Lack of rcas

[Skierstmoritz]

Just had an unusual posting in our district. 3 different routes, all in different towns, just went up for bid district wide. Either rcas aren't bidding or those offices are mighty shorthanded. All routes were llv provided. Never seen that before. Harbinger of things to come?

 

[johnwayne]

absolutely harbinger. if the pm doesnt get her act together, they will be able to walk in off the street and start getting harassed immediately.

 

[Twingrlie]

Could also be that the RCAs do not have one year in as an RCA and are ineligible to bid.

 

[LostinDakota]

RCA shortage is real. No subs in office with 3 routes. Everyone working every day, K, J, and big Aux route. RCA positions continuously posted since October. Several applicants but either could not pass the background check or had no POV that would work with the Amazon deluge. Currently have someone interested, but older so even if they work out as a good sub, probably won't stay that long. 2080 trouble already and no subs in neighboring offices available. I haven't put in for annual leave as there is no hope of getting any. I guess I will have half of September and October off until the new guarantee year kicks in as I will be sat down when I hit the 2080. Management will have a couple of routes to carry. Could be interesting.

 

[Kubota Man]

When I started there was an RCA on every route and they had to provide their own vehicle. Now there are LLVs and DPS and sorted flats and retention is worse than ever because RCAs are casing 2 routes and delivering 1 1/2. They get worn down by the stupidity and leave or if they shine and do a great job the city side steals them away.

 

[Morty]

Every month in my district, career postings.

Another discouraging factor: you start blue eyed and bushy tailed and a bunch of haggard regulars are saying how they were a sub for 10, 15, 20 years before going regular and over there is the newly converted city regular who waited 22-30 months.

 

[RDruckus]

RCA shortage is real. No subs in office with 3 routes. Everyone working every day, K, J, and big Aux route. RCA positions continuously posted since October. Several applicants but either could not pass the background check or had no POV that would work with the Amazon deluge. Currently have someone interested, but older so even if they work out as a good sub, probably won't stay that long. 2080 trouble already and no subs in neighboring offices available. I haven't put in for annual leave as there is no hope of getting any. I guess I will have half of September and October off until the new guarantee year kicks in as I will be sat down when I hit the 2080. Management will have a couple of routes to carry. Could be interesting.

Put in the leave slips anyway, and keep the copies.
You will need this to CYA when they start blaming you for the sub shortage.

 

[Bucknadhand]

It amazes me having been here almost three years as a rca, and we never have a full staff. They hired 4 rcas and three quit within the first two months (jan-feb) I always felt thatbecause we have no Hr or one on duty the sups and management bully criticize, and pending on the regular, they treat them like shit. When you read about toxic environments it really is, as I was telling my wife. Its a good paying job and I imagine it gets better as a regular, but as a rca its hell most of the week, especially if your one of the work horses, they send you everywhere to do everyone elses stuff even the slow regulars so mgmt. can go home

 

[Bucknadhand]

Oh and the language to lol having worked for kohls before here we really had to watch what we do and say but here every is vulgar and crude and just bash each other. It truly is every man or lady for themselfs

 

[RDruckus]

I've worked here 36 years.

We had a full complement of subs about 15 years ago. It lasted 5 months.

 

[MiddleOfNowhere]

i wrote about this six months ago. in 25 years there had been only one district wide posting of a route within 50 miles of where i live. last year, there were 2 within 25 miles. the shortage is real, and i doubt we will ever be fully staffed again.

 

[callofthewild]

It is no wonder, Need a RCA for the route I am assigned to. Conversation on the workroom floor this very day. PM said they had a person that accepted the RCA position, then went on to say "when she comes in for the meet and greet, she needs to drive the vehicle (POV route) that will be used on the route and it better not have a console and be big enough to handle Amazon" and more BS. Who can take a new job, and provide a vehicle on day one, perfect for a 46K mail route???? Are you kidding me. I was speechless. This Route could be Subless for a long time.

 

[Windindaface]

My 2 cents here... I have not been to the RCA cattle call page for work. We just had an RCA off this on line list hired. They went to training. Trainer asked them where's your ride? That's when they found out they need to deliver out of their ride. They went home after that.

Anyone know if the need to provide a ride for delivery reasons while seated on the wrong side of a POV is mentioned in the cattle call for RCA'S on line ? I know it's not on the EDDM I have delivered for my all LLV APO office with RMPOS being POV.

 

[Sandygirl]

Just had an unusual posting in our district. 3 different routes, all in different towns, just went up for bid district wide. Either rcas aren't bidding or those offices are mighty shorthanded. All routes were llv provided. Never seen that before. Harbinger of things to come?

Where are these untaken routes? Told my husband about them, said I don't know where they are folks are anonymous on the site, could be in Wyoming I just don't know...….says he Wyoming? There is great hunting there can you apply????? Ha ha crazy old man...….

 

[Sandygirl]

My 2 cents here... I have not been to the RCA cattle call page for work. We just had an RCA off this on line list hired. They went to training. Trainer asked them where's your ride? That's when they found out they need to deliver out of their ride. They went home after that.

Anyone know if the need to provide a ride for delivery reasons while seated on the wrong side of a POV is mentioned in the cattle call for RCA'S on line ? I know it's not on the EDDM I have delivered for my all LLV APO office with RMPOS being POV.

My PM says the only thing he knows about new hires is when they walk through the door, he put in for new hire in NOV no one been through door yet.... this is a really small PO with really great people and good PM an clerks mind you..... we never had this issue before now...….

 

[blamethesub]

Anyone know if the need to provide a ride for delivery reasons while seated on the wrong side of a POV is mentioned in the cattle call for RCA'S on line ?

Yes it is, sorta. "A personal vehicle suitable for use is required for this position." The postings also list their location, but folks pay no attention to that either. They apply for a job a thousand miles away, and then go oh, never mind.

 

[hockey94]

i actually have had a sub who was hired probably around the summer of 2018, I treat this person very well, and am really happy to have a sub.

But of course, pm loser, treats this person poorly, so this person will probably leave. I of course do not blame the RCA. This person had experience previously in another state, thankfully.

The chances of hiring a new sub is not good, that situation will force my exit to come sooner !

 

[csparks]

i actually have had a sub who was hired probably around the summer of 2018, I treat this person very well, and am really happy to have a sub.

You're not alone. My regular schedules all of his doctor/dentist, etc stuff on Tuesdays. That is some top shelf self-sacrifice to keep the sub around. He doesn't need to, but still does.

 

[LostinDakota]

Yes it is, sorta. "A personal vehicle suitable for use is required for this position." The postings also list their location, but folks pay no attention to that either. They apply for a job a thousand miles away, and then go oh, never mind.

Suitable for use gives no real info on what type of vehicle or how big it needs to be. A person off the street applying for an RCA job hasn't got a clue about volume of mail or size and number of packages they will need to haul in said vehicle. Even within a small office with 3 or 4 routes the mail/pkg. volume varies greatly between routes. The average person also does not realize that many times the mail carrier is a human contortionist in an attempt to get the mail delivered to the mailbox from a vehicle.

 

[LostinDakota]

It is no wonder, Need a RCA for the route I am assigned to. Conversation on the workroom floor this very day. PM said they had a person that accepted the RCA position, then went on to say "when she comes in for the meet and greet, she needs to drive the vehicle (POV route) that will be used on the route and it better not have a console and be big enough to handle Amazon" and more BS. Who can take a new job, and provide a vehicle on day one, perfect for a 46K mail route???? Are you kidding me. I was speechless. This Route could be Subless for a long time.

PM is a jerk! Does he/she plan on personally delivering the route(s) when all carriers are in 2080 trouble?