Covenant Aviation and the Art of Deception!

Tours of the Checkpoint and Baggage screening locations of Covenant Aviation in SFO are being lead by local TSA. So Covenant, ever wanting to give the appearance of a professional and well-managed company, has decided to put fresh lipstick on this pig!

We were told not to speak to any members of the tour group (in order to keep our trade secrets from getting out). What, if any, trade secrets do we have? How about none!  We follow, or at least should follow, the exact same SOP. 

Which brings us to this question: Why are other airports thinking of opting out of the TSA screening program and considering going to private contractors?  If we all follow the exact same SOP, there should be no difference in wait times or performance! In fact, a private contractor's main objective is to generate a profit at the expense of their employees. Worker morale and motivation deteriorates as more and more is taken away from the employees! These airports should seriously reconsider this course of action. Be careful what you wish for.

Which of these is the most probable?

Covenant Aviation Management has decided to announce the new supervisor assignments after the workforce new shift bids have been completed. They certainly don't want any of the workforce following certain supervisors to their new locations. 

Do they really think that that  is a strong possibility?

We think that it is just the opposite! There are certain supervisors that the workforce just doesn't want to work with!

So, what does that tell you about the leadership and motivational qualities of some supervisors? 

Of course Covenant management will never see it that way. Just how could the collective brain trust of our mental midgets promote the wrong people? It's just not possible, right?

So, who is getting the shaft once again?

A reader submitted these numbers as an example:

Certain members of the workforce received a 45 cents per hour increase in salary for 2016.  Now, multiply that 45 cents per hour raise by 2080 hours worked during the year. That translates into a increase of 936 dollars per year.

Now, for the sake of argument, let us use an annual average salary of 50,000 dollars a year. Multiply that 50,000 dollars by the full membership dues rate of 2.3 percent. That results in the union collecting a dollar amount of 1,150 dollars a year. If you use the same annual salary number multiplied by the agency dues rate of 1.74 percent, the dollar amount paid in dues is now 870 dollars per year. Are you getting the picture yet?

Now on top of that, multiply the annual rate of inflation as of the end of February 2016, which was 1.02 percent.  That results in a loss of buying power of 510 dollars a year. Are you feeling the love?

Folks, no matter how you slice it we are all getting the shaft big time!

The only ones who are coming out ahead are SEIU and Covenant Aviation.  Where's the integrity here to do the right thing?

The mission of Covenant Aviation is to make as much money as possible at the expense of the workforce!
Once again, should a for-profit company, whose main objective is to make as much money as possible, be responsible for providing "world class customer service and safety"?

Covenant Employees: Did you get a Christmas bonus this year?

Of course not!

Your Christmas "bonus" came from passing your PSE test on your first attempt.  If you didn't pass on your first attempt you received a big fat zero for your "bonus."

The true colors of Covenant Aviation, LLC. are shining as brightly as ever.  And yet they want a truly motivated workforce.  Employees are following the lead of management: Money is the best motivator of all!

Covenant Aviation, LLC. is CLEARLY....

 ...unhappy with the number of call outs on Christmas day. Just what type of employees do they think that they  deserve?  They have never displayed any type of appreciation nor respect towards the workforce -- the same workforce that has enabled them to extend a three year contract into one that has just entered its fourteenth year.

Their thinking is, "if we don't open up the vacation time off schedule, everyone will have to be here."  This is just another example of the incompetence of the management team. 

Isn't it better to know well enough in advance so they can prepare for it? Employees will take time off regardless, so why not plan ahead?

But what do we know?

The answers to your questions!

There are no dual function screeners at SFO.

There are no "Leads" in the baggage community.

We have another question!

The latest report from the Inspector General has determined that too much emphasis is placed on "reducing passenger wait times", rather than providing quality security.  In response to these findings, TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger stated, during a recent visit to San Francisco International Airport, that the main directive of the workforce will shift from efficiency to effectiveness.

Our question is this:  Why has Covenant Management completely disregarded these instructions and persisted in focusing on "security efficiency"?

Over the years, the Covenant Aviation management team has shown us their true colors.

 

They have shown us that they purportedly value integrity, but display none themselves. 

They have shown us their capacity to deny accountability by pointing the finger of blame at someone else, instead of looking inward. 

They have consistently shown us the value they place on profit, regardless of employee satisfaction or quality of product.

They have shown us their lack of appreciation and respect for the workforce that allowed them to extend their contract by a full decade. 

They have shown us their willingness to disregard the complaints of the workforce by turning a blind eye and a deaf ear.

They have shown us their true colors, and it is not a pretty picture. 

We have a question!

Why was the copy of the latest signed CBA, that was sent to the TSA, so heavily redacted?

