• Everyone, please help make our jobs easier and choose the correct category. Thank you

RCA holding vacant route

Mail lady 423

New member
I have been holding down a vacant route for about 7 months. The route has been vacant for years. RCA's who have held it prior to me, were never required to do extra work after they came in off that route every day. I was always told that they were used in emergencies only.

right now we have a fill in PM. He clearly doesn't like me... Almost daily he will tell me to go back out and deliver parcels on other routes once I am done. Even when there are RCA's sitting at home and I don't get done with this route until 530.. I am the senior RCA and I am earning leave.
DO I have grounds to file a grievance ?
Our union representative Is automatically on his side and made a comment about how I am not in the union... It made me feel like she doesn't want to fight for me because I do not pay dues yet.
 
Your union rep is required to represent you, even though you are not a member.
Most union reps are not stupid enough to say anything about you not being a member. You can sue the union through the Labor Board for "failure to represent." I would ask the union rep if that is what they want. Then I would call the District Representative for the union and ask how they take to that idea.
Then, Susan Knapp, at the national union office, is extremely interested in making sure you are properly represented, member or not. She will put a stop to your union rep's passive-aggressive nonsense.
 
Last edited:
I have been holding down a vacant route for about 7 months. The route has been vacant for years. RCA's who have held it prior to me, were never required to do extra work after they came in off that route every day. I was always told that they were used in emergencies only.

right now we have a fill in PM. He clearly doesn't like me... Almost daily he will tell me to go back out and deliver parcels on other routes once I am done. Even when there are RCA's sitting at home and I don't get done with this route until 530.. I am the senior RCA and I am earning leave.
DO I have grounds to file a grievance ?
Our union representative Is automatically on his side and made a comment about how I am not in the union... It made me feel like she doesn't want to fight for me because I do not pay dues yet.

Are you finishing under evaluation? If so, slow down!

Are you taking your one-half hour lunch break? If not, start taking it.

Start using your sick leave on your known hard days - schedule dentist and doctor appointments. For example, turn in a leave slip for the day after President's Day.

Just my opinion, but the new PM is properly following the contract. He is looking out for the PO's financial interest. He has to pay an RCA a minimum of two hours if called in - are you doing two hours of parcel delivery after completing your route? It is your responsibility to look out for you, using the tools offered under the same contract. The three suggestions above are such tools.

PS - Why is the route still vacant for years?
 
Are you finishing under evaluation? If so, slow down!

Are you taking your one-half hour lunch break? If not, start taking it.

Start using your sick leave on your known hard days - schedule dentist and doctor appointments. For example, turn in a leave slip for the day after President's Day.

Just my opinion, but the new PM is properly following the contract. He is looking out for the PO's financial interest. He has to pay an RCA a minimum of two hours if called in - are you doing two hours of parcel delivery after completing your route? It is your responsibility to look out for you, using the tools offered under the same contract. The three suggestions above are such tools.

PS - Why is the route still vacant for years?
I am not finishing under evaluation.. and yes 2 hours of parcel delivery. If there are no parcels he will make up something - like a nother rca needs help to get the mail done.
The route has been vacant for a least 5 years... Carrier is doing union business instead.
Thank you for the advice !
 
Hoping the community weighs in on the following:

423 cannot file a grievance because she is being paid for the extra time and is not scheduled for more than 12 hours/day.

Other RCAs cannot file because 423 is not scheduled to work the additional hours. Rather, 423 is mandated to assist other routes after completion of her route.
 
Mail Lady 423 -- Sounds as if you are in a mell of a hess!

-- Where to begin??

-- No grievance unless you are scheduled to work over 12 hours in a day.

-- However, other RCA's might trying filing for "disparate" treatment since you seem to be getting all the "assisting" jobs while they sit home.

-- Being a Designation 74 should keep you off Sunday Parcel Delivery -- unless absolutely all others have been used.

-- The "fill-in" PM is probably just trying to make a name for himself so he will get noted by higher ups in the food chain. ( try to get him noticed -- but for the wrong reasons. then he will like you even less! )

-- By all means pass along what your union rep ( the office steward? ) mentioned about representation and you not being in the union to union officials higher up, including Susan Knapp at NRLCA HQ ( she is the head of the steward program ) And mention the "cozy" relationship with the PM.

-- Any idea just what the route's "regular carrier" is doing to be away from the route for at least 5 years? What is the regular's name on the 4240? If the "regular carrier" is a 205b ( management ) and detailed to another office, that is NOT conducting "union business" -- at least not NRLCA business.

-- Is the route's regular carrier working at NRLCA HQ?

-- What is the evaluation of your route? What is the start time? If you don't get done with the route until 5:30, when is the dispatch truck?

