A reader yesterday pointed to the Successor Clause Section 9.4 of the CBA as a legal reason why a new company would have to honor our current CBA. We just heard back from Whitfield McTair on this and his explanation was that this clause only applies to another company that would buy Covenant's airport division either by selling, transferring or leasing. It would not apply if another company was awarded the contract by TSA or the Airport Commission.
This just gave us an interesting thought. The owner of Covenant died sometime last year. His widow did a tour of SFO a while back. Many theorized at the time that she might sell the company. If this were true, then that company would have to honor the CBA. What if she did actually sell it off to Akal Security and they're just waiting for approval from TSA? Interesting food for thought.
A blog dedicated to the TSOs, LTSOs, and BDOs at San Francisco International Airport that work for Covenant Aviation Security, LLC (CAS).
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
More attendance issues
A couple of months ago, a newly crossed-over DFO that was still on probation was fired for being late. The tragedy here was that her third and final occurrence was because she got lost on the AOA. She called the STSO when this was happening, and Covenant showed no mercy in terminating her.
Now comes another new DFO from that same class that was recently suspended for tardies! Huh, you say? Well, they suspended him because all of his tardies happened while he was in probation. Yet, the reason they didn't fire him was because they caught this AFTER he was off probation!
Why is there such an inconsistency with how Covenant is tracking and enforcing their attendance policies. Covenant has some explaining to do!
Needless to say, YOU, WE, must remain on top of these issues. Be proactive and make certain to contact your shop steward when these issues arise. Remember, you only have 10 business days to file a grievance. The sooner you take care of it, the better.
Now comes another new DFO from that same class that was recently suspended for tardies! Huh, you say? Well, they suspended him because all of his tardies happened while he was in probation. Yet, the reason they didn't fire him was because they caught this AFTER he was off probation!
Why is there such an inconsistency with how Covenant is tracking and enforcing their attendance policies. Covenant has some explaining to do!
Needless to say, YOU, WE, must remain on top of these issues. Be proactive and make certain to contact your shop steward when these issues arise. Remember, you only have 10 business days to file a grievance. The sooner you take care of it, the better.
Quick note about a possible take over from another company
We spoke to Whitfield McTair today. The question on our mind was what exactly is the legal ramifications for another company that would take over the contract at SFO. And as we suspected, his answer is that another company is not legally obligated to honor our current CBA with Covenant. In other words, if Akal Security were to come in, they could slash our wages and benefits.
Security First @ SFO has decided it probably is a good idea for everyone to submit their resumes to Akal Security, in the event that this were to happen. And as Whitfield was stating to us, it's time that we all got involved and became politically active.
Stay tuned, as more information comes available.
Security First @ SFO has decided it probably is a good idea for everyone to submit their resumes to Akal Security, in the event that this were to happen. And as Whitfield was stating to us, it's time that we all got involved and became politically active.
Stay tuned, as more information comes available.
Monday, June 28, 2010
More Information on Akal Security
"Akal means 'undying' in an ancient language of India," according to this article from The Albuquerque Tribune. They were started in 1980 and operated by Yogi Bhajan's Ministry of Sikh Dharma. The group is purporting to be a non-profit group. This website claims that many Sikh's do not wish to associate with this group as they supposedly don't teach the traditional Sikh dogma. Any Sikh's out there wish to comment? We'll abstain from THAT debate. And finally, here is a video from Gurutej Singh about how he started Akal Security.
This press release from TSA from July 27, 2005 lists Akal Security as one of the "qualified vendors" that is able to compete for airports that go private. Covenant is also listed as a qualified vendor.
Akal is also seeking and advertising for positions in Kansas City.
Akal mans the exits at BWI (Baltimore-Washington Airport) according to the project manager at BWI for Akal, Russell Westley.
Akal does work at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, in addition to BWI. However, in 2007 they were reprimanded 15 times in a two month period for security falling asleep on the job and various other infractions, according to this report. For whatever the reason, the original URL is not showing up and only the google cache of it. However, here's another report from Phoenix's local ABC 15 telling of security guards there not checking to make certain bags are not being stolen by other passengers.
This is the recruitment notice posted in Hot Jobs, as it was posted in the SF Gate. They have an office in San Jose, as Akal also runs security for Federal Court Houses. They were sued by guards over SF Federal building security for a number of things, that I won't bore you with, but can read at the SF Gate.
As we learn more, we'll report. Keep checking for updates.
This press release from TSA from July 27, 2005 lists Akal Security as one of the "qualified vendors" that is able to compete for airports that go private. Covenant is also listed as a qualified vendor.
Akal is also seeking and advertising for positions in Kansas City.
Akal mans the exits at BWI (Baltimore-Washington Airport) according to the project manager at BWI for Akal, Russell Westley.
Akal does work at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, in addition to BWI. However, in 2007 they were reprimanded 15 times in a two month period for security falling asleep on the job and various other infractions, according to this report. For whatever the reason, the original URL is not showing up and only the google cache of it. However, here's another report from Phoenix's local ABC 15 telling of security guards there not checking to make certain bags are not being stolen by other passengers.
