Local Memorandum Of Understanding
Between
Lafayette Hill Post Office
And
Branch 157 National Association Of Letter Carriers
2006-2011
ITEM A
ARTICLE 1
RECOGNITION
This Memorandum of Understanding is entered into on November 1, 2006 at
Lafayette Hill Post Office, between the representatives of the United States
Postal Service, and the designated agent of the National Association of Letter
Carriers pursuant to the Local Implementation Provision of the 2006 - 2011
National Agreement. This Memorandum of Understanding constitutes the entire
Agreement relating to local conditions of employment.
ITEM 1
WASH UP TIME
Each letter carrier will be granted a reasonable amount of time to wash up prior
to leaving for the street, lunch, and his/her end of tour. A supervisor shall be
notified when an extra amount of wash up time is needed.
ITEM 2
REGULAR WORK WEEK
All regular carriers will be on a fixed or rotating work schedule, as presently
exists. Any contemplated changes the Union will be notified and these changes
will be made by mutual agreement.
ITEM 3
CURTAILMENT OR TERMINATION OF POSTAL OPERATIONS
It is recognized by both parties that on occasion emergency conditions may exist
which would cause management to consider the curtailing of services, such as,
weather extremes, civil defense alerts, bomb scares, no heat in winter, no
lighting, or excessive temperatures. In such cases, management will take into
consideration the following factors in order.
A. The safety and health of the employee.
B. The emergency as stated by and acted upon by other governmental authorities.
C. Management will consult with the Union before implementation of any action.
If local conditions warrant the non-delivery of mail or closing of the office,
the employee will not be charged with Annual Leave unless requested by the
employee. (Work must be made available.)
ITEM 4
FORMULATION OF LOCAL LEAVE PROGRAM
1. Annual Leave will be granted in increments of hours, days, and week.
2. Annual Leave will be granted throughout the year.
3. All requests for Annual Leave will be approved or disapproved within 24
hours. A triplicate 3971 will be marked by the supervisor received. The
duplicate 3971 will be returned to the letter carrier at the end of the 24 hour
period, marked approved or disapproved. Where no action has been taken within
this period, the request for leave will be automatically approved.
4. Disapproval of any request for Annual Leave must be explained to the
employee, in writing, by the disapproving supervisor, and stating "Service
Needs", will not be an acceptable explanation.
5. Once Annual Leave has been approved on Form 3971 by a s supervisor the same
may not be rescinded by any supervisor except in a serious emergency.
6. Emergency Annual Leave will be granted at any time throughout the year
including December. Emergency Leave is defined as leave which is requested when
unforeseen events necessitate the absence of the employee from his duties. It
does not necessarily include events and activities planned in advance. An
employee who is unable to report for duty because of an emergency shall notify
the Post Office as soon as possible. Employees requesting such leave will not be
carried AWOL or
TARDY pending approval.
7. All requests for LWOP or SWOP will be granted the same consideration as
application for Annual Leave or Sick Leave. Employees requesting such leave will
not be carried AWOL. Such requests will be granted even if the employee has no
leave.
8. Blood Leave - It is agreed that employees excused from their regular tour of
duty to make donations to the Red Cross or other non-profit Blood Bank will
receive Administrative Leave in accordance with the ELM.
9. Union Activity - Any Union Official requesting Annual Leave or Leave Without
Pay to attend an official Union activity throughout the year, will have such
leave granted. It will be without loss of his choice vacation time and it will
not be charged to either prime or non prime time, with as much advance notice as
possible.
10. The practice of excusing employees from duty on all Religious Holidays and
other special occasions to the fullest extent possible will be continued.
11. All full time regular and part time flexible's will receive a vacation during
the choice period.
ITEM 4 (continued)
12. Exchange of Annual Leave periods will be permitted only after all carriers
senior to the exchanges in the station have been offered said period.
13. Cancellations of choice vacation periods will be posted for five (5) days,
If less than five (5) days remain before the beginning date of the cancelled
period, the vacation will be posted for the amount of time remaining.
Cancellations of choice vacation periods may first be bid by carriers junior to
the carrier who cancels his vacation. If no junior carriers bid on the cancelled
vacation a senior carrier can bid, in this instance seniority will prevail.
ITEM 5
DURATION OF VACATION PERIOD
The prime vacation period will be from:
May 4 - August 31, 2008
May 3 - August 30, 2009
May 2 - August 29, 2010
May 1 - August 28, 2011
May 6 - September 2, 2012
May 5 - September 1, 2013
ITEM 6
BEGINNING DAY OF VACATION
Vacations will start on Sunday and end on Sunday.
