Memorandum of Understanding

Between

Management, U.S. Postal Service

And

National Postal Mailhandlers Union

A Division of the Laborer’s International Union Of North America

AFL-CIO Local 318

 

 

LOCAL MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

 

 

This Memorandum of Understanding is entered into on June 9th at 14:00 hours, between the representatives of the United States Postal Service, and the designated agent of the National Postal Mailhandlers Union, a Division of the Laborer’s International Union Of North America, AFL-CIO, pursuant to the Local Implementation Article of the 1998 National Agreement. This Memorandum of Understanding constitutes the entire agreement on matters relating to local conditions of employment.

 

 

____________________________________

Cliff Hope
Plant Manager
Daytona Beach, Fl 32114-9997

___________________________________

Robert Schmidt
Branch Representative
NPMHU Local 318

 

 

United States Postal Service
Daytona Beach, Fl 32114-9997

 

Date: June 9th, 1999

Subject: Mailhandler Local Memorandum of Understanding

To: Robert Schmidt
Branch Representative
NPMHU Local 318

 

A Additional Or Longer Wash-Up Periods.

A reasonable amount of wash-up time shall be granted for those employees who perform dirty work or work with toxic materials. All Mailhandlers shall be granted reasonable wash-up times before lunch and end of tour.

B Guidelines for the Curtailment or termination of postal operations to conform to orders of local authorities or as local conditions warrant because of emergency conditions.

  1. The decision for curtailment or termination of Postal Operations to conform to the orders of local authorities, or as local conditions warrant because of emergency conditions shall be made by the installation head. When the decision has been reached to curtail Postal Operations, to the extent possible, management will notify and seek the cooperation of local radio and television stations to inform employees.
  2. In the event of any emergency conditions or Act of God that affects the majority of the Daytona Beach area (riots, bomb threats, hurricane warnings, hurricane watch, hurricane conditions,or fires) requiring the curtailment or termination of Postal Operations, management will issue official instructions to its employees by the most expeditious method. In addition, the NPMHU will be informed by the most expeditious method.
  3. Priority will be given first to the safety of the employees in maintaining services to the public.
  4. Any approved absence by the installation head or plant manager for an employee as a result of an emergency condition or Act of God will be charged to leave in accordance with instructions from the installation head or plant manager, as appropriate.
  5. An emergency telephone number will be posted on the Official Bulletin Board so that employees not on duty can call that number for information during emergency situations.
  6. Employees may be granted leave for the purpose of securing their family and property in cases of extreme emergency.
  7. An evacuation plan shall be developed and that plan will be made known to employees when evacuation is a possibility or imminent.

C FORMULATION OF LOCAL LEAVE PROGRAM

  1. The deadline for submitting applications for the choice vacation period shall be January 31st.
  2. When an employee changes sections, his approved leave will be honored by the receiving section.
  3. On each tour, Mailhandlers will apply for Choice Vacation by completing the Choice Vacation Chart. The Shop Steward shall present the Choice Vacation Chart to each Mailhandler on his tour. Starting with the senior Mailhandler and working down the Seniority List, each Mailhandler will be afforded the opportunity to obtain any time period available according to the terms of this document and Article 10 of the National Agreement.
  4. Part Time Flexibles will be granted annual leave in the order of their standing on the Part Time Flexible roster.
  5. The vacation schedule shall be posted and maintained on the Official Bulletin Board.
  6. After the deadline for leave requests and during the choice vacation period, if there are cancellations of approved leave requests, such vacant dates shall appear on the posted Vacation Chart within two (2) days after receipt of the cancellation notice. Cancellation of approved leave will not be considered timely unless it is turned in at least two (2) weeks prior to the beginning date of the approved leave. Waiver of the 2 week notice will require Union concurrence. Mailhandlers with seniority below that of the relinquishing Mailhandler shall have first choice for that period and this annual leave will not be considered choice vacation period.
  7. To the fullest extent practicable, annual leave, or LWOP (leave without pay) will be granted to employees for observance of their religious holiday, anniversary, birthday, and death in the family.
  8. Management will consider requests for emergency annual leave on the merits of the individual situation. The installation head shall post on the Bulletin Board the appropriate phone number to call when an emergency arises.
  9. Leave requests due to military duty will not count toward the choice periods. An employee who is called for military during the employee’s scheduled choice vacation period is eligible for another available period provided this does not deprive any other employee of first choice for scheduled vacation.
  10. Form 3971 must be completed by the employee and submitted to their supervisor no later than seven (7) days prior to the beginning of the approved leave
  11. Nothing contained herein shall preclude management, at it’s discretion, from approving additional leave as long as established procedures are otherwise observed.

D The Duration of the choice vacation period

The Choice Vacation Period for Mailhandlers shall be March 1st, through November 30th, and the period of December 26th through January 1st.

E The determination of the beginning day of an employees vacation period.

