Passed Resolution

[rsewell]

Here are the resolutions that passed out of the 249 we went through.

Binding resolutions

The NRLCA review the website and make appropriate changes so that non-members have access only to pertinent areas.

Whereas: The current MOU's state numerous directories, policies or statements of cooperation and working together for efficient quality of work life, dignity and respect at all levels; BE IT RESOLVED The NRLCA clearly state a strong protest of the apparent lack of implementation throughout all levels of the system.

Non-Binding Resolutions

The USPS should supply the carriers with strobe lights

All routes on the stop mileage chart will be assigned an LLV as soon as possible. All auxiliary routes paid on the hourly basis shall be allowed to use an LLV

Any mechanical repairs performed by the VMF be explained in writing to the local office and carrier

Any carrier who provides a POV receive a thirty minute time allowancefor vehicle maiunenance in addition to EMA.

I'm going to stop for now, there will be more comming later

[rsewell]

Here is some more:

LLV's be provided with either studded or plain snow tires (with or without chains) and also provide a portable, plug in type defrosters for windshields; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: It shall be management's responsibility to maintain the LLV's including plugging and unplugging during cold weather. If a carrier is required to do this task, the carrier shall be paid on a 8127.

RCA's receive the COLA roll in at the same time as the regular carriers.

If an RCA/RCR is required to work on Sunday, they shall be compensated for all hours worked on these days at the rate of 150% of their hourly rate.

If the carrier has finished 2/3 of the route, the leave replacement will be put on a green card as auxiliary assistance.

The work hours of both employees will be reported in Column (7) and (8) and the cumulative total will be attributed to the route on the PS form 1314. (This has to do with the carrier having to take a full days of SL and the leave replacement gets paid a full day due to illness or vehicle breakdown.)

The carrier should not be asked to bring documentation for the use of one day of sick leave. (in the whereas, it talks about the employee being one that doesn't abuse sick leave)

Upon request, a rural carrier shall be granted annual leave or leave without pay on any work day at the carrier's option provided a leave replacement is available.

The Christmas period begins on the first Saturday of December and terminates on January 31 of the following year.

In offices where the formula has been implemented, J-routes are assigned relief days according to seniority in the office.

When calculating the number of routes that qualify for a Saturday relief day, all J-routes will be considered as 1/2 of a route that is given a Saturday relief day in the formula.

The NRLCA negotiate with the USPS a written bid/posting procedure for filling auxiliary routes and a seniority list for RCAs is maintained and posted in each office.

If management fails to make a proven effort to hire more relief carriers within 120 days, the office shall be removed from the formula until management once again can verify that they are making a reasonable effort to hire relief carriers.

In all offices, the option of the relief day be the choice of the rural carrier by seniority, not by route classification.

PTFs be allowed to be assigned to J and K routes

More to come later.....

[brweyedmom22]

Are these all the things that DID pass? RCA's will get COLA the same time as regular carriers?  Just seeing if I am understanding this right.

[DisGruntled]

These are non-binding resolutions that passed via the majority of the delegates.  Don't mean squat at this point in time, until the National NRLCA officials take them up with the USPS.

[brweyedmom22]

Oh Ok so just useless information then.. cause we know the USPS sucks.. lol.  When should something be known of the USPS response?

[DisGruntled]

No telling.  It could be soon and yet again it could be never.  Depends on how important the issue is to the officers at the Nat. level.

[kywombat]

It isn't exactly useless. The convention passes resolutions to give guidance to the National Board. Without our input they don't know what we are most interested in. Some of the things we pass year after year after year will NEVER be implemented, but some will make it to the negotiating table when we (the union, that is) talk about what will be in the next contract.
 They take all the resolutions we pass under advisement, and then when a contract comes up they know what the wishes of the rank and file membership are. But just because we pass it doesn't mean they WILL ask for it. Some things would be wonderful to have, but they know in advance they can't ask for everything, so they strategize about what they think is a list of things they think they can achieve for us, as well as a few goodies.  The process is a long one, especially when we don't have a contract up for renewal until 2010.

[rsewell]

Here's some more, Just a reminder...these are advisory in nature and does not change any existing agreement at this time.

