Disarray on Days

What is going on with the 2nd watch? The watch manager, a relatively recent appointment and the least senior titleholder of that rank, appears to be running amok. No sooner was this watch manager assigned to a permanent watch (at the expense of a more seasoned watch manager who has been relegated to the relief position) did the wm begin with changes to long established 2nd watch practices. Long established practices that actually worked for that watch which is comprised primarily of old timers and long time veterans who for the most part know the job, know eachother, and know whats up.

But apparently this new wm felt the need to shake things up a bit, which is not necessarily a bad thing if it ultimately results in some positive changes for most everyone. However, that does not appear to be the case here as most of the changes that have been instituted have resulted only in demoralizing the workforce and creating instability on the floor. Hiring pcos back for overtime for only 2 hours on rdos (not worth the time, effort, or gas to bother coming down for), meddling with the assignment sheets, and soliciting day off group changes from partners on zones/citywides are a few examples. Rotating calltakers from their long time regular consoles while stating that calltakers "have to earn their spot" and pushing "efficiencies" (such efficiences have never been defined)front and center are more examples of the petty politicking taking place on this watch. But perhaps the most egregious is the wm attempts to implement change on days was to curtail furloughs via wholesale denials of the 5 day extensions that have been enjoyed by pcos for years. WTF??

Thankfully, someone on high had the good sense to reign in this wm on that last point and rescind that edict, but for the most part the rest of these attempts to change the watch are going unchecked. And to what end? It isn't clear what the wm is hoping to achieve by these methods and no objectives for doing them were ever clearly articulated. Sure there were some issues on days, but for the most part, it works and the day watch did not need to be "saved", "rescued" or "cleaned up". From the point of view of the working stiffs (read pcos) subject to these things, it looks like a clear case of ego and power tripping. Payback even to some pcos for slights--real or imagined--in years past. Recall one of the first, and best, tenets of good management: just because one can do something does not mean one should do something. Big, big difference.

And memo to the suits, if any read this: next time a wm, any of them, attempt to implement wholesale change to established past practices, ala the furlough extension memo that went into the co book and was later rescinded, it would be save alot of embarrassement, backtracking, and confusion if such changes were consistent among all watches and applied equally to everyone. Memo to the 2nd watch manager, if this is being read: renegading at the expense of the pcos on this watch will not win you brownie points with superiors or subordinates. The problems at oemc were not created by the wm and they will not be solved by the wm, however good are the intentions. There is a reason that the 2nd watch wm predecessors did not do the things that are being attempted now and perhaps some reflection on that would be beneficial.