  1. The beginning day of the vacation period shall start on the first scheduled work day after the employees days off, or at the beginning of the service week at the option of the employee.
  2. Employees will not be considered available for overtime after their normal ending time on the last scheduled day prior to their vacation, or prior to the start of their first scheduled work day after their vacation, unless the employee notifies his/her supervisor in writing of their availability.

F Whether employees at their option may request two selections during their choice vacation.

Employees with less than three (3) years of creditable service and who request their maximum 10 days of continuous choice vacation leave, shall receive one (1) selection. Employees with three (3) or more years of creditable service and who request their maximum 15 days of continuous choice vacation leave will receive one (1) selection. All other Mailhandlers will receive two (2) selections in units of either five (5) or 10 days.

G Whether jury duty and attendance at national or state conventions shall be charged to the choice vacation period.

  1. Leave for the National and State Convention each year must be guaranteed for the convention delegates, if submitted by January 31st of that year. Leave so used by bargaining unit employees elected or selected as delegates or alternate delegates to a National or State Convention shall not be counted as that employee’s choice vacation period.
  2. Any employee who is called for jury duty during the employee’s scheduled choice vacation period is eligible for another available period provided this does not deprive any other employee of their choice for selected vacation.
  3. All Union leave for conventions, which must be given, shall be counted against the choice selection number.

H Determination of the maximum number of employees who shall receive leave each week during the choice vacation period.

  1. One (1) Mailhandler on each Tour shall receive leave on any week during the Choice Vacation Period.
  2. In addition, during the months of June, July, and August, one additional Mailhandler on each tour shall receive leave each week.
  3. During Thanksgiving week, one (1) additional Mail Handler shall receive leave on each Tour.

I The issuance of official notices to each employee of the vacation schedule approved for such employee.

  1. Posting of the Choice Vacation Chart shall constitute official notification of approved leave for each employee.
  2. The Choice Vacation Chart shall be posted on the Official Bulletin Board no later than February 15th. After the initial sign up period, the Choice Vacation Chart shall be maintained (updated and corrected as necessary) and accessible throughout the leave year.

J Determination of the date and means of notifying employees of the beginning of the new leave year.

  1. No later than November 1st, the employer will publicize on all Official Bulletin Boards , and by other appropriate means, the beginning date of the new leave year.
  2. Supervisors on all Tours shall make choice vacation leave a subject of discussion at the two safety/service talks following that date.
  3. A copy of the official notice will be furnished to the Branch Representative.

K The procedures for submission of applications for annual leave during other than the choice vacation period.

  1. Annual Leave for other than choice vacation (incidental) may be submitted up to 90 days in advance of the requested date and no request for such leave shall be unreasonably denied.
  2. These requests must be submitted in triplicate with one copy signed and dated as received by the supervisor and returned immediately to the employee.
  3. Such requests shall be approved or disapproved within 72 hours and returned to the employee. If the 3971 is not acted on and returned within 72 hours, the leave requested shall be considered automatically approved.
  4. All advance requests for incidental leave shall be granted on a first come-first served basis with the employee’s service day (day of request) as the determining factor.
  5. In order to be considered unavailable for Holiday work and scheduling purposes, a Mailhandler must actually use a minimum of 16 hours of Annual Leave in conjunction with their holiday/designated holiday and off days (immediately before, after, or both). This Annual Leave can only be canceled no later than the Monday preceding the service week in which the holiday falls.
  6. Mailhandler casuals will not be given leave or modified schedules to the detriment of Mailhandler leave requests.

L Whether "overtime desired" lists in article 8 shall be by section and/or tour.

  1. The Overtime Desired Lists (OTDL) shall be by Tour.
  2. There will be three (3) OTDL’s. They will be, a) Before Tour, b) After Tour, and c) Non Scheduled Day. The lists will rotate separately. Mailhandlers may sign any or all three OTDL’s
  3. When overtime is needed, the After Tour list will be utilized first unless a particular operational window or dispatch of value dictates the need for pre-tour overtime.
  4. For every day a Mail Handler is on a Change of Schedule (COS), he/she will be the last person in the rotation for overtime.
  5. Mailhandlers required to work overtime shall be notified at least one (1) hour prior to the end of tour. If less than one hour notice is given, overtime will be on a volunteer basis, to the maximum extent possible.

M The number of light duty assignments to be reserved for temporary or permanent light duty assignment.

  1. The number of assignments to be reserved for temporary or permanent light duty assignments shall be at least one (1) per Tour.
  2. If it is determined that additional assignments are needed, the Union and management will meet to discuss those assignments.
  3. Mailhandlers on Limited Duty shall not be counted toward the number of Light Duty assignments.

N The method to be used in reserving light duty assignments so that no regularly assigned member of the regular work force will be adversely affected.