ITEM 7
SELECTION OF WEEKS
Employees may, at their option, select two choices during prime time in units of
either 5 or 10 working days. The total not to exceed the 10 or 15 days. (2 weeks
plus 1 week or 3 in a row.)
ITEM 8
JURY DUTY, NATIONAL OR STATE CONVENTION
Jury duty and attendance at a National or State Convention will not be charged
to the choice vacation period.
ITEM 9
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OFF
The number of carriers off each week during prime time vacation will be 18% of
the Station Complement as of March 1 of each year. Percentages of .5 or higher
will be rounded off to the next higher number.
ITEM 10
OFFICIAL NOTICES
Supervisors in cooperation with NALC Steward will announce to the carriers no
later than February 15, that picking for vacations will be from March 1 to March
15.
A notice announcing the vacation period will be posted no later than March 16.
When the number of carriers off each week is determined, the supervisor will
make a chart with 1 space for each carrier permitted off, for each week of the
vacation period. Starting on the first day of the picking period, the senior
carrier will select his vacation and the remaining carriers will make selections
in descending seniority. The supervisor will contact each carrier who is IOD,
extended illness, detailed, etc., and no carrier will be permitted to select
until the carrier senior to him has selected. Carriers not prepared to select
when contacted will be bypassed
till they are ready to select. THIS WILL NOT EXCEED THREE DAYS.
The vacation schedule will be posted on the bulletin board. A duplicate copy of
the employee's vacation period will be returned signed by management at the end
of the bidding period, March 16.
ITEM 11
BEGINNING OF NEW LEAVE YEAR
No later than November 1 of each year management will notify all carrier craft
employees of the beginning of the new leave year.
ITEM 12
NON PRIME TIME
On November 30 of each year this installation will determine the active carrier
force.
12% of the active carrier complement will be granted leave consistent with the
following guidelines:
A. Leave will be approved on a first come first served basis except where
requests are submitted on the same date at which time seniority will prevail.
B. Leave request can be submitted at any time up to 10 days in advance. Leave
will be granted subject to the above provisions provided the allotted number of
carriers are not already off.
C. Percentages of .5 or higher will be rounded off to the next higher number.
D. Requests for leave less than 10 days in advance or same day request will be
approved/disapproved as soon as possible. Operational needs of the Postal
Service will be the basis used for approval/disapproval.
On December 1 thru 7 leave slips will be accepted for the period January 1 thru
to the beginning of prime time.
On August 1 thru 7 leave slips will be accepted for the period from the end of
prime time to December 31.
All leave slips accepted during the periods above will be considered as received
on the same day and seniority will prevail.
During the following three (3) weeks the Non-Prime Time Percentage will be 14%;
EASTER WEEK - 14% from the Sunday before Easter to Easter Sunday.
THANKSGIVING WEEK - 14% from the Sunday before Thanksgiving to the Sunday after.
CHRISTMAS WEEK - 14% from December 26th thru January 1st, no matter how the days
fall.
ITEM 13
HOLIDAY SCHEDULING
The following procedures will be followed when selecting carriers to work on
Holidays:
1. Transitional Employees, even if overtime is necessary.
2. Part time flexible's, even if overtime is necessary.
3. Full time regular volunteers on either their non-scheduled day or their
Holiday by seniority.
4. Full time regular non-volunteers on either their non-scheduled day or their
Holiday by juniority.
ITEM 14
OVERTIME DESIRED LIST
The overtime list will be on an office wide basis, according to craft, for full
time regular letter carriers.
Overtime for part time flexible's will be distributed as equitably as possible.
Letter Carriers will be allowed to remove their names from the overtime desired
list once (1) during the quarter. This must be done in writing, and will go into
effect the next working day.
ITEM 15
NUMBER OF LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS
There will be no limit or restriction as to the number of light duty assignments
within the letter carrier craft for either temporary or permanent light duty. To
the extent that work is available that is consistent with the documented medical
limitations of the employee(s).
ITEM 16
LIGHT DUTY WHICH CONFLICTS
Any light duty assignment which conflicts with the regular carrier force will be
done in accordance with Article XIII of the National Agreement.
