The 2016 Basic Watch Schedule and leave bid will start on Wednesday (1/13) afternoon.
Below we have the the quick version or "cliff notes" on bidding leave, then after that we get a little more into the weeds.
We've (your Eboard) put a lot of thought and work into this MOU, since it differs from any previous MOU's that we've had, so we think we have everything covered.
Each area will have it's reps and designees to help answer any questions and expedite the bidding process, and they will be posted in each area's bid binder. The binder will be kept either at Joni's desk (across from the OM's desk), in the NATCA office (so it can be updated) or at the OM desk (after hours).
Cliff Notes for bidding
We are scheduled to begin the bidding process on Wednesday afternoon, we’re we will be bidding RDO's, then leave.
Here is how the leave bidding will look.
Round 1 - Prime Time, Up to two weeks of leave, consecutive or non-consecutive
Round 2 - Non Prime Time, Up to 5 consecutive days
Round 3 - NPT, Up to 5 consecutive days
Round 4 - NPT, Up to 5 consecutive days
Round 5 - NPT, Up to 5 consecutive days
This process will continue until:
1) all leave slots are gone or
2) all accrued leave has been bid.
Each employee gets to bid all leave that they accrue for this leave year. If you earn 4 hours a pay period, you get to bid 13 days.
If you elected to use NPT between January 10th and March 5th, then those days will be counted against your NPT balance for the year.
Bidding Leave Procedures
Each area controller in a duty status will be given official notification by a NATCA Rep or designee of their turn to bid their prime time and/or non-prime time annual leave. Once notified, each bid opportunity must be completed within a one-hour period. To the extent that staffing and workload permit, 30 minutes of the one-hour period will be away from the operational area.
Should an employee not complete their bid(s) within the allotted time or request to delay their turn; their opportunity to bid is passed and notification to the next senior employee will be made.
Employees scheduled to be away from the Area/Facility have the option of providing their bid requests via written proxy to the NATCA designated representative for submission. Employees are responsible to ensure that their request contains sufficient prime time options to complete their bid.
Delays to this process are undesirable; therefore employees that are away from the Facility/Area for more two days and that opted not to provide a written proxy will be passed in the process and notification to the next senior employee will be made. Employees that are passed in the process may bid after the person currently eligible to bid completes his/her turn.
Bidding rounds:
Round 1 - up to 2 weeks, consecutive or non-consecutive
Round 2 through 5 - up to 1 week
The bid book will remain open until one of the following:
1 All leave slots (3 slots per day) are filled.
2 All accrued leave has been exhausted.
Other notables:
Ø Employees may cancel and change their bid once it's their turn in the following round. They may only bid up to 5 consecutive days for that round.
Ø PT/NPT cannot be cancelled/re-bid once the schedule has been published.
Ø If a BUE elects to temporarily pass, they must wait until the completion of the next BUE’s bid prior to selecting their leave.
Ø BUE’s on the same crew are allowed to bid the same day(s).
Ø Any NPT used between 1/10 & 3/5 will be counted against their accrued leave for 2016.
Ø Any PT or NPT leave bid on a holiday, will not count towards your accrued leave for bidding.
Ø As the bidding rounds progress during the year, NPT slots will be available until 7 days prior to the schedule being published.