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Answering the Phone as a Regular Question

C

CurryStorm

New member
Another day another issue with my PM. I tried looking this up but everything I get is in regards to RCAs not answering their phones but nothing about regular carriers. I have Sunday and Monday off on my 46K route. Am I required to answer my phone if my PM calls me on one of those days?

I generally try to help when I can in my office, but I've reached a point where I'm tired of helping out, but when it's my turn for a favor, I get nothing in return. I had to work my K day everyday through the holidays but I did because I knew 2 of our 5 rural carriers were out do to surgeries and we only have 3 RCAs. So now the holidays are over and 1 of the regulars are back so I figured I would be back to getting my Monday off. Well, I got a call from my PM this past Sunday night at 9pm telling me that my RCA's car was broke and she couldn't work. So I go in and work and get my X day. I tell my PM that I want to use my X day this Tuesday (so I can have Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off) thinking it would be no big deal because Tuesdays are light, none of the other carriers are off, and heck, maybe a little consideration for me coming in on my day off to work. Well, my PM tells me no that she has control over when I take my X days (which I know she does), and she was going to give me another day off instead (but she did thank me for coming in...).

Anyway, I've reached a point where I'm tired of helping out and then having to beg for time off. So my question is, as a regular, do I have to answer the phone when I'm not working if my PM calls? If not, is there a code that I can print out to cover me? Because if there is, I will not be working another one of my days off to help this PM anytime soon. I don't want to sound like a butt, but this has been going on for 2 years now. I cover for everybody in the office for funerals, sickness, vacation, whatever but when I go to her to request a day off, you'd think I'm asking her for a kidney. Thanks for any help.
 
CurryStorm said:
Another day another issue with my PM. I tried looking this up but everything I get is in regards to RCAs not answering their phones but nothing about regular carriers. I have Sunday and Monday off on my 46K route. Am I required to answer my phone if my PM calls me on one of those days?

I generally try to help when I can in my office, but I've reached a point where I'm tired of helping out, but when it's my turn for a favor, I get nothing in return. I had to work my K day everyday through the holidays but I did because I knew 2 of our 5 rural carriers were out do to surgeries and we only have 3 RCAs. So now the holidays are over and 1 of the regulars are back so I figured I would be back to getting my Monday off. Well, I got a call from my PM this past Sunday night at 9pm telling me that my RCA's car was broke and she couldn't work. So I go in and work and get my X day. I tell my PM that I want to use my X day this Tuesday (so I can have Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off) thinking it would be no big deal because Tuesdays are light, none of the other carriers are off, and heck, maybe a little consideration for me coming in on my day off to work. Well, my PM tells me no that she has control over when I take my X days (which I know she does), and she was going to give me another day off instead (but she did thank me for coming in...).

Anyway, I've reached a point where I'm tired of helping out and then having to beg for time off. So my question is, as a regular, do I have to answer the phone when I'm not working if my PM calls? If not, is there a code that I can print out to cover me? Because if there is, I will not be working another one of my days off to help this PM anytime soon. I don't want to sound like a butt, but this has been going on for 2 years now. I cover for everybody in the office for funerals, sickness, vacation, whatever but when I go to her to request a day off, you'd think I'm asking her for a kidney. Thanks for any help.
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are you on the rdwl? code 3 only works for me if the pm and i can agree on the x day,, otherwise code 5 it is.. unless she bought you that phone, i would check the schedule when leaving and turn the phone off...
 
PastOThirty said:
You are not on call. Of course once they inform you in person, in the immediate conversation (two way, hearing it as it is said, and not a message) or it is published during the normal schedule posting period, you must adhere to the order to work.

You might skate/escape on last minute schedule changes if it is not in your normal path to and from work areas, and or they fail to inform you directly of changes. But only might. Some will insist schedule changes are our responsibility to monitor. Try me.
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It's fine if she catches me before I leave on Saturday and tells me I have to come in Monday, I'll live with that. I realize I work with other carriers and sometimes things happen and you have to help each other out. However, I just want to make sure that once I leave the office Saturday and I'm scheduled to be off on Monday, I am no longer obligated to answer her calls or texts. She usually calls me or the other carrier that has Monday off if she needs one of us to work. This past Sunday night, she called the other carrier (who didn't answer the phone because she was in the middle of enjoying her 4 days off - 2 were X days she was finally able to use) but didn't call me. I promised the other carrier that I would work Monday if something came up so she could enjoy her 4 days off, so the other carrier called me and told me that the PM had called her. Before I could call the PM myself to tell her I would work, she sent out a group text to the two of us saying that one of us had to work Monday because of the RCA car trouble issue. So I discovered that if we don't answer the phone in a certain amount of time, she'll start texting us too.

And, no, I'm not on overtime desired list. It appears I should be since it feels like I have to work my Monday off all the time anyway.
 
You are a regular carrier and you know when your relief day is
Therefore there is no need for you to EVER look at any schedule
You know the schedule
and yes when you walk out the door on saturday if they have not in person contacted you then you can safely assume that you have your relief day to yourself
if you dont want the work or the hassle then ignore phone calls or texts
 
If u don't show up until Tue would he write u up. Not a leg to stand on. Do not answer any calls or text from either pm or the other carrier. Do not want to know anything that happens. Deal with it when u come in on Tues. Maybe he'll carry it, or use that new 50 mile rule in the contract to find someone. NOT YOUR PROBLEM
 
And, no, I'm not on overtime desired list. It appears I should be since it feels like I have to work my Monday off all the time anyway.
[/QUOTE]
My story is similar to yours, you obviously are self conscious caring person and that is what the PO loves the most because they can stomp all over you. The best way that I have found to deal with text or phone calls is just don't look at your phone until after start time, this way you will say oh shucks I missed it and you did without lying. Also a few missed text or phone calls will stop this, they know not to call or text about the third time. Works like a charm, PM had to carry one day. They are trying to bully you in so they don't have to gear up or call around for help. I heard my PM laughing at another PM when she called asking for help, Oh my guess she doesn't have her station under control. Karma wasn't but two weeks went by and PM was calling back for help herself before she had to suit up and deliver.
 
