An opinion

dhoward541 · Jan 15, 2017

We have had a lot of issues over the holidays covering routes; between the office and the RMPO we were down 3 subs out of 8 routes at various times.

So this is my question; how many offices have subs for their auxi routes. If we had just had subs for the auxi's it would have been a totally different situation.

Years ago we had an auxi and because the RCA on it still subbed on the route of a carrier that was way less than dependable the PM at that time kept a sub for it. The sub worked a good bit, covered other routes for us and whenever there was a vacancy the sub from the auxi would move to it and you would get an already trained sub pretty quickly. Then we would start hunting another sub for the auxi, retention was never a problem and it worked out really well until we lost that PM and all the ones since say it's not worth it to hire a sub for the aux.

Anyone have any input; we have a new PM, who you can actually talk to and was a carrier. I want to broach the subject; but without more benefits for the PO, figure I'll get shot down again.

gotstamps · Jan 15, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">dhoward541 said 
We have had a lot of issues over the holidays covering routes; between the office and the RMPO we were down 3 subs out of 8 routes at various times.

So this is my question; how many offices have subs for their auxi routes. If we had just had subs for the auxi's it would have been a totally different situation.

Years ago we had an auxi and because the RCA on it still subbed on the route of a carrier that was way less than dependable the PM at that time kept a sub for it. The sub worked a good bit, covered other routes for us and whenever there was a vacancy the sub from the auxi would move to it and you would get an already trained sub pretty quickly. Then we would start hunting another sub for the auxi, retention was never a problem and it worked out really well until we lost that PM and all the ones since say it's not worth it to hire a sub for the aux.

Anyone have any input; we have a new PM, who you can actually talk to and was a carrier. I want to broach the subject; but without more benefits for the PO, figure I'll get shot down again. </blockquote>
Why hasn't any othe sub taken the aux??? After 90 days, they would accrue SL & AL and could assist where needed in addition to the auxiliary. We have aux routes but subs WANT them for easy days and the accrual of leave. We've had an aux for years, just not the same one due to a fast growing area. Every 6-12 months, we create a new one & another goes to H-route status. Never hired a sub just for the aux route.

dhoward541 · Jan 15, 2017

There are RCA's on the auxi's; but they have to be covered too when someone is out. We have a auxi and RMPO has a auxi; the sub on our auxi has been out since the 1st of December on a WC claim and she was also the sub on my route. The auxi at the RMPO is a 6 day route. Add to that a regular carrier out the week after Christmas in the hospital, a sub out on surgery, a sub who had a death in the family and we were already down a sub before the holidays and that made it tight.

EthelAnne · Jan 16, 2017

The benefit to the PO for hiring more RCAs is always reduction in OT and avoiding grievances (from leave denials). Not sure what the specific circumstances are in your office, but those are a couple of reasons why your PM might want to hire more RCAs.

The disadvantages are, of course, the hiring and training costs which are substantial (not sure how accurate this is, but I've heard the number $8k thrown around as the cost of a new hire) and the turnover rate (for RCAs it's 40-50%). If you can make those costs less painful for your PM somehow, for example, if you know of someone who you think would make a good fit as an RCA, your PM might be more willing to take the chance on the new hire.

Good luck.

ETA: Just an FYI, your office can only hire as many RCAs as there are routes. So if you have a ten route office and ten RCAs and one RCA goes out for a month for whatever reason, your PM can't hire an 11th without letting someone go first. This is a pretty common scenario in offices, believe it or not--they hire as many RCAs as they have routes, but then the RCAs wind up having limited availibility, so on paper, it appears the office is fully staffed, but in reality there's no one to work Wednesdays or whatever.

heyman1104 · Jan 16, 2017

@ethelanne I could easily see $8k in training costs. Time in the classroom, EMA for travel to class, drug tests, taking up a seat in a classroom, having other subs split the workload, and so on. 8k is probable an accurate number.

EthelAnne · Jan 16, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">heyman1104 said 
@ethelanne I could easily see $8k in training costs. Time in the classroom, EMA for travel to class, drug tests, taking up a seat in a classroom, having other subs split the workload, and so on. 8k is probable an accurate number. </blockquote>
Yeah, I would not be surprised, either, but as I've never heard that officially, I put the caveat in.

gotstamps · Jan 16, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">dhoward541 said 
There are RCA's on the auxi's; but they have to be covered too when someone is out. We have a auxi and RMPO has a auxi; the sub on our auxi has been out since the 1st of December on a WC claim and she was also the sub on my route. The auxi at the RMPO is a 6 day route. Add to that a regular carrier out the week after Christmas in the hospital, a sub out on surgery, a sub who had a death in the family and we were already down a sub before the holidays and that made it tight. </blockquote>
As long as there is a "sub of record" attached to a route, mgmt cannot hire for that route. Just like a Regular retiring, mgmt cannot advance a sub to Regular until the route is listed as VACANT. We don't have "floaters" who don't have a route to call "home". Your mgmts only option is force Regs to work relief days and/or "borrow" subs from other offices if there are any that want/need the hours.

olewhatshername · Jan 16, 2017

EthelAnne, you are correct it is right at $8,000.00 to hire and train a new RCA. I ask my Intermediate PM not that long ago this very question.

