PM favortism, can I file?

[Green]

I have been an RCA at a small office for 8 years now. Soon, I will officially take over a full-time route and become a regular. We have 3 Rural routs, the other two are aux routes. And for the past 8 years, many times I have often been the only RCA. When the regular was off, I did my best to cover all three while getting some help from others when needed. It made for a long day, and the PM's solution was for me to come in at 5am.

Now that I am about to become the regular, the management is now saying that 1 RCA is not enough and they need to hire one more before I can take a day off. I suppose the plan is for me to work 6 days a week until that happens.

A few weeks ago, the PM hired a second RCA only to have him converted to a CCA and he transferred to another office after only being at our office for 3 days. The aux route he was going to do would have given him far fewer hours than working as an RCA. The management basically tells them, 'do you want to make real money?' and then the transfer happens.

I was never given that offer when I started, I just called other offices and carried extra.

Can I file for any of this? This offer has been made to the last 2 RCAs and I have a feeling it will continue.

Thank you in advance for your insights.

 

[DB.Cooper]

How big are the Auxy Rt's, and are they in the SAME office???

I always wonder how the PO gets away with not combining these to make Reg Rts???

How big is the Reg Rt?? They'll likely have to pay you some OT if you have to work it 6 days a week as a Reg... not totally a bad thing... at least $$$ money-wise...

 

[Green]

One is 2 hours and the other is just under 5. The big one is about 9.5 hours.

Can I file if I am not on the overtime list?

 

[DB.Cooper]

When will you be the Regular??

Word of advice... make sure you get the bidding process right...

So it's a large K Route... at a minimum you should get a DACA 3 for every K day you have to work...

 

[Green]

On Saturday.

 

[DB.Cooper]

Yes, a DACA 3 will give you an X day plus a half day of pay.... once you sign the RDWL, then you can take a DACA 5 which is 150% of pay (time and a half) with no X day.... so your choice DACA 3 or 5...

 

[LostinDakota]

I have found that too many DACA 5 days really lights up the higher ups at district and they get after the local management to find some RCAs to cover the route.

 

[btdtret]

Green -- "Soon, I will officially take over a full-time route and become a regular. "

-- Got a specific date yet?

-- The Relief Day Work List should be posted three weeks prior to the first full pay period in May ( PP11-2019 / 11 MAY - 24 MAY , so the RDWL should appear 20 APRIL. If not, kindly give manglement a hint ( gentle or otherwise ). Posted for 2 weeks for carriers to sign up and 1 week for manglement to make the list and get it posted.

-- Being on the RDWL is the ONLY way to use DACA / CODE 5 ( 150% pay and no X-Day ). As you noted -- District takes note when DACA 5 gets used a lot.

"And for the past 8 years, many times I have often been the only RCA. When the regular was off, I did my best to cover all three while getting some help from others when needed. "

-- If you were scheduled to three routes some days, that would have been in violation of Step 4 ( R-96 ) in part: management MUST NOT schedule a leave replacement to serve on two full assignments or one full assignment and one or more partial assignments in a single day, IF the evaluations of these assignments total TWELVE hours or move. ( too late now, but in the future...)

"A few weeks ago, the PM hired a second RCA only to have him converted to a CCA and he transferred to another office after only being at our office for 3 days. The aux route he was going to do would have given him far fewer hours than working as an RCA. The management basically tells them, 'do you want to make real money?' and then the transfer happens. "

-- Might consider telling that to your Assistant District Representative about that!

-- You didn't get that opportunity as CCA's did not exist back then. But let the ADR know if it happens again - even after you make regular as manglement is supposed to be hiring RCA's not prospective CCA's.

-- As "DB" noted -- be sure you are up to speed on e-bidding!!

-- Once a regular, you can not work ( legally ) on another route

-- Article 30.P. Other Route Assignments. A regular rural carrier SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED to serve all or part of any rural route other than his or her assigned route, except as provided in ELM, Section 546 ( not appropriate here ).

-- Of course, manglement will cite Article 3 - Management Rights - to get the job done. Manglement can get very creative in getting regulars paid who do work other routes.

 

[btdtret]

Green -- As you are about to become a regular, be sure to investigate Ruralinfo.net at the top of the page for:

-- rural carrier user guide

-- rural carrier tip guide

 

[RDruckus]

Green, you know what they say about postmasters: Everybody has one!

 

[Quivo]

DACA 3 vs 5. If you don't take X days within 12 weeks, the X day converts to 150% pay, so basically it's like DACA 5 if they say you can't have an X day because there are no subs, which make sense since that's the reason why they can't give you your day off normally, how will they give you X days.

Also, the DACA 5 OT list rule apparently varies from office to office, because no one has signed the OT list in our office but many carriers get DACA 5 every week.

 

[stillfirstclass]

I have found that too many DACA 5 days really lights up the higher ups at district and they get after the local management to find some RCAs to cover the route.

location location location... have used about 50 + code 5's in 3 years... not even a how ya doin from district.. just crickets or that's a flat and not a parcel....

 

[FrozenToes]

location location location... have used about 50 + code 5's in 3 years... not even a how ya doin from district.. just crickets or that's a flat and not a parcel....

I agree. I had 18 months straight of daca 5. Paid off my second mortgage.

 

[Gotrope]

With the nationwide shortage of personnel, most districts couldn't care less what they pay on DACA 3+5s. It's still less than a city carrier.

Also, the rdwl sign up opportunity is coming up. Please make sure you sign the list to give yourself options. Especially, if they are telling you are not going to get a day off. When you become regular, unless you have prior federal career time, you will earn 13 days of annual time per year. If you earn and reserve x days, you will still have annual available to you between the start of the garauntee year( in October) and Dec 26th when you can not use x days earned on prior pay periods.

Best of luck.

 

[gotstamps]

DACA 3 vs 5. If you don't take X days within 12 weeks, the X day converts to 150% pay, so basically it's like DACA 5 if they say you can't have an X day because there are no subs, which make sense since that's the reason why they can't give you your day off normally, how will they give you X days.

Also, the DACA 5 OT list rule apparently varies from office to office, because no one has signed the OT list in our office but many carriers get DACA 5 every week.

X-days are paid as 100%, not 150%. The 12 weeks have to be kept up with by the Carrier since there is no program to AUTOMATICALLY pay these out & mgmt doesn’t usually bother.

The RDWL is to be posted in EVERY office twice a year. The next opportunity is April 20 for 2 weeks. It takes effect on May 10. If mgmt isn’t doing this, remind mgmt and/or contact your Steward. It’s a contract violation to NOT post it for sign-up AND a violation to pay DACA 5 to non-RDWL peeps.