Additions to evaluation and corresponding salary adjustments shall be made for temporary route deviations of more than 14 calendar days' duration; and such salary adjustments shall become effective retroactively to the beginning of the first pay period following the start of the detour.

a) Regular carriers under FSLA, Section 7(b)(2) or leave replacements(when compensated on the evaluated system of a regular or auxiliary route served and when actual hours do not exceed 40 hours for the week) will be compensated at 2 min for each mile required for deviation from the established line of travel. b)Rural carriers serving a regular or auxiliary route will receive an Equipment Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for each mile the carrier is required to deviate. When total miles(route mileage and deviation(s)) for the day exceed 40 miles.

Newly appointed Designations 71, 74, and 79 carriers shall receive formal on-the-clock training to include, but not limited to the Edit Book, CFS, 3982's, mail count,3971s, case maintenance, and DACA code.

Rewrite the PO603, Section 541.45 to include the following language: On an annual or as-needed basis, the carrier will complete with authorization from management the complete re-labeling of their case with compensation on an 8127 based on the original MOU(7-13-90) formula: 1 to 299 boxes (2 hours); 300 to 499 boxes (3 hours); 500 to 699 boxes (4 hours); and 700 and out (5 hours).

Carriers that are successfully awarded a regular route shall receive training utilizing the criteria found in Article 9.2.M.4(a)(b)(c).

Relief carriers are given the same amount of training in Article 9.2.M.4 for any route they are going to be utilized on (Route under 30 hours; 1 day; Route 30 to 40 hours; 2 days; route 40 hours or more; 3 days).

Any training lasting more than one hour the rural carrier will receive the choice of "O" time, straight pay, or assistance.

Any emergency payments for a rural carrier without a government vehicle include EMA for the number of days that the carrier served the route.

All LLV gas receipts should be credited as actual time and recorded on the clearance slips (PS Form 3821).

Carriers shall be given the option to refuse an LLV on their route.

Additional criteria (i.e. Minimum delivery or collection volumes) be developed to limit business dismounts in areas where delivery, whether by curbside or CBU, is conveniently available to businesses.

Rural Carriers maintain the option to case all automated mail.

I'll put more on there later.......

[rsewell]

brweyedmom22 wrote:

Oh Ok so just useless information then.. cause we know the USPS sucks.. lol.  When should something be known of the USPS response?

Most of these are things we want to see negotiated into the contract. The USPS does not get these to respond to.

[Underdog]

I used to read through them in that fat mag they sent us...eventually I realized none of them ever seemed to happen....I don't bother looking through them anymore.

[rsewell]

Before I continue, let me say this. I keep hearing from different areas and from different people that these resolutions are worthless. I strongly disagree. We wouldn't debate them nor take the time to write them up and send them up if they were worthless. Remember that non-binding resolutions usually involve a second party in order to happen, usually that's the USPS. If the USPS doesn't agree, then it gets hard to push the matter. Even in Arbitration, we would still need to convince the arbitrator to give us what is listed in these resolutions. If you really think it's a waste of time to read these, then maybe it would a waste of my time to put these out there so you can see what we passed. I don't believe their worthless, this is why I spent many a day posting these things.

Ok, Time to get off my soapbox and back to the resolutions.

Carriers receive a time credit for pulling unclaimed mail and brought back to the post office from mailboxes and time for filtering through a "moved left no address" mail after the 10 day hold has expired.

All L-routes be reclassified as Non-L routes.

Should a carrier decide to case all or part of the DPS mail, office time, street time and departure time would be recalculated daily using the current DPS standard, depending on DPS volume.

The NRLCA not accept any lower time standard than what now exists now for any type of mail that we deliver- raw or automated.

Article 34.1 Statement of Principle: The principle of a fair's day work for a fair's day pay is recognized by the parties to this agreement. Change Article 34.2 Work Measurement Systems to read: The Employer agrees that any work measurement systems or time or work standards shall be studied and timed prior to implementation of time standards.  The Employer agrees that the Union through qualified representatives will participate in the making of time or work practices which are to be used as a basis for changing current or instituting new work measurement systems or work time standards. The Employer agrees that the National President of the Union may designate a qualified representative who will enter postal installations for the purposes of observing the current time standards or the making of time or work studies which are to be the used as the basis for changing or instituting new work measurement systems or work or time standards.

Time standards should be adjusted to accurately reflect the time needed to complete parcel delivery.

A minimum of a two (2) minute credit per parcel be given under current time standards

Time standards for parcels be re-evaluated so that anything delivered that counts as a parcel because of dimensions also be designated as a parcel when picked up.

Increase time standards for boxholders with multiple inserts.

