Good morning Star Tours Team,
Everyone in Star Tours should read this notice. It could affect your
continued attendance in the Star Tours Team.
My Lumi telescope team has been awesome this year! Everyone has been
prompt, helpful, working as a Team
until... a night or so ago, everyone was doing a super job of following the
rules about only taking 2 - 20 minute breaks during the Lumi event.
I'm posting this out to everyone in the Star Tours so you know that I will
not allow unfairness by a Team member. Team means everyone is considerate
and helpful to the other member in the Team. A recent night ago is an
example of taking advantage of doing an event and taking more time than was
allotted for your break, and this is then to be a *warning* that I will
remove you from the Star Tours Team if another occurrence happens.
Here's what happened and I will avoid using names, but you know who you are
when I write about this because I just sent you a private phone text
message with a similar message this morning, but I wish to let the whole
Team know of the situation so they do not walk in your footsteps and wonder
why they are not part of the Star Tours Team any more.
We set up the Lumi event such that everyone involved would get 2 - 20
minute breaks in the 4 hours they are doing the Lumi event.
We have on the team each night, as long as it is a 4 scope and 1 presenter
night - 5 Team members and a Runner and each of those 6 people get 2 - 20
minute breaks. Do the math - there are 3 - 20 minute breaks in an hour, and
we are there for 4 hours so that is 3 x 4 = 12 - 20 minute breaks
available. There are 6 Team members consisting of 4 telescopes, a presenter
and a runner. If each of the 6 team members takes a 20 minute break, 2
times in a night, that is the whole 4 hour event. There is no extra time
for anyone to take additional break time - and still be fair to the rest of
the team.
A few nights, Team members have asked for different arrangements of their 2
- 20 minute breaks, such as taking 4 - 10 minute breaks, which still equals
the 40 minutes of break time allotted to each Team Member. No one asked for
or was offered 2 - 30 minute breaks, which is equal to an hour long break.
But one night, in the event, one team member decided they would help
themselves to 2 - 30 minute breaks which then took break time away from
other Team members and wasn't nice for the Runner.
This is NOT being a Team member. This is taking advantage of the Runner
watching your equipment and not considering those who need a bathroom break
or who have asked the Runner to give them a break at a particular time.
There are 2 ways I see that I can make this stop... one is to remove the
Lumi Team member from the rest of the Lumi events and no allow them to be
at future Lumi events, or I can remove them from the Telescope Team if
another occurrence of this happens in the future at any future event. This
isn't the first time we have had a Team member be inconsiderate to other
Team members, but i do want to make it clear, this is the last time it
happens.
If you are going to take more time than you are paying for, you must inform
me and the Runner, set up ahead of time how much more money the Runner
needs to get for watching your telescope for more than the agreed up on
break time, and I prefer this is done by the day before the actual event is
to happen.
I know we only have about 6 more days of Lumi's, but this is the stretch of
time that the main scopes may not make it to the event and Back up Scopes
may be needed.
Please, if we setup a rule on length of a break, and you need more than 20
minutes for your break, please let the Runner know ahead of time and make
sure it is ok with the Runner before you leave your Telescope Station. The
runner is providing what you are paying for, but only for what you paid
for, and that is 2 - 20 minute breaks for this year's Lumi event. Exceeding
that amount should come out of your pay by an amount equal to the extra
time you took for your break. So, since in this case, an additional 20
minutes of time was taken, that means you should be paying the runner an
additional $15 for that extra 20 minutes of time.
I really need Team members I can trust to do the events as requested by the
hiring company, and to follow any rules that are set up by a group
agreement or me... for that event. Everyone had ample time to let me know,
since we set up this event back in April 2018, that they want longer breaks
- but for more money given to the Runner...
Here's how i look at it, the runner, who isn't being paid as much as a
telescope, and maybe we should adjust that so that they do get more money
for all their hard work, is covering for each Star Tours Member at the Lumi
event, and working the same number of hours, plus sometimes doing more for
the Team because of it, but not getting paid as much.
Do we need to raise the rate for the Runner? The 6 Team members at DBG each
night, are working like crazy to entertain, educate and help the patrons
have a great night. If this isn't your cup of tea, maybe you shouldn't be
on the Telescope Team.
I'm adding this email to the Forum Thread so that i can add more info if I
have more to say later on. Please be sure you read this whole notice... I
kept the names to myself, but I do want to thank everyone who has followed
the rules for this event. I also want to thank everyone who has gone out of
their way to keep conversations PC and kid friendly with the patrons.
Remember that, if you sign up to do the event, you are expected to be there
and if you can't be there, you need to let the team know so that a Back up
Team Member can take your place. That is why we have back up scopes lined
up, for those nights that the main scope or presenters can not be at the
event.
One more thing I really need to repeat - When I send out an email and ask
if the Main Presenter and Main Telescope is planning to be there that
night, those Team members NEED to reply to the email to say they are going
to be there, so that the Back up Scopes do not have to wait all day to find
out if they have the day off. Please reply as soon as you see the email or
phone text so we can let the Back up Scopes know they are not needed for
that night.
The Back up scopes are still on call until 5pm each night of Lumi's, but
if they know ahead of time they may not be needed,, they might be able to
make other plans for the day.
Thank you Telescope Team for being a great Team and working as a Team.
Just as a note: As a Telescope at Lumi's, most nights I have only taken 1 -
20 minute break. But, that doesn't mean I am sharing my last 20 minutes
freely for someone else to take my break time. The Runner should have some
break time and they don't get much of a break, if any, due to having to be
there for the rest of the Team.
If you are not going to play fair, I will remove you from my Telescope
Team. I want only those who Want to be at the event, and who really love
what they do, and who are Team players, on my Telescope Team.
While i have everyone's attention, there is one other rule that has been
broken a few times now, by newer Star Tours Members, for which I guess they
didn't read the Star Tours Rules before agreeing to join the Team... and
that is... Some events Can NOT have extra people attend without prior set
up of their attendance, and some events can't have extra people attend no
matter what. The hiring company doesn't want more people than what they are
paying for, to be at the event. With Lumi's, you can't just bring your GF,
Wife, Kids, etc... you have to approve it through me, and I approve it
after Susan says it is ok, because of the parking at DBG. DBG is limited to
a certain legal number of patrons attending each night and could get in
trouble with the Fire Marshal if they have more attendance than they are
allowed to have in a night. Do not bring anyone extra to the event with you
as a helper, or any event, without prior checking with me. I was told by
Susan that I can allow only a certain number of extra helpers per night.
And if you bring someone and you don't know what that limit is, it could
mean we lose this event in the future. This is a good paying, although
exhausting event. Please follow the rules.
Everyone have a super day! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Terri, Event Manager
--
Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you always know
they are there.
Terri Phoenix Astronomical Society <http://www.pasaz.org/> Event Manager
since 2008 & club member for over 30 years
Please Subscribe to PAS for Upcoming Free Public Events
<https://www.freelists.org/list/phxastronomypublicevents> notices.
Visit the P.A.S. Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/PhoenixAstronomicalSociety> Page & My Facebook
<http://www.facebook.com/people/Terri-Finch/1021922600> Page
Visit my Music Lesson Page: Music Lessons by Terri
<https://cosmicstarstuff.wixsite.com/musiclessons> & Music Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Music-Lessons-by-Terri/170920862925772> Page