Just what doesn't CAS want the TSA to know?

We will supply an non-redacted copy to the TSA if we are contacted.

Let's get to the bottom of this subterfuge!

What a surprise....another backroom deal between Covenant Aviation and SEIU.

Covenant and SEIU have joined forces once again to stick it to the employees!

Information that we have received, that was dated 9/17/15, disclosed a cozy and convenient arrangement.  SEIU wants to guarantee that they are the union that will represent the workforce, whether Covenant retains the contract or not. So, what does Covenant get in return? How about the political clout of SEIU?

And why has the union asked for -- and been granted by Covenant -- access to the last four digits of our social security numbers? This information is "personally identifiable information." Is this even legal? What gives Covenant the right to make that decision?

We have submitted this information to the appropriate parties for review.

MORE OF THE SAME!

Upper management wants to gather employees twice a month, from each section of the screener workforce (checked baggage and checkpoint), to come up with suggestions on how to create a "positive workplace environment."

Do they really need the workforce to tell them what they should already know? They know exactly what has caused the discontent throughout the workforce!  Just who are they trying to kid?

Previous "sessions" with management produced zero results. They wrote suggestions down and pretended that they actually cared enough to make changes. Can anyone point out any positive changes that have been implemented? The only changes that have taken place have been negative. Staffing levels are so low that we can not take our breaks and we are delayed being released at the end of our work shifts. Management wants more production from fewer workers.

So, what is behind this insincere attempt to improve worker morale? If you don't know by now we will tell you...it's more profit for them!

Will Covenant retain this contract to provide an inferior product to the stakeholders? Will a new company assume responsibilities at SFO?

We can and will increase performance for a company that cares and treats their employees with respect and appreciation.Covenant should be seen for what they truly are. They are a company that has always put "Profit before Product."

Just why is Covenant Aviation Security LLC so confident?

Upper management has recently stated that "the contract for SFO is ours to lose."  How did they reach that conclusion?  Did they make another backroom deal?

What they refuse to acknowledge is just how tenuous the positions of upper management are.

Should another company assume control of security at SFO, they would inherit an experienced workforce that has done fairly well under the Covenant management team. Upper management would be replaced with a leadership team from the acquiring company.

Just imagine what the workforce could accomplish with a management team that actually cared about their employees! Just imagine what it would be like to work for a company that puts product before profit.

Remember, "it's performance versus potential."  Can and will the workforce improve their attitude and professionalism under new leadership? 

Fear not the future; things have a way of working out!

Are you enjoying your quarterly bonus?

Covenant Aviation, the profit before product company, announced last week that our quarterly bonus would be in our paychecks dated 5/29/15.

For screeners, that amounts to 83 cents per day; for supervisors it amounts to $1.66 per day.  Just how much did our stellar management team get?

Are you feeling appreciated? Are you motivated to provide "world class customer service"?  Or are you following the lead of our management team and are only in it for the money?

Once again, we will state the obvious:  "The quality of the only product that you have to offer is determined solely by the example set in place by management!"

Our Take on the Town Hall Mettings!

It is obvious that the current level of effort put forth by the workforce is not quite what Covenant wishes it to be. They want us to smile and be more tolerant.

Management is just in denial and refuses to admit that the workforce has responded in a way that doesn't give Covenant what it wants. Jeff:  it comes down to "Production versus Potential." A workforce that is appreciated and respected for their contributions is more motivated to put forth a better effort!


Jeff Pugh has reportedly stated that we can have a raise or we can have our parking back, but we can't have both! For a company that is trying to get the workforce to be more courteous and customer friendly that approach just will not do. We find this to be an extremely arrogant and rigid position.

Once again, the quality of the only product that Covenant is able to provide can only be raised to a higher level by management improving morale.  Stop the threats and intimidation!

Are you as stunned as we are?

In a letter from JLP, he attempts to address the rumors that he was made aware of through Facebook.

According to Mr. J.Pee, the likelihood of a TSA takeover of the screening operations at SFO will never happen. According to Mr. J.Pee, CAS does the best job of performing screening operations at a CAT X airport.  Perhaps he should share that information with Uncle Mike.

Yes, the same Uncle Mike who has decided to loosen the purse strings and dole out a $100 quarterly bonus to all of us.

Let's see, that breaks down to a dollar and a penny per day.  Gee, Uncle Mike, are you for real?  Is that how little you think of the contributions made by the workforce?  Is that how little you think of our performance, which has allowed you to keep your job with your lofty salary?  Isn't it nice to have a management team that recognizes the true value of the workforce?

Once again, this "profit-before-product" company known as CAS has shown that the only things that they really appreciate are the almighty dollars that line their collective pockets, courtesy of the workforce.