This is the recruitment notice posted in Hot Jobs, as it was posted in the SF Gate. They have an office in San Jose, as Akal also runs security for Federal Court Houses. They were sued by guards over SF Federal building security for a number of things, that I won't bore you with, but can read at the SF Gate.
As we learn more, we'll report. Keep checking for updates.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
New Company to Replace Covenant?
A number of months ago, two companies did a tour of SFO. They were also shown around in the BSR (Baggage Screening Room). When this bit of information was mentioned to a TSM (Transportation Security Manager), this particular manager, who is generally very open with information, went very quiet and just stated that it was normal policy to do things like this because outside companies have the right to bid on the contract regardless if it's still with Covenant.
Ok, so we didn't give it a lot of thought at the time. It was more just interesting, than juicy. If you didn't know, it's the Airport Commission that decides whether or not a private company comes in or replaces said private company. It's not TSA that makes that decision. And unlike a lot of you out there, we're not convinced that TSA taking control of SFO would be for the better. Trust us, it's not going to be rainbows, sunshine, and lollipops if they do.
Well, we got a bit of VERY interesting information today courtesy of a TSO. Apparently a company called AKAL is soliciting positions for TSOs and administrative staff for SFO and Kansas City. Here is the relevant information from their website:
Akal Security, Inc. (Akal) is soliciting resumes for potential airport security screening positions and several administrative positions for both the San Francisco and Kansas City International Airports. The availability of these positions is based on Akal Security’s award of a contract from the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration. Upon contract award, interested applicants who meet Minimum Requirements will be invited either via phone call, mail, or email to submit a formal application online.
Transportation Security Officers must pass a rigorous pre-hire assessment in order to be considered for employment and must successfully pass all training courses in order to be offered full or part time employment with Akal Security. Detailed position descriptions and requirements are provided below.
It cannot be predicted how many positions will be available until after contract award and most of the advertised positions are expected to be filled by incumbent personnel. In fact, incumbent personnel are encouraged to submit resumes indicating their desire to transfer to Akal Security. (We will keep your information confidential.) If we are not awarded the contract, we will offer all resumes to the selected contractor.
They even want us to apply and they'll keep it confidential. Something is very fishy about all of this. They're soliciting for applications when they admittedly haven't even gotten the contract yet. Instead of having a form publishing page that most professional companies have on their site, they want you to send your resume to a gmail account!
All of this seems way too confident for a company that hasn't gotten the contract. But don't worry, if they don't get the contract, they'll forward the resumes to the "selected contractor".
They're even so confident that they published an ad in the SF Chronicle, which is how our source found out about this.
Once again, something doesn't seem right about this. Be on the lookout for any and all information, and please share if you discover anything. We'll update as soon as we find out anything else.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Labor/Management Meeting
Not much has come out between the meeting with management and the union.
Gerry Berry did in fact make the meeting. Yet, Mindy Pengel was noticeably absent. She was apparently on vacation. Coincidence??? Donnie Filbert and Lavon Smith were there as well.
From what we've gathered, many of the issues that were raised from last week's meeting were brought up to management. And they are apparently willing to work with the union on many of those issues.
Management did admit that a lot of the problems are because of lack of workers, something they claim they are working on.
I hope CAS and TSA realizes that we're a year to less than a year away from having Terminal 2 open and that they better get working on it now.
To be fair, a lot of the hiring issues is because of TSA's typical government way of doing things. The ability to hire someone is dependent on TSA's bureaucratic policies and thy say when and how many to hire. CAS could alleviate some things by hiring more part time employees, but they're still reliant on TSA's approval.
We'll report more as we hear it.
Gerry Berry did in fact make the meeting. Yet, Mindy Pengel was noticeably absent. She was apparently on vacation. Coincidence??? Donnie Filbert and Lavon Smith were there as well.
From what we've gathered, many of the issues that were raised from last week's meeting were brought up to management. And they are apparently willing to work with the union on many of those issues.
Management did admit that a lot of the problems are because of lack of workers, something they claim they are working on.
I hope CAS and TSA realizes that we're a year to less than a year away from having Terminal 2 open and that they better get working on it now.
To be fair, a lot of the hiring issues is because of TSA's typical government way of doing things. The ability to hire someone is dependent on TSA's bureaucratic policies and thy say when and how many to hire. CAS could alleviate some things by hiring more part time employees, but they're still reliant on TSA's approval.
We'll report more as we hear it.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
UPDATE with Mr. Nguyen
Ok, no update to the Pier B Fiasco, but there is an update to the threat to a TSO to cut his hair. According to that TSO, Nguyen did apologize. This happened after Nguyen was basically forced to. The TSO reported that Nguyen said he was just joking and that's how he jokes. The offended TSO claimed that it did not come off as joking and so did a number of witnesses to the event.
Hey, we love joking around. It's good for the soul and just life in general. Mangers, in particular, need to be cautious about it. If you're going to do it, make certain that it's completely clear that that is what you're doing. Otherwise you could easily be misconstrued and then it could escalate in to something nasty.
Fortunately, the TSO accepted and has decided to consider the issue resolved.
Hey, we love joking around. It's good for the soul and just life in general. Mangers, in particular, need to be cautious about it. If you're going to do it, make certain that it's completely clear that that is what you're doing. Otherwise you could easily be misconstrued and then it could escalate in to something nasty.
