MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

OCEANSIDE

2006 - 2010

  1. ADDITIONAL OR LONGER WASH-UP PERIODS. (REF. Article 8)

A reasonable wash-up time, up to five (5) minutes, shall be granted to all APWU craft employees. It is understood that some craft employees, who perform dirty or toxic work, shall be afforded longer wash-up time.

  1. ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGULAR WORK WEEK OF FIVE DAYS WITH EITHER FIXED OR ROTATING DAYS OFF. (Ref. Article 8)
  1. The work week for full-time regular employees shall have fixed days off. As far as practicable, the days off shall be consecutive.
  1. Both parties, with mutual consent, are willing to experiment with rotating days off, on certain bids, with the consent of the employee(s) holding the effected bid(s).

3.  GUIDELINES FOR THE CURTAILMENT OR TERMINATION OF POSTAL OPERATIONS TO CONFORM TO ORDERS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR AS LOCAL CONDITIONS WARRANT BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY CONDITIONS. (Ref. Article 14)

A. Setting forth guidelines for the curtailment or termination of Postal Operations shall conform to orders of the local employer in conjunction with local government and Civil Defense, Regional or Headquarters authority, and contingency plans prepared for emergency situations.

  1. When it has been determined that Postal Operations will be curtailed or terminated the APWU President, or designee will be notified.
  1. Postal Officials shall make the safety of all postal employees their prime concern.
  1. FORMULATION OF LOCAL LEAVE PROGRAM. (Ref. Article 10)
  1. Vacation periods shall be assigned by craft and office seniority.
  1. On November 1 of each year, the vacation calendar will be posted in all stations for employees to plan their vacations.

  1. The period for submitting applications for leave shall be November15th through December 30th. Sign up for leave outside of the Choice Vacation Period shall be conducted during this time.

D.  Employees must submit three choices, numbered in priority order, each round. A fourth (4th) choice is optional. In the event that the employee’s first, second, and third (fourth if applicable) choices are filled, that employee will be given forty-eight (48) hours to make a selection. If no selection is made, the employee will be bypassed. The by-passed employee may choose when ready, but his/her selection shall not deprive another employee of their approved selection.

E. Upon completion of the first round, the leave board will be posted at all stations for seven (7) days prior to the submission date of the second round selections. The same procedures used for the first selection will be followed for the second selection.

F. After the two selections for choice vacation have been completed, APWU bargaining unit employees may sign for other than choice pursuant to Item 12.

G. Employees called for military duty during their scheduled vacation will be allowed to choose an additional available selection(s).

H. Employees called for jury duty during their scheduled vacation will be allowed to choose an additional available selection(s).

  1. If an employee relinquishes his/her leave at least ten (10) days prior to the beginning of that leave, the leave will be reposted in all stations, by the time clock, the same day. The leave will be posted for that section, in weekly increments, for five (5) calendar days and then awarded to the senior employee applying.
  1. THE DURATION OF THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD. (Ref. Article 10)

The Choice Vacation Period shall be January 1st through December 31st.

6. THE DETERMINATION OF THE BEGINNING DAY OF AN EMPLOYEE’S VACATION PERIOD. (Ref. Article 10)

  1. For employees with split days off, the vacation period will start on Monday.
  1. For employees with consecutive days off, the vacation period will start on the first day following their non-scheduled days.
  1. Exceptions may be granted by an agreement between the employee, his Union representative, and the employer.

  1. WHETHER EMPLOYEES AT THEIR OPTION MAY REQUEST TWO SELECTIONS DURING THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD, IN UNITS OF EITHER 5 OR 10 DAYS. (Ref. Article 10)
  1. Employees who earn thirteen (13) days of annual leave per year shall be granted up to ten (10) days of continuous leave during the Choice Vacation Period selections. Employees may at their option , sign for one (1) or two (2) selections, but the total days are not to exceed ten (10). An employee may sign for two (2) continuous weeks of leave during the first round selection, but would not have a second selection during the second round. That employee would then be allowed additional selections for leave as per Item 12.
  1. Employees who earn twenty (20) to twenty-six (26) days of annual leave per year shall be granted up to fifteen (15) days of continuous leave during the Choice Vacation Period. Employees may, at their option, sign for one (1) or two (2) selections in units of one (1) or two (2) weeks, but the total days are not to exceed fifteen (15). An employee may sign for three (3) continuous weeks on their first round selection , but would not have a second selection during the second round. That employee would then be allowed additional selections for leave as per Item 12.
  1. WHETHER JURY DUTY OR ATTENDANCE AT STATE OR NATIONAL CONVENTIONS SHALL BE CHARGED TO THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD. (Ref. Article 10)
  1. Three (3) leave periods will be reserved for Union Officials during the weeks of the APWU National and State Conventions. If three (3) delegates attend, then two (2) slots will be blocked out for the Union. If two (2) delegates attend, then one (1) slot will be blocked out for the Union. If no delegate attends then no slots will be blocked out.
  1. Union representatives will notify management of the National and State Convention dates and the number of delegates that will attend before the bidding cycle begins. Leave taken for this purpose will not be charged to the individual’s Choice Vacation Period selections.
  1. Jury duty will not be charged against the Choice Vacation Period selections of an employee.
  1. DETERMINATION OF THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO SHALL RECEIVE LEAVE EACH WEEK DURING THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD. (Ref. Article 10)

