You know what really grinds my gears...

breakaway2000 said:
You're not misinterpreting it. Verbally notify them and if it's not taken care of in the required timeframe above it's an open and shut grievance.
Click to expand...

We've never really had this issue until fairly recently. I had to study the contract too and I came to the same conclusion. We've never really had to file grievances or anything but maybe it will have to start happening.

I have heard some talk of if pushed to respond within the timeframe, then "everything is just denied and can be revisited closer to the day of". If the staffing would have been what we've agreed upon and they denied it, that's a grievance, right?

I couldn't find it but is there anything in the contract about shift change requests?
 
GMX said:
We've never really had this issue until fairly recently. I had to study the contract too and I came to the same conclusion. We've never really had to file grievances or anything but maybe it will have to start happening.

I have heard some talk of if pushed to respond within the timeframe, then "everything is just denied and can be revisited closer to the day of". If the staffing would have been what we've agreed upon and they denied it, that's a grievance, right?

I couldn't find it but is there anything in the contract about shift change requests?
Click to expand...
They cannot deny a request simply for the protection of sick leave. With our BWS schedule now integrated with BATS and minimum staffing requirements for each individual day (this should all be documented in your BWS MOU), it realistically takes any guesswork away from an FLM. If they do not have any additional requirements for the day (recurrent training, CBI's, etc) if a request comes in and the shift is left above the minimum staffing requirements...approved.

If after they're reminded of this fact, they stand by what they've been doing, grieve it. To ensure a successful grievance, make sure they were verbally made aware of the request, document the timelines, and make sure no other additional duties were required that day. In reality, it will make their life easier. The agency is essentially turning BATS into the 'bad guy', the FLM should simply be following agreed upon shift guidelines. It's still new for many, help them out and your lives will get easier too.
 
Last edited:
breakaway2000 said:
They cannot deny a request simply for the protection of sick leave. With our BWS schedule now integrated with GATS and minimum staffing requirements for each individual day (this should all be documented in your BWS MOU), it realistically takes any guesswork away from an FLM. If they do not have any additional requirements for the day (recurrent training, CBI's, etc) if a request comes in and the shift is left above the minimum staffing requirements...approved.

If after they're reminded of this fact, they stand by what they've been doing, grieve it. To ensure a successful grievance, make sure they were verbally made aware of the request, document the timelines, and make sure no other additional duties were required that day. In reality, it will make their life easier. The agency is essentially turning GATS into the 'bad guy', the FLM should simply be following agreed upon shift guidelines. It's still new for many, help them out and your lives will get easier too.
Click to expand...
Not ever facility has agreed upon minimum staffing numbers per shift though.

Also, what does GATS stand for?
 
GulfBravoPapa said:
Not ever facility has agreed upon minimum staffing numbers per shift though.
Click to expand...
One of the big changes with the Slate Book was each facility is required to have minimum staffing numbers per shift incorporated into their BWS negotiations (Article 32). If yours currently does not, I'd make sure it's in there for 2019, it's makes things a lot easier. You should have something like...
0800 - 3
1000 - 2
1200 - 1
1400 - 2
etc.

I apologize, typo corrected above, the tool is BATS, which stands for Budget Analysis and Tracking System.
 
breakaway2000 said:
One of the big changes with the Slate Book was each facility is required to have minimum staffing numbers per shift incorporated into their BWS negotiations (Article 32). If yours currently does not, I'd make sure it's in there for 2019, it's makes things a lot easier. You should have something like...
0800 - 3
1000 - 2
1200 - 1
1400 - 2
etc.

I apologize, typo corrected above, the tool is BATS, which stands for Budget Analysis and Tracking System.
Click to expand...
No worries...I have still never heard of BATS. My facility has a number for the day shift and a number for the night shift. I am unsure that my previous facility has set numbers. And I think of days like Saturday evening shifts where it is ridiculously slow and they need less people than other nights...
 
Another thing to remember is that we, NATCA, have not agreed to negotiate anything based on what BATS says as being the gospel. We have our own tool (name currently escapes me) to help with what we deem appropriate staffing. So when your facility meets to negotiate the BWS, annual leave slots, etc. don’t rely on what management is saying to be true. Use the resources available to you from the union’s perspective. Another thing to consider (off topic here, but worth mentioning), management would love for Prime Time leave to be the entire year, like a ton of smaller facilities do, but push for Prime Time leave to be something like middle of May through middle of September, week of Thanksgiving, week of Christmas. The contract allows for all BUE to have the opportunity to bid all of their projected accrued leave for the year (not that you have to take it, but you have to have the opportunity to bid it). Use that to your advantage in negotiations. You have a few trainees, use them to increase Prime Time leave spots during the summer. If you’re here at bidding time you bid with everyone by seniority for leave and your RDOs are bid on a trainee line vs CPC line. If those trainees later wash out and leave, their slots are available for anyone else to take from 30 days prior to the posting of the watch schedule up to six months in advance. After that, you get put in for a spot leave request. If you’re a trainee and you show up after, you bid leave and days off based on the people in your classroom.
 
Last edited:
CaptainObvious said:
When you’re busy as shit and a supervisor who’s not certified on the sector you’re working tries to correct you
Click to expand...
I’ve seen this one go down

Controller: super busy with 20+ airplanes during a heavy arrival push....”Delta123 descend and maintain 170, Atlanta altimeter 3006”
Sup not certified: ummm make sure you are saying “ THE Atlanta altimeter 3006”
Controller: why don’t you get THE f*** outta here
 
CaptainObvious said:
When you’re busy as shit and a supervisor who’s not certified on the sector you’re working tries to correct you
Click to expand...

Enroute:
Supervisors (at different times) who were not rated on the position (or the D-Side) and one wasn't even area rated, making datablock entries, and moving datablocks from the D-Side when a controller was down the crapper. Interestingly enough this was after they failed to make a decision on splitting the sector (which it should've been).
 
I didn't read the whole thread but one of my biggest pet peeves is VFR pop ups looking for flight following just hopping up outta nowhere with all their information in their first call with no heads up whatsoever.
 

Similar threads

B
  • Question Question
vfr to ifr airfile
2 3
Replies
47
Views
3K
SquawkHijack
SquawkHijack
D
  • Solved
Pop-Up VFR to IFR clearance
Replies
15
Views
2K
meanjoe
M
The River
Is Reagan National Airport Cursed?
Replies
15
Views
2K
J-one-s
J
FloopThePig
I just got warned of a "pattern" in my sick leave from taking the last few Fridays off for fatigue leave. How will this affect me, if at all?
2 3 4
Replies
65
Views
12K
Thebullisback
T
M
The Twenty Percent
Replies
0
Views
529
miker1369
M
Back
Top Bottom