Was it the normal practice to "find" your time card on your supv. desk? If not then where's the normal place where you keep your card?If you have to run around looking for your card everyday then you ain't late.Never admit anything.

wow, what a strategy.....hide the time card then write up the employee for being late? what will they think of next? idiots

Its on the time badge rack. I was sick the day before so she pulled my time badge. Its rare are badges are pulled. I dont know the rule after calling in sick.

hadenoughofit - hmmm... If I were in your shoes, I think I woulda waited out my 3 weeks quietly, took the gold watch, cashed the $300 check, done a walk-about to shake everyone's hand and gone gracefully into retirement.

Thanx for the prayers and well wishes towards all of us at Sinsity in these difficult times, now and ahead.

Thanx for your 27 years of union loyalty.

At the P&DC I used to work in, badges were pulled after every absence so as to get the 3971s signed before allowing the employee to clock in. YMMV.

about mgmt hideing the mail and extending/increaseing the amount of mail sent to evergreen. Its rumored that mgmt even open up offsite facilties outside the airports and incresed the amount of volume during this time.

Why would I sign the 3971 when I'm not on the clock? In another word, I had to be on the clock for official business.

My supervisor did something like that a last month. Our cards are in the rack. I am in a medium size P&DC. Well, I got to work and the clock was 5:04 and my card was not in the rack. Asked maint. supervisor where my card was. He said "I don't know". I asked how am I going to punch in on time? Others happened to be around the clock so all saw that I could have hit in by 5:08. Supervisor came running to work area to give me my card to punch in. I told her the clock says 5:12. She screamed hit in or I will write you up. I said do it. She was bellowing like a wounded dog and the main. super. came over because of the noise. My supervisor told him I would not punch in. The look on her face when he said "Well, if you put the cards out on time she could have hit in". I told my supervisor that if she ever does this again, I will call the MDO, plant manager, popeye, CSI and anybody else I could to get her fired for fraud. She ran off. Been avoiding me ever since. Speak up or get stepped on.

/m5777 That's not how it was done at Morgan P&DC, NYC. Perhaps it was because the various unions were in cahoots with Management there. Still are, probably. I did type in "YMMV" in my first response.

/m5779 Ask your supv or PM this: Are you working me before I'm on duty?

Oh, I'm long-retired. Still, the various unions went along with this.

June 30, 2009

Everyone,

I wanted to share something that just happened tonight. I was sitting at the gate in the Washington-Baltimore airport waiting on my flight to Charlotte. The plane was at the gate. While we were waiting for the attendant to announce the boarding for our flight, I saw about a dozen Transportation Security Agency uniformed personnel head to the departure ramp. I was concerned there was a problem, meaning a delay. Just what I needed!

Several of us moved to the observation window to see if we could see anything going on outside. That is when I saw a lone uniformed Marine standing at the bottom of the ramp leading from the cargo hold of the aircraft to the ground. I thought to myself how this small delay for me was nothing compared to the sacrifice a Marine and his family made for our nation.

There were more and more people gathering to see what we were looking at down on the tarmac. The people were quiet, but not silent. I looked down the concourse and saw other small groups gathered close to the other observation windows looking down at the conveyor and the small detail of Marines that had appeared. They were part of the funeral detail or an Honor Guard. In the distance there was a hearse, another vehicle, and a police car. As they drove to the bottom of the ramp, I knew the remains of a Marine, in a flag draped casket, were about to be moved from the aircraft and into the hearse. It is customary for uniformed members of the armed services to salute any American flag as it passes...especially when it is covering the remains of one of our fallen warriors.

The people standing around me were mostly civilians, but I could tell they wanted to be respectful, they just did not know how. I had no idea if that Marine’s family was down below in one of the vehicles. I couldn’t have the family, or those Marines, look up and see a bunch of people standing from above...staring. When I saw the pall bearers (Marines) move to the bottom of the ramp, I had to do something.

