Taken off route during bid process.

[Green]

The only regular in our office just retired, and for the past 2 days I have been carrying his route. I am the most senior RCA (there are only two of us). I was told that as soon as the regular leaves I would take the route, it's even on the schedule.

But things changed after two days, I was told that the other RCA would carry the route and I would go back to my old aux during the bidding process. The other RCA is the sub for that route but he is a new hire (not past his 90 days) and had never carried the route before.

Can they do that?

 

[Deer Smearer]

If the other sub is the primary then it is their route to run. (Up to evaluation)

It doesn't matter if you have been a sub for 20 years, and they have been a sub for 20 minutes.

 

[Rt2mailman]

Hopefully you know you must bid on all routes in your office, and on line.

 

[btdtret]

Green -- "The other RCA is the sub for that route but he is a new hire (not past his 90 days) and had never carried the route before. "

-- Just to be clear -- your office has 1 regular route and one AUX.

-- Interesting that the sub for the route has never carried the route before.

-- On what date did the regular retire and when was the sub hired?

-- Has the sub even trained on the route? Not that it really matters if the sub was hired to be the primary relief carrier for the route.

-- Was the sub attending the academy when the regular retired?

-- Manglement has to post the route within 30 day of the regular's retirement date -- provided the regular is actually off the USPS employment rolls and not just out of the office, burning up annual and sick leave.

-- As "Rt2mailman" noted, be sure to bid correctly because you are the only one in the office that can bid!! The sub will need one year of continuous service before being eligible to bid on a regular route.

 

[Gyros6875]

If that RCA is the primary for the route then it is his to run up to evaluation for the week. It doesn't matter if you have been an RCA for 30 years and he started a week ago. If he is ahead of you on the matrix he has priority to run it.

 

[HardearnedTan]

yeah, the newbie will hold it down until mgmt. sorts out the new appointment to the route. At least you're getting the quick introduction to how you get used and thrown away when your are not "officially" on a route...and it could drag on a while, as btdtret mentioned above.

 

[Green]

Thanks for all the responses. The office only has 1 full route and 1 aux. I carried the full route when the regular was off. I am the only one who can bit and it's the first time I have ever bid on a route before. I have been told to bid on liteblue or by phone. I have seen the slideshow presentation on how to bid on liteblue on this site which was really helpful. He retired 4 days ago and the route is now vacant. I have talked to my union steward and reading up on this site to make sure I have all my ducks in a row for when it is finally posted. I am really looking forward to becoming regular.

What confused me was why they suddenly changed their minds about who was going to carry it while it was vacant.

 

[Voglio-il mio]

What confused me was why they suddenly changed their minds about who was going to carry it while it was vacant.

The postmaster did the right thing, this is unusual you should be impressed!

The newer RCA may just know their rights as the primary carrier for that route and either threatened to file or filed a grievance. Its all good, if you remain the AUX carrier until you bid on and win the position of Regular Carrier for that route your leave will continue to accumulate. If you are not already a 5 - 1 you may consider changing to that so that you can stay fresh on the regular route until your appointment!

 

[Charlie Brown]

The postmaster did the right thing, this is unusual you should be impressed!

The newer RCA may just know their rights as the primary carrier for that route and either threatened to file or filed a grievance. Its all good, if you remain the AUX carrier until you bid on and win the position of Regular Carrier for that route your leave will continue to accumulate. If you are not already a 5 - 1 you may consider changing to that so that you can stay fresh on the regular route until your appointment!

Green can NOT work as a 5-1 since the other route already has a primary replacement. (the new RCA)
More than likely Green will have to train the new RCA on the K route and will get plenty of time working it anyway.
Kind of ironic but the new RCA will have the option to work 5-1.

 

[btdtret]

Charlie Brown -- "Green can NOT work as a 5-1 since the other route already has a primary replacement. (the new RCA) "

-- Maybe, maybe not. AUX carriers can be assigned where needed - after completion of the AUX route, thanks to the 2015-2018 contract. As noted Green may be training the new RCA.

-- The employee is entitled to work at least the evaluated hours of the assigned route and then may be replaced to avoid payment of over time of additional overtime. Article 30.2.O.

-- A newly appointed leave replacement rural carrier craft employee will be paid the greater of the actual hours worked or the evaluation of the route ( up to 40 hours ) for the first five ( 5 ) pay periods. Article 9.2.M.1.

-- Could be the new RCA will quickly learn that the USPS manages to get free work hours from its employees -- one way or another.

-- Both carriers will get to see how manglement feels about overtime payments -- unless manglement brings in another RCA from another office.

-- Hopefully the new RCA will be willing and able to learn - fast - on two routes. And Green may also have to train the new RCA on the AUX. At least the new RCA will be able to get actual time for the first day of training on the AUX route, never having run it before.

-- Sadly, it looks like a recipe for losing the RCA.

 

[Green]

I hope this is not too off topic, but is reason why I don't see any jobs on ebid right now because I can only bid on that one route (and it has not been posted yet)?

 

[btdtret]

Green -- manglement has up to 30 days to post the vacant route. If the regular retired only 4 days ago, manglement probably has not gotten around to posting it yet.

-- May be to drop some subtle or not so-subtle hints to manglement that you don't see the posting yet.

 

[gotstamps]

I hope this is not too off topic, but is reason why I don't see any jobs on ebid right now because I can only bid on that one route (and it has not been posted yet)?

There are only 2 choices on eBidding, your local office/cluster or District. If there is nothing in the local then no, it’s not posted yet. More than likely, it will take most of the 30 days mgmt has to get it posted. Mgmt MUST post all route postings in the office for the Carriers whether District or Local. If mgmt does NOT “POST” a local route posting as contractually obligated, a call to the DR can get it re-bid.

 

[Voglio-il mio]

If not there now, it most likely wont be there until 02/16/19 they tend to list new posting at the beginning of new pay periods (PP 05). Best of luck to you, keep up informed about how things are going!

Green can NOT work as a 5-1 since the other route already has a primary replacement. (the new RCA)
More than likely Green will have to train the new RCA on the K route and will get plenty of time working it anyway.
Kind of ironic but the new RCA will have the option to work 5-1.

Charlie if Green is already a 5-1 I believe that they would continue to work that schedule and that it couldn't be changed.

My thought on this is that PM would use new RCA on Reg Rt up to 40 Hrs. and then place on Aux RT one day. Senior carrier works 5 Days AUX RT and 1 Day Reg RT and they both may be exempt from Amazon Sundays or selected last if necessary. By the way what is the evaluation of the routes?

 

[Charlie Brown]

My thought on this is that PM would use new RCA on Reg Rt up to 40 Hrs. and then place on Aux RT one day. Senior carrier works 5 Days AUX RT and 1 Day Reg RT and they both may be exempt from Amazon Sundays or selected last if necessary. By the way what is the evaluation of the routes?

You're probably right.
My point was that Green may not select a 5-1 assignment since the K route has an assigned RCA. (I should have worded my O/P differently)
With a new RCA I'm sure Green will get plenty of work on the K route.