Following orders = losing job?

[DB.Cooper]

That's the bottom line. Some of the parcels you brough back didn't have a falsified stop the clock scan.

G-Man (or woman)... that's how $#!+ works at the PO... District is on your PM's @$$ about missed scans, and says what are you gonna do about it???

Obviously they can't eff with borrowed subs, or how likely is it they would come back??? So tag, you're it... PM can say, hey it's a new sub, and I'm doing a PDI and LOW... you're the scapegoat for the PM's CYA...

Talk to your stewpot, and if they're worth a flip, they should be able to get this cleared up...

Good luck...

 

[hunchback]

As you said your managers borrowed other subs from another office, that means your office is sub short, YOU ARE NEEDED. As of a couple of years ago our union obtained from the postmaster general an agreement that all firings of ANY Rca's receive the approval of the district manager, that is never going to happen. Unless you are stealing, doing drugs, drinking, or fighting, you aren't going to be fired in today's USPS climate of low Rca retention. Don't think twice about this again, you are fine.

Rt2mailman we certainly agree on this, they won't leave a warm body go in todays climate.

If all of you were paying attention, they have gradually got less strict on how at fault vehicle accidents were handled, now we get a Pre-Arbitration Settlement saying you can't automatically have driver privleges suspended for an accident:

The parties agree that Article 29 and Handbook EL-804, Safe Driver Program, must be followed when management is considering suspension of driving privileges. Article 29 addresses the administrative action of suspension or revocation of driving privileges due to the on-duty record; while Handbook EL-804 requires the assessment of the individual circumstances surrounding each accident to determine whether a temporary suspension of driving privileges is warranted.


The parties also agree there are no provisions for the automatic suspension of an employee’s driving privileges based on the sole fact that the employee was involved in a motor vehicle accident.

This used to be automatic, has the Tin Man grown a heart? No they need every body they can muster to make a shot at universal service.

The question for you GiraffeAE86 is, is this what you signed up for?

Maybe changing your name to ScapeGoatAE86 would be appropriate,

With the average being 5 to 10 years from RCA to Regular, you only have 35 to 40 more years of this mistreatment to indore.

Hang in there Buddy, it gets better,.....NOT

 

[DB.Cooper]

We just had a RCA involved in an accident... in the past they would have at least questioned if it was "preventable"... this time all we could hear was the mngt geek continually saying, it wasn't their fault...

They never missed a day of work...

And ?... Hunchback is right... they threw you into a bad situation, and something went wrong, so they threw you under the bus... again, this is how $#!+ works at the PO... get used to it... just sayin'...

 

[wamailmom]

For what it's worth I had the steward with me during the PDI and the steward said that the PM came up with the questions in a way that would protect them. I just think this is a case of stuff rolling downhill, rather than management getting in trouble they'll just fodder it off on me.

That is EXACTLY what it was. Just before I quit (I had two years and 1 month in as an RCA), I got called in for a PDI for failure to follow instructions, when I did nothing but follow instructions. Bad weather, blocked boxes (lots of snow on ground, ice), stuff brought back from the day before, route I don't know. I'm told I have to be back by 7 (which is later changed to 8), but have to deliver everything. Can't do both. I stayed out and got everything delivered, with the little bit of help they sent me. And then was accused of not following directions. Pretty sure it was the supervisor that night trying to cover her ass, as the PM had written her up for "failure to manage" before. I gave that place 150%, and that's what I get. I'm so sorry it happened to you, but yes, covering their asses is entirely what they were doing, and they don't give a crap who gets hurt in the process.

 

[csparks]

I'm just brainstorming based on my observations of the world here....These are just my opinions.

1. You have received no training in this area. Failure to train. This is a big catch-all
2.You were called in later that is reasonable to accomplish a task. Mismanaged.
3. USPS failed to provide you with clear direction; you acted upon orders from a supervisor. Failure to supervise.
4. You feel strongly that you are being discriminated against because you:
look different
left handed
alternative lifestyle
too conservative
too liberal
male
female
MAGA tattoo
5. You have been advised by the National Labor Relations Board to seek counsel.