ITEM 17
IDENTIFICATION OF LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS
It is agreed that light duty assignments for letter carriers may include but are
not limited to:
A. Casing and strapping out of a route or routes.
B. Assisting other routes setting up mail.
C. Relabeling carrier cases.
D. Rewriting or lining out of Form 3982's.
E. Rewriting carrier route books.
F. Maintenance of delivery service equipment.
G. Training new employees.
H. Answering of phone, assisting of customers complaints or questions, etc.
I. Casing curtailed and/or backlogged mail on other routes.
J. Any other duties which in the future could be deemed as light duty in the
carrier craft.
ITEM 18
REASSIGNMENTS
It is agreed that Lafayette Hill Post Office will be known as an
Installation. It is further agreed that when it is necessary to reassign within
this installation, employees who are excess to the needs, management will meet
with the Union to determine it, and it will be done by mutual agreement.
ITEM 19
PARKING
Parking for carriers will be on a first come first serve basis. In the event
parking becomes a problem Parking Committee will be established.
ITEM 20
COVERED IN ITEM 8
ITEM 21
REPRESENTATION
A copy of posted notices or communications issued by the employer or to
employees relating to policy or matters which effect the employees and/or the
Letter Carrier Craft will be furnished to the Steward prior to, at the time of
issuance.
The Stewards will be afforded prompt, proper, and due recognition by all
supervisory personnel and Management Officials in carrying out their duties,
responsibilities, and obligations under this Memorandum of Understanding and the
National Agreement.
The parties of the Agreement will meet each quarter except in the fourth
quarter, the meeting will be held in November along with the Christmas Meeting.
The meeting will convene at 9:30 A.M.
There will be no more than 2 members of each craft at any Labor Management
Meeting.
Two additional meetings may be held each year with one member of each craft on
the clock. Dates will be set by mutual consent.
ITEM 21
REPRESENTATION
It is agreed that agenda items for discussion at all Labor Managements will be
exchanged by the parties to this agreement at least one full work day before the
scheduled meeting. Items not placed on such agendas will be discussed at the end
of the meeting. If no agendas are exchanged, it will be understood that the
meetings will not be held.
All items agreed to will be in writing and signed by both parties.
Branch 157 will be consulted prior to the designation of employees to all local
committees where applicable by the Postmaster and/or his staff. Letter Carrier
members of all committees will be designated by the President of Branch 157.
Committee Meetings will be held on the clock.
The President of Branch 157 will be notified at least 24 hours prior to any
pre-employment orientation program for new employees and said President (or his
designee) will be provided amply opportunity to address such new employee or
employees.
ITEM 21
REPRESENTATION (CONTINUED)
Upon request to the appropriate supervisor, the Steward may be permitted to
enter into any work location where a problem has been reported involving
personnel policy and practice or any other matter effecting terms or conditions
of employment of an employee or employees he represents, for the purpose of
resolving the problem with the employee or employees and/or the supervisor or
supervisors involved.
Such attempts at resolution will be conducted on the clock during the steward
(or his designee's) regularly scheduled work day.
The Steward or alternate of Branch 157 will be consulted by the Postmaster or
his designee, on all disciplinary actions concerning members of the Letter
Carrier Craft.
Stewards and supervisors will cooperate to the fullest extent in furthering the
good of the service and the employee's welfare by keeping employees currently
informed of any changes in policy or procedure by the method of periodic
discussions on the work room floor. Employees will be on the clock for the time
necessary.
Representatives of Branch 157 will have the right to the use of Post Office
telephones for the purpose of performing and engaging in official Union duties
and any business related to the collective bargaining agreement and the Local
Memorandum of Understanding.
ITEM 21
ROUTE INSPECTIONS
All carriers will be notified 2 weeks in advance of route inspections and at
that time will be given a copy of printed instructions and sample forms.
ITEM 21
UNIFORMS
Carriers will be permitted to take their shirts off when working within the
confines of the building.
ITEM 21
COMFORT AND LUNCH STOPS
When there are no suitable places to take a comfort and/or lunch stop on a
route, a letter carrier will have the right to travel outside his route where
accommodations are available. Such travel will be discussed with the supervisor
so that suitable locations may be designated.
ITEM 21
SOCIAL & RECREATION COMMITTEE
An employee social and recreation committee will be established. Meetings will
be held with the Postmaster or his designee on the clock with a representative
of Branch 157. The meeting will be held quarterly.
ITEM 21
AIR CONDITIONING
The air conditioning will be properly maintained and serviced and will be turned
on 2 hours prior to the letter carriers reporting for work.
