Rural PTF working as a regular

[drakeME]

I don't want to jinx it, but the planets have aligned it seems, and we now finally have good sub coverage in our office. This could change at any time of course if one of the newbs wash out, but I've had 3 consecutive weeks of multiple days off, and not only that, the days are consecutive also! I was off Tues, Wed and today! I haven't had 3 days off in a row in 3 years. Feeling almost human right now. Working every Sunday, but really don't care about that because there is no weekend anyway, my family is at home every day. So, yay.

 

[Tammy]

I strongly believe (it is possible that I am wrong) the contract states a PTF can not be on a hold down route (where the reg carrier is out for a period of time) PTFs are assigned strings which management has the authority to change as needed. RCAs are the only one that can officially be assigned to a hold down(they earn annual and sick days after being on route for 90 days). If no one else is available, even a neewbie then the only choice is a PTF. If you google search sunday amazon working rules for rcas you will find that besides ARCs PTFs are to be assigned on sundays before any RCA in the office or Hub voluntary or involuntary and RCAs on hold downs are not to be scheduled unless absolutely necessary. it's all part of the PTF position so sundays off dont look good for you. Sorry

 

[drakeME]

Don't know, but it's a moot point now, the route was filled, so am back to floating. I was full time on it for about 2 years total, so got the whole regular experience down. I think I like the variety more. Bottom line, I don't care where they put me if they keep giving me 2 or 3 days a week off.

 

[gotstamps]

I strongly believe (it is possible that I am wrong) the contract states a PTF can not be on a hold down route (where the reg carrier is out for a period of time) PTFs are assigned strings which management has the authority to change as needed. RCAs are the only one that can officially be assigned to a hold down(they earn annual and sick days after being on route for 90 days). If no one else is available, even a neewbie then the only choice is a PTF. If you google search sunday amazon working rules for rcas you will find that besides ARCs PTFs are to be assigned on sundays before any RCA in the office or Hub voluntary or involuntary and RCAs on hold downs are not to be scheduled unless absolutely necessary. it's all part of the PTF position so sundays off dont look good for you. Sorry

Unfortunately, nothing in writing says a PTF cannot “hold” a route. PTFs are also not “mandated” to work Sundays before an RCA. Contract states that Mgmt MAY use a PTF prior to selecting another Leave replacement.

 

[psd181]

Hope this helps:

Relief Day on Vacant J and K Routes
When a substitute, rural carrier associate, or rural carrier relief employee is serving full-time on a vacant route or during the absence of the regular carrier, a relief day shall be granted, in the case of a J route or a K route, if requested by the employee and if a leave replacement is available, or if required by local management.

Notice it didn't say PTF.

 

[psd181]

Hey all, I've been a Rural PTF since about March, so have had some career benefits since then, but I've also been working full time for almost 11 months now as the regular on my primary route (the regular is incapacitated.) What I've been trying to find out, but cannot on USPS's convoluted websites, is if I am entitled to benefits BEYOND what a normal PTF gets, since I am the defacto regular and look to be for the foreseeable future. Most importantly, am I entitled a set day off, in addition to Sunday, as a regular receives? I only ask because I've had 2 days off in a week maybe twice this entire year. Basically I'm working as the regular and also have to work most Sundays. I'm reaching burnout point especially with the Xmas season overtime as any carrier probably is. Not sure I can keep going as is.

I plan to suck it up until January, and then see if I can negotiate a 5 day work week (as long as I'm continuing on as the regular.) I will try to work this out regardless if I am "entitled" to it or not, but would love to know if someone out here might know such things and or can point me in the right direction. Thanks.

You stated you HAVE Sunday off. from the 95-99extension analysis it says PTF's should be used before other leave replacements on Sunday. I didn't check language in Art 30.2.Pof the actual 95-99 extension so it might differ from current language where it says MAY use proir to

 

[psd181]

from the 95-99extension analysis :
61. If one of the primary routes assigned to the PTF becomes vacant or the
regular carrier is on extended leave; will the PTF be entitled to serve the
route full time?
A. No. The PTF has no entitlement to serve the route full time. Management may
utilize the PTF on the route or utilize other leave replacements in accordance
with Article 30.2.D.