Sadly, sometimes if you go into something thinking "I'll just be honest, and all will be fine" -- you end up being the only one at the table with that sort of scruples. This situation is like dealing with a bully. We all know that end the end you have to deal with a bully by either standing up to them, or hitting first.

 

[Crispcracker]

So I've been lurking around the forum since December and I finally have something to post about.

I've been an RCA for about a month now and my coworkers tell me I've been catching on pretty good up until this happened to me..

I wake up to a phone call to come in early to do a different route, no biggie (originally was scheduled later in the day to do a route because the regular can't deliver it but can case it all). By the time I got up there I was essentially 2 hours behind everyone else. The workload was massive, literally double what it normally has. I only had enough time to pull down the flats that were cased the night before and set up my SPRs and parcels, I barely had enough room in the truck and ended up taking 8 trays of DPS and 5 trays of flats to the street. Before I left I told management I was going to need some help, seeing as I had probably one of the fattest routes that day and it was my first attempt on it. I was 2nd to last to get out of the office.

5 o'clock rolls around and I call the office to see if they're going to send me some help. 45 minutes later 2 people show up, one guy takes my parcels and the other guy takes about half of my DPS and flats and tells me hes going to meet up with another carrier who will also help me by helping him. That leaves me with all the SPRs and half of the DPS and flats. Ok, cool.

7:30 - I get a phone call from the 204B and was told to deliver for 10 more minutes and then bring all the mail back, I told him exactly what the other carriers took from me and what I had left in my truck and they said to bring it all back. ALL. Ok, cool.

7:50 - I walk in through the doors and the PM immediately tells me to leave everything at the case and just take off, to which I say.. I'll just put on my greencard 7:50 because there's things I need to do at the case before I leave. Their response: Ok, cool. So I cart in whatever mail I had left and put everything at the case along with ~60 SPRs and I ask what do I need to do with these? Both 204B and PM tell me to scan them up as Customer Hold, so I do just that.

I had the next 2 days off because of Jury Duty and fast forward to today I had a PDI involving hiding mail and not doing the duties the job asked me to. I'm basically in boiling water because of doing what I was told. I also found out today that apparently if you know you're out on a route and you can't get any help for whatever reason that standard protocol is to just stop delivering mail and deliver packages (SPRs are considered packages too which I guess is on me but that is besides the point). Neither myself or the other people who started the same time I did knew about that at any point.

tl;dr I followed direct orders and I'm not past my 90 days, It's my word against management and our union rep says we can't make it seem like we are going after management, how screwed am I?

Wait! They let you case the night before? We're forbaden ! Heil!

 

[DB.Cooper]

For what it's worth I had the steward with me during the PDI and the steward said that the PM came up with the questions in a way that would protect them. I just think this is a case of stuff rolling downhill, rather than management getting in trouble they'll just fodder it off on me.

So what's the latest and greatest G-man??

Now that it's Monday they probably moved on to some other "crisis"... they create them, then justify their jobs by effing them up to the maximum extent possible... which leads to the next crisis.... so that's their sad and irritating existence... in a nut shell...

 

[GiraffeAE86]

So what's the latest and greatest G-man??

I was told to write a letter basically retracing everything that happened that day from start to finish by including every little detail, which I did. The letter is for my steward who is going to show it to the union.

Steward also told me that they'd be getting me backpay for the weekend as well. I don't care too much for that I just want to go back to work. Yeah the job sucks but I see it as honest work and like someone else said in here earlier, there's really not too much to pick from here with the same pay grade so here I am.

 

[ABCya]

Never, Never NEVER turn down $. ?

 

[mwellis32]

So sorry you are managed by such incompetence. Just do the best you can and if you get canned maybe there will be a union steward out there somewhere who gives a damn about this onslaught of poor managing?

