18th calendar day of work in a row tomorrow

CommonSense · Dec 21, 2018

I'm an RCA and the regular carrier is apparently off till the end of December. My PM refuses to give me a day off (except for Christmas and 12-28) because I am the 1st line sub. The other RCA is on the matrix for the route I'm on, but is not running a route, just runs some parcels and then goes home before I'm done running all the parcels for my route in the dark. It is my understanding that postal policy requires a day off after 7 in a row. From what I've seen, the other RCA tells the PM what he wants to do (and gets his way).
What should I do?
(Apparently management is AGAIN begging for an EEO issue as I am over 50 and the other RCA is under 40.)

gotstamps · Dec 21, 2018

CommonSense said:
I'm an RCA and the regular carrier is apparently off till the end of December. My PM refuses to give me a day off (except for Christmas) because I am the 1st line sub. The other RCA is on the matrix for the route I'm on, but is not running a route, just runs some parcels and then goes home before I'm done running all the parcels for my route in the dark. It is my understanding that postal policy requires a day off after 7 in a row. From what I've seen, the other RCA tells the PM what he wants to do (and gets his way).
What should I do?

That “7-day” rule is not postal policy, it’s a District rule that the Union has not agreed to.
BUT, you are entitled to a Relief Day when “holding down” a route.
Article 30.2.H:
“H. 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.”

For your info... a sub just “running parcels” & not on a route IS considered AVAILABLE.

hockey94 · Dec 22, 2018

Its the PO, if you are needed, mgt pretty much just ignores the district rules or the contract . Typical BS.

CommonSense · Dec 22, 2018

gotstamps said:
That “7-day” rule is not postal policy, it’s a District rule that the Union has not agreed to.
BUT, you are entitled to a Relief Day when “holding down” a route.
Article 30.2.H:
“H. 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.”

For your info... a sub just “running parcels” & not on a route IS considered AVAILABLE.

I appreciate the info . . . the obvious response is apparently to file a grievance . . .
I will request the grievance form from the PM.

Shafted · Dec 22, 2018

Don’t ask for one. Make it a nice surprises. Print it at home. Everybody loves a good surprise. You ask for a form, it gives them time to concoct a strategy haha.

CommonSense · Dec 23, 2018

Shafted said:
Don’t ask for one. Make it a nice surprises. Print it at home. Everybody loves a good surprise. You ask for a form, it gives them time to concoct a strategy haha.

Sounds good, something to the effect of "Why does management not require their favorite RCA to be available to work my 8th calendar day as they have required of me (to do for their favorite)." On the other hand, that's a lot of forms and retaliating against a grievance is not unlawful (or at least the union has not informed me that it is) as retaliation against protected EEO activity is (against the law).
Perhaps just another quick e-mail to my "EEO counselor."