The San Francisco Region Sentinel April 2019 Issue # 5
FRIENDS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES…..LEND ME YOUR EARS
FROM THE DESK OF: JAMES SCOGGINS
In January of this year Sonia and I had the pleasure and honor to participate in the Los Angeles Teacher’s strike, which resulted from the Los Angeles Unified School District’s failure to negotiated a much-deserved collective bargaining agreement. Within a week or so after the teachers went on strike a negotiated collective bargaining agreement was reached. However, as important as this event was, that is not the subject of this article.
To get to this event we took the gold-line light rail from Pasadena to the Union Train Station in downtown Los Angeles where we had to transfer
and take the red-line light rail to our destination. While we were waiting on the platform proudly wearing our APWU gear, we were approached by a
young man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties and he told us that his father retired from the USPS and was a member of the San Diego Area Local. The gentleman went to tell us that while his dad was still employed and when he was a senior in high school that he applied for one of the APWU Scholarship Funds and he got it. He went on to say how that made such a positive impression on his life, which is why he was out supporting the striking teachers in their efforts. Oh yeah and let me back up a little bit, this young man is now a psychologist with the Los Angeles Unified School District and on this particular day it was raining cats and dogs, yet he took the time to come out and support the teacher’s union and their efforts.
For the complete article and other important news & opinions, click here.
RI-399 Update On Monetary Payments
To All National, Local, and State Officers
From: Mark Dimondstein, President
Clint Burelson, Clerk Craft Director
Subject: RI-399 Update Monetary Payments
Sisters and Brothers,
The tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the USPS, APWU and NMPHU regarding the processes and procedures of future RI 399 disputes as well as the withdrawal of most national level jurisdictional disputes was signed on June 26, 2018. The Postal Service agreed to a monetary settlement of $14.5 million to each union in consideration of the withdrawal of the national level grievances. Each union has the authority to determine how the monies will be distributed.
In consultation and agreement with the Clerk Craft Director, it was determined to distribute the money on an equal basis to the following categories of clerk craft employees.
1) All career clerk craft employees who were on the rolls as of September 1, 2017 in postal installations that employ both clerk craft employees and mail handlers.
2) All non-career PSE clerk craft employees who were on the rolls as of September 1, 2017 in installations that employ both clerk craft employees and mail handlers and who are still on the roles and in the clerk craft on March 1, 2019
The exact monetary amount has yet to be determined as we are still in the process of gathering the accurate numbers. We expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 85,000 clerk craft employees will receive a payment of approximately $160.00. Furthermore, we do not yet know when the payments will be made.
Updates will be provided once the details are finalized.
Please note that the APWU and NPMHU have decided on different methods of payment and of course the numbers will differ in light of the fact that the APWU has chosen to distribute the money to twice as many employees.
Please share this information as you deem appropriate.
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For a full copy of this memorandum, click here.
FYI – PSE Conversions to Career Status
PSE Members:
The APWU has been advised that the seven (7) senior PSEs will be converted to career status. Six (6) PSEs will be converted effective January 19, 2019, via Plant duty assignments and one (1) PSE will be converted after qualifying, if necessary, on the window requirements, via Laurel Station SSDA duty assignment.
Fredric Jacobs
President
For a copy of this announcement, click here.
FYI PSE Separation For Lack of Work and Reappointment
PSE Members:
When separating PSEs for lack of work and reappointing PSEs, Management must adhere to Appendix A, 3. Other Provisions, B, Article 15.3, page 256 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). (See below)
PSEs may be separated at any time during their term of appointment for lack of work. Separations for lack of work shall be by inverse relative standing on the appropriate PSE roll. Such separations are not grievable except where the separations are pretextual. PSEs separated for lack of work will be given reappointment ahead of other PSEs with less relative standing on the PSE roll (or hiring a new PSE) within the installation if the need for hiring arises within one (1) year of their separation. PSEs are separated for 5 days between appointments.
When operational circumstances indicate that reappointment for a PSE(s) is not needed and the installation employs a PSE(s) with lower relative standing, the PSE(s) with higher standing will be reappointed and the PSE(s) with the lower standing in the installation will be separated instead. Such separation of a PSE(s) with the lowest standing is not grievable except where the separation is pretextual. These PSE(s) separated for lack of work during or upon completion of their term of appointment will be given reappointment ahead of other PSE(s) with less relative standing on the PSE roll (or hiring a new PSE) in the installation if the need for hiring arises within one (1) year of separation.
Fredric Jacobs
President
For a PDF copy of this information, click here.
Postal Worker West Newsletter
The latest January 2019 edition of the Postal Worker West Newsletter has been published.
The featured article provides an update on the collective bargaining process.
You’ll find the PWW Newsletter on the News >> Postal Worker West Newsletter page of this website:
Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas
Contract Negotiations December 21, 2018
Statement from President Mark Dimondstein to APWU on Status of Collective Bargaining
12/21/2018 – The Collective Bargaining Agreement (Union Contract) between the American Postal Workers Union and the United States Postal Service initially expired on September 20, 2018. Negotiations began in July with a big kick off and national day of action during which many of you participated as together we are “Fighting Today for a Better Tomorrow!” Since our contract expired there have been four extensions of negotiations in an effort to reach a voluntary agreement.
As your president, taking general guidance from the National Negotiating Committee, I led in reaching a tentative agreement with management on December 6, 2018. I believe it to be fair and positive for the members.
For the rest of this statement, please click here to access the PDF statement.
PSE Career Opportunity Update
PSE Members:
I have been advised by In-Plant-Support that all previously unassigned regular clerks have been assigned to a duty assignment, and that there are 16 residual vacancies. Accordingly, the Oakland Local APWU will be working diligently to get PSEs converted to career status as soon as possible, and to have the conversions effectuated in compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with an accurate PSE seniority list.
Fredric Jacobs
President
For a PDF copy of this update, click here.
Further Update / George H.R Bush National Day of Observation
Members:
The Senior Plant Manager has advised me that administrative leave will be provided for Plant employees for the National Day Of Observance (NDOO) after the peak season (January 4, 2019). Number 10 of the NDOO MOU states that a day of administrative leave must be granted and used within six months of the NDOO (December 5, 2018) or by the end of the Fiscal Year (September 30, 2019), whichever is later. Employees will select the day that they want to use their administrative leave, subject to management’s approval.
The City of Oakland has advised me that all retail offices will be closed on the NDOO. Employees with the NDOO as a nonscheduled workday will be granted a day of administrative leave at a future date.
PSEs are not eligible for the NDOO administrative leave. They get paid for all hours worked on the NDOO.
Fredric Jacobs
President