Fwd: {{ruralcarriers@rootsweb.com}} NJ Postal and Rural News, Issue 28-S, V.1, Dec. 7, 2007 (list1)
1 view
Skip to first unread message
mb
Mar 9, 2011, 11:48:28 PM3/9/11
to hier...@googlegroups.com
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <hier...@comcast.net>
Date: Fri, Dec 7, 2007 at 6:55 PM
Subject: {{ruralc...@rootsweb.com}} NJ Postal and Rural News, Issue 28-S, V.1, Dec. 7, 2007 (list1)
To: Hier...@comcast.net
Cc: Ruralc...@rootsweb.com
NEW JERSEY POSTAL AND RURAL NEWS
Issue 28-S, Vol. 1 December 7, 2007 Friday Hier...@comcast.net
Issues of the New Jersey Postal and NRLCA News are now posted and available on the following website: http://groups.google.com/group/rlc_onliners_pub?hl=en
DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation with USPS or the NRLCA and as such any information that I pass on is unofficial and constitutes advice and/or suggestions for your consideration. You may be advised to double-check with official sources before depending on its use and while you are doing that ask why is it that someone without official contacts has this information and is passing it on and its not coming from official sources.
Note: These email messages are being sent to the entire NJ State Board and almost all of the senior stewards in New Jersey. There should be no concerns about this being done secretly.
**If you know any rural craft employee who would like to receive this dissemination, please send email address, and office of employment to Hier...@comcast.net.
**If you do not wish to receive these disseminations, please notify Hier...@comcast.net and request removal from dissemination list.
**Please address all comments, submissions, stories to Hier...@comcast.net and be sure to mark it as confidential or note if it is OK to share.
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Labor Relations, United States Postal Service
December 5, 2007
MANAGERS, DELIVERY PROGRAMS SUPPORT (AREA), MANAGERS, HUMAN RESOURCES (AREA), MANAGERS, LABOR RELATIONS (AREA), DISTRICT MANAGERS, MANAGERS, HUMAN RESOURCES (DISTRICT), MANAGERS, OPERATIONS PROGRAMS SUPPORT (DISTRICT)
SUBJECT: Interest Arbitration Award-2006-2010 USPS/NRLCA National Agreement
The Interest Arbitration panel chaired by Arbitrator Herbert Fishgold recently provided an award establishing the terms of the 2006-2010 National Agreement between the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA). As stated in the award, “The new agreement shall incorporate the changes set forth in the Tentative Agreement reached by the parties on December 8, 2006, except insofar as this Award modifies and/or supplements those terms.â€
I have attached a copy of the Interest Arbitration panel’s award and a summary of the substantive changes to the 2000 National Agreement, as extended, which includes those provisions contained in the Tentative Agreement reached in December 2006, and any additional changes resulting from the issuance of this award.
Further information will be disseminated by Headquarters Labor Relations and/or Rural Delivery concerning specific provisions of the 2006-2010 USPS-NRLCA National Agreement requiring local implementation, in advance of the printing of the Agreement.
The 2006-2010 National Agreement and accompanying Analysis of Changes will be printed and distributed to Area and District offices as soon as practicable.
It is anticipated that joint training on the 2006-2010 USPS-NRLCA National Agreement will be scheduled in late January/early February. Detailed information relative to this training will be provided as soon as it is available.
Bill Daigneault
Manager, Contract Administration (NRLCA)
Labor Relations
**************************************************************************
2006-2010 Contract Revisions
REVISIONS TO THE USPS/NRLCA NATIONAL AGREEMENT
Article 7.D Temporary Relief Carriers
Allows hiring TRC employees in any office provided the Area’s TRC complement does not exceed 15% of its total regular rural routes. The previous calculation involving the number of bargaining unit leave replacements compared to regular routes in each district and the 80% limitation no longer applies.
Article 8.5 Relief Day Worked
Allows all regular rural carriers regardless of route classification, to sign
the Relief Day Work List twice a year. There is a two week period prior to the
beginning of the guarantee period and again two weeks prior to the beginning of the first full pay period in May. Each list supersedes the previous list.
Article 9.1.A Basic Annual Salary
Salary increases as follows:
November 25, 2006 – 1.2%
November 24, 200 7 – 1.5%
November 22, 2008 – 1.5%
November 21, 2009 – 1.5%
Article 9.1.B One-Time Cash Payment
Regular rural carriers will receive a cash payment of $686. PTF rural carriers
will receive a cash payment prorated based on the number or hours worked.