 

[EthelAnne]

The reality: someone filed an electronic complaint. The PM threw you under the bus to cover their arse. I also got a PDI for following orders, then an electronic complaint, then i get the blame.

You are an RCA, you are safe.

I'd bet my pension that this is exactly what happened.

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to get too worked up over a PDI. Very often they're never followed up on with discipline--hope that's the case for you.

 

[GiraffeAE86]

At this point I'm starting to believe they just won't call me back and let me sit until the end of time, I've already missed 4 days of work, including today.

I'm having trouble trying to figure out if I should take things into my own hands by trying to contact someone higher up or let my steward do everything, they seem confident in everything somehow managing to turn it into a class action.

I'd just like to know why most people in here think I'm safe yet I'm not past my 90 and could be fired for breathing.

 

[btdtret]

GiraffeAE86 -- " I've already missed 4 days of work, including today."

-- Without knowing what your work schedule has been, missing 4 days of work as an RCA since your "bad day" might not be that bad.

-- You are only guaranteed work on the relief day of the route's regular carrier, which would be 1 day per pay period for a J-route or 2 days per pay period for a K-route. H-routes can have a sub, but the RCA would only work the route when the regular took leave.

-- Now if in a sub-short office you might work every day on other routes or run Sunday parcels or both.

"I'm having trouble trying to figure out if I should take things into my own hands by trying to contact someone higher up or let my steward do everything, "

-- For the time being, let the steward do the "heavy lifting" since he/she has been made aware of your situation.

-- A "class action" suit happens when two or more people ( RCA's in this case ) have been affected.

"I'd just like to know why most people in here think I'm safe yet I'm not past my 90 and could be fired for breathing."

-- While getting fired for breathing is not one of manglement's usual reasons, it could be. Never underestimate how low manglement might go.

-- BUT from your description of events, it would appear manglement has a lot of questions to be answered before the process gets to you

-- That is not to say that you should not be using this "off" time to be looking at other possible means of employment in case you are let go.

-- BTW, what happened to the other RCA's?

 

[blamethesub]

I'd just like to know why most people in here think I'm safe yet I'm not past my 90 and could be fired for breathing.

You're in a sub-short office. You show up when called and make an effort. You've only been there a month and are already working multiple routes. You have shown some aptitude for the job.

You are not going to be fired for this. If they were going to fire you, they would have just done so, rather than writing you up first. This whole thing will blow over, and will never be spoken of again. The learning experience for you is now you know that you'll take the heat when management gets into hot water for their poor decisions.

 

[DB.Cooper]

It costs them a LOT of money to get someone to where you are now... thru the initial indoctrination, background checks, academy, etc., etc... it would take more than this for them to can you... sit back and let it work itself out... stay in contact with the stewpot...

 

[GiraffeAE86]

-- BTW, what happened to the other RCA's?

Which ones are you wanting to know about?

 

[stillfirstclass]

At this point I'm starting to believe they just won't call me back and let me sit until the end of time, I've already missed 4 days of work, including today.

I'm having trouble trying to figure out if I should take things into my own hands by trying to contact someone higher up or let my steward do everything, they seem confident in everything somehow managing to turn it into a class action.

I'd just like to know why most people in here think I'm safe yet I'm not past my 90 and could be fired for breathing.

you can come to my office.. can you work tomorrow?

 

[DB.Cooper]

That is a thought... contact some of the other local sub-short offices and see if they need some help...

 

[GiraffeAE86]

Am I allowed to do that though?

 

[btdtret]

GiraffeAE86 -- "Which ones are you wanting to know about? "

-- Dangerously assumed the two RCA's who came out to help you were also late getting back to the office.

-- Have you asked them to make a statement to the events of the day?

"Am I allowed to do that though? "

-- Seeking additional work at other post offices is referred to "farming" out your services.

-- Just have to be sure you aren't scheduled at or won't be called in to work at your "home" post office.