Fortunately, the TSO accepted and has decided to consider the issue resolved.
Attendance Tracking Discrepancies
It's come to our attention that Covenant does not have the best means of tracking attendance. One TSO in particular has an ongoing issues with being accused of not hand scanning in for a specific day. According to him, he did indeed handscan in for that day. Yet according to the ever reliable equipment, it says he did not. Or did it?
This TSO took it upon himself to go to the EAC to get a printout of his handscans for a select range of dates. And on that particular day it had him scanning in right at the time his shift starts. When he brought this to the attention of Terminal Manager Russell Mackey, Mr. Mackey informed him that the system will indeed say you handscanned in at the time your shift starts if you did not handscan in. I know what you're thinking.
This of course raises a number of issues. One, it's highly dubious as to whether or not the handscan machines are linked directly with our schedules. Two, if that is really the case, then theoretically we could all NOT handscan in and the system would say we've all handscanned in on time. And three, the most important point is that if this REALLY is the case, then how in the hell do they know if we handscanned in???
Really Mr. Mackey? You really think we're going to fall for this? Of course, Covenant does have other means of checking this stuff, it's called the cameras. Their response to that is, "We can't do that for everybody!" We all know that their tracking system makes errors and mistakes. This particular situation is very fishy. My theory is that they realized they made a mistake and instead of just admitting it they are trying to find some weasel way to make it stick with a level 4 performance that lasts 9 months.
One of the good suggestions from the Union Meeting last week was the idea of a progressive form of discipline for not handscanning in. That's great if the person did indeed forget to handscan in. But what about when there is an apparent discrepancy? Hopefully this TSO will be successful in fighting this. Remember guys, we only have 10 business days to file a grievance.
Another issue has arisen with a TSO with levels for tardies. This TSO was told by ATM Rick Tolentino at the end of May that he only had one occurrence for a tardy on record at that time. Since then, he has accumulated another two tardies. Thinking that Mr. Nguyen was going to issue him a level 1, Nguyen instead said it was a level 4. The TSO refused to sign saying that it should only be a level 1 since Tolentino told him he only had one occurrence at the end of May.
Hopefully this will get resolved in the TSO's favor. It should go without saying folks, that it's not wise to play around with the attendance system. It's understandable that we all have lives. But if you've been with Covenant for more than a year, you know they don't play around when it comes to that stuff. So only play the system if you have to. When you're contemplating calling in just because you don't feel like coming in to work, ask yourself this question: Is it more important for me not to go to work for whatever arbitrary reason, or to lose my job and my source of income? Yes, if you or someone close in your family is sick or you need to attend some family get together or whatever, sure that's your priority. But if you don't play the system often like some do, when those situations come up, you won't have to worry about getting into pickles like the situation above.
Ok, enough of the soap box preaching. Have a great day guys! Stay safe and 100% SOP ALL THE TIME!
This TSO took it upon himself to go to the EAC to get a printout of his handscans for a select range of dates. And on that particular day it had him scanning in right at the time his shift starts. When he brought this to the attention of Terminal Manager Russell Mackey, Mr. Mackey informed him that the system will indeed say you handscanned in at the time your shift starts if you did not handscan in. I know what you're thinking.
This of course raises a number of issues. One, it's highly dubious as to whether or not the handscan machines are linked directly with our schedules. Two, if that is really the case, then theoretically we could all NOT handscan in and the system would say we've all handscanned in on time. And three, the most important point is that if this REALLY is the case, then how in the hell do they know if we handscanned in???
Really Mr. Mackey? You really think we're going to fall for this? Of course, Covenant does have other means of checking this stuff, it's called the cameras. Their response to that is, "We can't do that for everybody!" We all know that their tracking system makes errors and mistakes. This particular situation is very fishy. My theory is that they realized they made a mistake and instead of just admitting it they are trying to find some weasel way to make it stick with a level 4 performance that lasts 9 months.
One of the good suggestions from the Union Meeting last week was the idea of a progressive form of discipline for not handscanning in. That's great if the person did indeed forget to handscan in. But what about when there is an apparent discrepancy? Hopefully this TSO will be successful in fighting this. Remember guys, we only have 10 business days to file a grievance.
Another issue has arisen with a TSO with levels for tardies. This TSO was told by ATM Rick Tolentino at the end of May that he only had one occurrence for a tardy on record at that time. Since then, he has accumulated another two tardies. Thinking that Mr. Nguyen was going to issue him a level 1, Nguyen instead said it was a level 4. The TSO refused to sign saying that it should only be a level 1 since Tolentino told him he only had one occurrence at the end of May.
Hopefully this will get resolved in the TSO's favor. It should go without saying folks, that it's not wise to play around with the attendance system. It's understandable that we all have lives. But if you've been with Covenant for more than a year, you know they don't play around when it comes to that stuff. So only play the system if you have to. When you're contemplating calling in just because you don't feel like coming in to work, ask yourself this question: Is it more important for me not to go to work for whatever arbitrary reason, or to lose my job and my source of income? Yes, if you or someone close in your family is sick or you need to attend some family get together or whatever, sure that's your priority. But if you don't play the system often like some do, when those situations come up, you won't have to worry about getting into pickles like the situation above.
