Local Memorandum Of Understanding
Between
Oreland Post Office
And
Branch 157 National Association Of Letter Carriers
2001 - 2006
Item A
Article 1
Recognition
This Memorandum of Understanding is entered into on November 1, 2002 for the
Oreland 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 2001 - 2006 National
Agreement. This Memorandum of Understanding constitutes the entire agreement
relating to local conditions of employment.
Item 1
Article 8 Section 9
Wash Up Time
Each Letter Carrier will be granted a reasonable amount of wash-up time prior to
leaving for the street, lunch, and before end of tour.
A Supervisor may grant additional wash up time as necessary.
Item 2
Article 41 Section 1.A.3.
Fixed Or Rotating Drop Day
All regular Carriers will be on a fixed or rotating work schedule as presently
exists (rotating).
Item 3
Curtailment Of Operations
Guidelines for the curtailment or termination of Postal Operations to conform to
orders of Local Authorities or as local conditions warrant because of emergency
condition(s).
It is recognized by both parties that on occasion emergency conditions may exist
which could cause the Postmaster and Management Officials to consider the
curtailment of services such as; weather extremes, civil defense alerts, bomb
scares, no heat in winter, no lighting, or excessive temperatures. In such
cases, the Postmaster and Management Officials will take into consideration the
following factors in order:
A. The safety and health of the employee,
B. The degree of emergency as stated by and acted upon by responsible
governmental authorities, and
C. The Postmaster and Management Officials will make every effort to review and
discuss with the NALC before implementation of any action.
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Item 4
Article 10
Formulation Of Local Leave
1. Annual Leave will be granted in any increments up to and including units.
2. Leave request(s) submitted throughout the year will be approved or
disapproved within twenty-four (24) hours solely based on the percentage (%)
applicable during the various period(s) and the number of carriers permitted
off. This will not apply to Carriers who are requesting leave for a Saturday who
have had three (3) Saturdays approved off. Once a Carrier has been approved for
three Saturdays during the calendar year, the Carrier must wait until the 15th
of each preceding month to request any leave for Saturday (see Item 4, Article
10, Number 11). Carriers must wait until the three (3) submission periods to
request leave. Once the submission period is over and the PS Form 3971's have
been returned, Carriers can submit slips for the period up to the next
submission period. An approved Saturday is considered any leave of more than 2
hours. If a Carrier is approved for two (2) hours, Management is not mandated to
approve any additional leave for that day. Any leave for the leave week
including a Saturday that is less than forty (40) hours, will count as an
approved Saturday.
3. Disapproval of any request for Annual Leave must be explained to the employee
in writing on Form 3971 when submitted in duplicate by the disapproving
Supervisor stating "Service Needs", will not be considered an acceptable
explanation.
4. Once Annual Leave has been approved on Form 3971 by a Supervisor, the same
may not be rescinded by any Supervisor, except in a serious emergency.
5. 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 their duties. It
does not include events and activities planned in advance. An employee, who is
unable to report for duty because an emergency, shall notify the Post Office as
soon as possible.
6. Request(s) for LWOP or SWOP will be given individual consideration, in
accordance with 514.22 of the ELM.
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Item 4
Article 10
Formulation Of Local Leave
(continued)
7. Blood Leave - It is agreed that employees excused from their regular tour of
duty to make donations to the Red Cross or other nonprofit blood bank will
receive four (4) hours administration leave.
Annual Leave will take precedence over Blood Leave. Blood Leave will be granted
within the allowable percentage by seniority. Carriers not able to donate blood
for any reason will be granted travel time to and from the Post Office.
8. Cancellations of Choice Vacation periods shall be posted for five (5) days.
If less than five (5) days remain before the beginning date of the canceled
period. The vacation period shall be posted for the amount of time remaining.
Cancellations of Choice Vacation periods may only be bid by Carriers junior to
the Carrier who cancels his vacation. Posting of cancellations is predicted on
the basis that the person who cancels is in an active work status during the
canceled period.
9. Exchange of Annual Leave periods will be permitted only after all Carriers
between the exchanges in the office have been offered said period.
10. Military Leave will not count as part of a Carriers selection for choice
period, nor will it count against the Offices quota for the choice period.
11. Each Carrier will be entitled to three (3) picks for Saturdays throughout
the entire year, (Periods 1, 2 & 3). After three (3) picks, the employee loses
their seniority to the next junior employee who has not used three (3) picks and
is requesting Saturday Leave.