A.  Clerk Craft.

1.  The maximum number of employees who shall receive leave during the Choice Vacation Period shall be fifteen (15) percent, except the four week period after the week of Thanksgiving, when the maximum number shall be six (6) percent. No more than two (2) full-time regular window clerks shall schedule leave for the same week during the four (4) week period after the week of Thanksgiving.

  1. Standard rounding will apply (.5 and above will raise the total to the next number).

B. Maintenance Craft.

1.  The maximum number of employees who shall receive leave during the Choice Vacation Period shall be one (1).

  1. THE ISSUANCE OF OFFICIAL NOTICES TO EACH EMPLOYEE OF THE VACATION SCHEDULE APPROVED FOR SUCH EMPLOYEE. (Ref. Article 10)
  1. By December 30th , and at the end of each Choice Vacation Period selection, management will post all approved leave selections on the leave board.

B.  As soon as the leave has been posted on the leave board, the duplicate 3971s will be returned to the employees.

  1. DETERMINATION OF THE DATE AND MEANS OF NOTIFYING EMPLOYEES OF THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW LEAVE YEAR. (Ref. Article 10)

The employer shall, no later than November 1, post on bulletin boards and time clocks and publicize via other appropriate means, i.e. stand-up talks, the beginning date of the new leave year, which shall begin with the first day of the first full pay period of the calendar year.

  1. THE PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS FOR ANNUAL LEAVE DURING OTHER THAT THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD. (Ref. Article 10)

A. “. . . . other than the Choice Vacation Period” is defined as any times that are not committed during the first and second round selections for the Choice Vacation Period selection process.

  1. Immediately following the completion of the first and second round selections for the Choice Vacation Period, employees may request additional leave on a first come, first served basis. Same day submissions will be granted by seniority.
  1. When eight (8) hours or less of annual leave is requested prior to the posting of the weekly schedule, PS Form 3971 must be submitted. The employee’s immediate supervisor must render a decision before the employee’s tour ends. This request shall be approved if the section under which the employee is assigned, has not been exhausted to the maximum amount of employees allowed off during the Choice Vacation Period selections.
  1. THE METHOD OF SELECTING EMPLOYEES TO WORK ON A HOLIDAY. (Ref. Article 11)

A. Full-time regular volunteers, who possess the needed skills, on their holiday or day designated as their holiday in rotation by seniority.

B.  Full-time regular volunteers, who possess the needed skills, on their non-scheduled day in rotation by seniority.

  1. Part-time flexibles.
  1. Transitional Employees.
  1. Casuals.
  1. If a vacancy still exists, schedule full-time regular employees, who possess the needed skills, on their non-scheduled day in rotation by juniority.
  1. If a vacancy still exists, schedule full-time regular employees, who possess the needed skills, on their holiday or day designated as their holiday, in rotation by juniority.
  1. WHETHER “OVERTIME DESIRED LISTS” IN ARTICLE 8 SHALL BE BY SECTION AND/OR TOUR. (Ref. Article 8)

A. Overtime desired lists shall be by section (each station being defined as a section) in accordance with Article 8.5 of the National Agreement which states in relevant part: “When needed overtime work for regular employees shall be scheduled among qualified employees doing similar work in the work location where the employees regularly work. If the overtime desired list of a section has been utilized to the maximum extent and the time constraints allow, the overtime desired list from the other section(s) shall be utilized prior to working non-ODL employees overtime.