ITEM 21
INSPECTION OF OPF
1. A letter carrier will, upon request, have the right to inspect his Official
Personnel Folder.
2. Upon the employees request, the Branch President and/or his designee may
accompany the employee during the inspection.
ITEM 22
SENIORITY LISTS
An updated seniority list of all letter carriers at this installation will be
posted on employee bulletin boards. The list will be updated once every six
months (January 1 and July 1) or when there is a personnel change, whichever
comes first.
ITEM 22
POSTING AND BIDDING
A. When two or more vacancies occur in a station at the same time, they shall be
posted and bid one at a time but not less than five (5) days apart.
B. Letter Carriers applying for an assignment shall make a sealed bid in writing
to the supervisor in charge of the installation during the period for which the
notice is posted, and opened in the presence of a Union Representative of Branch
157.
C. The senior applicant for a vacant assignment will be placed in the assignment
within 15 days of the closing of bids, unless on leave except in December, when
the successful bidder will be placed on his new assignment on the first work day
of January.
D. Utility, T-6, and reserve (float) letter carrier vacancies will be posted for
bid in the same manner and subject to the same provisions as provided in this
Article of this Local Memorandum of Understanding.
E. All full time carrier vacancies will be posted for 10 days.
ITEM 22
ASSIGNMENTS
When there is a change of more than 1 hour in the starting time of a route, the
decision to post or not to post will be done by mutual consent.
ITEM 22
REGULAR CARRIER WORKING HIS NON-SCHEDULED DAY
In the event a regular assigned carrier is requested to work on his
non-scheduled day, he will be assigned to work his own route. A reserve carrier
(float) is covering one of the routes on the utilities string, he will be bumped
on a daily basis, regardless of it being a holddown. This bumping will also
happen to a part time flexible who may be filling in for a vacancy or a holddown.
Below is listed the exception to the duration clause and the bumping procedure
to be followed:
ARTICLE 41, SECTION 2 B 5
A. Full time reserve and unassigned carriers who have insufficient work for
eight hours bump part time flexible's on temporary bid assignments.
B. Full time regular carriers who are called in to work their own route on their
non-scheduled day, bump their utility or T-6 carriers, who then bump a reserve,
unassigned or part time flexible carrier holding a temporary bid assignment on
one of the four routes on the utility or T-6 string. However, there is no
bumping if there is an open route on the string.
C. There is not eight hours of work in the delivery unit for a reserve or
unassigned who may bump a part time flexible holding a temporary bid assignment
rather than be reassigned to another delivery unit where there is eight hours of
work.
D. A reserve or unassigned carrier is the successful bidder of a permanent
vacant duty assignment.
E. A part time flexible carrier is converted to a permanent route vacancy.
F. Reserve and unassigned carriers bid on permanent route vacancies.
Reserve carriers, by virtue of having craft, full time duty assignments may not
be arbitrarily moved from their permanent or temporary bid assignments.
Unassigned carriers may be assigned to permanent route vacancies after their
temporary bid assignments have ended.
G. If nothing is available in the utility string, he will choose vacant
assignments with his seniority.
ITEM 22
PART TIME FLEXIBLES
Part time flexible employees may use their seniority to bid for their vacation
period and for available temporary assignments of five or more days. As
successful bidders, they assume the hours of duty and the schedule of work days
of the full time carrier whose assignment is being covered.
SECTION 3-0
When a letter carrier route or full time assignments, other than the letter
carrier route(s) or full time duty assignment(s) of the junior employee(s), is
abolished at a delivery unit as a result of, but not limited to, route
adjustments, highways, housing projects, all routes and full time duty
assignments at that unit held by letter carriers who are junior to the carrier(s)
whose route(s) or full time duty assignments was abolished shall be posted for
bid in accordance with the posting procedure in the article.
BREAKS
On July 21 of each year, the Union will determine whether both breaks are on the
street or one is in the office and the other on the street.
Pursuant to Article XXX of the National Agreement the Articles negotiated at the
Local Level and those Articles brought forth from previous Local Memorandums of
Understanding constitute the entire Agreement between Branch 157, National
Association of Letter Carriers, and the Lafayette Hill Post Office.
Joseph Nugent, Postmaster
William McKinney, President, Branch 157
Lafayette Hill Post Office Nat'l Assoc. Letter Carriers
Lafayette Hill, Pa. Philadelphia, Pa.
November 1, 2006
November 1, 2006