  1. Light duty assignments shall be supplemental to regular work force assignments. No employee will be "bumped" from their regular bid assignment.
  2. Before more than one (1) employee is assigned light duty per Tour, and before light duty employees are moved off their regular schedules, consultation will be held with the Branch Representative of Daytona Beach Local # 318.
  3. If possible, an employee’s normal assignments shall be modified to the extent allowed by medical restrictions before looking to other assignments.
  4. If adequate work is not available at the facility within the employee’s regular hours of duty, work outside his/her regular schedule may be assigned as light duty. However, all efforts shall be made to assign the employee to light duty within the employee’s regular schedule.

O The identification of assignments that are to be considered light duty.

  1. The Light duty assignments are to assist in:
  1. Rewrap
  2. Sack Examination and Spreading
  3. Hand Canceling ( letters and flats)
  4. Culling and Facing
  5. Pulling mail drops
  6. Flip Flop
  1. Other work management may establish within the employee’s physical limitation established by the employees physician.
  2. Management will also consider light duty assignments to other crafts in accordance with Article 13.
  3. If at any time management determines that no light duty work is available for a Mailhandler, the designated Union representative will be notified immediately along with the reason(s) why.

P The Identification of assignments comprising a section when it is proposed to reassign within an installation, employees excess to the needs of a section.

Sections shall be defined as Tours 1, 2, and 3

Q The assignment of employee parking spaces.

Three (3) spaces shall be reserved 24 hours a day for the NPMHU Branch Representative and the two Shop Stewards.

R The determination as to whether Annual Leave to attend union activities requested prior to determination of the choice vacation schedule is to be part of the total choice vacation plan,

Leave to attend Union activities requested prior to the determination of the Choice Vacation schedule will not be considered as part of the total Choice Vacation Plan.

 

S Those other items which are subject to local negotiations as provided in the following articles.

  1. Under Article 12.3 b5, Bids shall be reposted if there is a 50% change in actual duties performed, or a change in the principle assignment area which is defined as the operation and section definition listed further in this item.
  2. Bids for Craft Assignment shall be posted on Official Bulletin Boards at the installations where the vacancy exists including stations, branches and sections.
  3. Under 12.3 e3, the order of movement among full-time regulars shall be by juniority.
  1. Volunteers by seniority.
  2. Regular Mailhandlers on Overtime.
  3. Regulars holding assignments in other sections.
  4. Unassigned Regular Mailhandlers.
  5. Regular Mailhandlers by juniority.

4. Under Article 12.4, Sections are defined as a Tour.

  1. Tours are defined as:

Tour One Tour Two Tour Three

23:00-07:30 07:00-15:30 15:00-23:30

 

  1. Under Article 12.6C4a, the definition of a Section for excessing out of a section will be by Tours as defined above for the main office. Each station and branch will be defined as separate sections.
  2. Under Article 13.3, refer to items M, N, and O above.

T LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS AGREEMENT RELATING TO SENIORITY, REASSIGNMENTS AND POSTING

  1. Management will post a Seniority List of Mailhandlers on the Official Bulletin Board for the installation on a quarterly basis.
  2. Copies of all bids, awards and bulletins posted will be provided to the Branch Representative, if the bulletin contains information affecting Mailhandlers.
  3. If more than one residual vacancy exists, the Senior Unassigned Regular Mailhandler can either accept or reject the Bid. The process will work it’s way down the Seniority List’s Unassigned Regulars until someone accepts the vacancy or until it reaches the most Junior Unassigned Regular, who then will be placed in the vacant position.
  4. All Bids shall include the section and principle duty assignments. The Branch Representative will have an opportunity to provide input and review all vacant and new Bids prior to posting to the maximum extent possible.
  5. A Union representative may attend the opening of the Bid Box on closing day of the Bids.
  6. The Mailhandler Branch Representative will be provided with advance notice of new employee orientation for Mailhandlers.
  7. PTF’s and Mailhandler casuals will be included on the Mailhandler Holiday Schedule. Except for emergency situations or extenuating circumstances, Mailhandlers who volunteer to work their Holiday will be required to work the entire eight hours. Whenever situations occur that management determines that a Mailhandler or Mailhandlers can be released early, those who were mandatoried in to work their holiday will be given the first opportunity, by seniority, to volunteer to leave. The Branch Representative will have the opportunity to review the Holiday Schedule prior to posting.
  8. A Bid incorrectly posted and /or changed after the initial posting shall be canceled and reposted on the next official posting.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Labor Management Meetings will be held quarterly on the first Wednesday of the calendar quarter. Each party will be allowed to have up to four (4) participants at each meeting. Each party will have the right to call additional members on specific items. The Union and management will alternate in recording the minutes of the meetings. Both parties will be allowed to review and initial the minutes before they are accepted as correct. Each party will retain a copy of the minutes.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Whenever situations occur that management determines that a Mailhandler or Mailhandlers can be released before the end of their scheduled overtime, those who were mandatoried shall be given the first opportunity, by seniority, to volunteer to leave.