What Ever Happenned To Milkmint

[DB.Cooper]

They, the rcas, might stick around a little longer if the 2-tier pay system was eliminated. Its a kick in the teeth when the carrier in the next case was hired the month before you and makes 6k per year more! Same 40k routes, just second class the rest of your career

I ranted about this for YEARS, and was met with mostly silence from others... it was like, #1, nobody cared... and #2, nobody really seemed to be aware that it was an issue or a real thing...

Do you think it is finally getting recognized as an issue, or a real thing???

Maybe the # of Table 2 folks has grown to the point that it is becoming an issue???

 

[LostinDakota]

The table 2 folks do okay as RCA's especially in larger offices that are short of RCAs. Lots of hours available. When they become regular their pay generally goes way down because they don't have the extra hours available to them. So yes, I think the Table 2 people are leaving because of the lousy pay once they become regular. The benefit package won't pay for your mortgage.

 

[LostinDakota]

I've said this before about the RCA job, but I'll say it again: the job was a perfect fit for me as a mom with school aged children because I wasn't tied to that 9-5 schedule. I could get my kids off to school and be home when they got out and I almost never had to work holidays when the kids were off. I got to work and avoided childcare expenses almost entirely. So the job can be a good fit for people who have that specific set of life circumstances.

In my office, we just lost a pretty good RCA after a few months because it was not a job she wanted to do; she took it in the hopes that it would be a "foot in the door" to a better job with the federal government, but she was unwilling to hang on for the year to get a regular carrier position (which was an absolute certainty, as four carriers are retiring in my office in 18 months, and she was one of only two RCAs!).

I was you, 30 years ago, when this was a really good job for a woman to get. I worked every Saturday while my husband spent quality time with his daughters. When the regular took days off, the girls spent quality time with Grandma or at daycare. But I could generally plan for this. If you are in an Amazon office or in close proximity to an Amazon office, as an RCA you are automatically on a list to deliver on Sunday's and holidays and not necessarily in your own office. They have never ever been able to hire enough ARCs to cover Sundays and holidays and never will because if you get a quality ARC they are generally offered a job on the city side with more hours and more stability so you are back to square one. Add the Table 2 pay system and the continual addition of new duties without additional pay and the job is not that appealing anymore.

 

[btdtret]

offx1degree et al -- "Makes me snicker when I hear of rca's complaining they have worked six months and should be a regular by now..... "

-- Tell the complainers to add fiber to their diet, that should help!

 

[DB.Cooper]

The table 2 folks do okay as RCA's especially in larger offices that are short of RCAs. Lots of hours available. When they become regular their pay generally goes way down because they don't have the extra hours available to them. So yes, I think the Table 2 people are leaving because of the lousy pay once they become regular. The benefit package won't pay for your mortgage.

We have a couple of peeps that sometimes post here, they were making the $20-something bucks an hour as RCAs, getting lots of hours and so forth... then they made Reg, and got kicked down to $17 and change, and were getting less hours... sorta a demotion of a promotion... RCA to Regular along with a pay CUT...

Killer was, they didn't even know this was gonna happen to them until AFTER it happened... so there's still a LOT of ignorance about this issue out there... just how the NRLCA & USPS want it to be...

How many RCAs now understand that they will NEVER make what the old timers like you and I make on Table 1... I think many of them believe they're gonna make what the old timers make, not understanding how Table 2 works... js...

 

[btdtret]

DB.Cooper et al -- "RCA to Regular along with a pay CUT... "

-- Why we used to warn RCA's about a possible pay cut even before Table TWO appeared.

-- In the sub-short office, the RCA's were working as much as regulars, so the money was rolling in.

-- Once making regular, those extra hours and extra money vanished.

-- Then there are probable allotments for life and health insurances, a big increase in union dues, as well as tossing something extra into the TSP pot, and poof - one was making less than the good old RCA days.

-- Drag in Table TWO and the increase "contribution" for TSP and increase in health benefit contributions with each new contract - voila - a smaller pay check!

-- Had a few new regulars eventually admit the old regulars were right about the pay differences.

-- It doesn't really help either when they see the NALC Table ONE and Table TWO are the same at the highest Step, which makes the new regulars start thinking -- "What the heck am I paying dues for!"

 

[EthelAnne]

-- It doesn't really help either when they see the NALC Table ONE and Table TWO are the same at the highest Step, which makes the new regulars start thinking -- "What the heck am I paying dues for!"

NALC has been negotiating to eliminate the "tiers" of pay for their members; I don't know if I agree that someone walking in the door today should make the same as an RCA who has worked four or five years. I know others here disagree with that position, and I see their point ("We're doing the same job, we should get paid the same!") as well.

FWIW (and I know it's not worth much) I heard that one of the points of negotiation in the recent contract talks is to create "steps" for RCAs so they would be paid for their years of service, which should count for something. Lots and lots and lots of RCAs are stuck in that position for a serious amount of time--it's not unusual at all to hear about RCAs who work 8+ years before they make regular.

 

[DB.Cooper]

It is a shame RCAs put in all that time, thinking they're gonna somehow be on easy street once they make Regular... only to find out easy street is more like poor street by the time all the pay cuts and payroll deductions hit their paychecks... thanks NRLCA....

 

[Rt2mailman]

I believe RCA retention problems come from table 2 for new regulars. That regular pay was a carrot to keep RCA's "hanging" on. Now with less pay to be made as a regular, why should they stay? There are many job openings in my district that are posted for RCA's (because they have none in that office) with the caveat that a regular position MUST BE ACCEPTED when it becomes available. Why would management say such a thing? Because long time RCA's make more $ than new regulars and most likely would not bid on a regular route and take that pay cut. The USPS has shot themselves in the foot with this table 2 pay scale when it comes to Rca's hired before 2010 and smart enough to remain an RCA. BY the way, there is no way to force any RCA to bid on a regular route, even when you join an office with such a "caveat".