Item 5
Article 10
Duration Of Choice Vacation
Period #2
The Choice Prime Vacation Period shall be from the week including May 15th to
week including September 15th.
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Item 6
Article 10
Beginning Day Vacation Period
Vacation periods will be from Sunday to Sunday inclusive.
Item 7
Article 10 Section 3.D.3.
Selections During Choice Vacation Period
Employees may, at their option, select two (2) choices during Choice (Prime)
Vacation period in units of either five (5) or ten (10) working days. The total
not to exceed the ten (10) or fifteen (15) days. (Two (2) weeks plus one (1)
week or three (3) in a run).
Item 8
Article 10 Section 3.F.
Jury Duty, National/State Convention
Jury and attendance at a National or State Convention will not be counted
against the percentage (%) or number of Carriers permitted off during the Choice
Vacation Period.
Item 9
Article 10
Percentage Off
During the Choice (Prime ) Vacation Period there shall be 18% of the Carrier
Complement off each week. Percentages of .5 or higher will be rounded up to the
next highest number. The number of Carriers off will be based on 18% of the On
Rolls Complement as of February 1st of each year.
Item 10
Article 10
Official Notice
Vacation selections for Choice (Prime) Vacation which must be in one (1) week
increments will be accepted from February 1st to February 28th. Notification
will be by March 5th. Individuals will have 48 hours to make their selection or
forfeit their turn.
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Item 11
Article 10 Section 4.A
Notification Of New Leave Year
No later than November 1st of each year, Management will notify all Carriers of
the new leave year. A written notice will be posted on the Employee Bulletin
Board. The notice will also be announced to the Carriers for three (3)
consecutive days.
Item 12
Article 10
Leave Non-Prime Time
Applications for leave outside the Choice (Prime) Vacation selection period may
be submitted during the following:
Period #1 - December 15th to December 24th and employees will be notified by
December 31st. Selections
are for the period from the beginning of the leave year to May 14th.
Period #3 - August 15th to August 25th and employees will be notified by
September 1st. Selections are for the period after Prime Time through the end of
the leave year.
A. During Non-Prime Time (Periods 1 & 3), Annual Leave will be granted to a
minimum of 12% of the career complement. Figures of .5 or higher are to be
rounded up to the next higher number. Individual consideration will be given for
additional leave over and above the percentage on a daily basis. Full weeks will
take precedence over single days.
B. Applications for incidental leave submitted outside the Choice (Prime)
Vacation selection period and regular scheduled Non- Prime Time selection
periods are as follows:
1. Requests for Annual Leave submitted a minimum of three (3) days in advance of
the leave request will be approved/disapproved based on the percentage (%) of
Carriers permitted off during either the Non-Prime Time Periods or Choice
Vacation period. Approval/disapproval will be made within twenty-four (24)
hours.
Leave requests not submitted a minimum of three (3) days in advance will be
approved/disapproved within twenty-four (24 hours).
C. Leave requests submitted on the day preceding the requested leave will be
approved/disapproved as soon as possible or no later than the Carrier(s) end of
tour.
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Item 12
Article 10
Leave Non-Prime Time
(continued)
D. Same day short tour leave will be approved/disapproved within two (2) hours
of submission.
E. Approved leave may not traded or given away.
F. Approved leave will only be canceled in the event that an emergency situation
demands this action. If leave must be canceled, it will be in the following
order by juniority:
1. Leave slips submitted after the cut-offs for incidental leave requests.
2. Incidental leave.
3. Vacation requests.
G. All incidental leave requests will be approved on a first come, first served
basis, except where requests are submitted at the same time at which time
seniority will prevail.
H. Leave requests submitted under provisions "B", "C" or "D" may not be deemed
"Automatic Untimely Submission" or "Automatic
Service Needs" as a reason(s) for denying leave. Approval/disapproval must be
based on service needs, e.g. unscheduled absence, overtime would be needed to
cover the absence. The reason must be explained on Form 3971.
Item 13
Article 11 Section 6
Holiday Schedule
A. Management will determine the number of employees needed for the holiday.
B. Employees will be selected to work on holidays in the following order:
1. Casuals
2. Part-time Flexibles
3. Volunteers On Their Non-scheduled Day
4. Volunteers On Their Holiday
5. Non-volunteers On Non-scheduled Day According to Juniority
6. Non-Volunteers On Holiday According To Juniority
C. The employees working on the holiday will be informed by the Tuesday of the
week prior to the holiday.
