What one does when no one is watching, is as important as what they do when everyone is there to see. It doesn’t matter what you are doing, if you aren’t treating others how you would like to be treated, then the question becomes why are you treating others so poorly?
There are plenty of people that have been around longer than me, and have seen a lot worse than I could ever imagine. For example, management likes feeding certain people “cake” OT for special favors. I have dealt with this personally, and it has cost me a lot of money. I have had 2 quarters of OT Equitability not be filed, because of special favors, my best guess is it probably cost me $1500, that’s how far behind I was. It would have been have been for a 3rd quarter too, but it was finally filed, and I had to work 40-50 hours above the average that quarter to be made “whole”, and of course most of those hours were in December when no penalty is allowed. People involved in this situation thought it was funny, but at the end of the day karma evened things out from the stories I have heard. LOL
If you’re an ODL carrier, hold management accountable to living up to it’s obligation, this is from the JCAM “8.5.C.2.c. In order to insure equitable opportunities for overtime, overtime hours worked and opportunities offered will be posted and updated weekly.”
Right now, management is seemingly on a weekly basis is “forgetting” to post the weekly OT hours. If management at your station is refusing to post this weekly after you ask them to, ask for steward time every day until it is done, if your zone doesn’t have a steward/or does not enforce 8.5.C.2.c call the branch, and ask for a steward to be assigned to your zone to enforce the 8.5.C.2.c for you. A better option is you becoming a steward, the steward classes are held at the branch the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm, and monthly NALC Branch 231 meetings are the second Tuesday of each month, I hope to see you there. Doing the right thing by Defending the Contract, and supporting your fellow carriers in a hostile work environment is always rewarding.
Let’s talk about awards, I know you’re snickering…..saying Michael, you will never get an award from management. There is precedence though, so I am holding out hope. When I get my award, I will find someone to BBQ, and we will have an awesome evening meal as we all get back from the street one weekend at Hughes.
Don’t forget to call and get your absentee ballot so you can vote, or better yet come to the branch meeting to vote, and meet everyone this November. Always remember, you are the union.