RCA in Crisis

[gerl2]

Eeyore714 -- "Yes we Amazon. Matrix was shot to hell when one sub went regular , we 3 r left. Have no idea what you mean by formula office. 3 K routes no assigned sub on any of them."

-- Thanx for the info. For now don't worry about a "formula office."

-- Just based on Matrix, I'd be calling your Assistant District Representative and have him / her pay the office a visit to "discuss" the Matrix with manglement.

-- If the regulars or manglement don't know who is the Assistant District Representative, you can find out by going to the nrlca.org web site, scroll down the page. Steward info on the left side towards the bottom. Will need to know your ZIP and AREA.

-- The ADR may want to look at what manglement has been doing ( or not doing ) to hire subs. Step 4 ( F-57 ) provides a nice list of suggestions.

-- While in touch with the ADR, might mention 3 K-routes without a sub. The ADR might be able to convince the K-route regulars to submit a 120-Day notice. Once the 120 days are up and no subs hired, then comes...

-- Step 4's ( R-31 and P-115 ) describe the process of creating a PTF position - at manglement's discretion, of course.

-- Apparently the regulars are not willing to step up. Looks like any improvements will be thanks to you.

Since when does an Assistant District Rep walk into any office? You have to file a grievance first, for if they actually did this we wouldn't have so many woes in PO.

 

[btdtret]

gerl2 -- "Since when does an Assistant District Rep walk into any office?"

-- Actually I believe an ADR ( or any union rep ) has to notify the PM before just showing up at the door.

-- A grievance might not be necessary. Something like: "I've been led to believe that the office is not in compliance with xxxx." might be enough. Or "I'm here to let the carriers know who I am and to see if they have any concerns."

-- Current and x-stewards -- is that correct?

 

[wamailmom]

Management is like a cheap used car salesman using the bait and switch. They keep telling us, "just hold on another month or two. Things will get better. Packages will slow down. We will get some more people hired. The new PM will make things better"

All of that is a bunch of bullshit to stop us from quitting. Because if we quit they are really screwed. Meanwhile, nothing changes. I still have a mountain of Amazon daily. No new hires in sight, and who knows what a new PM will bring.

It could be a good job, but it never will.

I can't love this comment enough.... That's what makes me so sad about quitting a month and a half ago after having a bit over two years in.... It really could be an awesome job... I really enjoyed the delivery part (but could have done with a lot less Amazon, and not working 60 hours a week with two kids under 12 at home....)

 

[gerl2]

gerl2 -- "Since when does an Assistant District Rep walk into any office?"

-- Actually I believe an ADR ( or any union rep ) has to notify the PM before just showing up at the door.

-- A grievance might not be necessary. Something like: "I've been led to believe that the office is not in compliance with xxxx." might be enough. Or "I'm here to let the carriers know who I am and to see if they have any concerns."

-- Current and x-stewards -- is that correct?

I think they need to start visiting offices then, I know the clerk union does. So many in our area have asked or just simply call PM they won't and they want a grievance or you get nothing. It is that retaliation thing its real and the clerk union knows it that is why they are visiting offices.

 

[eomr]

I can't love this comment enough.... That's what makes me so sad about quitting a month and a half ago after having a bit over two years in.... It really could be an awesome job... I really enjoyed the delivery part (but could have done with a lot less Amazon, and not working 60 hours a week with two kids under 12 at home....)

Hopefully you landed on your feet and don't regret your decision. Your kids are only young once and there's more to life than working all of the time.

 

[Skierstmoritz]

I think they need to start visiting offices then, I know the clerk union does. So many in our area have asked or just simply call PM they won't and they want a grievance or you get nothing. It is that retaliation thing its real and the clerk union knows it that is why they are visiting offices.

A Dr or adr show up in my office? That would be akin to seeing a dodo bird show up. I've been with the po since 2011 and it's never happened in my experience. First off, they would have to leave Connecticut and travel far out of state. Not happening! By the way, what's the latest news on our contract? What's that? Oh, my bad, CRICKETS!

 

[eunomios]

3 K routes no assigned sub on any of them

Sometimes I like to take a peak at the 4240s when at a neighboring office helping out. I have noticed a trend in offices with enough subs: blanks on all the 4240s for primary sub.

It looks to be a fairly common practice to just use RCAs like they are CCAs - I'm not sure if Regulars are going along with it as long as they get coverage when they want off?

