2016 Contract Highlights

MAY 21, 2015 - SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
APWU
COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING
AGREEMENT
HIGHLIGHTS
July 8, 2016
Interest
Arbitration
Award
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TWO YEAR FIGHT FOR:
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BACKGROUND
Previous CBA Expired May 20, 2015
Negotiations for New CBA Began Feb 19, 2015.
Many “tentative agreements” reached.
Parties unable to reach a voluntary Agreement
Mediation Efforts Began in August 2015.
Preparations for Interest Arbitration
Arbitrator Stephen Goldberg appointed by
APWU and USPS as the “Neutral” Arbitrator.
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BACKGROUND (CONT)
Interest Arbitration Proceedings Began Feb.
17, 2016
Eighteen Days of Hearings – Verbal and
written testimony provided by APWU and USPS
Arbitrator Goldberg Issues Arbitration Award
on July 8, 2016.
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MAIN GOALS OF 2015 NEGOTIATIONS:
(As projected by President Mark Dimondstein)
1) Stop the downward
spiral in wages and
benefits;
2) Achieve a fair and
decent wage increase
for all postal workers;
3) Defend the COLA
and no-lay-off
protections for career
employees;
4) Redefine the
definition of “fulltime” work to 40
hours a week;
5) End the divisive
three-tier wage
system;
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MAIN GOALS OF 2015 NEGOTIATIONS (CONT):
6) Strive towards an all-career workforce;
7) Uplift the wages and benefits of PSEs;
8) Address the dangers of sub-contracting,
particularly in relation to MVS;
9) Enhance and expand postal services.
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IT COMES DOWN TO POWER:
Results of
negotiations are a
product of the
relationship of the
forces at the time
and how much
power and leverage
can be exerted by
either side.
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SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES
PAEA Price Cap on Prices = Wage Cap
Financial Condition of USPS due to PAEA
Reverting of Exigency Rate Increase
Four Unions and separate negotiations
Hostile Political Environment for Workers
No Legal Right to Strike
Concessionary Contract of 2010 Contained
numerous setbacks
2010-2015 voluntary Agreement became
starting point of Arbitrator
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SIGNIFICANT STRENGTHS
We Have Our Union!
We are Organized!
Collective Bargaining Rights
Developed Strong Strategy
Contract Campaign and Contract Action
Teams
Labor Solidarity
Grand Alliance
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UNION’S MAIN APPROACH TO
NATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS
No Concessionary Bargaining!
Keep “Eye on Prize” and Focus on Major
Issues
Extensive Preparation and Planning
Work with expectation we may have to go
to interest arbitration
Develop Contract Campaign and build
solidarity among workers and community
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USPS MANAGEMENT APPROACH
USPS management demanded new
concessions.
1) Create a new tier of career employees
with lower wages and lower benefits (A
third career tier)
2) Elimination of COLA. Turn into “lumpsum”
3) Increase percentages of Non-Career
employees
4) Weaken or eliminate no lay-off protections
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GENERAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Halted the “race to
the bottom”
Created More Career
Work
Protected No lay-Off
Defended COLA
General Wage
Increases
Increased Job
Security
Uplifted PSEs
Solidified
Conversion Process
Enhanced Services
task force
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Highlights
of
Arbitration
Award
A r b i t r a to r
G o l d b e r g Aw a r d
was issued on
J u l y 8 , 2 016
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DURATION
Length of the Agreement:
May 21, 2015 – September 20, 2018
(40 months)
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GENERAL WAGE INCREASES
(CAREER, FTR, PTR and PTF)
There will be across-the-board pay
increases of 3.8% for career employees
over the life of the Agreement:
1.2% effective November 14, 2015
( Retroactive )
1.3% effective November 26, 2016
 1.3% effective November 25, 2017
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COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS (COLA)
FOR CAREER, PTF, FTR & PTR
The COLA for career employees is
maintained under the current formula.
Cost of living adjustments will be made
in March and September of each year of
the Contract.