Ok, enough of the soap box preaching. Have a great day guys! Stay safe and 100% SOP ALL THE TIME!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Pier B Fiasco
One of the challenges that a manager has is knowing what to do when a crisis happens. How to respond and knowing what actions to take. Well cue Terminal Manager Mr. Anthony Nguyen.
Apparently the WTMD on lane 6 and 7 went down. So what was Mr. Nguyen's brilliant move? Close lane 6 and 7? Nah! That's too easy! Come on, think harder! Oh I know! Keep lanes 6 and 7 open and have every single passenger that goes through receive a full body pat down!
According to a PAX STSO, Pier B achieved record wait times of 50 minutes!!! Hey, never question the logic of Covenant management! After 2 hours of this I guess they finally concluded that this wasn't the best use of manpower. Well, duh!!
And if that wasn't enough, Mr. Nguyen even had time to threaten a TSO today. Nguyen had a problem with a male TSO's hair length. The hair length was in violation of the dress code. So instead of simply telling the TSO to tie his hair in a ponytail and that if he didn't he'd be written up, he proceeded to tell him he'd get a pair of scissors and cut it himself!
Fortunately, the TSO kept his composure and bit his tongue. This TSO was recommended to file a complaint.
Even when we are in violation of company policy, it does not give management the right to treat us like dirt or be disrespectful. When they do we must stand up for ourselves and call them out on it. If you do, please make certain that you do it professionally. Keep your calm and do not make a scene. If they don't immediately apologize then you need to file a complaint.
Remeber, we're people too and deserve respect.
Apparently the WTMD on lane 6 and 7 went down. So what was Mr. Nguyen's brilliant move? Close lane 6 and 7? Nah! That's too easy! Come on, think harder! Oh I know! Keep lanes 6 and 7 open and have every single passenger that goes through receive a full body pat down!
According to a PAX STSO, Pier B achieved record wait times of 50 minutes!!! Hey, never question the logic of Covenant management! After 2 hours of this I guess they finally concluded that this wasn't the best use of manpower. Well, duh!!
And if that wasn't enough, Mr. Nguyen even had time to threaten a TSO today. Nguyen had a problem with a male TSO's hair length. The hair length was in violation of the dress code. So instead of simply telling the TSO to tie his hair in a ponytail and that if he didn't he'd be written up, he proceeded to tell him he'd get a pair of scissors and cut it himself!
Fortunately, the TSO kept his composure and bit his tongue. This TSO was recommended to file a complaint.
Even when we are in violation of company policy, it does not give management the right to treat us like dirt or be disrespectful. When they do we must stand up for ourselves and call them out on it. If you do, please make certain that you do it professionally. Keep your calm and do not make a scene. If they don't immediately apologize then you need to file a complaint.
Remeber, we're people too and deserve respect.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
100% SOP ALL THE TIME!
Let's be honest folks. Our CBA doesn't grant us a whole lot of power in terms of resolving issues that we have with Covenant management. So where is our true power? That power lies within the SOP itself, the very thing we use on a day to day basis to perform our jobs.
So what does that mean? Well, it's simple really. Instead of taking short cuts with your verbiage, say the entire speech. Instead of trying to clear an image in a split second, take your time on the X-Ray so that you can be assured that that image is indeed clear. If you're not 100% certain that that bag is clear, then call a bag check. Instead of trying to do a hand wand or a pat down lightning quick, take your time. Assure yourself and the flying public that that individual is indeed clear of prohibited items.
This seems simple and it's probably easier said than done. Look at it this way. What personal incentive is it for you to do all of that at a Speedy Gonzalez rate? Do you get a bigger pay in January? Do you get a bigger bonus? We all know the answer to all of those questions.
So why do we continue to go at breakneck-speeds? If you do so, they're just going to move you to another checkpoint or bag room! Take your time. Follow the SOP 100% ALL THE TIME! If we do so, management will be forced to recognize and respect us. And I think that's what we're asking for the most part.
That's what has been so frustrating lately. Especially with this rebid, they didn't even have the decency just to say to us, "Hey, we screwed up. We're sorry. Please forgive us." But they couldn't even do that. And the reason is that they don't respect us and or they think we're completely stupid.
Either way, it's time that they be forced to respect us. And the only way we're ultimately going to accomplish that is if we make those wait times noticeably longer. And the best way to do that is perform SOP 100% ALL THE TIME!
So what does that mean? Well, it's simple really. Instead of taking short cuts with your verbiage, say the entire speech. Instead of trying to clear an image in a split second, take your time on the X-Ray so that you can be assured that that image is indeed clear. If you're not 100% certain that that bag is clear, then call a bag check. Instead of trying to do a hand wand or a pat down lightning quick, take your time. Assure yourself and the flying public that that individual is indeed clear of prohibited items.
This seems simple and it's probably easier said than done. Look at it this way. What personal incentive is it for you to do all of that at a Speedy Gonzalez rate? Do you get a bigger pay in January? Do you get a bigger bonus? We all know the answer to all of those questions.
