New PTF position

[ruralsub123]

Hi, I have finally been awarded a 5/1 aux hold down in my office. There have been rumblings of this office becoming formula and I was curious if a ptf position was created and I bid it and got it...could I still continue to keep my aux rt as a 6 day assignment? Or would I have to give it up to an rca and be the primary for 2-3 k routes instead. Thank you

 

[dhoward541]

The PTF position is a leave earning position and the Auxi route is a leave earning position; my understanding is that you can't hold 2 leave earning positions at the same time.  Plus whomever takes the PTF position would be the next to go regular, no choice. 

 

[gotstamps]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>ruralsub123 said </strong>
Hi, I have finally been awarded a 5/1 aux hold down in my office. There have been rumblings of this office becoming formula and I was curious if a ptf position was created and I bid it and got it...could I still continue to keep my aux rt as a 6 day assignment? Or would I have to give it up to an rca and be the primary for 2-3 k routes instead. Thank you  </blockquote>
PTFs are not allowed by contract to primary an auxiliary route. They can run it in a pinch, though. A PTF position holds 2-4 primary routes, is leave-earning, is a 'career' position, and WILL go Regular before ANY RCA regardless of seniority. 

The auxiliary will go to 6-day if the office changes to Formula.

 

[btdtret]

ruralsub123 -- " There have been rumblings of this office becoming formula and I was curious if a ptf position was created and I bid it and got it…could I still continue to keep my aux rt as a 6 day assignment?"

--  No -- the PTF position only works on K-routes ( 2 to 5 ).

--  Page 46 of the current contract:  The establishment of a part-time flexible rural carrier assignment is at the discretion of the Employer.  However, management is required to establish such an assignment when hiring efforts have been unsuccessful following the regular carriers' request [ 120-Day Notice ], provided the part-time flexible rural carrier will be assigned [ at least ] two ( 2 ) K routes.

--  Step 4 ( P-115 ) in part...

--  PTF's will be assigned only to K routes

--  The assignment will include no less than two ( 2 ) K routes and the total evaluated hours of the assigned routes must not exceed 40 hours each week.

--  Generally, the PTF assignment will include no more than four ( 4 ) K routes.

--  Management may add or remove routes from the PTF assignment at any time, provided the number of assigned routes does not fall below tow ( 2 ), or exceed five ( 5 ) K routes.

--  If a PTF assignment becomes vacant in an office, management will have the option of eliminating the position or posting the assignment.

--  Don't worry about the lack of work as the PTF carrier can be utilized in numerous situations when leave replacements are not available.   The current contract pages 47, 49, and 50 for instance.

--  Page 46 of the current contract:  In no instance will a part-time flexible rural carrier have the right to refuse conversion to regular rural carrier.

 

[Rowdylane29]

If there is only one k rt open and 3 j routes can a ptf be created and can they take a k rt from an rca that is primary to make sure there is 2?

 

[redundant employee]

What's the catch? Does the carrier must furnish a pov? Since it's a career position, how long does one have to sit in the slot until they can xfer or bid on another assignment?

What a low blow to the ones who've been sitting waiting for a route.

 

[btdtret]

redundant employee -- "What’s the catch?"   The "catch" -- ??

"Does the carrier must furnish a pov?"

-- If the K routes to be served don't have LLV's, the yes the PTF must supply a pov.    "POV Required" should be part of the bidding notice.

"Since it’s a career position, how long does one have to sit in the slot until they can xfer or bid on another assignment?"

--  Only regular rural carriers can request a mutual transfer

--  A PTF can bid on any PTF posting in the current office or on District-wide PTF postings -- no time limit involved.

--  I believe a PTF would have to give up that position in order to transfer to another office -- as an RCA -- provided the new office has an RCA opening.

"What a low blow to the ones who’ve been sitting waiting for a route."   Again -- ??

--  If you are referring to a PTF being required to convert to regular when the next regular route opens up, it is in the contract.

--  If other more senior RCA's passed on taking the PTF assignment and a junior RCA took it and now leaps over more senior RCA's to become a regular -- mark it as a lost opportunity to the more senior RCA's.

 

[redundant employee]

--  A PTF can bid on any PTF posting in the current office or on District-wide PTF postings -- no time limit involved.

--  I believe a PTF would have to give up that position in order to transfer to another office -- as an RCA -- provided the new office has an RCA opening.