It has been four years since I retired from the Army, but duty called. I turned and faced everyone in the terminal, and in my loudest command voice, I told everyone the remains of a Marine were about to be unloaded from the aircraft, and it is customary for everyone to stand and be silent as the body is moved. Believe it or not…everybody, as far as I could see, stood up and the entire terminal became quiet. I then said as loudly as I could, that all current and former service members, in or out of uniform, were authorized to render the hand salute, and all civilians were to place their hand over their hearts. As soon as the tip of the flag draped coffin appeared, I bellowed out “Pre-sent...ARMS” and you could hear a pin drop except for the multitude of arms going over their hearts. The entire terminal was silent...no talking, no announcements over the PA, silence...only silence.

The casket traveled down the ramp. All the US Air employees servicing the aircraft and unloading baggage stopped and stood silently with their hands over their hearts. The police officer was saluting. The Marines picked up the casket and placed it gently into the hearse, then closed the rear door.

Inside the terminal, I gave the command to “Or-Der Arms”. When I turned around, there were literally hundreds and hundreds of people standing silently...all over the terminal...at all the gates on our side of the concourse, as well as all the gates on the opposite side. I noticed every woman, of child bearing age either had tears in her eyes, or running down their cheeks...and a lot of fathers did too.

I was taken back. People still care. During the next 10 minutes, a lot of former service members, fathers of soldiers, and a few moms came and thanked me for letting them know what to do. I didn’t do anything compared to that Marine. People want to be led to do what is right.

America still cares. America still has gratitude. The American spirit is not dead. We don’t need to apologize to anyone for who we are.

I don’t know who that Marine was, where he served, or how he died. All I know is that he raised his right arm, took the oath, put on that uniform, and did his duty. That’s good enough for me. I don’t know how he died, or where he was going. All I know is that his dreams for a better life are over. Somewhere tonight there is a grieving wife, or mother, or father...and their pain has just begun. I began this evening concerned that I might be inconvenienced. Tonight I am safe, my family is safe, the worst thing that might happen to me is a little inconvenience. I am safe because of the sacrifices that Marine made. I am safe due to the sacrifices that all our brothers in arms have made since 1776.

His duty is over. Our duty is not. It is not our duty to simply stand and pay respect as a fallen soldier passes. Our duty is to remain steadfast that our Armed Forces not be committed to harm’s way recklessly, that they be properly housed, trained, and led. We need to do our duty to provide our young men and women with the best equipment, not simply with weapons and armor that is “good enough”.

I wish I knew the family of that Marine to say thanks. I wish I could let them know that for a few minutes, in an airport terminal of one of the busiest airports in the United States of America, a group of Americans rendered an honor to their son. I doubt it could take the edge off their loss, but I think it wouldn’t hurt.

It made me think. It made us all reflect for a few minutes. Gratitude.

Thank you brave Marine for one last gift...Hooah...Semper Fi.

Ken Robertson
LTC, USAR, Retired Reserve

very well put and i thank you for your patriotism. I am a retired marine and more often than not we forget those who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we as Americans can continue to enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. i am a pretty grisled old fart, but recently I watched a movie that brought a tear (or two) to my eye(s). the movie is called "Taking Chance" it stars kevin Bacon and is without a doubt one of the best movies I have ever seen. I would urge those service members, former and current to take some time out of their busy days to take a look at this movie. Even if you have never served, this show will definately open your eyes to the reality of war, those who sacrifice, and those who honor them.

"Semper Fi"

from union veterans council- (aflcio)

DOL Awards 17 Grants Totaling $7.5 Million To Train Some 3,000 Veterans for Green Jobs The Labor Department has awarded 17 grants totaling more than $7.5 million to train approximately 3,000 military veterans for civilian careers, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis announced July 1.
The grants, which are being awarded under DOL's Veterans' Workforce Investment Program, will emphasize training for green jobs, Solis said. Fields of employment include energy efficiency and renewable energy, modern electric-power development, and clean vehicles.

