Union Carrier /m3193 -- thanks again

TakeNoCrap /m3192

   Article 7.3 of the Contract, particularly 7.3.C. You will also find the FTF memos in that section of the JCAM. If you have the contract disk, you can also look up Maximization in the MRS for further information.

Union Carrier /m3187 -- Is there anywhere I can get documentation on this. I am still new and would like to educate myself with the rules. My stewards are new in this game. I do have the NALC contract CD 2006. I am studying it and reading the postings in these forums. thanks

/m1389 egrak thanks i was fairly sure my office was under and that was what i had been told.

that formula backs up my prior information.

Union Carrier--thanks for clearing it up for me.

rdgamblr /m3188 -- has nothing to do with service years, it is basically the number of people working in your office. It is the total hours worked by all craft employees divided by 2080. This is a list of all offices of 100+ M.Y.: http://www.apwu.org/news/webart/2007/webar...nyearlast070130.pdf

/m3187 pardon my ? but to determine man years in an office is it really as simple as adding up all the service years of the carriers? Or is there a some sort of formula?

TakeNoCrap /m3186

   It depends on the size of your office. If your office is at least a 125 workyear facility, then the FTF rules apply. A PTF who works 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 6 months (26 weeks) qualifies the office for an FTF position. The senior PTF should be converted to FTF. This should occur even if you are under withholding, as FTF positions are incumbent only, and exempted from the withholding rules.
   If your office is smaller than 125 workyears, the PTF must work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 6 months, on the same assignment. This should result in the creation of a "reserve regular" position, which should be posted for bid. The senior PTF would be placed in whatever residual vacancy would result from that bidding process, unless you are under withholding. In that case, the residual vacancy would be withheld.

Union Carrier: We have PTFs with 2 years seniority and P.O. is not promoting any in my region. Some had opt on routes for a while. Can you give me info on how much time for a PTF hold down on a route then be qualify to be a regular?

egark /m3184

   For the hours, egark, for the hours. When I started in our office, we had 21 PTF's (asa side note, we don't have any now, We maximized the last one in January of 07). opting on an RR position was the only way that the junior PTF's could be assured of 40 hours a week. If they didn't opt, they would still be at management's whim, and wouldn't get 40 hours. It also turned out to be a great way to maximize PTF's. A RR would opt onto the route of some injured carrier, a PTF would opt onto the RR position, and 6 months later, the senior PTF gets converted to FTF.

Union Carrier /m3183 -- yes I agree, but then I don't see why a PTF would ever opt on a reserve carrier job. You would be at management's whim every day. Like NECarrier said "love it. I get to move around, do different routes and have opts on routes" But when he goes on vacation, the PTF who takes the reserve job doesn't get that.

egark /m3181

...and is not eligible to opt on any other assignments for the duration of the opt.

   I would tend to think this would preclude that idea...

/m3181
 "Could you not argue that the assignment of a reserve carrier is to opt on routes?" That's the practical outcome of the position, although not the only function of a Reserve. When I became a regular, there were 9 Reserve regular carriers in my office, now I am the only one. Everytime a Reserve position came open, our PM abolished it. I've been a Reserve for 10 years and love it. I get to move around, do different routes and have opts on routes that I am not senior enough to bid on.

Union Carrier /m3180 -- thanks for the info. We have never had a reserve carrier in my office, so I was not up on the details. "A carrier on an opt for a Reserve Regular assignment must work the assignment" Could you not argue that the assignment of a reserve carrier is to opt on routes?

egark /m3177

NECarrier is correct. From the JCAM, page 41-10:

Vacancies in full-time Grade One assignments, including Reserve Regular assignments, are available for opting. When a Reserve Regular letter carrier opts on an available assignment, his/her temporarily vacated Reserve Regular position becomes available for opting if vacated for five days or more. However, as is the case with any opt, a carrier on an opt for a Reserve Regular assignment must work the assignment for its duration and is not eligible to opt on any other assignments for the duration of the opt.

/m3177 egark- I am saying exactly that. Once the PTF is in the opt of a Reserve carrier's job, he cannot opt again, unless he opts on a T-6 position.
We have been thru this several times in our office. The PTF gets the Reserve carrier's schedule but cannot opt another job.