-- Have you been noting the extra work hours on the 4240 and making copies of the 4240's? If not, start now.

-- How many routes in your office and how many RCA's?

-- Unfortunately being assigned extra work is the "reward" for being a hard working RCA!

-- Heed "martian's" suggestions.

-- Keep in touch.
 
Mail Lady 423 -- Sounds as if you are in a mell of a hess!

-- Where to begin??

-- No grievance unless you are scheduled to work over 12 hours in a day.

-- However, other RCA's might trying filing for "disparate" treatment since you seem to be getting all the "assisting" jobs while they sit home.

-- Being a Designation 74 should keep you off Sunday Parcel Delivery -- unless absolutely all others have been used.

-- The "fill-in" PM is probably just trying to make a name for himself so he will get noted by higher ups in the food chain. ( try to get him noticed -- but for the wrong reasons. then he will like you even less! )

-- By all means pass along what your union rep ( the office steward? ) mentioned about representation and you not being in the union to union officials higher up, including Susan Knapp at NRLCA HQ ( she is the head of the steward program ) And mention the "cozy" relationship with the PM.

-- Any idea just what the route's "regular carrier" is doing to be away from the route for at least 5 years? What is the regular's name on the 4240? If the "regular carrier" is a 205b ( management ) and detailed to another office, that is NOT conducting "union business" -- at least not NRLCA business.

-- Is the route's regular carrier working at NRLCA HQ?

-- What is the evaluation of your route? What is the start time? If you don't get done with the route until 5:30, when is the dispatch truck?

-- Have you been noting the extra work hours on the 4240 and making copies of the 4240's? If not, start now.

-- How many routes in your office and how many RCA's?

-- Unfortunately being assigned extra work is the "reward" for being a hard working RCA!

-- Heed "martian's" suggestions.

-- Keep in touch.
And, with a route being vacant for five years shouldn't that route be up for bid, and if not, have the union intervene and require such?
 
I have been holding down a vacant route for about 7 months. The route has been vacant for years. RCA's who have held it prior to me, were never required to do extra work after they came in off that route every day. I was always told that they were used in emergencies only.

right now we have a fill in PM. He clearly doesn't like me... Almost daily he will tell me to go back out and deliver parcels on other routes once I am done. Even when there are RCA's sitting at home and I don't get done with this route until 530.. I am the senior RCA and I am earning leave.
DO I have grounds to file a grievance ?
Our union representative Is automatically on his side and made a comment about how I am not in the union... It made me feel like she doesn't want to fight for me because I do not pay dues yet.
Follow RDRuckus advice and call! Your union leadership will be most distressed that one of their ADR's doesn't want to represent you. Even if you aren't a member, or haven't joined yet, they are required to represent you just as if you were. The ONLY things you don't get when not a member are you can't attend their meetings or training sessions, and you can't vote for officers. Otherwise, no difference.
 
OP said the Reg is off the route handling Union business. Assuming the Reg is a Union official, they still hold their route indefinitely Until they go back to their route or retire.
Ahhh didn't catch that part. I believe it's also only for ADR/DR not stewards?

Too bad management has to act like such dictatorial assheads. Every time I read one of these, I thank God I'm where I am with reasonable people working around me.
 
They are required to represent you, but they find ways to work around you.

1. Won’t answer your phone calls
2. Won’t return your calls
3. Play favorites over you to paying members
4. Your grievances,
Never saw it
Wind must have blown it off of my desk
Oh, I thought we settled that
Can’t we just settle this in the office
I am sorry I don’t have time right now
Sorry I am off this week.

I HAVE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING
END OF ALL OF THESE.
 
They are required to represent you, but they find ways to work around you.

1. Won’t answer your phone calls
2. Won’t return your calls
3. Play favorites over you to paying members
4. Your grievances,
Never saw it
Wind must have blown it off of my desk
Oh, I thought we settled that
Can’t we just settle this in the office
I am sorry I don’t have time right now
Sorry I am off this week.

I HAVE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING
END OF ALL OF THESE.
ME TOO!
 
Your union rep is required to represent you, even though you are not a member.
Most union reps are not stupid enough to say anything about you not being a member. You can sue the union through the Labor Board for "failure to represent." I would ask the union rep if that is what they want. Then I would call the District Representative for the union and ask how they take to that idea.
Then, Susan Knapp, at the national union office, is extremely interested in making sure you are properly represented, member or not. She will put a stop to your union rep's passive-aggressive nonsense.
As someone who had an issue and ended up calling all the way up to Susan Knapp I can attest to this. Heads rolled as a result in my area because stewards were not following the contract.
 
Back
Top