Confusion Over New Aux Route Creation.

[Gyros6875]

So 2 routes in my offices have decided to voluntarily cut so we are making an Aux route that is going to be about 4 hours long.

I'm the senior RCA in the office where the AUX route is being created but we have 2 other offices under ours one which has an RCA with more seniority than me.

She wants the Aux route and wants to do it 5 and 1 where she still works on Saturday for her carrier and any other days that the carrier takes off.

In any case Management said that for the first 90 days of the route RCA's are not allowed to bid on it (or whatever the process is)

So my question is who runs the route for those first 90 days ? If it goes by overall seniority on Saturdays does she run the Aux route or can she work her regular's relief day while I or another RCA runs the Aux route ?

Management is supposedly "checking into it" as currently no one has any idea where they are working on Saturday.

 

[btdtret]

Jacob6875 -- "[ New AUX created ] In any case Management said that for the first 90 days of the route RCA's are not allowed to bid on it (or whatever the process is.

-- Best get the Assistant District Representative up to speed on what is happening.

-- Ask manglement for their reference of no bidding on the AUX for the first 90 days.

"So my question is who runs the route for those first 90 days ? "

-- Apparently whom ever manglement wants or lets.

-- Doubt if manglement will listen, but here is Article 30.2.G.2. When an auxiliary route is to be filled, the route will be offered to qualified substitutes, rural carrier associates and rural carrier relief employees in the order of the longest continuous period of service at that office, without regard to classification.

-- APO and RMPO's have their senority lists merged.

-- Article 10 Section 5.B. Rural carrier associates assigned to an auxiliary route shall earn leave benefits based on the number of hours worked when serving the auxiliary route in excess of 90 days. On the 91st day, the RCA shall be credited with annual and sick leave from the first 90 days.

-- Certainly sounds like a manglement plot to prevent any one RCA for accumulating leave benefits for the first 90 days serving the AUX. Might mention that to the ADR.

-- If manglement does not allow bidding on the AUX for 90 days after the AUX is created, the RCA getting the route should file a grievance to be "made whole", meaning to have the start date back dated to when the AUX was created and RCA's contact about wanting the AUX. Might as well try for the leave benefits too - might teach manglement to abide by the contract.

 

[Skierstmoritz]

I might be missing something, but I don't think I have ever heard of waiting 90days to bid on a newly created route. You do have your 90 day probationary period when first hired. But wait 90 days to bid? Something fishy going on. Bdret has it right.

 

[stingrayiii]

So 2 routes in my offices have decided to voluntarily cut so we are making an Aux route that is going to be about 4 hours long.

I'm the senior RCA in the office where the AUX route is being created but we have 2 other offices under ours one which has an RCA with more seniority than me.

She wants the Aux route and wants to do it 5 and 1 where she still works on Saturday for her carrier and any other days that the carrier takes off.

If she has more seniority and bids then she gets it. But she has to do the Aux all six days, there is no 5 and 1.

In any case Management said that for the first 90 days of the route RCA's are not allowed to bid on it (or whatever the process is)

BS... It has to be bid on.

So my question is who runs the route for those first 90 days ? If it goes by overall seniority on Saturdays does she run the Aux route or can she work her regular's relief day while I or another RCA runs the Aux route ?

So my question is who runs the route for those first 90 days ?
It needs to be bid on as it is being created. The first day the Aux is built and ready for delivery it should have a bid on it and the carrier who won should be doing the route.

If it goes by overall seniority on Saturdays does she run the Aux route or can she work her regular's relief day while I or another RCA runs the Aux route ?
The senior can pass on the Aux if chooses.
If the senior wins the bid, she has to run the Aux route all six days.

Management is supposedly "checking into it" as currently no one has any idea where they are working on Saturday.

 

[hockey94]

Since when are Aux routes bid on ??

 

[EthelAnne]

Contact your union rep ASAP. Here's the language from the contract 30.2.G.2: "When an auxiliary route is to be filled, the route will be offered to qualified substitutes, rural carrier associates, and rural carrier relief employees in the order of the longest continuous period of service at that office, without regard to classification."

And 30.2.G.3 may also be relevant: "In offices that have changed the relief days of one or more regular routes in accordance with Article 9.2.C.5.b., upon accepting an auxiliary route assignment, the employee must relinquish the leave replacement assignment and serve on the auxiliary route six Article 30.2.G.3 122 days per week. The relinquished leave replacement assignment shall be filled in accordance with Article 30.2.E.1. 4. In offices that have not changed the relief days of one or more regular routes in accordance with Article 9.2.C.5.b., 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 on the assigned regular route as the primary leave replacement."

Talk to your union rep. It's not clear at all to me that this RCA working at another office is entitled to the route, though I am completely unfamiliar with the rules regarding APOs and RMPOs, and she may be entitled to it.

Don't take the word of management--the 90 days thing sounds like they've confused probationary period with leave earning status with route posting rules. At other workplaces, managers tend to be the most knowledgable people in the building--that is not true at the USPS. Very few understand the contract and pull stuff out of thin air and claim that's how it's done. Regardless, delaying the new auxiliary carrier those 90 days will impact them greatly as they only earn leave when they work their assigned route.

 

[gotstamps]

If it goes by overall seniority on Saturdays does she run the Aux route or can she work her regular's relief day while I or another RCA runs the Aux route ?
The senior can pass on the Aux if chooses.
If the senior wins the bid, she has to run the Aux route all six days.

Aux routes CAN be 5/1 or 6-Day in NON-Formula offices only. I don’t believe she can be stationed in 2 delivery units (APO/RMPO) at the same time. This would be having 2 primarys in 2 separate offices.

 

[Windindaface]

I'm in an APO/RMPO with 2 aux runs involved and the Matrix. 1 in APO other in RMPO. Both with 5/1 option.

These 2 AUX RCAS are only awarded 1 individual primary route coverage of their choice under the Matrix for either office. They both now cover in the APO as a Primary coverage for 2 separate routes.