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Item 14
Article 8.5B
Overtime Desired List
The Overtime Desired List will be on an Office wide basis, according to craft.
The Letter Carriers Craft will be known as one (1) section for overtime
purposes. Letter Carriers will be allowed to remove their names from the
Overtime Desired List. This must be done in writing and will go into effect
after the day in question.
Item 15
Article 13
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 depending on the number of hours available for
either temporary or permanent light duty.
Item 16
Article 13
Light Duty
Any permanent light duty which conflicts with the regular Carrier force will be
dealt with in accordance with Article XIII of the National Agreement.
Item 17
Article 13 Section 3
Assignment Of Ill Or Injured Employees
Ill or injured employees will be given any craft assignment based on their
medical restrictions.
Item 18
Article 12 Section 5C-4
Reassignments
It is agreed that this 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
present the facts. This will be done prior to the final determination.
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Item 19
Article 20
Parking
Management will notify the Shop steward when spaces become available on the
Postal premises. The Carrier Craft will be assigned parking spaces if any new
lots or buildings are purchased by the employer in the future.
Item 20
Article 10
Leave To Attend Union Activities
Annual Leave to attend Union activities will not be charged to the Offices.
Total choice vacation period "quota" - regardless of when this leave has been
requested.
Item 21
Article 17
Representation
A copy of posted notices or communications issued by the employer relating to
policy or matters which effect the Letter Carrier Craft will be furnished to the
Branch President prior to 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.
Item 21
Article 17
Representation/Labor Management Meetings
The parties of this agreement will meet each quarter furnishing each other with
an agenda.
It is agreed that agenda items for discussion at all Labor Management Meetings
will be exchanged by the parties to this agreement at least three (3) full
workdays 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 meeting will not be held. All items agreed to will be in
writing and signed by both parties.
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Item 21
Article 17
Representation/Local Committees
The Postmaster and/or his staff will notify Branch 157 prior to the designation
of employees to all local committees where applicable. The President of Branch
157 will designate Letter Carrier Members of all committees. Committee meetings
will be held on the clock.
Item 21
Article 17
Representation
Stewards and Supervisors will be cooperative 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 workroom 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 Local
Memorandum Of Understanding.
Item 21
Article 14
Safety & Health
The heating and air conditioning will be properly maintained and serviced under
OSHA guidelines.
Item 21
Article 12
Seniority Lists
An updated Seniority List of all Letter Carriers at this installation will be
posted on the Employee Bulletin Board and a copy of which will be forwarded to
the President of Branch 157.
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Item 21
Article 41 Section 1
Posting & Bidding
A. All full time Carrier vacancies will be posted for ten (10) days.
B. Letter Carriers applying for an assignment shall make a bid on P.S. Form 1717
(pink card) and placed in the bid box during the period for which the route is
posted. The bid box will be opened in the presence of a Union Representative of
Branch 157.
C. Utility, T-6 and Router Letter Carrier vacancies will be posted for bid in
the same manner and subject to the same provisions as provided in this Article
of the Local Memorandum Of Understanding.
Item 21
Article 41 Section 1.5
Assignments
When there is a change of more than one (1) hour in the starting time of a
route, or a change in a fixed/rotating non-work day, the decision to post or not
to post will be made after consultation between Management, the Union, and the
Carrier(s) involved.
Item 21
Article 41 Section 1C.4
Regular Carrier Working His/Her 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:
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Article 41 Section 2B.5
A. Full-time reserve and unassigned Carriers who have insufficient work for
eight (8) hours bump part-time flexibles 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 (4) 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 (8) 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 (8)
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 21
Article 41 Section 2B.4
Assignment Part-time Flexibles
Part-time flexible employees may use their seniority to bid for their vacation
period and for available temporary assignments of five (5) 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.
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Item 21
Article 41.3.0
Posting Of All Assignments Of Carriers Junior
To The Carrier Whose Assignment Has Been Abolished
When a Letter Carrier route or full-time assignment, 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 procedures.
Item 21
Article 19
Breaks
On July 21 of each year the Union will determine whether both breaks are on the
street or one (1) is in the Office and the other on the street in accordance
with the National Agreement.
Item 22
Seniority
Seniority will prevail in all instances concerning this Local Memorandum Of
Understanding.
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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 Oreland Post Office.
Carl Zingle Jack Geoghegan
Postmaster President
Oreland Post Office Branch 157, NALC
Oreland, Pa 19075-9998 Philadelphia, Pa
November 1, 2002 November 1, 2002
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