Now, why is it that they deserve to have this contract any longer?

Is this not a form of slave labor?

How can it be legal for Covenant Aviation to severely restrict the ability of the members of the workforce to take a day off?  Just how does this company -- who, in some circles, is known to be a company that puts profit-before-product -- get away with this?  

The workforce can bid to take a full week off for a vacation, but just try to bid for one day off!  This inept company keeps staffing levels so low that they cannot afford to have employees take just one day off.  Why is this such an issue?  Do they not have sufficient managerial skill to balance the staffing levels, and adjust for employees' requests for time off?  We have already seen the level of incompetence demonstrated by this stellar management team! 

If an employee is regularly scheduled two sequential days off, it is common to request time off for the subsequent two days when planning a vacation or time with family -- this allows the employee to have four days off, while only using two vacation days.  But Covenant Aviation makes this process nearly impossible and continues to stick it to their employees non-stop.

We have been told by members of the workforce that requests to have a single day off, made to their respective managers, have gone unanswered. These unanswered requests are a standard practice of upper management. Just when will this unfair treatment end?  We hope real soon, with a not-so-fond farewell to this "profit-before-product" company known as Covenant Aviation LLC.

You have your ballots, now it's time to vote!

 

 

Just to remove any confusion that you might have about what we are voting on, we will give you the particulars.

A "yes" vote will, if passed, rescind SEIU's ability to force you to pay dues to keep your job.

A "no" vote will, if passed, continue to allow SEIU to force you to pay dues in order to keep your job.

We, of course, urge a "yes" vote.

Over the many years that SEIU has represented the workforce, the only accomplishments that they have achieved have resulted in "givebacks."  Small wonder that CAS is so silent right now!  It appears that CAS and the union have agreed upon another back-room deal to further screw the workforce. Don't be surprised when it happens.

Figure out for yourselves how much those givebacks have actually cost you.

No parking allowance, reduced vacation accrual rate and holiday pay, no shoe allowance, and to top it all off we now have a higher medical co-pay!

The choice should be clear and obvious:  vote "yes."

To what degree will the managerial shortcomings of CAS become obvious his week?

The combination of the BART strike and the staffing shortages should completely overwhelm the capabilities of our stellar management team. One of these two difficulties is beyond our control. The other is self-induced. With staffing levels being what they are, one can only hope that everyone reports for duty.

CAS has found it fit to block out any and all requests for personal time off in order to maximize their profit. How else can they make this style of management work?

Once again it shows a total disregard for the wants and needs of the workforce. Once again it shows that their only motivation is to generate the maximum amount of profit, at the expense of the workforce and their families.

One can infer that this would result in an inferior level of service, which would once again negatively impact the stakeholders. When will the stakeholders get the type of service that they deserve?

It's hard to believe..

that 3 years ago today at 1:35 a.m., our first posting -- titled "Enough is Enough" -- marked the beginning of our attempt to keep you all informed about the comings and goings-on of our "Profit At Any Cost" company, Covenant Aviation.  

Our mission then, as it is now, was to keep you as informed as possible.  The constant swirl of rumors that were never affirmed, nor dispelled, by management could not continue.  We hope that the information that we have provided to you has helped to fill in the blanks.  We will continue our self-appointed mission of being your eyes and ears, and promise to pass along as much as possible.

Thanks to all of those who have contributed articles and bits of information to help our efforts.

By the way, we cannot end this posting without commenting on "Survey Monkey."  Covenant is, by their own admission, trying to understand the workforce better.  They are trying to pass the blame for the hostile relationship that exist onto the supervisors. They want to know if there is any favoritism taking place, and if we are being mistreated. There has always been favoritism, and CAS management has been the biggest offender.

The supervisors are not the problem.  CAS management created this monster and, as usual, they will not accept any responsibility. Do they really need a survey to learn something that they should already know? Just where have their collective heads been all these years?  Anyone want to take a guess?

And, as for you, Covenant Aviation:

We sincerely hope that your day of reckoning is fast approaching. We sincerely hope that your days of threats and intimidation will soon come to an end, at least at this airport.

Through the power of the internet, your reputation and style of management will precede you wherever you go.

Your complete and utter disregard for the well being of your employees and their families is well documented.  Your inability to effectively manage and supply a quality product will be your downfall.  Your pursuit of "Profit, at any cost, before Product" is deplorable.

At the very least, you should have been able to supply the stakeholders with what they so richly deserved -- an efficient and professional workforce that is second to none. You should have been able to inspire and motivate the workforce with your leadership and professionalism; sadly, you have not.

Let the chips fall where they may!