"Bumping" on the Matrix

[Royalturtle]

I've worked for the Post Office for a little over a year now and have only been assigned and trained on one route. I am the sub of record on that route. The regular has just retired along with another, leaving us with two vacant routes. As the sub of record, I was placed on the route for 6 days each week. Now getting to the Matrix... There are two PTF's in our office. One who wants the route I currently am the sub of record on. When we do the Matrix in the next week or so... Is the PTF allowed to take my route and become the new sub of record for the route?

 

[oi veh.]

The 2 PTFs will be awarded the routes, becoming regulars.

You will still be the RCA...or, maybe a new PTF - putting you next in line to become regular, providing your PM retains the
position(s). 

http://www.ruralinfo.net/kb/Part-timeFlexibleRuralCarriersSu....pdf

 

[Royalturtle]

Yes, I know they will become regulars in the near future. I'm referring to right now before the route is up for bid and they actually become a regular. The route isn't posted for bid yet because the retirements are fairly new. Our last route that went up for bid took months to be filled. That gap in which the route is not filled is what I was referring to. The PTF in my office wants to become the primary back up of the route until he converts into a regular. Is a PTF allowed to take a route from an RCA who is the primary sub when our office does the Matrix? Because as of now until the Matrix I am scheduled to do the route, but the PTF said they would "take it from me" when the Matrix is done. 

 

[Shafted]

No they can’t “take it from you”. It’s yours until they are awarded it. You as primary run it until it is their assignment as a regular. Tell PM you will grieve your right to run it till it is awarded. If it gets ugly, and the lying begins about when they are actually getting it demand to see the form 50. An office near me had a sweet arrangement with super and senior rca to lie and say it was all done, when it wasn’t because of an a route adjustment. Needless to say that rca grieved and got back pay for every day they were shut out because of the lying. Fight for your rights. 

 

[Kelp]

No Bumping. https://www.knowledgebase.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Matrix-2013.pdf

 

[gotstamps]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Royalturtle said </strong>
I've worked for the Post Office for a little over a year now and have only been assigned and trained on one route. I am the sub of record on that route. The regular has just retired along with another, leaving us with two vacant routes. As the sub of record, I was placed on the route for 6 days each week. Now getting to the Matrix... There are two PTF's in our office. One who wants the route I currently am the sub of record on. When we do the Matrix in the next week or so... Is the PTF allowed to take my route and become the new sub of record for the route?  </blockquote>
PTFs cannot "hold down" a route nor can they be assigned to an Auxiliary route. The PTF position has a minimum of 2 primary routes making it impossible to be on a hold-down. Even if one of the routes on their "string" were to go to hold-down or vacant, mgmt would be forced to remove that route from the string.

 

[Royalturtle]

Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it. I have talked about this on many occasions with my shop steward because this has been a topic for about a month before the retirements have taking effect just this Saturday. The shop steward did say it was not considered "bumping" when we do the Matrix and a PTF picks their routes. The two PTFs in our office have four routes. I was informed by the shop steward that as a PTF, you are allowed to choose any route even if it has a primary sub on it. Basically removing me as a primary sub and putting the PTF as the primary back up. That happening, would that force me down to the second back up... Which would be bumping. Or would that remove me from the route and I would have to pick another open route which is slim to none left? I was told this is how the office always does the matrix as well. It's really confusing to me 

 

[gotstamps]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Royalturtle said </strong>
Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it. I have talked about this on many occasions with my shop steward because this has been a topic for about a month before the retirements have taking effect just this Saturday. The shop steward did say it was not considered "bumping" when we do the Matrix and a PTF picks their routes. The two PTFs in our office have four routes. I was informed by the shop steward that as a PTF, you are allowed to choose any route even if it has a primary sub on it. Basically removing me as a primary sub and putting the PTF as the primary back up. That happening, would that force me down to the second back up... Which would be bumping. Or would that remove me from the route and I would have to pick another open route which is slim to none left? I was told this is how the office always does the matrix as well. It's really confusing to me   </blockquote>
Your steward is VERY mistaken! PTFs do NOT choose their string. It is chosen by mgmt. Mgmt CANNOT bump a primary to give to a PTF string. A PTF can be scheduled to run a route over a SECONDARY or TERTIARY, though. If any sub is bumped from their primary for any reason (aside from hold-down "Relief Day"), a grievance should be filed & easily won!

 

[gotstamps]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Lady Carrier said </strong>
<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Oi veh. said </strong>
The 2 PTFs will be awarded the routes, becoming regulars.
 </blockquote>

<strong>If</strong> they bid the routes.

An RCA that wants to be regular should <strong>ALWAYS</strong> bid even if they are the bottom. Something could happen that someone or all above them do not bid or could get hurt or could quit before the route is awarded.

It happens. It happened with me. I was not the senior RCA but I bid and got the route because the senior RCA thought the AUX he was on would become an H at count, but it was another 2 or 3 years before that happened, so he didn't bid and therefore stayed an RCA and I went full time. So it can happen.

If nothing else you will get the experience of bidding and being part of the process for future bid times.  </blockquote>
Lady- PTFs do not have to bid as they advance automatically when a route is posted. An RCA cannot go Regular before a PTF. It's in the contract.

