klusterbox

Klusterbox Version 6.02 is Here!

What is Klusterbox?
  ● Klusterbox is a tool for investigating article 8 grievances and was developed by a NALC union steward.
  ● Klusterbox is a computer program available for Windows and Mac OS.
  ● Klusterbox is free to download and use.
  ● Development is ongoing. More features and functionality are on the way.

Klusterbox Features:
  ● Klusterbox was designed for the sole purpose of helping NALC Stewards conduct the investigations they need to do to police the contract - mostly article 8 violations. This is not software built for another purpose and reverse enginered for stewards. It was built from the ground up for NALC grievance investigations.
  ● Build list of carriers. Revise, update and change the list from week to week as needed. Klusterbox keeps track of who's on the OTDL, ns/days, who's on which route and what station they're at.

    klusterbox carrier list

  ● Klusterbox has multiple methods available for entering data. You can enter the data manually, you can use Speedsheets which allows for a faster data entry using 10 key touch or you can use the famous Automatic Data Entry which allows you to speed up the process - do a two hour investigation in less than five minutes using Employee Everything Reports in the csv file format.
  ● Data entry screens allow for easy entry of clock rings. Klusterbox comes with multiple move functionality - record whenever carriers move off their routes, even when they do it multiple times in a day.
  ● Choose between investigating just one day or an entire service week with the investigation range feature.
  ● Klusterbox can be used at the branch level to conduct investigations for multiple stations
  ● Enter Begin and End Tour clock rings when this information is helpful to your investigations. This is optional with a control panel to turn it on or off. These can be used in the new spreadsheet Improper Mandates No.4 Spreadsheet, which is a spreadsheet used in Region 4. Since this spreadsheet tracks availability to DOV as well as carriers out past DOV, a Dispatch of Value screen has been added to allow users to enter the DOV time for any week/station. Use codes to keep track of notable cases like when OTDL carriers call in sick or when non-list carriers are mandated to work on their ns/days.
  ● Carrier data is easy to input or edit using the Klusterbox user interface, Speedsheets or Automatic Data Entry. The dynamic carrier list created by Klusterbox remembers when carriers change list, routes, ns days and even stations.
    klusterbox edit carriers

  ● Don't know what rotating ns/day correlates to which day of the week? No problem, Klusterbox matches the color ns/day code to the correct day on in any given service week. Fixed ns/days are also accommodated. Klusterbox is compatable with five digit route numbers for route numbers over 99 and recognizes PTFs.
  ● Utilize tolerances to cut down on the clutter and ignore negligible violations. Adjust the tolerances to suit your preferances or turn them off altogether.
  ● Find violations of the 12/60 hour rule with the Automatic Over Max Finder and generate a report with just a few mouse clicks.
  ● View the results of the investigation in reports or generate a spreadsheet which you can print. The spreadsheets contain all the necessary formulas allowing you to update them outside of Klusterbox. There are reports for 12 and 60 Hour Violations, Improper Mandate Violations, Off Bid Violations and other reports.

    klusterbox 12/60 Hour Violation Report

  ● Generate a report for pay periods for any year you want with the Pay Period Guide Generator. The report gives you the pay period, start and end date. Klusterbox stamps your spreadsheets and reports with the correct pay period. Don't be inconvenienced again.
  ● Past versions of Klusterbox depended upon the employee everything report in the csv format, but the new PDF Converter allows access to the suite of Klusterbox functionality with just an employee everything report in pdf format. This makes your information request easier and less complicated.
  ● Klusterbox comes with Informal C, a grievance tracker for all grievances/ settlements. Klusterbox allows you to search, track, update and generate reports for your grievance caseload.

    klusterbox informal c

  ● Keep track of which settlements have been paid and which haven't been paid by entering awards into informal c. Track every monetary award for every carrier and every grievance. You can even track when management shorts payment to carriers and what settlements have documentation proving payment. Search and generate reports as needed.

    klusterbox awards screen

  ● Use Database Maintenance tools to see what you have in the database. You can delete all records for carriers who you no longer want in the system and for all other records you can view, delete or even reset the entire database and start from scratch.
  ● Klusterbox can track OT Equitability.. The OT Equitability spreadsheet, which was previously available for download, is now incorporated into the Klusterbox program with all the perks that entails. Data is pulled from the database to fill out carrier and clock ring information, Klusterbox fills in the dates and generates the spreadsheet with a single mouse click. There's even a daily field for refusals to give you a more accurate picture of the situation. Change the year and the quarter to investigate any time period you need. Klusterbox's dynamic carrier list and database make your investigations simple.
  ● Klusterbox can track Overtime Distribution.. Non-otdl carrier concerns about equitable distribution of mandatory overtime happens where ever excessive mandating occurs. Now you can keep track of it with the Overtime Distribution Spreadsheet. Choose between an investigation range of one week or a whole quarter. The OT Distribution screen also allows you for you to track carriers by what list they are on: otdl, wal, nl, aux or ptf. Also, the spreadsheet can be configured to calculate overtime as all overtime or just overtime off a carrier's own route.

In 2019, I started learning python and building this program. It's been a journey, a lot of work and a lot of fun. I set out to make the program that I wished had been available to me. By that time I had spent dozens of hours manually typing in clock rings on my custom-made improper mandate spreadsheet. I knew there had to be an easier way. Bit by bit I developed the program starting with core functionality and piling on new features, bells and whistles such as automatic data entry and the pdf converter, but it wasn't until I got an installer that I started to feel like it was a real program. I also expanded the program for use in stations which were dissimilar to mine (different ns days, route numbers, etc.) based on feed back from other stewards.

The program is available for free for any steward who wants to use it. I haven't asked for any money because there aren't many expenses - mostly the cost of server space for the website which I develop and maintain myself. The software is open source because I want users to feel assured that there is no scam or racket going on here, not even a profit motive. I have invested quite a bit of time, hundreds of hours. To be honest, I didn't think it would take quite so much time, but programing is complex and I kept thinking of new features to add. Also, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pissed off about all the contractual violations. If you share that sentiment and have a penchant for technical solutions, then I've got a app for you.

Happy Union Stewarding!


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