SnailMail2000
New member
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<strong>littlesew&sew said </strong>
Snailmail2000 - I still don't understand your desire to take the discussion of RCA issues elsewhere. If you don't want to read something that is posted, skip over that person's comment and make your next post back on topic.
For example, on the topic of RCA issues:
I've been an RCA for six years now. While covering for an injured regular, after 90 days I started earning sick/annual leave. As soon as the route went up for bid and was filled, I was no longer in leave earning status. My annual leave was paid out immediately. However, I have 5.5 days of sick leave that are unusable until I enter leave earning status again. I can't use those days at all. If I never take a full time position or enter leave earning status again, those 5.5 days disappear. While I am thankful that there's a provision in the contract for RCAs to earn annual/sick days, it's such a limited opportunity that it's nearly worthless. Will the union fight for more generous leave earning for RCAs? NO. If 7,000 RCAs come forward at convention and propose something similar to what the CCAs have now, will our union fight for us? NO, they have a party to plan.
We - RCAs and regular carriers have a contract that states the industrial study for revised compensation was supposed to be in place back in 2015. I haven't heard a peep out of our union in regards to the study. Many of the carriers in my office don't even know there's a study going on. Is our union going to fight for back pay once the study is in place (if it ever is) like the city carrier's union fought for back pay when their last contract was signed...........I'm having a hard time typing now because I'm laughing so hard at the mere thought of our union doing so....
Is the union doing anything at all with regards to the RCA in our office that wasn't required to work a single Sunday in Nov-Dec while the rest of us were required to be available? NO. Is the union doing anything to try and get premium pay for Sunday/holiday/after 6pm work like the other crafts? NO.
After six years on this job, I'm still looking at probably a minimum of 2 more years before I have the opportunity to get a full time route. Do I think it's fair that I have no access to TSP? NO. Do I think it's right that I have such a limited way to earn annual/sick leave? NO.
Do I think that if every single RCA that works for the post office bands together to try and persuade the union to get us RCAs a few measly scraps in the contract it will change anything? I bet you can guess the answer to that one.
Even IF (and that's a HUGE IF) the union tried to get us RCAs something, they would give it up at negotiations or lose it in arbitration come contract time.
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LSS, I really wanted to like this post. You made a lot of good points about the problems RCAs face. Unfortunately, I cannot agree that we should just resign ourselves to "measly scraps" and let the USPS and the Union walk all over us. I've paid my dues from the first paycheck and I deserve representation. Passionate, intelligent, knowledgeable RCAs like you could be an asset in that.
How will you feel when you're still an RCA in 6 years? In 10? How about when routes start getting consolidated and carriers are being excessed because parcel delivery goes private, or is done by drones? Will you still be glad you didn't think it was worth our time to discuss amongst ourselves ways to mobilize our numbers and ask for what we <em><strong>deserve</strong> </em>now?
"Non-Career" employees are the throw-aways of the USPS. They use us up and spit us out. And the carrot they are dangling at the end of it all is getting smaller every day. Especially in the Rural craft.
We are not "Pre-regulars." Most of us will NEVER become regular. That is the hard truth we need to face. And that is the reason we need to be working together now, instead of merely waiting for the day when the chips fall in our favor.
<strong>littlesew&sew said </strong>
Snailmail2000 - I still don't understand your desire to take the discussion of RCA issues elsewhere. If you don't want to read something that is posted, skip over that person's comment and make your next post back on topic.
For example, on the topic of RCA issues:
I've been an RCA for six years now. While covering for an injured regular, after 90 days I started earning sick/annual leave. As soon as the route went up for bid and was filled, I was no longer in leave earning status. My annual leave was paid out immediately. However, I have 5.5 days of sick leave that are unusable until I enter leave earning status again. I can't use those days at all. If I never take a full time position or enter leave earning status again, those 5.5 days disappear. While I am thankful that there's a provision in the contract for RCAs to earn annual/sick days, it's such a limited opportunity that it's nearly worthless. Will the union fight for more generous leave earning for RCAs? NO. If 7,000 RCAs come forward at convention and propose something similar to what the CCAs have now, will our union fight for us? NO, they have a party to plan.
We - RCAs and regular carriers have a contract that states the industrial study for revised compensation was supposed to be in place back in 2015. I haven't heard a peep out of our union in regards to the study. Many of the carriers in my office don't even know there's a study going on. Is our union going to fight for back pay once the study is in place (if it ever is) like the city carrier's union fought for back pay when their last contract was signed...........I'm having a hard time typing now because I'm laughing so hard at the mere thought of our union doing so....
Is the union doing anything at all with regards to the RCA in our office that wasn't required to work a single Sunday in Nov-Dec while the rest of us were required to be available? NO. Is the union doing anything to try and get premium pay for Sunday/holiday/after 6pm work like the other crafts? NO.
After six years on this job, I'm still looking at probably a minimum of 2 more years before I have the opportunity to get a full time route. Do I think it's fair that I have no access to TSP? NO. Do I think it's right that I have such a limited way to earn annual/sick leave? NO.
Do I think that if every single RCA that works for the post office bands together to try and persuade the union to get us RCAs a few measly scraps in the contract it will change anything? I bet you can guess the answer to that one.
Even IF (and that's a HUGE IF) the union tried to get us RCAs something, they would give it up at negotiations or lose it in arbitration come contract time.
</blockquote>
LSS, I really wanted to like this post. You made a lot of good points about the problems RCAs face. Unfortunately, I cannot agree that we should just resign ourselves to "measly scraps" and let the USPS and the Union walk all over us. I've paid my dues from the first paycheck and I deserve representation. Passionate, intelligent, knowledgeable RCAs like you could be an asset in that.
How will you feel when you're still an RCA in 6 years? In 10? How about when routes start getting consolidated and carriers are being excessed because parcel delivery goes private, or is done by drones? Will you still be glad you didn't think it was worth our time to discuss amongst ourselves ways to mobilize our numbers and ask for what we <em><strong>deserve</strong> </em>now?
"Non-Career" employees are the throw-aways of the USPS. They use us up and spit us out. And the carrot they are dangling at the end of it all is getting smaller every day. Especially in the Rural craft.
We are not "Pre-regulars." Most of us will NEVER become regular. That is the hard truth we need to face. And that is the reason we need to be working together now, instead of merely waiting for the day when the chips fall in our favor.
