MichaelALewis73
New member
can RCAs be required to clerk (other than Sunday?)
RCAs clerking/throwing packages
- Thread starter MichaelALewis73
- Start date
Bud Budderly
Well-known member
No. As of Jan. 13, 2012, there are no circumstances under which a Regular Rural Carrier or RCA may be permitted to perform APWU bargaining unit work. That said, it's still a "sweetheart deal" that occurs in many offices that are short clerks or who have clerks that won't grieve the matter.
gotstamps
Well-known member
If the subs want to or won’t file & the clerks won’t file, there’s nothing that can be done to stop it. That does not make it a “sweetheart deal”. A “sweetheart deal” is where there was a grievance or issue & mgmt & Craft come to an agreement that still violates the Contract of that Craft.
Bud Budderly
Well-known member
In our office, for example, it was a sweet deal because after one clerk grieved it the contract was still violated whenever said clerk was off. Some people benefitted and the clerks who were harmed either weren't scheduled or turned a blind eye because they were already in OT and there were more parcels than they could possibly throw in one day. In some offices, clerks or carriers who complained about the practice were bullied into silence by their own craft members. 
With Covid X-mas I'd be surprised if this wasn't a common occurrence.
With Covid X-mas I'd be surprised if this wasn't a common occurrence.
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MichaelALewis73
New member
Follow up question: can a RCA refuse to do it, or do it because they were instructed and grieve having to do it later?
Not in our office, they are very short staffed.
(One injury, three recent retirements, one transfer, and a newbie fired.)
Dumbassclerksyndrome
Well-known member
Are you within your 90 day probationary period? If no, I’d do because they’ll use it to fire you
. If out of probation, I’d say “I’d rather not” smile and walk away!!MichelaALewis73 -- "Follow up question: can a RCA refuse to do it [ clerk work ], or do it because they were instructed and grieve having to do it later?"
-- First of all, if that is your real name, might want to select something less identifiable - as "Oi veh" would suggest.
-- The proper way to handle the situation would be for the RCA to do as "instructed", then grieve the "instruction". That is the NRLCA mantra: obey a direct order, then grieve. ( manglement gets the work accomplished, while the grievance usually takes months to settle )
-- By flat out refusing to obey the "instruction", that could lead to a charge of insubordination, which is not good to have on one's record. Not to mention a possible Emergency Placement in Off-Duty Status.
-- Section 651.4 of the ELM: An employee may be placed in an off-duty nonpay status IMMEDIATELY, but remains on the rolls when he or she: of the 5 reasons, this one would come in to play:
c. Fails to obey a DIRECT ORDER.
-- How did manglement phrase it? And did anyone else hear manglement say it?
- would you volunteer to throw parcels and other clerk work today?
- throw parcels and other clerk work today!!
- please help the office by throwing parcels and other clerk work.
- or.....
-- Article 3 - Management Rights - basically allows them to do whatever to get the job of moving / delivering mail completed.
-- If the clerk steward won't grieve and the RCA ( not needed that day for rural work ) could use the work, so be it.
-- First of all, if that is your real name, might want to select something less identifiable - as "Oi veh" would suggest.
-- The proper way to handle the situation would be for the RCA to do as "instructed", then grieve the "instruction". That is the NRLCA mantra: obey a direct order, then grieve. ( manglement gets the work accomplished, while the grievance usually takes months to settle )
-- By flat out refusing to obey the "instruction", that could lead to a charge of insubordination, which is not good to have on one's record. Not to mention a possible Emergency Placement in Off-Duty Status.
-- Section 651.4 of the ELM: An employee may be placed in an off-duty nonpay status IMMEDIATELY, but remains on the rolls when he or she: of the 5 reasons, this one would come in to play:
c. Fails to obey a DIRECT ORDER.
-- How did manglement phrase it? And did anyone else hear manglement say it?
- would you volunteer to throw parcels and other clerk work today?
- throw parcels and other clerk work today!!
- please help the office by throwing parcels and other clerk work.
- or.....
-- Article 3 - Management Rights - basically allows them to do whatever to get the job of moving / delivering mail completed.
-- If the clerk steward won't grieve and the RCA ( not needed that day for rural work ) could use the work, so be it.
Dumbassclerksyndrome
Well-known member
The proper way to handle the situation would be for the RCA to do as "instructed", then grieve the "instruction". That is the NRLCA mantra: obey a direct order, then grieve. ( manglement gets the work accomplished, while the grievance usually takes months to settle )
Dominator
Well-known member
@Bud Budderly , what was the turning point? I didn't think it were ever possible due to both craft's Articles 1 and 3.
Excluding dual appointments, what used to be the exception(s)?
Bud Budderly
Well-known member
The Jan. 13 2012 date marked the end of using RCAs to perform clerk work as dual appointees. Prior to that, excluding dual appointments, like you, I don't think it was allowed, but many PMs lied, claiming RCAs had dual appointments when they didn't. When the APWU grieved and requested Form 50s for these alleged dual employees, the Postal Service couldn't provide them.
Dominator
Well-known member
I wonder if the NRLCA ever sought damages for the RCAs for performing that non-bargaining unit work at a unilateral wage.
If not, they should have.
"I volunteered" is only a valid reason of there is a discretionary authority mechanism providing carriers access to an option to volunteer.
Itstillfun
Well-known member
More money would stop it. take Bonus money for crossing craft. Contract negotiations
Dominator
Well-known member
Reps don't really talk about restitutional remedies for whatever reason. They may just not be trained in that kind of material.
MichaelALewis73
New member
Oh really? I thought it was different with Amazon Sunday.
Rural carriers or RCA's cannot throw parcels. However, if clerks don't file, then there's no documentation of violation so I suppose it continues until clerks decide that someone is taking work from them.
I was hired as a dual, my badge showed such. I was asked to shift to RCA only at about that time. The only work I performed outside rural work was parcels.
Dominator
Well-known member
Clerk barganing unit work belongs to clerks.
Rural Carrier bargaining unit work belongs to rural carriers.
The day of the week is irrelevant.