Size standards be put on boxholders

Additional time be credited for multiple sets of boixholders on the same delivery day.

Develop time standards to include stop lights, railroad crossings, unpaved roads or any other conditions that cause delays

appropriate time value for miles driven be determined by dividing actual time to safely drive the route (observing all traffic laws and signals) by the number of miles driven or 12 minutes per mile- whichever is greater

Carriers who use a private vehicle also be awarded 30 minutes in the route evaluation to prepare their vehicle for the route

Carriers receive actual time for walking to and from the carrier case to perform the daily inspection of the LLV

Carriers receive actual time to perform vehicle walk around safety check at dismouints

When determining the number of fuelings for a government provided vehicle, if the calculation includes a decimal, it will be rounded up to the next whole number.

more to come.......

[ctrr03]

Ron,
  I was told the reason that "tying national salaries to ours" failed was because they felt it would have to be approved by the post office in negotiations.   Also, many felt that if this had passed, the national officers would have rejected it because they wouldn't want to take a pay cut.  Thus, this was why only 6 people voted for it.

I find that excuses to be funny, especially since they are telling me that this resolution came from CT, and yet only ONE delegate from the state voted for it?   Hmmm,   and of course they wouldn't tell me WHO that one was.

Can you give any more info on this?

Dorothy

[rsewell]

First off, that wasn't a resolution, that was a constitutional change. So there is no USPS involvement. The biggest argument against it was that by tying the National officers to what happens to our evaluations would make us no better than the PO. What needs to be remembered is that they don't do the same job as we do. They are the ones in there trying to get everything they can for us.

The problem comes in here that to punish them for the PO screwing us is not exactly fair to them. You see,  unlike some of us who can take a high option, they don't have that so they would end up taking the full brunt of the loss on the chin. Now I understand the sentiment behind it, but if we were to have them take a pay cut just because all of our evaluations went down, then we would be no better of an employer than the PO is to us.

As far as who voted for it, I saw about 6 green cards for it and I couldn't tell you who voted which way. I wasn't over by the CT delegation.

[*SUPERsub*]

hows about us poor rcas who dont have the option either? I think it should be all for one...one for all...you screw one...you screw us all....and we dont even get COlA  cause everyone knows an RCA dont cost as much to feed as a regular...wtf? is up with that? which i knew about it the whole time...but we are just now getting the $ figures that this was alot bigger FUBAR than was origionally thought...

[Sarah]

"To err is human...to blame it on someone else shows management potential!"


PRICELESS!!!!!

[rsewell]

I understand what you are saying, don't forget though, there are some things to consider. 1. National Officers do not do the same job as we carriers do. They have to deal with upper postal management, Congressmen, as well as hearing grievances and doing arbitrations. Also, the NRO's travel all over their territory doing step 3 grievances and Area Arbitrations along with meeting with Area VPs and every thing else National Officers have to do on our behalf. 2. RCAs do get COLA's. While I agree they should get them when everybody else does, however, it takes both parties to agree on something in order for it to happen, and if the PO doesn't agree and the Arbitrator doesn't change it, then you're stuck. I hate to be blunt about it, but that's the way it is.

Look, I understand how you feel. But tying our National Boards Salary to our evaluation changes is just wrong. The PO maybe our employer but we employ our National Officers. We want the best and the brightest to go after those jobs and if the see that the salary is unstable due to no fault of his or her own, then who is going to take it. We don't want the PO to do it to us, then why on earth should we do it to our own. I understand your what happens to one, happens to all reasoning, but you forget that within unionism, we don't screw our own. Like it or not, these guys are still rural carriers.

[*SUPERsub*]

okay ron lets examine the ways that an RCA and a national officer are alike now....or the way a reg and a sub ARE not alike..whatever the case may be:

1. subs DO not do the same jobs as regular carriers do...we do everybodys crap...reg...whatever it takes...multiple routes...city routes...2 or three a day...whatever...no biggie...
2. subs have to deal with postal managment in a eat or be eaten way...every morning...even on our days off when they call at 5 am....and after were done home for the night....
3. sometimes subs get to run all over the district when PMS feel generous and loan you out to other offices...and then u got to be a mind reader to figure out where your going and what u are doing...cause they dont know...
4. a SMART rca has to spend countless hours of their own time researching, not only what their contracts were...but what they are after the hundreds of countless MOUS and other amenments to it...or else they havent got a clue to as to what they are required to do...and what management wants them to think are their jobs.
5. a rca has to a diplomat...a negotitator and a referee in order to not offend the other RCAS, the regs, or God forbid the PM....
6. half the time an RCA has to explain the wording in the contract...the part that applies to RCAS to their state officers...since they are "fuzzy" on that part or really dont give a shit anyway...since it dont apply to them...only to have them turn around and agree that management can "Disregard" that RCA part.