We have a RCA SUB for the Auxi route and it is a little over two hours route. The RCA assigned to the AUXi is a 5/1 so this RCA works only every other week for a little over two hours or a grand total of about 5 hours a month as a RCA.

gotstamps · Jan 16, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">olewhatshername said 
EthelAnne, you are correct it is right at $8,000.00 to hire and train a new RCA. I ask my Intermediate PM not that long ago this very question.

We have a RCA SUB for the Auxi route and it is a little over two hours route. The RCA assigned to the AUXi is a 5/1 so this RCA works only every other week for a little over two hours or a grand total of about 5 hours a month as a RCA. </blockquote>
Why "every other week"? The assigned RCA as a 5/1 shouldn't be working the aux on the "1" allowing the other sub to run it weekly.

olewhatshername · Jan 17, 2017

The RCA 5/1 works a J route.

gotstamps · Jan 17, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">olewhatshername said 
The RCA 5/1 works a J route. </blockquote>
5/1 is only for aux routes. A J-route is not an aux. A J-route would have a Reg carrier on it and the RCA would only work 1 day every 2 weeks & when the J carrier requested off.

Deer Smearer · Jan 17, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">gotstamps said 

5/1 is only for aux routes. A J-route is not an aux. A J-route would have a Reg carrier on it and the RCA would only work 1 day every 2 weeks & when the J carrier requested off. </blockquote>
I'm reading it as...

Sub A is assigned the aux and chose 5/1. Their 1 is a J route. They run the aux 6 days one week, 5 the next.

Sub B runs the aux one day every other week.

olewhatshername · Jan 17, 2017

I am sorry for any confusion ...........Deer Smearer is correct.

gotstamps · Jan 18, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">Deer Smearer said 

I'm reading it as...

Sub A is assigned the aux and chose 5/1. Their 1 is a J route. They run the aux 6 days one week, 5 the next.

Sub B runs the aux one day every other week. </blockquote>
That's not "legal". The choice is 5/1 OR 6-day, not both. I'd get with the union on that.

Deer Smearer · Jan 18, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">gotstamps said 

That's not "legal". The choice is 5/1 OR 6-day, not both. I'd get with the union on that. </blockquote>
I think 6/0 & 5/1 are just terms used.

Language from the contract states...

"upon accepting an auxiliary route assignment, the employee must make an election to serve the auxiliary route six days per week or continue to serve the auxiliary route and only on the assigned regular route as the primary leave replacement"

I'm not seeing anything that limits the regular route to a K route. So it's really not a "5/1", it's just not an aux only selection (new contract provisions not withstanding )

So theoretically they could be a "5/1" on an "H" route and run the aux 6 days a week until the regular on the H route takes a day off, or 1 day every other week if their regular route primary is a J route like in OWHN's example.

This just keeps them on the Matrix for their primary, and even if an H route, depending on the regulars tendency to take time off, they could still work a lot of days on the H route.

oi veh. · Jan 18, 2017

^^^Exactly.

When I ran my aux, I was 5/1...but my primary was a J route. Ran 5/1 when my reg was on her J day, 6 when she worked. (But I really didn't have a "sub", so I ran both routes on her J day.)

gotstamps · Jan 18, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">Oi veh. said 
^^^Exactly.
When I ran my aux, I was 5/1...but my primary was a J route. Ran 5/1 when my reg was on her J day, 6 when she worked. (But I really didn't have a "sub", so I ran both routes on her J day.) </blockquote>
In delving further into the union website, I do see that none of the papers actually state 5/1, just that the 1 is a regular rural route. Being in a formula office for almost 12 years, we never had the opportunity to view the "selection" paperwork. Still doesn't make sense to me to not choose a K-route, especially with the possibility of assisting. We have one aux sub that works "clerk work" to give a clerk their weekly day off. I don't agree with it since we shouldn't be crossing crafts, but not my fight. The RCA WANTS to work inside & would prefer to be a clerk.

oi veh. · Jan 18, 2017

I don't know about anyone else, but both routes at that time were J routes and I was senior sub, so...

As to the other, then said RCA should change crafts. Honestly, I have no respect whatsoever for those who cross crafts. Surely there is a PTF within a 50 mile radius who would welcome the work. (Your PM best hope that none catch wise and file a grievance or he will be paying every APWU member within that 50 miles.)

gotstamps · Jan 18, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">Oi veh. said 
I don't know about anyone else, but both routes at that time were J routes and I was senior sub, so...

As to the other, then said RCA should change crafts. Honestly, I have no respect whatsoever for those who cross crafts. Surely there is a PTF within a 50 mile radius who would welcome the work. (Your PM best hope that none catch wise and file a grievance or he will be paying every APWU member within that 50 miles.) </blockquote>
She's taken the test, but hasn't been hired to it. I don't care for it either & she's fixing to lose the aux (it's getting posted). We have Rural PTFs, clerks no longer have that position (PSE now) but with those & clerks out on injuries and etc., can't hire any.

oi veh. · Jan 18, 2017

Depends on your level office...and it sounds like yours is at least an 18. PSEs are not allowed to work in those, as far as I know. PTFs only. Not rural, clerk PTFs. Your PM should be putting out the word to all surrounding offices for clerk help. There aren't any hub clerks in your area?

She can apply to any office, not just yours. >