Article 9.1.F Cost-of-Living Adjustment
COLA adjustments will continue every 6 months compared to the May 2007 CPI. An amount equal to the COLA will be rolled into RCA/RCR hourly rates in February 2011.
Article 9.2.C.3 Mail Counts
There will be three national mail counts. All vacant routes, auxiliary routes
and other routes opted in by the carrier or Employer will be counted on the
following dates:
2008 – 12 day count (2/23 – 3/7)
2009 – 24 day count (2/14 – 3/14)
2010 – 12 day count (2/27 – 3/12)
Article 9.2 .J EMA
Quarterly adjustments based on CPI-W will continue. The EMA base rate will be increased and effective in the c a rriers’ pay checks as follows:
3 cents per mile – January 2008
2 cents per mile – October 2008
2.5 cents per mile – October 2009
Article 9.2.M Training Pay
Newly appointed RCAs will be paid the higher of the actual hours worked per week or the evaluation of the route(s) for the week (up to 40 hours) for the first 5 pay periods of employment. An RCA utilized on a route he/she has not served in the past 12 months will be paid the greater of the actual hours worked or the evaluation of the route (up to 40 hours).
Article 9.2.N Training Presentations
Form 8127, Rural Carrier Supplemental Payment, will be paid at the carrier’s
straight time rate.
Article 12 Principles of Seniority, Posting, and Reassignment
A new bidding procedure will be implemented. Initially, carriers wi ll bid by
using PS Form 1717-A, Preferred Assignment Multiple Bid Card. When a vacant route is posted, a description of all re g ul ar routes in the office will be
listed on the posting. Carriers wishing to bid will list, in order of
preference, any route that will be accepted by the carrier should the route
become available as a result of filling the vacant route. The bid card will be
submitted and the carrier will not be able to decline any route they listed on
the form after the posting period. The use of PS Form 1717-A is temporary until such time that the process of bidding for rural carrier vacancies in this manner can be automated (e.g., computer, telephone). At that time, rural carriers will be required to utilize the automated bidding procedures (similar provisions have been added to Article 30 for bidding on PTF rural carrier assignments).
Another change to Article 12 concerns reassignments due to an excess number of rural carriers in an of fice. Changes in the reassignment provisions will allow carriers to bid in an expanded area to avoid involu nt ary reassignments. Added provisions also allow the Employer to reassign rural carriers temporarily when the situation that causes the excess number of rural carriers is not permanent. The offices where vacancies are withheld for excessing may be expanded to accommodate the number of impacted rural carriers. Another provision allows opportunities where a regular rural carrier may elect to revert to a PTF rural carrier in lieu of involuntary reassignment outside their office.
Article 15 Grievance and Arbitration Procedure
Increases the time limits for the Union to appeal an adverse Step 2 decision to
Step 3 to 15 days. Provisions were also modified concerning area and national
arbitration panel vacancies.
Article 17 Representation
Allows an area steward to be designated to handle a particular grievance in lieu of the loca l steward.
Representatives identified by the Union will be notified and provided ample
opportunity to address new employees during orientation.
Article 21 Health Benefits
The Employer’s contribution to the cost of employee health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is decreased as follows:
2009 plan year – 2%
2010 plan year – 1%
2011 plan year – 1%
Article 25 Higher Level Assignments
Eliminates the requirement to provide a copy of Form 1723, Notice of Assignment, to the state steward.
Article 30.2.E Filling a Leave Replacement Vacancy
When a vacancy occurs in the leave replacement ranks, the route may be added to a PTF rural carrier’s assignment instead of being offered to other leave replacements. Additionally, leave replacements must be offered a leave
replacement vacancy that was previously not accepted by any leave replacements on the initial offer; when the regular carrier assigned to the route has been on extended absence for more than 30 day s.
Article 31 Union / Management Cooperation
Changes have been made that provide data to the NRLCA on a routine basis.
MOU #7 Bids by Rural Carriers Unable to Perform the Duties
Rural carriers temporarily unable to perform the duties of a bid-for position,
due to job-related or non-job-related restrictions, may have the assignment held in abeyance for up to six months, rather than one year, with supported medical documentation.