You could always use "DACA R" in which case YOU get to choose the day off you want. Problem with that is, you get no additional pay for working your relief day; you're trading a day for a day........I find it ridiculous that some PM's feel the need to "regulate" your DACA 3 X-day, in which you did the PO a favor. Luckily I have never had to deal with this nonsense. I receive an x day every week, save them, and use them as vacation days throughout the year. No problems for my PM. I saved over 30 last year and took a month vaca to Europe in September, didn't use a single day of leave, and had 5 x days left. :cool: :cool:
 
A step 2 grievance won if not on RDWL... Please clearly define an Emergency contact #. The digits they have for me ask " Are they hurt? if not their reply is I will try to contact. Beyond 12 years as REG with this settlement.

Lack of planning does not constitute an emergency claim by them because they refuse to split or work an RCA 12 hrs in a day in an effort to appease newer RCA'S or carry a route on their time in order to meet last dispatch.

The new schedule posted has me and an RCA covering my route for 2 days where I have no time submitted for those 2 days. I did not mention it.
 
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Surf said:
You could always use "DACA R" in which case YOU get to choose the day off you want. Problem with that is, you get no additional pay for working your relief day; you're trading a day for a day........I find it ridiculous that some PM's feel the need to "regulate" your DACA 3 X-day, in which you did the PO a favor. Luckily I have never had to deal with this nonsense. I receive an x day every week, save them, and use them as vacation days throughout the year. No problems for my PM. I saved over 30 last year and took a month vaca to Europe in September, didn't use a single day of leave, and had 5 x days left. :cool: :cool:
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You can carry x days ,but there supposed to pay them out,after 12 weeks. If you try to carry over to many vacation days, you lose them, with no reimbursement...
 
hockey94 said:
When I finally blocked the human in charge, it was a great feeling. At least with the phone I have, you do not see a missed cal or mssg. not sure about what happens with a text. I did get a voice mail, oh well.
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My blocked numbers callers, just hear it ring forever without, a chance to leave a voicemail. Texts from them, are returned as undeliverable. Should all be in your settings....
 
Surf said:
I've carried x-days for over a year with no issues........so far......;);)
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The problem arises when you get to the point of having to many annual days. They can always pay your x days out, but at the time,when at the end of the year you have to many annual days because you've been using x days for vacation, your annual days will disappear without compensation....never let them have you work for free
 
MiddleOfNowhere said:
The problem arises when you get to the point of having to many annual days. They can always pay your x days out, but at the time,when at the end of the year you have to many annual days because you've been using x days for vacation, your annual days will disappear without compensation....never let them have you work for free
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Yeah. THIS I am aware of. If I didn't use any leave at all, and only used x days, I'm ok for a couple more years. 55 is the max we can carry for annual if I'm not mistaken??? I will NEVER allow "losing" my accrued leave. If I have to sit home to use it, I will!! :cool: :cool:

PastOThirty said:
So, is there a maximum number of x days you can carryover year after year? Not that I am in that position or intend to be, just “for science.”
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I don't know the answer to that one. I don't carry too many x days, as the wife and I take multiple vacations each year. I did have 30 accrued at one point last year, but that was because we were taking that whole month off. I had stated that I carried x days for over a year: I might've misspoke (definitely misspoke), as after I thought about it, the older x days get used when I take off, thus the newly accrued ones aren't a year old. The reason I'm in this position: We are a 3 route office with 2 subs. I "loaned" my sub to the senior carrier so he could have Saturdays off and I could accrue the x days (no longer my sub as she "transferred" to his route). The 3 routes routes work well together to share the subs as needed. I'm not in any hurry to have another RCA hired, I'll keep taking the DACA 3's!! And our subs don't get very many hours, so their ok with only 2 also.
 
The more I read on here, the more I realize , no two offices are the same, although the contract is written for all. I don’t think any two offices operates by the rules. One lets carriers hold on to their x days for ever, another,. only lets us use them on their terms . Annual days, sick days they are all the same . We’re at the mercy of their whims . Okay I am through ranting!!!!
 
Surf said:
Yeah. THIS I am aware of. If I didn't use any leave at all, and only used x days, I'm ok for a couple more years. 55 is the max we can carry for annual if I'm not mistaken??? I will NEVER allow "losing" my accrued leave. If I have to sit home to use it, I will!! :cool: :cool:


I don't know the answer to that one. I don't carry too many x days, as the wife and I take multiple vacations each year. I did have 30 accrued at one point last year, but that was because we were taking that whole month off. I had stated that I carried x days for over a year: I might've misspoke (definitely misspoke), as after I thought about it, the older x days get used when I take off, thus the newly accrued ones aren't a year old. The reason I'm in this position: We are a 3 route office with 2 subs. I "loaned" my sub to the senior carrier so he could have Saturdays off and I could accrue the x days (no longer my sub as she "transferred" to his route). The 3 routes routes work well together to share the subs as needed. I'm not in any hurry to have another RCA hired, I'll keep taking the DACA 3's!! And our subs don't get very many hours, so their ok with only 2 also.
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10 years ago i heard of a carrier with 60 or 70 x days
 
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