 

[gotstamps]

from the 95-99extension analysis :
61. If one of the primary routes assigned to the PTF becomes vacant or the
regular carrier is on extended leave; will the PTF be entitled to serve the
route full time?
A. No. The PTF has no entitlement to serve the route full time. Management may
utilize the PTF on the route or utilize other leave replacements in accordance
with Article 30.2.D.

As I stated above in #48, mgmt MAY use a PTF prior to utilizing an RCA on Sunday. You’re quoting the 1995-1999 analysis which does state MAY but that was pre-Amazon Sunday/Holiday work so it has no bearing here. It was rare for mgmt to need a Leave Replacement to work Sundays back then. For Sunday work, refer to the Implementation guide for Amazon.
As to PTF holding down a route, your quote above confirms that nothing says they can’t. It is at mgmts discretion whether to allow it. The PTF has no rights to choose, though.

 

[psd181]

As I stated above in #48, mgmt MAY use a PTF prior to utilizing an RCA on Sunday. You’re quoting the 1995-1999 analysis which does state MAY but that was pre-Amazon Sunday/Holiday work so it has no bearing here. It was rare for mgmt to need a Leave Replacement to work Sundays back then. For Sunday work, refer to the Implementation guide for Amazon.
As to PTF holding down a route, your quote above confirms that nothing says they can’t. It is at mgmts discretion whether to allow it. The PTF has no rights to choose, though.

I was just stating a fact that Sunday is not an off day as the original poster suggested. However the Q&A is written by management and given to NRLCA to agree or not. So the language SHOULD is upper management's intent of the change to article 30.2.P. One has to look back at the history of a change in language and determine how the change was intended to be used.

Again, if the original poster is working 5 days on one of the PTF's string, they should consider themselves lucky. Management can pull them off after reaching the PTF's guaranteed hours. For example, PTF has 3 9hour routes is entitled to only 27 hours. If they get to work over the 27 hours it's extra work not mandated by the contract. Therefore, they are lucky that management gives them those hours. It can also work to a PTF's favor if they are working on one of their primarys that sucks. They can use 30.2.D to make management use them on the other routes and not have to work the sucky route 5 days.

 

[gotstamps]

I was just stating a fact that Sunday is not an off day as the original poster suggested. However the Q&A is written by management and given to NRLCA to agree or not. So the language SHOULD is upper management's intent of the change to article 30.2.P. One has to look back at the history of a change in language and determine how the change was intended to be used.

Again, if the original poster is working 5 days on one of the PTF's string, they should consider themselves lucky. Management can pull them off after reaching the PTF's guaranteed hours. For example, PTF has 3 9hour routes is entitled to only 27 hours. If they get to work over the 27 hours it's extra work not mandated by the contract. Therefore, they are lucky that management gives them those hours. It can also work to a PTF's favor if they are working on one of their primarys that sucks. They can use 30.2.D to make management use them on the other routes and not have to work the sucky route 5 days.

An RCA cannot use Article 30.2.D to make mgmt move a PTF off anything except that RCA’s PRIMARY route. If a PTF is running one of his String routes, then Contract is being followed regardless of whether that day is the Relief Day for that route or not.
I am extremely versed in PTF rules with 4-6 PTFs in my office for the last 4 years.

As for Sunday rules, I was pointing out that you’re quoting a 20 year old rule that no longer applies for offices that are part of a Sunday Amazon Delivery Unit. In those OLD rules it states that PTFs have no choice. BUT in the Amazon rules, PTFs are put in rotation with the RCAs on the YES list or NO list at their choice. Mgmt CAN bypass them as they can with RCAs if scheduled 40 hours but MUST utilize them before a Des. 74 (hold down RCA).
If you go to the Steward Guide on the Union Website, the 1995-1999 Analysis is not even referenced due to those rules no longer apply. The S-106, Step 4s, & the Current Contract are the only documents that can be cited for Sundays.

 

[drakeME]

I didn't want to be working Sundays pre-C19, but now I'm happy to. Things have changed a lot for me personally in the last month or so, mostly for the better. Besides that whole worse than Christmas package volume thing of course.