I am relatively new to FedEx and the Union culture. Could some the older craniums here throw down some thoughts on calendar blocking?

Is there a Union policy written or unwritten?
Are there advantages or disadvantages for the effort?
How did the option come to exist - has it always been there?

I sense some bad-blood or resentment for those that partake, and appreciate those that can fill in the blanks.

Blue Skies,
Curby

 

If you block your calendar people will assume you are hiding something or have no friends. It might be from an ex-wife or it might be from the crew force.

If you continue to use the word cranium, then people will know that you were in the Air Force. 50-50 on whether that's worse than blocking your calendar.

 

Calendar blockers may have legitimate reasons--home security being number 1. Some guys just like to have their privacy...

However--others--guys who like to work as independent contractors--don't want others to see them. I have no idea why some ACPs block their calendars...perhaps they want to be "stealthy" or perhaps they don't want the fact they fly 1-2 times per month highlighted.

I'll defer to older guys on "policy..."

As an OPERATOR, I can say its nice to have an unblocked calendar so I can trade trips with other folks, or catch a glimpse of how much guys are being used on reserve, etc etc. I keep up with a small circle of 727 guys (most have upgraded now) and we'd regularly swap trips here and there to each other's mutual benefit. If I can't see your calendar--its hard to effect swaps or trades. Again--some don't care--but until I get my own personal scheduler and the SIG works just for me I don't expect FDX to ever make my "ultimate" line, and that means some adjustments every month. When I have a good trip with a front end or back end DH, I'll usually email a few folks and say "can you use this? Its yours if you take it..." Block your calendar and I won't do that...its too much work.

So--if you are worried someone will sneak over and boink your wife when you are out of town...or if you are trying to do the same and want to stay stealthy...block it. I'm sure there are horror stories of some guys spying on each other by using the calendar--but I tend to doubt its a problem in my situation as a commuter. Our crowd down here in PC looks after each other, and occassionally carpool, plane-pool, or commute together. Being able to peek in and see where folks are makes that cooridination easier as well...

 

I always thought this criticism was ironic. We (the collective We) complain that the ACPs never fly, but we certainly expect that they'll answer the phone, return a phone call quickly, or be around when we stop by the office...

Can we really have it both ways?

 

Usually the guys who block their calendars don't want others to see what they are doing with their lines, like picking up tons of extra trips, etc. That information is still readily available, but it does take a few extra keystrokes for someone to find what you're doing. There really is no way to hide from someone who is determined to find out what you're doing. From what I've seen, it's usually the senior guys, or the guys who are flex instructors, or LCA's who most frequently block their calendars.

Some of the advantages of not blocking your calendar are: a) your friends can see if you're in town (for dinner, a beer, etc); b) someone might want to do a mutual trip trade, or a pdo bump (gives you the days off with pay, except per diem); c) if you have a question about a trip you're on, or one that you're about to fly, and you call FedEx ALPA, they can call up your calendar and advise you more correctly. There are many other reasons to not block your calendar, of course.

I think that for someone whose not been here all that long, you'd want to keep your calendar unblocked, if for no other reason than just wanting to be one of the "guys." Of course it's totally up to you, but do recognize that if you block it, we'll all talk badly about you.

 

You left out the "behind your back" part

 

No arguments from me on that. My point was you cannot see what they ARE or ARE NOT doing. I figured most would be trying to raise their profile, not lower it.

As a (good) example--flew last week doing PM out and backs. Every day I got to say "Hi Len..." Every single day! Like--he was IN the AOC--TALKING! Interacting! Sarcasm off--I was impressed. He was out and about and showing the flag. If you had a question that week--there was a dude just "over there" you could ask. Maybe I just don't know the other guys and they are out as much too--but I don't remember seeing that kind of presence.

 

That's because he doesn't know what the hell he's doing in the office yet so he figures he needs to earn his money pressing the flesh in the crew lounge . Besides, I heard his predecessor had the Airbus guys so squared away when he got displaced that he really doesn't have anything to do. It's all about good leadership.....

 

..really?...I heard that guy got run completely out of the country!

 

I know a lot of TNANG guys block their calendar. They don't want the unit asking why they were unavailable on such and such day when their FDX calendar clearly showed they weren't working.