughts on including something like "any shift change/AL requests that would not go below minimum staffing shall be approved unless special circumstances exist" in our AL MOU?

 

[MJ]

During summer our minimum staffing is 3 CPC morning, 3 CPC evening and any extra people get a 10. Our ATM/FLM is denying AL and shift changes for the 10's saying "workload" requires them as a 10 to open a standalone CIC position.

Question 1: Any experience with fighting this? We're about to rain grievances like parade candy.
Question 2: Thoughts on including something like "any shift change/AL requests that would not go below minimum staffing shall be approved unless special circumstances exist" in our AL MOU?

We had the same issue. One sup would never approve leave, always making up something to do to justify it (CIC, eLMS, whatever garbage he could think of). Our solution was similar to what you said in #2. Defined a minimum staffing #, including position certified Devs, each shift required. If we were above that #, leave had to be approved. Below that # was subject to discretion, which is an important footnote, since sups like the one above would then use the minimum # to blanket deny leave in conditions which wouldn't require the minimum normal shift staffing.

 

[KnockKnock]

@MJ We're having a union meeting soon. Would you mind sending me what your MOU says, so I can propose it?

 

[Ihaveyourrequest]

During summer our minimum staffing is 3 CPC morning, 3 CPC evening and any extra people get a 10. Our ATM/FLM is denying AL and shift changes for the 10's saying "workload" requires them as a 10 to open a standalone CIC position.

Question 1: Any experience with fighting this? We're about to rain grievances like parade candy.
Question 2: Thoughts on including something like "any shift change/AL requests that would not go below minimum staffing shall be approved unless special circumstances exist" in our AL MOU?

The agency does not have to negotiate staffing numbers for the shift as per Article 5 Section B. It is also managements right to approve or deny leave based on the goals of the shift. Your facrep may be able to pursuade your manager to negotiate staffing numbers but any manager with half a brain would not give up this right, because can lead to an increased usage of overtime.

 

[MJ]

@MJ We're having a union meeting soon. Would you mind sending me what your MOU says, so I can propose it?

I’m not there anymore but I’ll see if I can get a copy

Edit: they don’t have that MOU anymore

 

[GMX]

This is always frustrating. We've always been able to get most of what we want but we have lower staffing these days. Combine that with a new(ish) ATM and down from 3 supes to 1 (also newer), the whole culture of the place is different now. They do things that on the surface seem pretty shady, but technically they're probably allowed to; it's just hard because it was never like that before. They also do things really inconsistently which probably bugs me more, some days something is okay to approve and other days it's not!

Do you get much OT there?

 

[KnockKnock]

This is always frustrating. We've always been able to get most of what we want but we have lower staffing these days. Combine that with a new(ish) ATM and down from 3 supes to 1 (also newer), the whole culture of the place is different now. They do things that on the surface seem pretty shady, but technically they're probably allowed to; it's just hard because it was never like that before. They also do things really inconsistently which probably bugs me more, some days something is okay to approve and other days it's not!

Do you get much OT there?

That's actually one of the worst parts! Our staffing used to be crap and we could still manage to get AL and changes, but now we're 100% with 3 devs that could be used and they're denying everything. Hardly any OT and it's totally inconsistent like you're saying too.

 

[KnockKnock]

Edit: they don’t have that MOU anymore

Must be an agency wide agenda? Thank you for trying.

 

[KnockKnock]

The agency does not have to negotiate staffing numbers for the shift as per Article 5 Section B. It is also managements right to approve or deny leave based on the goals of the shift. Your facrep may be able to pursuade your manager to negotiate staffing numbers but any manager with half a brain would not give up this right, because can lead to an increased usage of overtime.

A32 S2 requires negotiating minimum staffing.

 

[breakaway2000]

Here's how I would go about it...

The slate book and BATS (agency scheduling tool) changed the game in terms of how staffing and leave requests should be handled. There shouldn't be any more subjective nature to how an FLM interprets staffing. There job *should* be easy now, you're simply following a guideline.

1) Your basic watch schedule MOU should have the agreed upon minimum staffing required for each shift. Have your FacRep reiterate this to management. If leave requests are being denied, there has to be an adequate reason. Anything that requires additional staffing (ELMS, Recurrent Training, monthly meetings, etc.) should be coordinated with the Union and should be written in the shift notes. It's common courtesy and allows for people to see why their leave might be denied. Given your situation, I'm going to safely assume that since January, you'd have no problem pulling identical schedules where one leave request was approved, then another was denied with the same staffing criteria.

2) Management cannot deny leave to protect for the potential for sick leave.

3) If management will not collaborate or adhere to the shift minimum guidelines, escalate your claim via a grievance.

In large part, the FAA is removing a large portion of lowel level ATM's duties and responsibilities. With the NCEPT they can no longer give unrealistic release dates or refuse altogether and with BATS, their scheduling, prime time leave, shift guidelines, etc are all predetermined. There's simply no cognitive ability needed anymore, they are simply following an order. It is simply a flow chart like this...
Leave/Shift Swap Requested...
Minimum Staffing Met? Yes ---> Additional work needed?---->No
Approved.

 

[MJ]

In large part, the FAA is removing a large portion of lowel level ATM's duties and responsibilities.

I heard a very similar message when I talked to my friend to see if they still had the MOU.