So why do we continue to go at breakneck-speeds? If you do so, they're just going to move you to another checkpoint or bag room! Take your time. Follow the SOP 100% ALL THE TIME! If we do so, management will be forced to recognize and respect us. And I think that's what we're asking for the most part.
That's what has been so frustrating lately. Especially with this rebid, they didn't even have the decency just to say to us, "Hey, we screwed up. We're sorry. Please forgive us." But they couldn't even do that. And the reason is that they don't respect us and or they think we're completely stupid.
Either way, it's time that they be forced to respect us. And the only way we're ultimately going to accomplish that is if we make those wait times noticeably longer. And the best way to do that is perform SOP 100% ALL THE TIME!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Where are the cockroaches?
Have any of you ever experienced a cockroach infested place? If you hve then you know what it's like. They're always around and can seem to survive anything you throw at them. The only thing that seems to get them to run away is when you shine a light on them. Of course that doesn't get rid of them, but it at least gets them out of sight.
Well, that seems to be the case with CAS management. Ever since the announcement of the rebid they seem to be hiding. They only come out of their crevices these days when they have to and only for a short period of time. Hell, they don't even show up for LEO calls anymore.
So where are they? Of course we know that they're hiding because they want to avoid having to confront us. Well, it's time for them to man up. Show your face and face the firing squad CAS management!
Well, that seems to be the case with CAS management. Ever since the announcement of the rebid they seem to be hiding. They only come out of their crevices these days when they have to and only for a short period of time. Hell, they don't even show up for LEO calls anymore.
So where are they? Of course we know that they're hiding because they want to avoid having to confront us. Well, it's time for them to man up. Show your face and face the firing squad CAS management!
Highlights from the Union Meeting
Well, it's a little disappointing that more didn't show. Even if you're not a big union supporter it's all the more reason for you to show. We need to let the union know where we feel they are failing.
Enough of that. Let's get into some of the highlights. First was the acknowledgement that CAS screwed up. Great. We know that already.
It was also stated that the airlines have noticed our 100% SOP usage, i.e., longer lines. But it's still not enough! We need to be doing that more! Anyways it also got the attention of Gerry Berry which is what prompted his earlier willingness to have a meeting until he canceled.
There is also a suggestion of having separate bid lines for female and male PAX TSOs. They want to put this to a vote before it is formally presented to management.
The other idea tossed out there was joining a larger union. This one we're not personally on board with. Bottom line it is going to cost more in union dues. It's a little more complicated in their dues figuring, but anything that costs us more money without a proven track record of positive results makes us skeptical. The one distinct advantage is this union has a hotline that you can call for any grievance you may have. And they will get the paperwork rolling right then and there. We'll see on that one.
All in all the meeting didn't really accomplish much. So it's really going to come down to the rest of us. What are you willing to do?
Enough of that. Let's get into some of the highlights. First was the acknowledgement that CAS screwed up. Great. We know that already.
It was also stated that the airlines have noticed our 100% SOP usage, i.e., longer lines. But it's still not enough! We need to be doing that more! Anyways it also got the attention of Gerry Berry which is what prompted his earlier willingness to have a meeting until he canceled.
There is also a suggestion of having separate bid lines for female and male PAX TSOs. They want to put this to a vote before it is formally presented to management.
The other idea tossed out there was joining a larger union. This one we're not personally on board with. Bottom line it is going to cost more in union dues. It's a little more complicated in their dues figuring, but anything that costs us more money without a proven track record of positive results makes us skeptical. The one distinct advantage is this union has a hotline that you can call for any grievance you may have. And they will get the paperwork rolling right then and there. We'll see on that one.
All in all the meeting didn't really accomplish much. So it's really going to come down to the rest of us. What are you willing to do?
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Gerry Berry to Make an Appearance?
Apparently a PAX TSO was to have a meeting with the big boss himself and select union members. Surprise, surprise when he canceled! He is sending his second in command instead, Pamela Pearson. The meeting is still going to happen with Berry but not until July. Perhaps the weather in Orlando is too nice right now to visit San Francisco? Better to visit when the Florida summer is in full effect.
Well, it seems that a particular Direktor got wind of this meeting and inquired about the "rumors" they were hearing about "issues" that this TSO was having. Fortunately, this TSO was too savvy for this particular Direktor and volunteered no information.
The story is still developing so stay tuned for details.
On another note, please do not forget about the two union meetings tomorrow.
Well, it seems that a particular Direktor got wind of this meeting and inquired about the "rumors" they were hearing about "issues" that this TSO was having. Fortunately, this TSO was too savvy for this particular Direktor and volunteered no information.
The story is still developing so stay tuned for details.
On another note, please do not forget about the two union meetings tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
More Rebid Troubles
More and more reports are coming in that they're begging and pleading for people to do over time. This doesn't compute since this rebid was supposed to fix these issues.
We have also heard from a supervisor that CAS management was indeed reprimanded by TSA for the last bid. This is also partially the reason CAS management went on a supervisor killing....errr....suspending spree.
So we leave you with one other food for thought. When was the last time you saw a CAS manager???
We have also heard from a supervisor that CAS management was indeed reprimanded by TSA for the last bid. This is also partially the reason CAS management went on a supervisor killing....errr....suspending spree.
