Plant and Local Issues
October 2009
I was advised that there most likely will not be any newly created duty assignments posted on the Plant
side until the Clerks retire at the end of the month. Management will be making
a determination as to how many duty assignments are needed in which sections after October 31, 2009.
I have submitted a written challenge to the Plant Manager concerning the proposed reversion of Marcia
Chernick’s former automation position. I am doing what I can to get some
Customer Service duty assignments reposted after the retirements as I know of six (6) Customer Service positions that will
become vacant.
Stand-by time is a hot topic right now. Stand by time is logged under Operation 340. The USPS is placing what they deem to be excess employees into this operation. In the APWU's opinion, it is merely a way to chisel away at the no layoff clause in Article 6 of our CBA! I have requested information from our Plant Manager and I have some ideas on how to respond to this
new operation. I have instructed the Stewards to place all of the employees
that are in the stand-by operation (which management says is Automation section 111), into the Automation Section for overtime,
annual leave, holiday scheduling, and vacation planning until further notice.
Until I know for sure how many employees will take the incentive and retire, I am hesitant to give
a definitive number that the APWU believes will be impacted. The number could
potentially drop to ten or less. I will
report an accurate number after October 31 2009. In November, St. Petersburg
will begin their excessing again, followed in order by Manasota, Ft. Myers, Lakeland, and Mid Florida (Lake Mary).
The National Reassessment Process (NRP) is in full swing and we have six (6) employees that are in
this process. Under NRP, management (USPS) is determining that there is ‘no
work available’ for employees that were injured on the job and these employees are being walked out of the building. OWCP/DOL (Department of Labor) will be handling these employees after they are off
the rolls of USPS.
Associate
Office Issues
Where NRP is affecting employees in our Associate Offices, we are claiming that there is ‘medically
suitable’ and ‘necessary work’ for our employees. We are grieving
the City and Rural Carriers performing Clerk Craft work and arguing that this work belongs to our people! Another area of concern is that management is using casual employees incorrectly in our Associate Offices. We have one such grievance at Step 3 from Winter Haven requesting upwards of 1,500
hours and climbing. Another big
concern is the shrinking of hours for our part-time flexible employees (PTFs). We
must keep the Clerk Craft work for our own people and keep the other crafts and management from performing OUR work! There are approximately 36,000 PTFs scattered around our country and their voices
need to be heard!
If you feel aggrieved, you must first speak to your supervisor.
If that does not take care of the situation, then request to speak to your Steward. Currently,
there are only about six Stewards in our Associate Offices. If you have no Steward
in your office, then Executive Vice-President Linda Minix is your APWU representative.
She has an extensive APWU background; she is contract savvy, aggressive, and dedicated to protecting the rights of
each employee we represent. If you are not satisfied with your supervisor's response
to a situation and you receive permission to contact Linda, you may contact her at 863-660-2671.
In Solidarity,
Joe Paul
President