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PSE WAGE INCREASES
PSEs (none of whom receive COLA ) will receive
wage increases as follows:
2.2% + $.09/hour effective November 14, 2015
( Retroactive )
2.3% effective November 26, 2016
$.20/hour effective May 13, 2017
2.3% effective November 25, 2017
$.21/hour effective May 26, 2018
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NO LAY-OFF PROTECTIONS FOR CAREER
EMPLOYEES, FTR, PTF & PTR
 The no lay-off protections of Article 6, for
employees with more than six years of service,
remain in full force.
 In addition, for the life of the contract, lay-off
protection is extended to all career employees
who are on the rolls as of July 8, 2016.
 This protection covers the 32,000 postal workers
recently converted to career who have not yet
achieved the six year threshold of no lay-off
protection.
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JOB SECURIT Y PROVISIONS
There will be no new subcontracting of PVS
driving work during the life of the contract.
For a minimum of the first year of the
contract, the postal service will not expand
contract stations, village post offices and
approved shipper programs. (The fight over
Staples is not affected by this moratorium.)
There will be no further plant closings and
consolidations until at least April 2017.
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CAREER EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS
The Health Plans and benefits for career
employees remain in full force and effect.
Over the next three years, the employees’
portion of the health premium will increase
1% each year.
The special formula for the USPS portion of
the premium for the APWU Consumer
Driven Health remains unchanged at 95%.
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PSE HEALTH BENEFITS
The 75% contribution of the USPS to the
premiums of the APWU Consumer Driven
Health Plan, available after one year of
service, remains in effect.
In addition, PSEs will now have access to a
USPS sponsored health plan upon
employment with the USPS contributing
$125.00/pay period.
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WORKFORCE STRUCTURE:
MAINTENANCE
The Maintenance Division will become an
all career workforce.
All Maintenance Craft PSE employees will
be converted “in place” to career within 60
days of the Award. (Now scheduled for
September 3 rd. ) Thereafter the PSE
category of employee will be eliminated in
the Maintenance Craft.
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WORKFORCE STRUCTURE:
MVS
 MVS will become an all career workforce of all current
employees.
 All current Motor Vehicle Service Craft PSE employees
will be converted to career - either full-time or PTF within
60 days of the Award. (Scheduled for September 3 rd )
 Thereafter the PSE category of employee will be
eliminated in the MVS Craft. However, in the future PSEs
could be mutually agreed to as part of a package to bring
back currently subcontracted MVS work.
 NTFT Employee category is eliminated in the MVS Craft
 PTF employees are reintroduced into the MVS craft, not
to exceed 20% of the workforce.
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WORKFORCE STRUCTURE:
CLERK CRAFT
 Non-Traditional Full-Time (NTFT) duty assignments
are eliminated in Function 1 (mail processing) and
will be reposted as traditional full-time duty
assignments.
 The local parties may agree to continue current four
day, ten-hour a day duty assignments and the local
parties may mutually agree upon more such
assignments under the Modified Work Week Memo.
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WORKFORCE STRUCTURE:
(RETAIL NTFT)
 Non-Traditional Full-Time employees in Function 4
(Retail) are capped at of 8% (approximately the
current national complement of PSEs) excluding
NTFT assignments in POStPlan offices.
 The rules concerning construction of schedules and
postings in the NTFT memo remain.
 The restriction on assigning mandatory overtime to
non-OTDL employees is narrowed. It was installationwide regardless of where a NTFT assignment existed.
Now it is narrowed to the normal scheduling of
overtime within the office/facility.
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VETERAN HIRING
Preference Eligible Veteran hiring will be
greatly enhanced with the creation of the
all- career workforce in the Maintenance
and Motor Vehicle crafts where Veterans
will now be hired directly into career
positions.
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PSE HOLIDAY LEAVE
 PSEs will receive six paid holidays (currently zero).
 The holidays are the six major holidays of New Years,
Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
 The number of hours paid will vary by size of office:
200 Man year offices – 8 hours. POStPlan offices –
4 hours. All other offices – 6 Hours.
 PSEs who work on a holiday will have the same
option as career employees to have their annual
leave balance credited in lieu of holiday leave pay.
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EXCESSING LIMITS
During the life of the CBA,
employees cannot be forced to
be excessed beyond a
50 mile radius.