So we leave you with one other food for thought. When was the last time you saw a CAS manager???
Monday, June 14, 2010
Rebid problems already?
Early reports are coming in saying that there are already problems with the rebid (big surprise, huh?). Apparently the SCC was begging people to do overtime on Saturday and Sunday. And apparently some of the supervisors from the SCC were already lamenting this rebid. It's also been reported that pier B is short everyday.
We can't say that we're really surprised. It doesn't seem as though they'll ever get this whole scheduling thing figured out. Once again, it's time for management to tell us what exactly they have to do in order to get fired. Here at Security First @ SFO are in agreement with others in stating that it is time for the higher ups to clean house. The first on the chopping block needs to be Donnie Filbert followed by Terence Cunningham.
We can't say that we're really surprised. It doesn't seem as though they'll ever get this whole scheduling thing figured out. Once again, it's time for management to tell us what exactly they have to do in order to get fired. Here at Security First @ SFO are in agreement with others in stating that it is time for the higher ups to clean house. The first on the chopping block needs to be Donnie Filbert followed by Terence Cunningham.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Black Out
Well, it looks as though we're finally going to be able to start using Ascent again for PTO. Starting June 16, 2010 the ACC will begin accepting PTO requests on Ascent. Don't request it too early otherwise you will be denied.
Find this and other important dates on the Upcoming Events page.
Find this and other important dates on the Upcoming Events page.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Kin Care
There is a little secret that Covenant doesn't want you to know about. That secret is Kin Care. Why is it something they don't generally speak about? Because it's a little legal loophole that we as employees have in regards to time off.
Most of us should be painfully aware of Covenant's attendance rules. The main reason those rules exist is because of money. Yes, the contract with the government incentivizes contractors with certain things. They call it the AQL (Acceptable Quality Level). Well, one of those things for Covenant is attendance. The AQL is the reason why Covenant would rather fire you than you quit. The AQL is also the reason for the attendance policies. It's in Covenant's vested interest to make certain that all of us show up and on time. Hey, here at Security First @ SFO have no real problem with a company trying to make as much money as they can. At the same time, we didn't make the rules or create the system.
So that's where Kin Care comes in. People in the baggage world and the DFOs are mostly all familiar with Kin Care. However, it's quite surprising that most in the checkpoint world, even plank owners, are not. To put it in its most succinct terms, here are the requirements for Kin Care:
1. Must have at least double the PTO, i.e., if you're working 8 hour shifts you need a minimum of 16 hours.
2. It must be for a spouse, child, parent, or domestic partner. Do not say the Kin Care is for yourself, boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, or fish. That won't work.
3. Instead of calling in sick, call in Kin Care when you're calling.
That is it! What? No paperwork or doctor's note? Nope. Not necessary.
Now we're not condoning using Kin Care for yourself and lying by saying it's for your spouse, child, parent, or domestic partner. We would NEVER condone that. So only use this honestly, ok kids?
As with everything, one should always go right to the source, so here is the relevant labor law that applies to Kin Care. It's CA Code 233:
What that means is that the existing attendance rules and policies of Covenant do not apply to an employee using Kin Care. Also in that code, there is no mention of how often or how much of your PTO you can use for Kin Care.
Here is another link from the Fair Employment and Housing Commission web site that gets rid of all of the legalese.
So now you know. Remember this when you look on your Ascent and see that we're STILL blacked out for PTO. Oh wait, didn't you hear? Management was unaware that we've been blacked out since March on Ascent for PTO. Oh those silly managers! When are they going to learn???
Most of us should be painfully aware of Covenant's attendance rules. The main reason those rules exist is because of money. Yes, the contract with the government incentivizes contractors with certain things. They call it the AQL (Acceptable Quality Level). Well, one of those things for Covenant is attendance. The AQL is the reason why Covenant would rather fire you than you quit. The AQL is also the reason for the attendance policies. It's in Covenant's vested interest to make certain that all of us show up and on time. Hey, here at Security First @ SFO have no real problem with a company trying to make as much money as they can. At the same time, we didn't make the rules or create the system.
So that's where Kin Care comes in. People in the baggage world and the DFOs are mostly all familiar with Kin Care. However, it's quite surprising that most in the checkpoint world, even plank owners, are not. To put it in its most succinct terms, here are the requirements for Kin Care:
1. Must have at least double the PTO, i.e., if you're working 8 hour shifts you need a minimum of 16 hours.
2. It must be for a spouse, child, parent, or domestic partner. Do not say the Kin Care is for yourself, boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, or fish. That won't work.
3. Instead of calling in sick, call in Kin Care when you're calling.
That is it! What? No paperwork or doctor's note? Nope. Not necessary.
Now we're not condoning using Kin Care for yourself and lying by saying it's for your spouse, child, parent, or domestic partner. We would NEVER condone that. So only use this honestly, ok kids?
