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[Eyesonly]

There is now a memo about Crafts and Trades getting extra Sunday pay, however when I asked about it at work I was told Crafts and Trades falls under our other retail duties.

So what is Crafts and Trades officially?

[torresdan]

they told me this only applies for Laborers

[Escapemax]

 As I understand it. Food Court and Warehouse workers fall under Crafts and Trades.

 I am a Union paying member. Work in the Ops Squad. And in my 2 years of working for AAFES I have noticed something. The AFGE union is only interested in protecting the Crafts and Trades worker. Need to find out how to discontinue my payments to the union. They have done nothing for me in regards to How they use and treat me. If anyone knows how to discontinue the Union dues, Please let me know.

[Disgruntled]

Escape, have you ever filed a grievance or do you just sit on your arse and wait for your Local to determine by osmosis you have an issue?

Did you get a larger bonus last year than the year before? You're welcome.

You still getting your breaks and lunches? You're welcome again.

You still getting other benefits? Yet again, you're welcome.

The issue might be only with your Local, but my experience has been over the last several years that most people that complain about the union not helping are not doing anything pro-active to get their union involved. If you don't like your PER, you grieve. If you think you are NOT getting your breaks and lunches correctly--again, you grieve. Don't wait and hope the steward is going to hear you merely whispering about your issue.

You really think you will be better protected without the union? Go for it! But you have to wait for your anniversary date to do so. Meanwhile, you might want to check that attitude because you may well need the union sooner rather than later. A non-member still gets represented, but not to the extend a member would be. That means that, should you lose at third level, you are SOL because you would not be eligible for arbitration services, etc.

[Disgruntled]

they told me this only applies for Laborers

"they" lied.

"Crafts and Trades" is a protected class of employees whose salaries are controlled by Congress and not by AAFES. When AAFES went NAFI, the C&T workers who were under a NAF pay system stood to lose a boatload in the way of salaries if their positions were converted to "retail". That meant a lot of people would be hurt. The compromise was that food/labor/mechanical/custodial hourly positions would be retained as C&T. This was also supposed to include those who work in ODL because of hazardous chemicals, but some store managers sneak around and convert the positions to "store worker" when a C&T worker leaves.

[Escapemax]

I think part of the problem is the Steward. I make complaints to him. I might hear from him. In a few days. And others have said it to me, He is getting too buddy buddy with the union people. So to speak.   

[Disgruntled]

I think part of the problem is the Steward. I make complaints to him. I might hear from him. In a few days. And others have said it to me, He is getting too buddy buddy with the union people. So to speak.   

 

Your steward is SUPPOSED to be buddy-buddy with the union. After all, that is who he is working for. Did you mean maybe "with management"?

[Escapemax]

 What I meant to say is,

 He is Slow in responding. I sent him an E-mail lastnight about a Possible Union Grievance. Involving my 30 minute getting cut to 20 minutes. And me not getting a 15 minute break. Due to what I call a "Looney Tune Sale". No Cashiers on payday. And these extra discounts given on already discounted items. Some of which Are Not in the system. And have to be Price Overided and then discounted. 50 to 60 items per transaction. That gets time consuming. Not to mention that the regular cashiers dont even know what is included on this weekends sales.

[Disgruntled]

Lunches CAN be cut to 20 minutes, per the contract. HOWEVER--you have to be paid for that time. Breaks are a thorny subject because you get paid for that time. But, ideally, they should make an effort to give you one.

You can't grieve a sales event.

You can maybe grieve the working conditions if poor scheduling results in your not getting relief during the day. If nothing else, you file an OSHA complaint about not getting to go to the restroom. There is legal precedent for the employer having to give you bathroom breaks and the bonus is that the final ruling said that bathroom breaks are NOT to be counted against your regular breaks.

[Escapemax]

Your close to what my grievance is.

 I went to luch at 17:10. At 17:30 I was enroute to the bathroom and was intercepted by at SAM. Sent back to the register. Did not get my 15 minute break. Did not get to the bathroom until almost 19:00. A customer heard me complain. Offered to put his stuff on the counter slowly so I could go. Told him I would get yelled at by the Iraqi national (Head cashier) if I walked off. I was scheduled to get off at 20:30. I am not a cashier. Took my drawer down at 20:15. Got yelled at by the head cashier. Never mind the fact that she had 2 cashiers closing out just after I closed out. 

[Escapemax]

 Just heard from the Steward. He told me to "Not rock the boat". Reason was that it worked to the Warehouses benefit. The "Relaxed break times" The Warehouse was taking minimum 20 minute. I have seen them once take a 30 minute. Break. Not lunch. 

[Disgruntled]

Your steward is an @$$ if that is what he said.

[Escapemax]

 I forgot to mention. He is RFT Warehouse worker.

[Disgruntled]

He's still an @$$.

Breaks and lunches are covered in the contract and are for EVERYONE. If he is refusing to take your grievance, contact the president of your Local and let him/her know you are trying to file and the steward is jacking you around.

If the warehouse is getting away with longer breaks, it isn't to their benefit to not hear your grievance. Bringing in the Local could result in them losing more than just their "relaxed break times". Your steward can also be sanctioned for refusing to accept a legitimate grievance.

As for Ops being told C & T duties fall under "other retail duties"--nope! You can be asked to OCCASIONALLY help in a minor way, but if they tell you those are regular expected duties, they are in violation of the contract. "Other duties as assigned" has to dovetail with your official job description (not the one they make up on the spot) and cannot be used to get out of proper hiring procedures. Same with that BS misuse of "operational need" - management loves to use that one to compensate for poor scheduling or cutting too many bodies from the pay roll. Lack of planning does not constitute a need--the contract says specifically what it means and many of you managers that lurk here need to familiarize yourself with the contract before you get bit in the butt yet again for illegal practices.

PM me.

[Escapemax]

 My position in the Ops is weird. I have no actual function. Once they sent me to the COL (FOB) for 2 1/2 months. I've been sent to Ft Monmouth for about 2 months altogether. MAPPS, Store remodel, Clear out the old 4 Seasons for the state to leaase the building. In 3 days, 4 of us loaded a total of 6 (Giant rool off) dumpsters. 3 was metal. 3 garbage. I've been sent to other facilities to help when they were shorthanded. When I asked about getting reimbursed for a pair of boots, I was denied. Told it wasnt my normal duties that allowed it. I argued I dont do "Normal Duties". I have even helped one of the custodians when he couldnt figure how to change a light bulb in the ceiling. The ones with the covers that swing down. Once they gave me clearance in ASAP to run a "Mock Transfer" to get the total dollars of F/W 08 clothing. Which I ended up staying 1/2 hour late and never got paid.

 On a sidenote, The GM doesnt even speak to me anymore. Fine. I have nothing to say to him. Not anything that wont get me fired.