MOU #8 Right-Hand Drive Vehicles
Provides a lump sum payment of $1,000 to rural carriers who purchase new RHD vehicles for use on rural routes. It also provides $500 to rural carriers who purchase used RHD vehicles or convert their LHD vehicles to RHD for use on rural routes. The incentive applies to regular rural carriers and bargaining unit leave replacements.
MOU #12 Court Leave for PTF Rural Carriers
Provides court leave to eligible part-tim e flexible r ural carriers.
MOU #13 Employer Provided Vehicles
Provides 3,000 additional right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles on rural routes each year from 2009 through 2013, totaling an additional 15,000 RHD Employer provided vehicles on rural routes.
MOU #20 Route Adjustment Process for DPS Flat Mail
After a route begins to receive DPS flats and has passed any required
qualifications, a mail count will be conducted in one of the three periods:
National mail count period set forth in Article 9.2.C.3 (currently Feb – Mar)
Special mail count period during the last 12 working days of September
The 12 working days immediately after Mother’s Day
MOU #21 Revenue Generation
Engages rural carriers in revenue generating initiatives by submitting leads
from business customers currently utilizing competitors, by increasing customer awareness of our products and services and by informing customers of the USPS webs ite usps.com in an attem pt to promote alternate access to Postal products and services. The weekly stamp stock standard credit will encompass any time associated with these activities.
MOU Mail Count Task Force
Establishes a committee of union and management representatives at the national level to consider methods of selecting a representative period to conduct national mail counts.
MOU Leave Replacement Task Force
Establishes a committee of union and management representatives at the national level to review training and retention issues for leave replacement employees.
Handbook Changes PO-603
Modifies Handbook PO-603, Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities, to reflect a different credit for changes of address (COAs). Each 3982 label received during the mail count will be 15 seconds unless the carrier is required to perform any additional duties of completing Forms 3575, 3546 and/or writing address es on Form 3 982. In such instances, the credit for the 3982 label will be two minutes.
RURALC...@ROOTSWEB.COM MAIL LIST.
FOR DISCUSSION OF POSTAL AND RURAL CARRIER RELATED SUBJECTS.
STEWARD CONTACTS
http://www.nrlca.org/stewards.html
NRLCA CONTACT INFO.
National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
Fourth Floor
1630 Duke Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3465
Phone: 703-684-5545
-------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to RURALCARRI...@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message
From: <hier...@comcast.net>
Date: Fri, Dec 7, 2007 at 6:55 PM
Subject: {{ruralc...@rootsweb.com}} NJ Postal and Rural News, Issue 28-S, V.1, Dec. 7, 2007 (list1)
To: Hier...@comcast.net
Cc: Ruralc...@rootsweb.com
NEW JERSEY POSTAL AND RURAL NEWS
Issue 28-S, Vol. 1 December 7, 2007 Friday Hier...@comcast.net
Issues of the New Jersey Postal and NRLCA News are now posted and available on the following website: http://groups.google.com/group/rlc_onliners_pub?hl=en
DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation with USPS or the NRLCA and as such any information that I pass on is unofficial and constitutes advice and/or suggestions for your consideration. You may be advised to double-check with official sources before depending on its use and while you are doing that ask why is it that someone without official contacts has this information and is passing it on and its not coming from official sources.
Note: These email messages are being sent to the entire NJ State Board and almost all of the senior stewards in New Jersey. There should be no concerns about this being done secretly.
**If you know any rural craft employee who would like to receive this dissemination, please send email address, and office of employment to Hier...@comcast.net.
**If you do not wish to receive these disseminations, please notify Hier...@comcast.net and request removal from dissemination list.
**Please address all comments, submissions, stories to Hier...@comcast.net and be sure to mark it as confidential or note if it is OK to share.
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Labor Relations, United States Postal Service
December 5, 2007
MANAGERS, DELIVERY PROGRAMS SUPPORT (AREA), MANAGERS, HUMAN RESOURCES (AREA), MANAGERS, LABOR RELATIONS (AREA), DISTRICT MANAGERS, MANAGERS, HUMAN RESOURCES (DISTRICT), MANAGERS, OPERATIONS PROGRAMS SUPPORT (DISTRICT)
SUBJECT: Interest Arbitration Award-2006-2010 USPS/NRLCA National Agreement
The Interest Arbitration panel chaired by Arbitrator Herbert Fishgold recently provided an award establishing the terms of the 2006-2010 National Agreement between the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA). As stated in the award, “The new agreement shall incorporate the changes set forth in the Tentative Agreement reached by the parties on December 8, 2006, except insofar as this Award modifies and/or supplements those terms.â€
I have attached a copy of the Interest Arbitration panel’s award and a summary of the substantive changes to the 2000 National Agreement, as extended, which includes those provisions contained in the Tentative Agreement reached in December 2006, and any additional changes resulting from the issuance of this award.