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ENHANCED AND EXPANDED SERVICES
Established a joint “Service Enhancement
and Innovation Task Force” authorized to
discuss and research agreed upon
enhanced and expanded services.
At least one pilot program must be
implemented within 12 months.
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UNIFORM AND WORK CLOTHES
Eligible Career Employees:
 Allowances for uniform and work clothing programs
will be increased
 Effective May 21, 2016, increase of 5%
 Effective May 21, 2017, increase of 2.5%
 Effective May 21, 2018, increase of 2.5%
Eligible PSE Employees:
 For the first time PSEs employed in retail will receive
an annual uniform allowance for three shirts, subject
to the normal eligibility requirements.
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CLERK CRAFT
 Incorporates successful MOU “Re: Filling of
Residual Vacancies” into the Contract. Solidifies
PSE Conversion to Career opportunities.
 New pecking order for full-time vacancies allows
for a possible PTF transfer and conversion of
PSEs within a 50-mile radius.
 New pecking order for PTF vacancies provides for
conversion of PSEs within the installation, the
transfer of PTFs within 50 miles and conversion
of PSEs within a 50-mile radius.
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CLERK CRAFT (CONT)
PTFs can express a preference to work
outside their installation.
 eReassign Task Force established to
explore improvements to the posting and
placement process.
 Employees can now exercise retreat rights
without regard to level.
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CLERK CRAFT
PSE CONVERSIONS
One-time conversions of all Clerk Craft PSEs in
200 work year installations with over 2.5 years
of service as of July 8, 2016.
The conversions will be completed as soon as
practical but no later than 60 days from July 8,
2016.
One year from the award the parties are
ordered to discuss the possibility of another
one-time conversion.
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MAINTENANCE CRAFT
All Maintenance Craft PSEs converted to
career and the PSE category eliminated.
Significant improvements to excessing
provisions in Article 38.3.K.
Retained the 50-mile rule on excessing.
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MAINTENANCE CRAFT (CONT)
 Maintenance Jobs MOU eliminated except for provisions
related to pending disputes over “Unit Clarification”.
 New provisions for ET-11 issues including a nationwide
PAR for ET-11s and negotiations for LMOUs with MTSC.
 Retained the Subcontracting Cleaning Services MOU
with entire installation in the 18K sq. ft. formula.
 New pecking order putting APWU bargaining unit
employees ahead of non-APWU bargaining unit
employees for in-service register selections.
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MOTOR VEHICLE CRAFT
 No new subcontracting of PVS driving work during
the life of the contract.
 All MVS Craft PSEs converted to career and the
PSE category eliminated. Exceptions can be
made in future as part of package to return subcontracted work.
 Award provides for the return of PTFs with a 20%
cap and a pay period guarantee of at least 24
hours pay.
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MOTOR VEHICLE CRAFT (CONT.)
 Bids for Examination Specialist (SP-2-188) and Vehicle
Operations – Maintenance Assistant (SP-2-195) are open to
all full-time regular MVS employees.
 Clarification of policy regarding Vehicle Maintenance
Agreements (VMAs) in offices with vehicle maintenances.
 All Full-Time Regular Motor Vehicle Craft employees – not
just operators – will use their seniority for vacation
scheduling.
 Numbered paragraphs 1 , 3, and 4 of the 2010 Motor
Vehicle Craft Jobs MOU terminate. Paragraph 2 remains
and includes the evaluation of 8,000 HCR routes for
possible return to PVS.
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AND THAT’S NOT ALL…..
All the provisions of the existing union contract which
remain unchanged carry forward into the new Union
Contract. This includes:
 Grievance Procedure
 Protection against unjust discipline and termination
 Seniority and Bidding
 Annual Leave
 Holiday Pay
 Sick Leave
 Strong safety Provisions
 Right to union representation
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The full “Goldberg” Arbitration
Award is posted on the APWU
Website:
www.apwu.org
The new Collective Bargaining
Agreement (Union Contract) is
posted on the APWU Website
www.apwu.org
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TOGETHER WE DID IT!
PROUD TO BE UNION!!
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