 

So if there is no 90 days or 18 months wait period, what about if a ptf carrier that wants to switch crafts? Do they apply/bid only from eCareers or can they apply for positions on usps.com?

At times I see other career positions open up.

Where can I find more contract information on this Designation 76 position?

Thank you

 

[btdtret]

redundant employee -- "Where can I find more contract information on this Designation 76 position?"

--  F-21 ( Time and Attendance hand book ) Section 531.5 -- Part-Time Flexible Carrier -- Designation 76

This is a career employee and the entered on duty date must be on or after September 9, 2000.  All qualified substitute rural carriers and rural carrier associates ( RCA's ) that have completed their probationary period [ 90-work days or 1-year, which ever comes first ] are eligible to bid on PTF assignments.  PTF's are only assigned to K routes.  Designation 76 employees have bidding privileges on regular carrier positions, have FICA deductions, earn step increases and leave [ annual and sick ].

--  EL-902 ( aka, the current contract ):

page 3 - Article 7 --  Career Employees --  Part-time Flexible Rural Carriers ( Designation Code 76 )  -- Part-time flexible rural carriers are those substitutes or rural carrier associates appointed following an assignment posting.  These employees provide service on regular and auxiliary routes as directed by management.

Numerous other pages in the contract note how and when PTF's can be utilized when relief carriers are not available, including Sunday work.

" what about if a ptf carrier that wants to switch crafts?"

--  The rural craft used to have Dual Appointments in which an RCA could also legally do clerk ( PSE )  work.  However, the Dual Appointments ended with the 2010-2015 Contract as of 13 JAN 2012.

--  These days to go into another craft, it probably will entail processing paperwork for a non-career separation.

--  Then taking the desired craft's test.

--  Ask your PM, office steward, Assistant District Representative, or a steward of the craft you want to enter.

 

[gotstamps]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>redundant employee said </strong>
--  A PTF can bid on any PTF posting in the current office or on District-wide PTF postings -- no time limit involved.

--  I believe a PTF would have to give up that position in order to transfer to another office -- as an RCA -- provided the new office has an RCA opening.

 

So if there is no 90 days or 18 months wait period, what about if a ptf carrier that wants to switch crafts? Do they apply/bid only from eCareers or can they apply for positions on usps.com?

At times I see other career positions open up.

Where can I find more contract information on this Designation 76 position?

Thank you  </blockquote>
There is no easy switching of crafts. You test & apply just like every other joe public not counting mgmt positions. Rural craft can't use eCareers as far I can recall. A PTF is just a "career" RCA. The same 90 days wait applies for PTF and again when you go Regular according to other Regs (from PTF) have said.

There is no catch as you say. A PTF has multiple primary routes (all K) which takes care of the '120-day letters' for those routes. Mgmt cannot 'bump' a sub off their primary for a PTF position (i.e. Bump to a J-route)

If a sub doesn't want to go Reg, don't bid on a PTF position. 

 

[wfillbra]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>redundant employee said </strong>
--  A PTF can bid on any PTF posting in the current office or on District-wide PTF postings -- no time limit involved.

--  I believe a PTF would have to give up that position in order to transfer to another office -- as an RCA -- provided the new office has an RCA opening.

 

So if there is no 90 days or 18 months wait period, what about if a ptf carrier that wants to switch crafts? Do they apply/bid only from eCareers or can they apply for positions on usps.com?

At times I see other career positions open up.

Where can I find more contract information on this Designation 76 position?

Thank you  </blockquote>
This post is very confusing. A PTF is a career position. Same bennies as a regular. Only difference is you don't get holiday pay. The system says you do as a result of holidays being built in to your hourly rate. (Debatable but that's the way it is). If your office develops a PTF position-in most likelihood, you'll be seeing a lot of works hours. This is good, if you want to make money and have benefits available.

 

[oi veh.]

Patco, I read the question as asking if a PTF can do a lateral into another craft.

 

[Charlie Brown]

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Rowdylane29 said </strong>
If there is only one k rt open and 3 j routes can a ptf be created and can they take a k rt from an rca that is primary to make sure there is 2?  </blockquote>
 The contract states that PTF must have a minimum of 2 K routes.

 

[Deer Smearer]

There is documentation that a sub can be bumped off their K route to another K route to give a PTF their 2 routes. They need to take a route away from another PTF that has more than 2 routes first.

I have not found documentation to say one way or another if they can bump a K route sub to a J route or only K to K.