Further information will be disseminated by Headquarters Labor Relations and/or Rural Delivery concerning specific provisions of the 2006-2010 USPS-NRLCA National Agreement requiring local implementation, in advance of the printing of the Agreement.
The 2006-2010 National Agreement and accompanying Analysis of Changes will be printed and distributed to Area and District offices as soon as practicable.
It is anticipated that joint training on the 2006-2010 USPS-NRLCA National Agreement will be scheduled in late January/early February. Detailed information relative to this training will be provided as soon as it is available.
Bill Daigneault
Manager, Contract Administration (NRLCA)
Labor Relations
**************************************************************************
2006-2010 Contract Revisions
REVISIONS TO THE USPS/NRLCA NATIONAL AGREEMENT
Article 7.D Temporary Relief Carriers
Allows hiring TRC employees in any office provided the Area’s TRC complement does not exceed 15% of its total regular rural routes. The previous calculation involving the number of bargaining unit leave replacements compared to regular routes in each district and the 80% limitation no longer applies.
Article 8.5 Relief Day Worked
Allows all regular rural carriers regardless of route classification, to sign
the Relief Day Work List twice a year. There is a two week period prior to the
beginning of the guarantee period and again two weeks prior to the beginning of the first full pay period in May. Each list supersedes the previous list.
Article 9.1.A Basic Annual Salary
Salary increases as follows:
November 25, 2006 – 1.2%
November 24, 200 7 – 1.5%
November 22, 2008 – 1.5%
November 21, 2009 – 1.5%
Article 9.1.B One-Time Cash Payment
Regular rural carriers will receive a cash payment of $686. PTF rural carriers
will receive a cash payment prorated based on the number or hours worked.
Article 9.1.F Cost-of-Living Adjustment
COLA adjustments will continue every 6 months compared to the May 2007 CPI. An amount equal to the COLA will be rolled into RCA/RCR hourly rates in February 2011.
Article 9.2.C.3 Mail Counts
There will be three national mail counts. All vacant routes, auxiliary routes
and other routes opted in by the carrier or Employer will be counted on the
following dates:
2008 – 12 day count (2/23 – 3/7)
2009 – 24 day count (2/14 – 3/14)
2010 – 12 day count (2/27 – 3/12)
Article 9.2 .J EMA
Quarterly adjustments based on CPI-W will continue. The EMA base rate will be increased and effective in the c a rriers’ pay checks as follows:
3 cents per mile – January 2008
2 cents per mile – October 2008
2.5 cents per mile – October 2009
Article 9.2.M Training Pay
Newly appointed RCAs will be paid the higher of the actual hours worked per week or the evaluation of the route(s) for the week (up to 40 hours) for the first 5 pay periods of employment. An RCA utilized on a route he/she has not served in the past 12 months will be paid the greater of the actual hours worked or the evaluation of the route (up to 40 hours).
Article 9.2.N Training Presentations
Form 8127, Rural Carrier Supplemental Payment, will be paid at the carrier’s
straight time rate.
Article 12 Principles of Seniority, Posting, and Reassignment
A new bidding procedure will be implemented. Initially, carriers wi ll bid by
using PS Form 1717-A, Preferred Assignment Multiple Bid Card. When a vacant route is posted, a description of all re g ul ar routes in the office will be
listed on the posting. Carriers wishing to bid will list, in order of
preference, any route that will be accepted by the carrier should the route
become available as a result of filling the vacant route. The bid card will be
submitted and the carrier will not be able to decline any route they listed on
the form after the posting period. The use of PS Form 1717-A is temporary until such time that the process of bidding for rural carrier vacancies in this manner can be automated (e.g., computer, telephone). At that time, rural carriers will be required to utilize the automated bidding procedures (similar provisions have been added to Article 30 for bidding on PTF rural carrier assignments).
