New Bid Update
With the new shift bid starting tomorrow there will be changes that may affect you. Here’s a breakdown of what the new bid will bring. After last summer’s disastrous operation, the company is trying a new way to better run the operation.
- Enhancement of the control Crew Chief responsibilities: After lengthy discussions with local management about changes to the control crew chief and their responsibilities it has been made abundantly clear to them that with these enhancements, one Crew Chief will not direct another Crew Chief and that the contract must be adhered to. This issue was discussed again at the recent Crew Chief meeting this week and again while the role of the control Crew Chiefs will change it will not violate the contract. The control Crew Chiefs will take a more active role in the planning of trips within their zone in each complex the assignment of support help. They will coordinate with the control CSM as to what is happening in the zone and the CSM will decide and make the assignments. The control Crew Chief may/will communicate with the gate Crew Chiefs similar to how things worked with the old H6 gate board and the C-Con and B-Con Crew Chiefs.
The gate Crew Chiefs will be responsible for running their gate and communicating with the zone control Crew Chief what their lunch/meal period plan is and if there will be an issue with getting their crew to lunch. They will work with the zone Crew Chief as to what plan is developed and implemented for their lunch/meal period. If, as a gate Crew Chief, you feel that you are being directed by a zone Crew Chief tell the zone Crew Chief that direction needs to be given by the Zone CSM. This plan is understood and agreed to by local management and Local 512.
- Lunches/Meal periods: Another change with the new bid is lunches for gate crews. With the 4th crew member now being designated as lunch relief/flex the question has become how will the gate crews schedule their lunches/meal periods? Most crews will be able to go to lunch as a crew about eighty percent of the time within their legal lunch period. When the gate Crew Chief identifies their lunch/meal period they are to communicate it with the zone Crew Chief. If the gate Crew Chief has a problem with getting their crew to lunch they need to communicate and coordinate this with the zone Crew Chief. Again, one Crew Chief will not direct another Crew Chief and that the contract must be adhered to.
- Powerstows: This new piece of equipment is meant to be a job killer. With the new structure of the gate crews there have been questions about how the new crew will be utilized. While a Crew Chief has wide discretion as to how to use his/her crew, each four-man crew should be properly utilized for the safest and most efficient offload/upload of every trip. With just one gate driver the Crew Chief has enough resources to safely load/unload each trip using their best judgement to get the job done.
Our steward lists are posted throughout the property and if you have any questions or concerns contact a steward, Executive Board member or Officer. Officer cell numbers are as follows:
President Tim Murphy 1 630 768 6051
Vice President Kevin Hagn 1 708 790 3360
Secretary Treasurer Trevor Chalcraft 1 773 559 9048
Please work smart and stay safe.
Fraternally,
Kevin Hagn
Vice President
T.W.U. Local 512
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