As with everything, one should always go right to the source, so here is the relevant labor law that applies to Kin Care. It's CA Code 233:
233. (a) Any employer who provides sick leave for employees shall
permit an employee to use in any calendar year the employee's accrued
and available sick leave entitlement, in an amount not less than the
sick leave that would be accrued during six months at the employee's
then current rate of entitlement, to attend to an illness of a
child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner of the employee. All
conditions and restrictions placed by the employer upon the use by an
employee of sick leave also shall apply to the use by an employee of
sick leave to attend to an illness of his or her child, parent,
spouse, or domestic partner. This section does not extend the maximum
period of leave to which an employee is entitled under Section
12945.2 of the Government Code or under the federal Family and
Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 2606 et seq.), regardless
of whether the employee receives sick leave compensation during that
leave.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) "Child" means a biological, foster, or adopted child, a
stepchild, a legal ward, a child of a domestic partner, or a child of
a person standing in loco parentis.
(2) "Employer" means any person employing another under any
appointment or contract of hire and includes the state, political
subdivisions of the state, and municipalities.
(3) "Parent" means a biological, foster, or adoptive parent, a
stepparent, or a legal guardian.
(4) "Sick leave" means accrued increments of compensated leave
provided by an employer to an employee as a benefit of the employment
for use by the employee during an absence from the employment for
any of the following reasons:
(A) The employee is physically or mentally unable to perform his
or her duties due to illness, injury, or a medical condition of the
employee.
(B) The absence is for the purpose of obtaining professional
diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition of the employee.
(C) The absence is for other medical reasons of the employee, such
as pregnancy or obtaining a physical examination.
"Sick leave" does not include any benefit provided under an
employee welfare benefit plan subject to the federal Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-406, as
amended) and does not include any insurance benefit, workers'
compensation benefit, unemployment compensation disability benefit,
or benefit not payable from the employer's general assets.
(c) No employer shall deny an employee the right to use sick leave
or discharge, threaten to discharge, demote, suspend, or in any
manner discriminate against an employee for using, or attempting to
exercise the right to use, sick leave to attend to an illness of a
child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner of the employee.
(d) Any employee aggrieved by a violation of this section shall be
entitled to reinstatement and actual damages or one day's pay,
whichever is greater, and to appropriate equitable relief.
(e) Upon the filing of a complaint by an employee, the Labor
Commissioner shall enforce the provisions of this section in
accordance with the provisions of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section
79) of Division 1, including, but not limited to, Sections 92, 96.7,
98, and 98.1 to 98.8, inclusive. Alternatively, an employee may bring
a civil action for the remedies provided by this section in a court
of competent jurisdiction. If the employee prevails, the court may
award reasonable attorney's fees.
(f) The rights and remedies specified in this section are
cumulative and nonexclusive and are in addition to any other rights
or remedies afforded by contract or under other provisions of law.
What that means is that the existing attendance rules and policies of Covenant do not apply to an employee using Kin Care. Also in that code, there is no mention of how often or how much of your PTO you can use for Kin Care.
Here is another link from the Fair Employment and Housing Commission web site that gets rid of all of the legalese.
So now you know. Remember this when you look on your Ascent and see that we're STILL blacked out for PTO. Oh wait, didn't you hear? Management was unaware that we've been blacked out since March on Ascent for PTO. Oh those silly managers! When are they going to learn???
CBA Between SEIU and CAS 2009-2011
It's important that we all have a copy of the CBA. While many of us may have had a hard copy at one point or another, having easy access to a soft copy is even more convenient. So for everyone's perusal here is the CBA for you to download and save using Google Docs.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Ticket Queue @ West
Here was the TDC queue at West checkpoint on Friday, June 11, 2010 @ approximately 6:20 PM. Good job guys!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Vacation Bid Woes
It has come to our attention, mostly because sometime we're not as observant as we should be, that because of this rebid a number of people's vacations could serioulsy be screwed up.
Apparently if your new schedule has different days off than when you originally bid for Week at a Time, then the company is unwilling to adjust your vacation time. Instead they'll just credit you the PTO. Ahhh...how nice of Covenant!
One CTX TSO has been diligently trying to resolve this issue but is getting nowherre with scheduling or ATM Baggage Gerardo Sanchez. Their reponse to all of this? Don't worry about it!
Fortunately, an SEIU shop steward has been making the rounds and taking notes of this to use as leverage in a lawsuit if it comes to this.
This is in violation of the CBA as we are allowed to bid for a WAT vacation to include our RDOs. Just because Covenant doesn't want to be bothered to make the necessary adjustments due to THEIR rebid, doesn't mean we will allow this violation to take place.
Apparently if your new schedule has different days off than when you originally bid for Week at a Time, then the company is unwilling to adjust your vacation time. Instead they'll just credit you the PTO. Ahhh...how nice of Covenant!
One CTX TSO has been diligently trying to resolve this issue but is getting nowherre with scheduling or ATM Baggage Gerardo Sanchez. Their reponse to all of this? Don't worry about it!
Fortunately, an SEIU shop steward has been making the rounds and taking notes of this to use as leverage in a lawsuit if it comes to this.
This is in violation of the CBA as we are allowed to bid for a WAT vacation to include our RDOs. Just because Covenant doesn't want to be bothered to make the necessary adjustments due to THEIR rebid, doesn't mean we will allow this violation to take place.
