From Amy:
Datacomm classes are in full swing now so it’s been really great to get that show on the road. There has been a lot of work behind the scenes to get us to this point from building scenarios and testing them to scheduling and training the cadre. The last puzzle piece and arguably the most important part of this is that you show up for your scheduled class. We understand that life happens but if there is any chance of informing us (Matt Braunstein, Mike Sellman, any of the NATCA reps or area schedulers) of a planned absence, please do so as soon as possible. Those class dates are in extremely high demand and we need to ensure every class is full. Missing this class is not like missing IST or something like that, if you miss any part of the three day class you will not be certified to work live traffic when this is turned on. The schedule is tentatively figured out all the way through the end of March so if you don’t know when your class is just talk to your area scheduler, they should be able to tell you (though it is subject to change).
From Drew:
A Quick Note about Shift Assignments
Many of you (particularly those who have worked at other facilities) are already aware of this but I wanted to take a minute to explain how shift assignments work. This has come up because as staffing gets worse and worse, especially throughout DATACOMM training, the schedule is getting tighter and tighter. When you bid a line, there are shifts associated with that line. If those shifts are 15, 1330, 08, 07, 06 then you have bid a S/S/D/D/D line with a request for those shifts to be 15, 1330, 08, 07, 06. However, it is possible that a need arises for you to be placed on a different swing or a different day shift. The agency is limited to the cores and ancillaries listed in the MOU for the facility and your specific area. So if your area has a 1000 listed as an ancillary of a day shift then you can be assigned that shift if needed. There are still protections for the cascading line and obviously for the required time off between swings and days and days and mids. The same goes for if you have a 1500 and coverage is needed later and you get assigned a 1600. Article 32 Section 6 also still applies:
Section 6. The Parties recognize that changing an employee's posted watch schedule is undesirable. The Agency will normally give no less than seven (7) days notice of its intention to modify a posted watch schedule. In such case, it shall attempt to avoid the change by soliciting qualified volunteers for forty-eight (48) hours. If the Agency determines it is necessary to modify a posted watch schedule with less than seven (7) days notice, it will make reasonable efforts to secure qualified volunteers. Changes with less than seven (7) days notice shall not be made for the purpose of avoiding payment of overtime, holiday, or other premium pay. If an employee's shift is involuntarily changed with less than seven (7) days notice, the affected employee shall be paid any night time differentials to which he/she would otherwise have been entitled had they worked that shift.
The main point I am trying to drive home is that if you bid a shift, that is a request, not an entitlement. It is more often than not a request that will be accommodated, but it is not a guarantee.
From NNM:
“Looking ahead, we will have our 3rd Annual Wellness Briefing that will be open to all members on Friday, Dec 2 @ 12pm MT/11am PT. This year we have commitments from NATCA EVP Andrew LeBovidge, NATCA EAP Chair Martin Ramirez, CISM Chair Sarah Gramp, and other guests. This discussion is so important and is in honor of Justin Van Iwarden (out of COS) who we lost in 2019. No one should suffer in silence and this all-members briefing can show you the tools and support that are available for all of us. Look for an email with link to join.”