B.  Overtime desired list rotational tracking will be separated by “scheduled day” (before and after tour) and “non-scheduled day.”

C. Employees ordered to work overtime shall be allowed to make one (1) telephone call on the postal telephone. Employees shall be given as much advance notice (2 hours) prior to the issuance of overtime, if possible.

  1. THE NUMBER OF LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN EACH CRAFT OR OCCUPATIONAL GROUP TO BE RESERVED FOR TEMPORARY LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENT. (Ref. Article 13)

A. The Oceanside Post Office and the APWU recognize their responsibility to aid and assist deserving employees, of the Clerk and Maintenance crafts, who are unable to perform their duties because of illness or injury in accordance with Article 8 of the National Agreement.

  1. There is no agreement between the APWU and the NALC as to any APWU craft positions that may be used when light duty assignments cannot be found in the carrier craft.
  1. Management will make every effort to provide light duty assignments for ill or injured APWU craft employees.

16. THE METHOD TO BE USED IN RESERVING LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS SO THAT NO REGULARLY ASSIGNED MEMBER OF THE REGULAR WORK FORCE WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. (Ref. Article 13)

A. No light duty assignment shall be made to the detriment of any full-time regular on a scheduled assignment.

  1. The duties assigned to light duty employees shall be as similar as possible to their normal duties, including similar hours and schemes.
  1. THE IDENTIFICATION OF ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE TO BE CONSIDERED LIGHT DUTY WITHIN EACH CRAFT REPRESENTED IN THE OFFICE. (Ref. Article 13)

A. The following shall serve as a guide for the Postmaster of Oceanside when assigning APWU craft employees to light duty:

  1. Employees from all APWU crafts may submit applications for light duty to the Postmaster, in accordance with Article 13 of the National Agreement.
  1. Employees who are approved for light duty will be assigned to operations where work exists within their physical limitations.

  1. First consideration will be given to modify the employee’s regular work assignment.
  1. APWU craft employees may be considered for light duty assignments in their regular bid assignments.
  1. Light duty employees with medical restrictions limiting them to eight (8) hours or less of work per day will not be requires to work overtime.

B. Assignments that are to be considered light duty are:

  1. Casing letter mail.
  2. Directory mail.
  3. Boxing mail (Post Office Box Section).
  4. Scheme committee work.
  5. General office work
  1. When it is necessary to cross crafts for light duty assignments, management will consult with the designated representative of the APWU Local.
  1. Full-time regular light duty employees that are “unassigned regulars” are those who do not occupy a bid position.
  1. Light duty employees are encouraged to bid on assignments for which they are eligible in accordance with the current bidding procedures. If they are the Senior Bidder, the job will be examined to see if the employee’s restrictions can be accommodated.
  1. As “unassigned regulars,” light duty employees may be assigned to residual vacancies as per the guidelines of Article 13 of the National Agreement.
  1. THE IDENTIFICATION OF ASSIGNMENTS COMPRISING A SECTION, WHEN IT IS PROPOSED TO REASSIGN WITHIN AN INSTALLATION EMPLOYEES EXCESS TO THE NEEDS OF A SECTION. (Ref. Article 12)

The Oceanside Post Office shall be one (1) section for each craft.

  1. THE ASSIGNMENT OF EMPLOYEE PARKING SPACES. (Ref. Article 20)

A. Available parking spaces in excess of the needs of the Postal Service at the Brooks Street Station and the Main Office shall be distributed on a seniority basis between the APWU crafts and the NALC.

B.  The crafts will be responsible for the assignments of parking spaces to the employees at the Brooks Street Station and the Main Office.

  1. THE DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER ANNUAL LEAVE TO ATTEND UNION ACTIVITIES REQUESTED PRIOR TO DETERMINATION OF THE CHOICE VACATION SCHEDULE IS TO BE PART OF THE TOTAL CHOICE VACATION PLAN. (Ref. Article 10)

Annual leave requests submitted prior to the determination of the Choice Vacation Periods for the purpose of attending Union activities shall not be charged as part of the Choice Vacation Periods.

  1. THOSE OTHER ITEMS WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO LOCAL NEGOTIATIONS AS PROVIDED IN THE CRAFT PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT.

A. Local Labor/Management Meetings will be held within the first week of each new quarter. Future meetings will be scheduled during the quarterly meeting. It is mutually agreed that the number of representatives for the Union and Management will be equal, unless mutually agreed to.