The Veterans' Workforce Investment Program is administered by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training.

The president is “pushing for the weatherization of 1 million homes,” which will fuel a demand for green jobs, Solis said. Green jobs are likely to pay wages that are 10 percent to 20 percent higher than the average wage for comparable, nongreen jobs, she added.

The grants will fund skills assessments, individual job counseling, classroom or on-the-job training, skills upgrading or retraining, placement assistance, and follow-up services. The grants' performance period will run from July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. You can see a full list of organizations receiving the grants and the areas they cover in the full press release.

Website Offers Assistance To Employers Looking To Hire Vets. In continuing coverage, the last story in the St. George (UT) Spectrum's (6/27) "Veterans' Focus" column noted, "Employers wanting to hire a veteran can go to the Department of Labor's 'America's Heroes at Work'" website, "which contains resources to help employers recruit, hire, and retain qualified veteran employees affected by PTSD or TBI. For more information, go to www.americasheroesatwork.gov/index.html."

 Eligibility Threshold Lowered For Priority 8 Vets. In continuing coverage, the lead story in the St. George (UT) Spectrum's (6/27) "Veterans' Focus" column said Veterans Affairs healthcare was recently opened "to about 266,000 nondisabled veterans," the change effectively increasing "income eligibility thresholds for Priority 8" vets.

VA Officials Confident About Smooth Launch Of Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Navy Times (6/26, Maze) reports, "Department of Veterans Affairs officials expressed confidence that the Aug. 1 launch of the Post-9/11 GI Bill will go smoothly, with the first benefits checks to be cut by the Treasury Department on Aug. 3. Testifying Thursday before" a House Veterans Affairs Committee panel, Keith Wilson, the VA's education service director, "said about 84,000 applications have been received, with 47,000 already processed and awaiting final certification of enrollment and calculation of tuition and fee payments." Wilson, "the VA official responsible for the program, is optimistic partly because a test of the accuracy in processing claims found 92 percent were done correctly, and most of the errors 'were fairly benign.'" NextGov (6/26, Brewin) says that when Congress passed the Post-9/11 GI Bill, "veterans groups and critics worried" the VA "didn't have time to build a computer system to process the applications. But VA is processing claims faster than it receives them thanks to new information technology systems that partially automate the work, top department officials told" the House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee on Thursday. NextGov adds, "Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, said he appreciates 'the fact VA is re-doubling its efforts to make sure the new GI bill payment process works' and added that veterans and Congress need to be reassured that the agency is prepared to pay Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans their correct education benefit in a timely manner."

VA Begins Long-Term Study Of Iraq, Afghanistan Vets. In continuing coverage, the third story in the St. George (UT) Spectrum's (6/27) "Veterans' Focus" column noted that the Department of Veterans Affairs "has initiated a long-term study of 60,000 veterans who served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The 'National Health Study for a New Generation of US Veterans' will compare 30,000" vets "who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to 30,000 who did not. The study will compare the deployed and non-deployed veterans in terms of chronic medical conditions, traumatic brain injury," post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) "and other psychological conditions, general health perceptions, and other lifestyle choices and actions that follow their military service."

Lawmaker Calls On Shinseki To Cut Down Unprocessed Claims Backlog. In continuing coverage, a blog for New York's The Batavian (6/27, Owens), an online publication, reported, "The backlog of unprocessed disability claims" at the Department of Veterans Affairs "now exceeds one million and the pile grows daily. Veterans are waiting months to have benefits administered," but US Rep. Chris Lee(R-NY) "is taking up" their cause, writing in a letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki that the backlog "needs to be addressed before the problem is just too large to solve."

oh yeah, hoorah......

hey has anybody heard? 5776
 
07-03-2009 09:02 PM ET (US)
 about mgmt hideing the mail and extending/increaseing the amount of mail sent to evergreen. Its rumored that mgmt even open up offsite facilties outside the airports and incresed the amount of volume during this time.