Dear Coop,
With the recent return to recurring shifts, I find the Future Time Off Program (FTOP) policy that states you can only schedule two shifts at a time too rigid and not well publicized.
First, it does not appear anywhere in the Workslot Policy Agreement. Second, the two places it does appear—on the “Shift Calendar” web page and Section III, paragraph 7 of the Membership Manual—it is buried in the text and not easy to notice.
More importantly, the PSFC seems to encourage members to add credits to their shift bank credit but then limits members’ ability to build up credit by limiting them to two scheduled shifts at a time.
In the Membership Manual, for instance, it states, “You need to work at least one shift per cycle but you are welcome to work extra shifts. Those additional shifts will add credits to your bank. There is no limit to the number of credits you can have in your bank.” And then adds a little later, “You may have up to two scheduled shifts at one time, with no more than 2 shifts on the same date.” These two statements seem to be at odds with one another.
Moreover, when we accept the Workslot Policy Agreement, we agree that “Whenever possible I will cancel farther in advance, so other members have the opportunity to claim the shift(s).” Here, too, the FTOP policy makes it difficult to do so. For example, I will be traveling in November but cannot cancel my November shift and choose an alternate slot until I work my next shift in September. By that time, I fear the slots that are most convenient for me will be taken.
The system needs to be more flexible. Let’s increase the number of shifts that can be scheduled at one time.
William Yotive