 

[DB.Cooper]

I sometimes think MilkyMint and the others that escaped with their sanity are the lucky ones...

 

[DB.Cooper]

Wait. If I took a regular route I would take a pay cut?

Depends... there are *some* RCAs that are currently on Table 3 making $20-something bucks an hour... and when they make Regular, they would go to Table 2, and that would be less per hour than they are currently making...

So, yes there are circumstances where that could (and has) happened... unfortunately...

It all comes down to what date you were hired, and that will determine what pay Table you will be on, both as an RCA, and later as a Regular...

Also, as noted above... many of the "benefits" you get as a Regular, such as insurance, union dues, TSP, retirement, etc., etc... these are all also additional deductions $$$ from your paycheck... it adds up...

 

[Skierstmoritz]

Wait. If I took a regular route I would take a pay cut?

If you have been an rca for 16 years you absolutely would take a pay cut! I know because I did just that. Went from over 21 bucks an hour to a LOT less, especially with the additional deductions. I thought long and hard on that decision and now, 1 1/2 years later, I think I made a mistake by going regular. I will never see the industrial study implemented, and have difficulty making evaluation on a weekly basis. We keep getting more and more packages for no money. As an rca, I got paid for hours worked! Even with the evaluated system. Plus, it's tough to get a day off even as a regular. Oops, got sidetracked, sorry

 

[DB.Cooper]

With a hire date of 2002, you should go to Table 1 as a Regular, so that is a BIG $$$ plus for you... it's the peeps hired after 11/20/2010, that will end up on Table 2...

Another thing that sucks, is peeps hired between 11/20/2010 and 08/11/2012, were (are) paid the $20-something bucks an hour as Table 3 RCAs, but when they make Reg, then they go to Table 2, and will make LESS per hour than they did as RCAs...

This is all very screwy and unfair to some... and it's not something the NRLCA and/or USPS seem to like to talk a lot about... hmmmmmm.... wonder why???

 

[DB.Cooper]

Oh, nice! So RCA time does account for something - let these next 5 years fly by.

I gotta say... I admire your ability to stay positive... already 16+ years as an RCA, and ONLY 5 more to go until you make Reg...

No knock against you personally... but to me, there's something wrong with that picture...

So how many years do you plan on working as a Reg??? Just curious...

 

[btdtret]

AdkGirl -- "Oh, nice! So RCA time does account for something .."

-- Actually one could buy back RCA time. Unfortunately it had to be performed prior to 01 JAN 1989!! ( there is always a "catch" )

-- But don't lose all hope just yet -- after all you have put in 16 years and plan on another 5 to make regular. A couple of congressional representatives put together H.R.5389, to amend Title 5, US Code, which would allow the buying back of ( for rural's ) RCA time AFTER 31 DEC 1998. Didn't make it in the last session of congress, but could be resubmitted.

-- The NRLCA will probably let the congressmen to the "heavy lifting" on this issue.

 

[Skierstmoritz]

With a hire date of 2002, you should go to Table 1 as a Regular, so that is a BIG $$$ plus for you... it's the peeps hired after 11/20/2010, that will end up on Table 2...

Another thing that sucks, is peeps hired between 11/20/2010 and 08/11/2012, were (are) paid the $20-something bucks an hour as Table 3 RCAs, but when they make Reg, then they go to Table 2, and will make LESS per hour than they did as RCAs...

This is all very screwy and unfair to some... and it's not something the NRLCA and/or USPS seem to like to talk a lot about... hmmmmmm.... wonder why???

That would be me!

 

[DB.Cooper]

That would be me!

Not sure what, if any, solution there is... NALC & APWU are making an issue of the multi-tiered pay system... so maybe if they make any progress, *maybe*... the lame-o, blame-o NRLCA will tag along at some point... they'll certainly never take the lead on anything...

 

[wamailmom]

We have a couple of peeps that sometimes post here, they were making the $20-something bucks an hour as RCAs, getting lots of hours and so forth... then they made Reg, and got kicked down to $17 and change, and were getting less hours... sorta a demotion of a promotion... RCA to Regular along with a pay CUT...

Killer was, they didn't even know this was gonna happen to them until AFTER it happened... so there's still a LOT of ignorance about this issue out there... just how the NRLCA & USPS want it to be...

How many RCAs now understand that they will NEVER make what the old timers like you and I make on Table 1... I think many of them believe they're gonna make what the old timers make, not understanding how Table 2 works... js...

Our academy trainer shows new hires the posted Table 1, completely unaware that the people she is showing it to will NEVER make that much. My understanding is that Tabld 2 maxes out at about $60K, but I’ll never get there as I’m a 46-year old RCA with bad knees....

 

[DB.Cooper]

Our academy trainer shows new hires the posted Table 1, completely unaware that the people she is showing it to will NEVER make that much. My understanding is that Tabld 2 maxes out at about $60K, but I’ll never get there as I’m a 46-year old RCA with bad knees....

There really is a LOT of ignorance out there about this issue... if you were to ask 10 rural carriers to explain what the Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, and Table 4 pay charts are, and who they apply to... I'm guessing *MAYBE* 2 or 3 of the 10 might be able to give you a halfway close to correct explanation... most would likely shrug and say they have no idea...

 

[DB.Cooper]

Over a postal career, the difference between Table 1 and Table 2, is $100's of $$$ THOUSANDS of dollars... so basically your house...