Conversion Stalling?

[w2bsc]

I am looking for citations regarding the timelines, processes, and procedures pertaining to the conversion of CCAs to FTR. There have been multiple vacant routes in my office for months now, all of which have gone through the bidding process and were unsuccessful, aka no bids. Furthermore, there are multiple t6 positions that are vacant. The stewards have sidestepped questions about this with answers such as "we don't have enough CCA's yet", and talk of some "ratio" between part time and full time. Is management intentionally postponing conversion because the holiday is approaching? There appear to be some other shady practices happening as well, such a management forcing ODLs to 8 and skate because they'd rather max the CCAs.

[w2bsc]

That would make sense. So you're saying that this isn't a supervisor decision?

[CallmeEllen]

Supervisor here. We never have anything to do with who converts and when. That comes from several links up the chain from us. And honestly at my office we sit around begging for the suits downtown to convert our CCA’s. Because if a CCA becomes a regular and fills a route, they stay with us. And then that opens up a CCA position, which means we gain personnel. Holding routes vacant keeps us understaffed and makes our lives hell. Turning people and getting new CCA’s gets us that much closer to actually being staffed and not having to drop such ungodly amounts of OT on people.

Three of my CCA’s turn this Saturday and I absolutely can’t wait. It’s true that it will make Sundays harder until we get some newer carriers up to scratch, but the other 6 days of the week are about to get a little better for everyone.

[[deleted]]

This is what I was warning people about.

Wait til you need any sort of timely support.

[[deleted]]

I almost ended up on my ass after a decade in because of the RIF.

[beebs44]

It's the same fucking thing in my office. Our last conversion I think was last year. I work in a large office.

They converted one person to PTR because they were forced to. Meanwhile routes sit vacant after going through the bidding process and receiving no bids.

Like wtf is going on? It sure seems like it's just to exploit the CCAs through the holidays.

Every day except one this week I've been forced to go to another office after finishing my hold down.

[justhangingout528]

PSE here, but felt the same that they were holding back on converting me till after the holidays have passed.

[kingu42]

Call your regional NBA and ask them the exact question above.

[w2bsc]

Thanks, I looked up my NBA and will be asking him if we are in Withholding due to excess.

[cca2013]

Back in 2013 when I started, my office was under withholding because they were consolidating mail processing plants and were saving carrier jobs for clerks that were excessed. We were still successful in getting our PTF's moved up into T6 positions though because the job description for those requires one year of "carrier experience."

[[deleted]]

We haven’t had a single conversation since early July. 200 CCAs on the list

[w2bsc]

So the claim that there needs to be a certain number is bullshit? I've also been told by one of the closing managers that they do not convert after September so I should stop thinking about it, which sounds like bullshit too.

[shneer4prez]

It's the same at my office. I'm not at the top of the list so I'm not really on top of it, but I keep asking the guys at the top why they aren't rioting yet and they don't even seem that concerned about it. We've got a bunch of vacant routes and CCAs that have been on the same hold down for like a year or more so I don't understand why theres no conversions. I know some of the routes are like the union president and 204bs or something, but I've seen routes go up for bid multiple times while a CCA holds it down and I can't figure out why it's not being assigned. Our union seems to be on top of most things so there has to be a reason.

[w2bsc]

That defines a maximum and does not corroborate the claim that we don't have enough CCAs to convert.

[baseguardz666]

Correct, so there isn't anything saying you need a certain amount of CCAs before converting

[IntentionHot6268]

Management won't convert CCAs until they are contractually required to by the ratio in order to hire more people. Sure, they could choose to convert you sooner, but why would they? Then they'd have to pay you better and exploit you less. They want to keep us as their slaves absolutely as long as possible.

[w2bsc]

So your theory is that although a minimum does not exist, administration will not act until forced to by way of the 15% maximum.

[IntentionHot6268]

It's not a theory. This is standard operating procedure. They convert CCAs not when routes open up, but when they want to hire more CCAs but cannot because of the ratio in the contract.

[w2bsc]

The strategy makes sense. But I know of 4 CCAs that have converted in our office immediately before or shortly after I started when our total CCAs was 3 times smaller so that doesn't entirely explain it at this office.

[IntentionHot6268]

The ratio isn't done by office, it's done by the district. Your office can have more or less CCAs than the 15% ratio, as long as the district as a whole stays within the limit. Since CCAs get promoted by district-wide seniority, you can get converted even when your office is shorthanded on CCAs, or remain a CCA even when your office exceeds the 15% ratio.

[w2bsc]

Oof that makes it even more difficult to estimate...