Regular Ed Pick Likely to be Postponed

[Buzz]

The DOE wants the regular ed pick put off until October but no definite dates have been set.

So far, special ed will be as scheduled. (Though they originally wanted to postpone that too.)

Stay tuned.

[PROUD MEMBER]

Here we go again. I'll save my comments & questions for the day of the refresher course. The refresher course which I ASSUME is still scheduled for the same days as when we left in June.

[Buzz]

Here we go again. I'll save my comments & questions for the day of the refresher course. The refresher course which I ASSUME is still scheduled for the same days as when we left in June.

Yes, refresher hasn't changed ... as of now, anyway.

But, PLEASE ... don't make the class any longer than it already is.

[GMC JOE]

The DOE gets involved in our union picks ? Why is not the pick in October always makes more sense

[PROUD MEMBER]

In my opinion a pick in October makes NO sense at all. How can you start on September 5th and be told to do the same run as you had when you left on June 26th. I say this for many reasons. Here's a few:
1. Runs change.
a. Stops are added and/or deleted
b. Schools are added and/or deleted
c. The start & dismissal times for some schools change
2. Pioneer gets new runs that they didn't have last year
3. Pioneer loses runs that they had last year
4. Some schools closed their doors in June
5. New schools may open in September
6. Drivers retire and unfortunately others may pass away or become disabled over the summer.
    Who gets their runs. Example if the #2 driver retires it isn't fair (especially in a Union job) that a
    new driver gets that run (even if it's only for a month) before 370 drivers with more seniority.
7. New drivers are hired over the summer so obviously they weren't working on June 26th when
    school ended. So what runs are they handed if there's no pick.
8. It makes NO SENSE (at least to me and I'll wait & listen for an explanation) that the DOE
    would hand out thousands of runs to the 10 or 20 separate contractors a week or two before
    the school year starts and then tell those contractors "but we don't want your employees to pick
    those runs for another five weeks until October".
9. Why would our Union Reps allow the pick to be postponed until October.

I say all of the above not to start controversy but just the opposite to have less confusion and fairness to all. And to stop the hush hush talk between us. I have spoken with numerous drivers in the last week and over the years (because this isn't the first time this has been brought up about a pick being postponed) and the majority of them say and think exactly what I have stated above but because of fear they don't say it out loud. Fear of what? We are all Brothers & Sisters including Our Reps.

I was not going to put this out here and I was going to wait and talk to Ernie & Andy privately but since Joe stated his opinion (which I respect) about postponing the pick I figured why not.

[Buzz]

If you recall, the DOE got a lot of bad press at the beginning of last school year. Their reasoning is that it would go smoother if new drivers (on a given run) weren't another wrench that could be thrown into the works.

I happen to agree with that and always thought it made more sense to have the pick in October for that reason. However, to the best of my recollection, the snafus last year were with only a couple of companies and they were special ed runs, not regular ed and the special ed pick remains the same so I don't know how it's going to help with those runs. (And many special ed runs do change drastically over the summer.)

As for most of the things you mentioned, any of those things can happen at any time during the school year and runs are always "subject to change."  (And what if a driver leaves a week after the pick? A shape gets to do it for 5 months.) Not to mention that the DOE couldn't care less about any thing on your list.

As for why the union would "allow" it ... when does the DOE ever allow the union to set policy? If they "listen" to the union at all they do it as a courtesy. They have no contract with the union and don't really have to even recognize it. (And they certainly don't care about our opinion ... even if it is the "majority.")

[PROUD MEMBER]

Buzz
I'm on my 17th year and you're probably around 24 years and for my first 15 the DOE never had a problem with us picking runs before school starts and I'd assume they never had a problem with that for the previous 50 years. Simple reason being the Union has always had a pick before school started for those 50 years. Why now is it a problem? Having said that, IF the pick isn't til October I'd like to be the driver that gets the #2 driver's run because rumor has it that he is retiring!

[GMC JOE]

I just do not see picks being a issue with anyone other than the union for the benefit of the union member .Board of Ed gives the runs to the contractor and the contractor covers the runs . No union we are all shapes with runs assigned by management . Thank goodness for the union .

[Buzz]

Buzz
I'm on my 17th year and you're probably around 24 years and for my first 15 the DOE never had a problem with us picking runs before school starts and I'd assume they never had a problem with that for the previous 50 years. Simple reason being the Union has always had a pick before school started for those 50 years. Why now is it a problem? Having said that, IF the pick isn't til October I'd like to be the driver that gets the #2 driver's run because rumor has it that he is retiring!

As I explained above, there were a lot of problems last year especially with some runs that were sold to another company that screwed up big time. Andy says they were regular ed runs, though I do remember reading a number of horror stories about some special ed runs in other boroughs as well. That's why it's a problem now and they're (the DOE) hoping this will prevent it from repeating. We'll see.

 
(Starting my 26th year actually.)

[Buzz]

I just do not see picks being a issue with anyone other than the union for the benefit of the union member .Board of Ed gives the runs to the contractor and the contractor covers the runs . No union we are all shapes with runs assigned by management . Thank goodness for the union .

Well, the DOE didn't like the way some runs were covered at the beginning of last year and you know that what they say, goes. Of all the support services, we're at the bottom of the totem pole.

Actually, the DOE wanted the pick moved UP a week from when we had it scheduled and dry runs completed by the end of that week. (Before we even had the refresher.) The union, I believe,  convinced them that this would be virtually impossible with drivers away on vacation, etc., so their next move was to postpone it.

From your posts it doesn't sound like you're retiring. 

[PROUD MEMBER]

26th year
You're Old
But at least the good part of it is your pension will start increasing

[Buzz]

26th year
You're Old

Yeah but ... you're bald!! 

[LMAO]

Im Hearing you are doing the run you picked ! Not the run you may have been covering at the end of the year .and that their not covering work this year if not enough drivers their giving the extra run back to the city ! THIS SHOULD BE FUN

[Buzz]

Im Hearing you are doing the run you picked ! Not the run you may have been covering at the end of the year .and that their not covering work this year if not enough drivers their giving the extra run back to the city ! THIS SHOULD BE FUN

Partly true. So far it looks like drivers will be doing the runs they picked. Don't know yet if they'll have enough drivers to cover the work but they're not giving anything back to the city.