SO IF i understand the logic...shit we should be making double what a reg does...and more than an officer anyway

both parties to agree on something in order for it to happenthat pretty much sums it up...and I didnt see any big posts from any officers from the convention championing subs rights.....SO once again...i say they MOST assuredly reap the benefits they extoll...or suffer like those they represent...and we do employee them...that is true...but they are responsible for our salaries...if they cant guarantee that they will at least keep pace with the other union leaders and what they negotitate for their crafts...then they should not seek the office...sorry but there are those out there even carriers who got more people skills, business sense and general smarts than those we keep electing...SO if they cant get the results...we who employee them need to go OUTSIDE The union and get some better leaders...thats a pay raise that i would vote for....!!!!!

[ctrr03]

We're not out to punish the NRLCA because we got screwed by the post office.  That was not the intent here.    We are out to force the issue of the fact the NRLCA is SUPPOSED to be representing us, the RURAL CARRIERS.   Between all their "failed to dispute" and MOU's they sign that give away the house, we have done nothing but LOSE for the past 10 years.   The fact that they believe in "giving up" things in order to get something else needs to stop.   Their treating passed resolutions as "wish lists" when in fact  that is not the intent of resolutions needs to stop.   Since the NRLCA basically is failing in their representation of carriers is the main reason to tie their salaries in with ours.  As far as their salaries now, they are paid at a 48K route level.  NO carrier is paid that.  Once we hit over 46, they rush to cut routes.   The NRLCA couldn't even stand up for those that were cheated during the 2002 count, but instead made it easier for the po and more than likely saved them millions of dollars.  

Then of course, there IS the fact that they don't want the average rural carrier to contact them.   They only want to hear from STATE STEWARDS or other STATE OFFICERS only.    If WE are the ones paying their salary, and they are SUPPOSED to be working for us, then I want a full accounting of WHY they fail to dispute.   Geez,  they couldn't even explain fletters to an arbitrator.    THAT in itself should have been an easy win.

The main reason they fail to dispute anything or can't win is because they have no idea what it is we do.   This is NOT the PO that it was when they carried mail.   It is a totally different game.   Maybe if they actually did their homework on occasion and actually won things (and NOT 5 years after the fact and then don't even ask for interest on OUR money),  it wouldn't come to the fact that people don't trust those that are supposedly representing us.  

I can see why so many are withdrawing from the NRLCA.   It's a sinking ship and too top heavy and needs to be retired.    It would actually be in THEIR and OUR best interest if they would HIRE professional negotiators to actually negotiate instead of being the cowering blob they are.   The NRLCA is the laughing stock of the postal service.

Every year we do MORE and MORE work for LESS and LESS money.  Show me ONE other company where the longer you work, the less you earn.   Show me one other union (oh wait, we're NOT a union, we're an association) that LOSES every time it goes into negotiations.

It really would be nice if they did something to show us they were actually trying, but no, all we seem to get is signed MOUs making things worse for the craft and contracts that LOWER our standard of living by taking away more and more.

Until they can actually acheive this purpose, then yes, their salaries should be tied to ours, basing it on how successful they are.   Any other company REWARDS those for good service.  Instead, the NRLCA is rewarded for doing nothing for those it is supposed to be representing.

Dorothy

[Underdog]

AMEN!!!!

[*SUPERsub*]

I Just thought of ONE HUGE pay raise i for one would vote for...lets go outside the ranks of union carriers...and hire us a real asshole to represent us....
we will pay him/her based upon performance...they get for us ...we give to them. Heck we can all donate our recent raises and our COlAS...but lo and behold...we have neither....sucks to be a sub!

We want the best and brightest to go after these jobs...yes we do...we just havent found them in the rural ranks...they may be very good as a carrier...but like it was pointed out...this IS NOT CARRYING MAIL.

Would you all not also like to have the best and brightest in the ranks as subs? Since this is the future of the asociation leaders with the sytstem we have? ITs not gonna happen with the way things are going...pretty soon all the spots are gonna be filled by the dredges of society..since those  will  be the only ones stupid enough to sign on.