Voicemail Phone Number
If any of you would like to leave a voicemail in regards to questions, concerns, information, or even rumors about what is going on at SFO, you can reach us at (415) 323-3461.
New Newsletter from the Union
We have to give our kudos to the Union for calling out Covenant managers. First it was Larry "The Hitman" Perkins, now it's Terence "Stone Cold" Cunningham. For those that don't know, Cunningham is the manager in charge of scheduling. He's Covenant's "idiot savant," strong emphasis on the idiot part.
The next person Security First @ SFO would like to take on is Donnie Filbert. But we guess there's time for that since his job is safe.
Look for the newsletter in your breakrooms. I will post pics of it when I get to a computer.
UPDATE:
Here are the pics:
The next person Security First @ SFO would like to take on is Donnie Filbert. But we guess there's time for that since his job is safe.
Look for the newsletter in your breakrooms. I will post pics of it when I get to a computer.
UPDATE:
Here are the pics:
Jeff Pugh Sighting
Apparently, Jeff Pugh was sighted at SFO on Friday, June 4, even making his way to the BSR. No one seems to know exactly why he was there. The most logical and realistic theory is that he was there to help in the negotiations for the contract with TSA.
Of course, we here at Security First @ SFO have our own delicious theory. Keep in mind, that there is no factual information to base this on. It's pure conjecture. But wouldn't it be interesting if Pugh left to form his own company to try and take over the contract from Covenant? Who knows! If this were actually the case, it could be good or bad for us.
On another note, according to one DFO (Dual Function Officer, they're not DFS!), the time away was good for him. He apparently has lost a bit of weight and sporting a goat-tee.
Of course, we here at Security First @ SFO have our own delicious theory. Keep in mind, that there is no factual information to base this on. It's pure conjecture. But wouldn't it be interesting if Pugh left to form his own company to try and take over the contract from Covenant? Who knows! If this were actually the case, it could be good or bad for us.
On another note, according to one DFO (Dual Function Officer, they're not DFS!), the time away was good for him. He apparently has lost a bit of weight and sporting a goat-tee.
Union Meeting
There will be a union meeting on Thursday, June 17 at 1PM and 4PM. According to Whitfield McTair, this will be a meeting for all of us to discuss the issues that we're having with Covenant. The location is at T1 Conference Room A on the mezzanine level.
Please attend if you can!
Please attend if you can!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Where are the chairs?
Did you know that according to our CBA, Covenant is required to have chairs at all of the TDC, X-Ray, and Exit locations. So where are they? According to the SEIU, management's reasoning for the chairs not being there is because of a "tripping hazard"?! Ummm...what about the stanchions? Aren't those tripping hazards? I don't see them removing those!
So why is it that TSA airports are good enough to have chairs and tables to sit at for their TDC function, and not us? As have been reported by many people, TSA airports give their TSOs the ability to sit at a table and chair with a fixed light for TDC. So how about it Covenant? Where are our chairs?!
So why is it that TSA airports are good enough to have chairs and tables to sit at for their TDC function, and not us? As have been reported by many people, TSA airports give their TSOs the ability to sit at a table and chair with a fixed light for TDC. So how about it Covenant? Where are our chairs?!
Herr Director Makes an Appearance
Apparently, our fearless leader Donnie Filbert made an appearance in the UA Bag Room today (6/7/2010). According to witnesses he was only there for 5 minutes and spoke only to the supervisor on duty. Have any of you seen this mythical creature recently? Of course, here at Security First @ SFO, we have a feeling he was only there just so he can make the accurate claim of, "See, I mix it up with the peons!" And we know he doesn't have the balls to interact with "the peons" for fear of getting attacked over this debacle of the rebid.
Question of the day
This should really be the question of the week, month, year. What do managers at Covenant Aviation Security have to do in order to get fired? How many times are they allowed to screw up before Mindy Pengel or Gerry Berry says, "Enough is enough!"? We should continue to ask this again and again until we get a satisfactory answer. I know what we all have to do in order to get fired, what about them?!
Enough is enough!
Hello to everyone that hopefully reads this blog. This is in the beginning stages and we hope to get all sorts of feedback from all of you. This blog is here for those that do not want to join Facebook. Most everything here will be on there. But keep in mind that the group on Facebook is by invitation only. If you would like to comment here, you can remain anonymous, but keep in mind that the usual rules apply: No profanity, no defamation of individuals or their beliefs. On to the rest of this post...
Enough is enough in regards to CAS and the management team there. They do not respect us and we need to stop sitting back and just taking it! This rebid is the final straw.
That's why we're calling on all of you to practice Security First @ SFO! No more shortcuts! Give CAS management what they want: ABOVE AND BEYOND! Remember, you can not go above and beyond quickly. That takes time!
Our goal should not be to clear the lines or the bags in the bag room as quickly as possible. We should all be practicing Security First.
Take your time with your X-Ray images. 5 to 10 seconds on every single image should be a minimum. 20 to 40 seconds for every single ticket at TDC! We are not retail clerks trying to check people out in the 10 items or less lane.
As a reminder, absolutely NO SSI should be discussed on here in any shape, form or matter. So keep all of the discussions about procedures in general terms.
Let's do this guys!
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