Another change to Article 12 concerns reassignments due to an excess number of rural carriers in an of fice. Changes in the reassignment provisions will allow carriers to bid in an expanded area to avoid involu nt ary reassignments. Added provisions also allow the Employer to reassign rural carriers temporarily when the situation that causes the excess number of rural carriers is not permanent. The offices where vacancies are withheld for excessing may be expanded to accommodate the number of impacted rural carriers. Another provision allows opportunities where a regular rural carrier may elect to revert to a PTF rural carrier in lieu of involuntary reassignment outside their office.
Article 15 Grievance and Arbitration Procedure
Increases the time limits for the Union to appeal an adverse Step 2 decision to
Step 3 to 15 days. Provisions were also modified concerning area and national
arbitration panel vacancies.
Article 17 Representation
Allows an area steward to be designated to handle a particular grievance in lieu of the loca l steward.
Representatives identified by the Union will be notified and provided ample
opportunity to address new employees during orientation.
Article 21 Health Benefits
The Employer’s contribution to the cost of employee health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is decreased as follows:
2009 plan year – 2%
2010 plan year – 1%
2011 plan year – 1%
Article 25 Higher Level Assignments
Eliminates the requirement to provide a copy of Form 1723, Notice of Assignment, to the state steward.
Article 30.2.E Filling a Leave Replacement Vacancy
When a vacancy occurs in the leave replacement ranks, the route may be added to a PTF rural carrier’s assignment instead of being offered to other leave replacements. Additionally, leave replacements must be offered a leave
replacement vacancy that was previously not accepted by any leave replacements on the initial offer; when the regular carrier assigned to the route has been on extended absence for more than 30 day s.
Article 31 Union / Management Cooperation
Changes have been made that provide data to the NRLCA on a routine basis.
MOU #7 Bids by Rural Carriers Unable to Perform the Duties
Rural carriers temporarily unable to perform the duties of a bid-for position,
due to job-related or non-job-related restrictions, may have the assignment held in abeyance for up to six months, rather than one year, with supported medical documentation.
MOU #8 Right-Hand Drive Vehicles
Provides a lump sum payment of $1,000 to rural carriers who purchase new RHD vehicles for use on rural routes. It also provides $500 to rural carriers who purchase used RHD vehicles or convert their LHD vehicles to RHD for use on rural routes. The incentive applies to regular rural carriers and bargaining unit leave replacements.
MOU #12 Court Leave for PTF Rural Carriers
Provides court leave to eligible part-tim e flexible r ural carriers.
MOU #13 Employer Provided Vehicles
Provides 3,000 additional right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles on rural routes each year from 2009 through 2013, totaling an additional 15,000 RHD Employer provided vehicles on rural routes.
MOU #20 Route Adjustment Process for DPS Flat Mail
After a route begins to receive DPS flats and has passed any required
qualifications, a mail count will be conducted in one of the three periods:
National mail count period set forth in Article 9.2.C.3 (currently Feb – Mar)
Special mail count period during the last 12 working days of September
The 12 working days immediately after Mother’s Day
MOU #21 Revenue Generation
Engages rural carriers in revenue generating initiatives by submitting leads
from business customers currently utilizing competitors, by increasing customer awareness of our products and services and by informing customers of the USPS webs ite usps.com in an attem pt to promote alternate access to Postal products and services. The weekly stamp stock standard credit will encompass any time associated with these activities.
MOU Mail Count Task Force
Establishes a committee of union and management representatives at the national level to consider methods of selecting a representative period to conduct national mail counts.
MOU Leave Replacement Task Force
Establishes a committee of union and management representatives at the national level to review training and retention issues for leave replacement employees.
Handbook Changes PO-603
Modifies Handbook PO-603, Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities, to reflect a different credit for changes of address (COAs). Each 3982 label received during the mail count will be 15 seconds unless the carrier is required to perform any additional duties of completing Forms 3575, 3546 and/or writing address es on Form 3 982. In such instances, the credit for the 3982 label will be two minutes.
RURALC...@ROOTSWEB.COM MAIL LIST.
FOR DISCUSSION OF POSTAL AND RURAL CARRIER RELATED SUBJECTS.
STEWARD CONTACTS
http://www.nrlca.org/stewards.html
NRLCA CONTACT INFO.
National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
Fourth Floor
1630 Duke Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3465
Phone: 703-684-5545
-------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to RURALCARRI...@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages