I'm an RCA and I currently can cover 5 routes out of the 8 in our office. One of the routes I cover is the heaviest in the office. I almost never get it done by the evaluated time. I've tried my best to get a handle on it but it's just so massive with flats, mail and parcel volume. I've asked my PM to take me off it. Her response was that she has no one else to do it. (The only other available RCA covers the other 3 routes.) My next request was to ask the regular to take a different day off other than Monday, the regular refused. I was basically asking the regular for help, I'd like to keep doing the route just on a lower volume day until I know it better. I end up curtailing, which I hate doing and try my best not to, bc I can't handle it and then she complains about it So here's my question, can I refuse to do the route at all, being as I already know the required 3? I do not understand the regulars resistance to giving me a little help, to work with me.
Can I refuse to cover a route?
- Thread starter Eeyore714
- Start date
Eyeore714 -- " can I refuse to do the route at all"
-- No, that would not be a good option, especially if the PM gave you a direct order.
-- Are there any openings on the Matrix you could change to?
"I almost never get it done by the evaluated time."
-- You are not alone as even regulars are having difficulties making evaluated times.
-- How long and how often have you been working this route?
-- Try missing Dispatch a few times. Even if you have to take mail to the plant, it is extra money.
"I currently can cover 5 routes out of the 8 in our office." "The only other available RCA covers the other 3 routes."
-- A little help with the above -- only 2 RCA's to cover 8 routes?
-- Or are there other RCA's in your office?
-- Have regulars without an RCA submitted the 120-Day Notice to get a sub?
-- It's a long shot, but ask the PM to train other RCA's on the route. What's going to happen should you get sick?
" I end up curtailing,"
-- Does the PM okay your curtailing mail?
" she [ regular ] complains about it [ curtailing mail ]"
-- Tell the regular to ask for 8127 to work the curtailed mail. That might get the PM's attention.
"I do not understand the regulars [ having a Monday relief day ] resistance to giving me a little help,"
-- Probably should be thankful the regular doesn't have Tuesday as a relief day.
-- No, that would not be a good option, especially if the PM gave you a direct order.
-- Are there any openings on the Matrix you could change to?
"I almost never get it done by the evaluated time."
-- You are not alone as even regulars are having difficulties making evaluated times.
-- How long and how often have you been working this route?
-- Try missing Dispatch a few times. Even if you have to take mail to the plant, it is extra money.
"I currently can cover 5 routes out of the 8 in our office." "The only other available RCA covers the other 3 routes."
-- A little help with the above -- only 2 RCA's to cover 8 routes?
-- Or are there other RCA's in your office?
-- Have regulars without an RCA submitted the 120-Day Notice to get a sub?
-- It's a long shot, but ask the PM to train other RCA's on the route. What's going to happen should you get sick?
" I end up curtailing,"
-- Does the PM okay your curtailing mail?
" she [ regular ] complains about it [ curtailing mail ]"
-- Tell the regular to ask for 8127 to work the curtailed mail. That might get the PM's attention.
"I do not understand the regulars [ having a Monday relief day ] resistance to giving me a little help,"
-- Probably should be thankful the regular doesn't have Tuesday as a relief day.
dhoward541
New member
I understand that Monday's are bad and that's why a lot of carriers take them:
the carrier with management gets to choose their off day and it may be a 2080 problem is the reason they take that day, probably not many carriers that work Mondays do get done within evaluation; but that's why it's an average, some days you work under and some over.
Is the supervisor telling you to roll mail, if so, then the carrier's problem is with management; but if everyone in the office rolls mail on Monday that probably won't fly.
The other option would be for management to give you auxi asst on Monday to make dispatch; not stay within evaluation.
No, you can't refuse to do this route; time was put into training you to run it. I haven't heard of the 3 route restriction being enforced in years; since there has been such a shortage of subs. If a matrix is not posted it should be.
the carrier with management gets to choose their off day and it may be a 2080 problem is the reason they take that day, probably not many carriers that work Mondays do get done within evaluation; but that's why it's an average, some days you work under and some over.
Is the supervisor telling you to roll mail, if so, then the carrier's problem is with management; but if everyone in the office rolls mail on Monday that probably won't fly.
The other option would be for management to give you auxi asst on Monday to make dispatch; not stay within evaluation.
No, you can't refuse to do this route; time was put into training you to run it. I haven't heard of the 3 route restriction being enforced in years; since there has been such a shortage of subs. If a matrix is not posted it should be.
btdtret, My office has 4 subs but 2 of them are on "hold down" routes as we do not have a regular carrier for either of them. The matrix is pretty open, 4 subs assigned routes, 4 routes no sub of record. As far as I know, none of the regulars have submitted the 120 day notice/request. Curtailing-- usually my PM checks to see how much I got hit with, then tells me how much, if any, I can curtail. I'll have to mention the 8127 to the regular. Basically, if I were to get sick, they <span style="text-decoration: underline">have</span> to work. I'm guessing that as long as I get the route done by dispatch or before, my PM is happy.
Eeyore714 -- "My office has 4 subs but 2 of them are on “hold down” routes as we do not have a regular carrier for either of them."
-- If there are no regular carriers for two routes, have those two routes been put up of bidding? If not, why not?
-- If the regular carriers without a sub have not submitted the 120-Day Notice, manglement will keep putting off trying to hire additional subs.
-- As long as the PM checks your mail and tells you how much you can curtail, not much the regular can complain about.
-- You have an "interesting" post office.
-- Search for "120" in RI's KNOWLEDGEBASE. Print out the 120-Day Notice form and give one the each regular without a sub. Maybe that will get things rolling to have more subs in the office.
-- If there are no regular carriers for two routes, have those two routes been put up of bidding? If not, why not?
-- If the regular carriers without a sub have not submitted the 120-Day Notice, manglement will keep putting off trying to hire additional subs.
-- As long as the PM checks your mail and tells you how much you can curtail, not much the regular can complain about.
-- You have an "interesting" post office.
-- Search for "120" in RI's KNOWLEDGEBASE. Print out the 120-Day Notice form and give one the each regular without a sub. Maybe that will get things rolling to have more subs in the office.
heyman1104
New member
1) No one expects you to make "evaluated" time on Monday.
2) Evaluation is a weekly measurement, not daily, no matter what management says. It is meant to be an average and it is expected that some days will be over the daily evaluation and some days will be under.
3) It's really not the regular's job to help out by switching their day off or any other thing.
4) They should be complaining about having to handle Monday's mail on Tuesday, as they are not getting their full relief day per the contract. They should also get paid 8127 time for handling such mail.
5) Go ahead and refuse to do the route, if you want to get written up. Sorry, but it's kind of one of those things that you really can't very well get around. You might be able to grieve and argue disparity of treatment in that you are being forced to run the route and the others aren't.
6) You could also try to nag management into hiring a sub specifically for that route. It's a long shot but can't hurt.
7) Going to move this thread to "Leave Replacements" as it is a better fit there.
2) Evaluation is a weekly measurement, not daily, no matter what management says. It is meant to be an average and it is expected that some days will be over the daily evaluation and some days will be under.
3) It's really not the regular's job to help out by switching their day off or any other thing.
4) They should be complaining about having to handle Monday's mail on Tuesday, as they are not getting their full relief day per the contract. They should also get paid 8127 time for handling such mail.
5) Go ahead and refuse to do the route, if you want to get written up. Sorry, but it's kind of one of those things that you really can't very well get around. You might be able to grieve and argue disparity of treatment in that you are being forced to run the route and the others aren't.
6) You could also try to nag management into hiring a sub specifically for that route. It's a long shot but can't hurt.
7) Going to move this thread to "Leave Replacements" as it is a better fit there.
Nope you can't. Is Monday the only day you've done that route? Might be why you think it's so terrible. Only way out of it is to select another route that has Mondays off as your primary. And they won't be able to take you off your route to do the one you hate. But you may still have to help out on it. Like someone else mentioned, tell the regular to submit a form to hire a sub within 120 days if they don't like the job you're doing. You can't really blame the regular for not wanting to switch their day off. That's asking too much of them honestly.
Eeyore714 -- To ad to "nixie's" post - " Only way out of it is to select another route that has Mondays off as your primary. "
-- If you think Monday's are bad, try Tuesday's after a Monday Holiday! You will be guaranteed 5 a year and sometimes more, depending on how the other holidays fall on the calendar. Xmas Day 2017 falls on a Monday as does New Year's Day 2018.
-- If you think Monday's are bad, try Tuesday's after a Monday Holiday! You will be guaranteed 5 a year and sometimes more, depending on how the other holidays fall on the calendar. Xmas Day 2017 falls on a Monday as does New Year's Day 2018.
Ihatesnow -- "What happens when you get written up for something?"
-- Depending on what it was and the severity, there could be just an informal chat over an incident, or it could lead to an Official Discussion, to a 14-Day suspension, to removal. ( there are a few others in between ) Discipline is supposed to be progressive. So having a few "Official Discussions" or LOW's could easily snowball into some thing bigger. That's why one should ensure that there is a time period for removal of such items in one's file.
"And how many are you allowed?"
-- No set limit, but don't go trying to find out either!
-- Depending on what it was and the severity, there could be just an informal chat over an incident, or it could lead to an Official Discussion, to a 14-Day suspension, to removal. ( there are a few others in between ) Discipline is supposed to be progressive. So having a few "Official Discussions" or LOW's could easily snowball into some thing bigger. That's why one should ensure that there is a time period for removal of such items in one's file.
"And how many are you allowed?"
-- No set limit, but don't go trying to find out either!
Deer Smearer
Well-known member
<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>EthelAnne said </strong>
<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Ihatesnow said </strong>
What happens when you get written up for something? </blockquote>
You grieve it. Contact your union rep immediately. </blockquote>
And you want representation present if they want to talk to you about ANYTHING that could lead to discipline.
YOU have to ask for it. THEY don't have to tell you you have that right.
<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Ihatesnow said </strong>
What happens when you get written up for something? </blockquote>
You grieve it. Contact your union rep immediately. </blockquote>
And you want representation present if they want to talk to you about ANYTHING that could lead to discipline.
YOU have to ask for it. THEY don't have to tell you you have that right.
