Rural PTF/Dual Assignment

[WVCarrier]

I'm hoping for help for a small office situation that is developing. This office has 4 rural routes, 3 K routes and 1 J route. There has only been 1 sub for over a year. One of the regular carriers submitted his 120-day letter requesting a sub. The 120 day period has expired with no new sub being hired. Management is now going to convert the existing sub a PTF. The problem is that I believe management doesn't know the difference between a rural PTF and a clerk PTF. The OIC has had the sub sign paperwork that he was informed about certain scanning functions that are only done by clerks. Also, in this office, there is a 2 hour city route that is often without a carrier. One of the clerk PTFs has had to carry the city aux route several times. Once, they tried to make the rural sub carrier the city aux route after his regular rural route. The OIC ran the city aux route that day. It seems management is thinking that by making the rural RCA a PTF, that they are going to be able to use him like the clerk PTF. That they will be able to have him run the city aux route or do clerk work. Management in this area is not well versed in the differences between crafts. I have read in the contract that rural PTFs cannot be dual appointment. Does this mean management can't force him to work that city aux route or force him to do clerk work?

 

[btdtret]

WVCarrier -- "The OIC has had the sub sign paperwork that he was informed about certain scanning functions that are only done by clerks. "

-- Dual RCA / Clerk appointments ended 13 JAN 2012.

"The OIC has had the sub sign paperwork that he was informed about certain scanning functions that are only done by clerks."

-- Probably not an official USPS form.

-- Unfortunately the NRLCA mantra is: obey a direct order from manglement, then grieve it. ( after the damage has been done! )

-- Get your Assistant District Representative involved -- like yesterday. Have the ADR request to see the "document" signed by the sub regarding "clerk scans".

-- Hopefully the ADR has Step 4 ( R-95 ) which says in part: The PTF rural carrier may be utilized on any regular route in the office where the primary leave replacement is not available. They [ PTF's ] may not be assigned to an auxiliary route, but may be utilized on any auxiliary route in the office where the leave replacement is not available....The PTF rural carrier is a leave replacement employee. They cannot be a dual appointment and will not be eligible for higher lever, non-bargaining detail assignments.

" Does this mean management can't force him to work that city aux route or force him to do clerk work?"

-- Article 3 gives manglement plenty of lee way in getting the job done. It is up to the carriers and the ADR to make sure manglement doesn't overstep its authority.