 

[BeatsAll-IEverSeen]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Royalturtle said </strong>
Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it. I have talked about this on many occasions with my shop steward because this has been a topic for about a month before the retirements have taking effect just this Saturday. The shop steward did say it was not considered "bumping" when we do the Matrix and a PTF picks their routes. The two PTFs in our office have four routes. I was informed by the shop steward that as a PTF, you are allowed to choose any route even if it has a primary sub on it. Basically removing me as a primary sub and putting the PTF as the primary back up. That happening, would that force me down to the second back up... Which would be bumping. Or would that remove me from the route and I would have to pick another open route which is slim to none left? I was told this is how the office always does the matrix as well. It's really confusing to me   </blockquote>
Your steward is giving you extremely bad information. Call your ADR asap. 

 

[Aux01]

Pretty sure I read that a Primary could be "Re-assigned " not bumped...Play on words ...

 

[gotstamps]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Aux01 said </strong>
Pretty sure I read that a Primary could be "Re-assigned " not bumped...Play on words ...  </blockquote>
Only if the route disappears like a vacant route being divided out to build up other routes or if a route changes cities. Nobody can force you off your primary to put a sub or PTF on it.

 

[btdtret]

gotstamps et al -- "<strong>Aux01 said </strong>

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">
Pretty sure I read that a Primary could be “Re-assigned ” not bumped…Play on words …  

</blockquote>
Only if the route disappears like a vacant route being divided out to build up other routes or if a route changes cities. Nobody can force you off your primary to put a sub or PTF on it."

--  I think Aux01 was referring to Step 4 ( R-9 )?  PTF Assignments #11.

Q - What happens to a PTF rural carrier if their primary assignments become J or H routes and the remaining K routes already have leave replacements assigned?

A - To establish a PTF assignment or to post a PTF vacancy, there must be at least two K routes available to assign to the PTF.  Therefore, in the situation cited above, management may reassign a substitute, RCA, or RCR to a primary assignment on a J or H route ( therefore allowing the assignment of a K route to the PTF ), and/or adjust a former K route(s) back to K classification in accordance with applicable regulations.

If management determines that the reassignment of a substitute, RCA, or RCR to another primary assignment is appropriate, the available primary assignments will be offered to substitutes, RCA's and RCR's, based upon the longest period of continuous service in the office, without regard to classification.  If no leave replacement selects another primary assignment, management will then reassign by juniority.

 

[gotstamps]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>btdtret said </strong>
gotstamps et al -- "<strong>Aux01 said </strong>

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">
Pretty sure I read that a Primary could be “Re-assigned ” not bumped…Play on words …  
</blockquote>

Only if the route disappears like a vacant route being divided out to build up other routes or if a route changes cities. Nobody can force you off your primary to put a sub or PTF on it."

--  I think Aux01 was referring to Step 4 ( R-9 )?  PTF Assignments #11.

Q - What happens to a PTF rural carrier if their primary assignments become J or H routes and the remaining K routes already have leave replacements assigned?

A - To establish a PTF assignment or to post a PTF vacancy, there must be at least two K routes available to assign to the PTF.  Therefore, in the situation cited above, management may reassign a substitute, RCA, or RCR to a primary assignment on a J or H route ( therefore allowing the assignment of a K route to the PTF ), and/or adjust a former K route(s) back to K classification in accordance with applicable regulations.

If management determines that the reassignment of a substitute, RCA, or RCR to another primary assignment is appropriate, the available primary assignments will be offered to substitutes, RCA's and RCR's, based upon the longest period of continuous service in the office, without regard to classification.  If no leave replacement selects another primary assignment, management will then reassign by juniority.  </blockquote>
Ok. Forgot about that one. That only happens in a loss of territory or a bad count. Not in this scenario though. 

The OP is on a PTF wanting to "bump" which is not allowed. Even if this OPs office has the issue of lost territory (like a natural disaster), the PTF position cannot "hold down" a vacant route. If one of the carriers on a PTF's string were to be injured or retire, that route would be removed from that string and offered to a sub as a primary. A PTF can't choose to change routes on their string.

 

[dumbolehickfromms]

one thing I think we are missing here is the "doing the matrix"     

When the matrix is established .......... it IS the matrix.   Management can fill in the blanks as people move around (quitting, becoming regular, move to another primary route, ect) and  a vacancy occurs.

But if Joe Blow was 2nd on Route 1, 3rd on Route 3,  and primary on Route 15, Joe Blow cannot be moved off those spots unless he agrees to be moved. 

They can't just throw away the matrix and redo another one. 

 

[Royalturtle]

Here is an update on the whole situation.

After reading the Matrix’s rules and the information you all provided me with. I contacted a friend I know in another post office for more information. They provided me with a union reps number, who I called to ask the question. 

She basically told me what you all said and  reinsured me that there is not bumping on the matrix under any circumstance. 

Not sure why my office has let PTF bump others on the Matrix for so many years. 

I let my supervisor know I talk to the union rep and she took care of it from there.  Also a different union rep was at our office the next day and confirmed to my shop steward that was not allowed. Of course the PTF threw a fit and tried to fight it. He can have fun with that.

Thank you all for the information, I really  appreciated the help.