Sneak Attack

It is back. The dreaded "B" clause, currently contained in the contract, which stipulates that voluntary overtime must be rotated among all employees in a particular job classification. This is the same clause which stipulates that mandatory overtime be rotated as well.

Blogmaster is well aware of just how controverial both of these provision are, with compelling arguments on both sides that give even reasonable people pause as to what is "right" or what is "fair" to everyone, or even most people. Thankfully, it has not been an issue because the mandatory overtime has not been invoked lately and, according to our esteemed area rep/chief union steward there existed a "gentlemen's agreement" of mutually agreed non enforcement of the voluntary overtime provision--a tacit acknowledgement that the current method of hiring for voluntary overtime works reasonably well, with a few exceptions.

Until now. Until this past weekend when a memo was stealthly inserted into the co book saturday night/sunday morning outlining managements intention to begin adhering to the B clause beginning 23 January 08 for hiring of voluntary overtime. Blogmaster, like everyone else--apparently including every single union steward, the area rep, and the business agent himself--was taken by surprise and caught off guard. With little fanfare and little notice, the entire method by which voluntary overtime is to be administered will be changed drastically within 3 days. In fact, Blogmaster can now confirm, at least 2 of the 4 watch managers (assigned to operations) were completely unaware this change was imminent or that the memo has been issued until it was in the co book.

While Blogmaster does not dispute management's right--obigation--to uphold the current contract, this entire incident smells bad, looks bad, and is bad. It falls under the "its not what they did, but the way they did it" heading when something of this import can be snuck into the co book by a managerial minion on a long holiday weekend when no one is in the building to answer questions, advise employees as to HOW such changes are going to work, and what it means for them--one can say those folks actually AFFECTED by such changes. Such a tactic is reminiscint of the former, non dearly but oh so grateful she is departed, previous acting deputy director. Blogmaster EXPECTED such tactics from her, which is why this was so shocking and disappointing--we never expected it from our current deputy director. But there you have it with his name on the memo, behaving exactly the same fashion and being MIA when it comes time to answer the hard questions about why the sudden about face, why the secrecy, and why not even the union appeared to be aware this change was coming? But most important, WHAT does it mean and HOW will it be done?

Blogmaster understands how little management thinks of us. Pcos are minor annoyances to be dealt with only when they interfere with the overall machinations of the suits and how they can enrich themselves and their fiefdoms of patronage workers. It is not like pcos, spcos, and operations watch managers do anything important after all. They just run the operations and secure the building that provides the largesse that the suits are so good at mismanaging.