It is likely the new contract does away with "primary sub" and matrix - putting RCAs in the same position of CCAs as "We'll assign you to whatever route we need you on" - in order for RCAs to get some concessions like AL, COLA, etc...

WE SHALL SEE.

 

[wamailmom]

Hopefully you landed on your feet and don't regret your decision. Your kids are only young once and there's more to life than working all of the time.

Thank you Eomr. I've actually really struggled with it, but I suppose it is getting better. I'm not very good at the whole homemaking and cooking around the clock thing.... But my family is happy to have me home, and I'm trying to remind myself that is what really matters.

 

[EthelAnne]

Union officials cannot just show up at an office without a reason and without permission from management. Sorry for the harsh words but here they are: File a freaking grievance. You can't expect people to stand up for you when you're not willing to stand up for yourself.

 

[Skierstmoritz]

T

Union officials cannot just show up at an office without a reason and without permission from management. Sorry for the harsh words but here they are: File a freaking grievance. You can't expect people to stand up for you when you're not willing to stand up for yourself.

They should show up without a reason! If for nothing more than remind carriers that they have a active, concerned union. Not just when there is a problem. Does the phrase " preventative maintenance " ring a bell? Might be management would be more proactive if it knew the union had a spine. A quick phone to to say im swinging by is all it would take.

 

[EthelAnne]

T
They should show up without a reason!

That's something called "trespassing."

How about this: you don't need one of the handful of District Reps to visit your podunk office (which is one of THOUSANDS of podunk offices around the country) if you had a local steward. Run for local steward. When there are stewards in offices, management obeys the contract.

 

[mwellis32]

Rural carriers carry, Management don't manage! Management bullies!

 

[mwellis32]

That's something called "trespassing."

How about this: you don't need one of the handful of District Reps to visit your podunk office (which is one of THOUSANDS of podunk offices around the country) if you had a local steward. Run for local steward. When there are stewards in offices, management obeys the contract.

I tried steward for 15 years carrying the contract in one hand while trying to work with the other. The PM would interpret everything his way, in his favor. We'd file a grievance and he would settle until the next time. It wore me out and no one else would do it. Now since we have no in house steward we call DR and the PM is now gone since we had to get help outside the office. Call your district reps and file grievances until you get rid of the bully s=o=bees!!

 

[Rt2mailman]

District reps are "certified" as steward for all offices in their district, assistant reps are certified in offices they are assisting in, area reps are certified in offices they are assigned to, all have to have a signed letter from their district rep certifying them to be working as a steward in any office they are working in. Without that letter any grievance can be thrown out. With that letter that union official can call or come to any office they are certified to work in, but must get permission to enter and or talk to any carriers. Can they? Yes. Will they? Not unless there is a problem that they have been notified about by us. An example would be off the clock work has been happening in your office, you call rep, they come in office and ask for permission to come in. Pm tells all carriers to leave the floor and allows steward in, cases have mail in them before normal start time , manager must explain. Off-the-clock work gets stopped in that office, but someone had to make the call to their steward.

 

[Skierstmoritz]

That's something called "trespassing."

How about this: you don't need one of the handful of District Reps to visit your podunk office (which is one of THOUSANDS of podunk offices around the country) if you had a local steward. Run for local steward. When there are stewards in offices, management obeys the contract.

So you are against the union officials "making the rounds"? We have a steward. She has been thru the mill and is over it! By the way, I don't have the time. I'm tier 2 and have a second job to make ends meet in my geographical area. Northeast ain't Tennessee in cost of living. It's a 6 route office. Podunk? Maybe?

 

[gerl2]

District reps are "certified" as steward for all offices in their didtrict, assistant reps are certified in offices they are assisting in, area reps are certified in offices they are assigned to, all have to have a signed letter from their district rep certifying them to be working as a steward in any office they are working in. Without that letter any grievance can be thrown out. With that letter that union official can call or come to any office they are certified to work in, but must get permission to enter and or talk to any carriers. Can they? Yes. Will they? Not unless there is a problem that they have been notified about by us. An example would be off the clock work has been happening in your office, you call rep, they come in office and ask for permission to come in. Pm tells all carriers to leave the floor and allows steward in, cases have mail in them before normal start time , manager must explain. Off-the-clock work gets stopped in that office, but someone had to make the call to their steward.

I believe it must be what district you are in, working off the clock has been reported by many in our area and it still continues. This is why the union gets a bad rap, we must have a lazy crew.