Reversion Guidelines

REVERSION GUIDELINES

The different crafts have different contractual requirements that must be followed when a position is either under consideration for reversion or actually is reverted. Therefore, each craft has its own section in this SOP. The rural craft is not referred to because reversion is not mentioned in the rural contract.

However, regardless of craft, when a position becomes vacant, if the manager believes the position may need to be reverted, he/she must notify the facility’s Labor Relations Specialist.

Clerk Craft

1) A decision on whether to revert or post a position must be made no later than 28 days after the position becomes vacant.

2) If a facility is considering reverting a vacant position, the Postmaster/Manager/Designee must notify the union that the position is being considered for reversion, and allow the union an opportunity for input. This notice must be in writing to the union via a letter to the local union president, using certified return receipt for one letter and delivery confirmation for the 2nd copy. This notice must notify the union what position is being considered for reversion. The position will be identified by job title, job number and station name or section/tour. The letter must be sent out timely so the union has sufficient time to receive it, review it and respond to it, and we have time to consider their response before the position is vacant for 28 days (a template of this letter can be found on the Central Plain’s HR website under Labor Relations) . A guideline is to notify the union that the position is being considered for reversion within 7 days of it becoming vacant. A copy of this letter and the signed return receipt will be kept by the PM/ Manager/Designee. It is imperative that the union be notified that a position is under consideration for reversion as soon as possible after the position becomes vacant.

3) If the union does respond to the PM/Manager, the manager will consider the union’s argument before deciding to revert the position. If the union does not contact the manager, the manager will decide whether to revert the vacant position or not. A final decision whether or not to revert the position must be made within 28 days after the position became vacant.

4) If a decision is made not to revert the position, the PM/Manager/Designee must immediately post the position.

5) If a decision is made to revert the position, the reversion notice found on the HR website under Labor Relations must be filled out by the PM/ Manager/ Designee. This Notice must be posted in the facility of the reverted position within the 28 day timeframe. The notice should be posted for at least ten (10) days, and the date it was posted should be written on the notice. A copy of this reversion notice must be sent via certified return receipt to the local union. A copy of the reversion notice must also be filed in the facility in case it is needed for a future grievance.

6) The PM/Manager/Designee must complete the necessary worksheet and send to Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) to process the reversion.

8) If the decision is not to revert the position, this decision must be made to allow enough time for the position to be posted within 28 days.

Maintenance Craft

1) Vacant duty assignments must be posted by a notice of intent within 30 days from when the vacancy occurs. If a duty assignment has not been posted by the 30th day after the position became vacant, the PM/Manager/Designee must inform the union in writing why the duty assignment is being withheld. This written notice must be given to the union no later than the 30th day after the position becomes vacant. This notice must be sent to the union, by local management, via certified return receipt, with a copy of both the notice and the signed return receipt being kept at the local office in case it is needed for a future grievance (a template of this letter can be found on the Central Plain’s HR website under Labor Relations).

2) If the vacant duty assignment is reverted, a notice must be posted within 10 days (the reversion notice to be filled out is found on the HR website under Labor Relations) of the decision. This notice must give the reason(s) for the reversion. A copy of this posting must be sent to the union, by local management, via certified return receipt, with a copy of both the notice and the signed return receipt being kept at the local office in case it is needed for a future grievance.

3) The PM/Manager/Designee must complete the necessary worksheet and send to Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) to process the reversion decision.

4) A decision to revert or not revert must be made within 40 days of the position becoming vacant.

Motor Vehicle Craft

1) Vacant duty assignments must be posted or reverted within 28 days from when the vacancy occurs.

2) If the decision is made to revert the position, a notice is posted by a supervisor/manager immediately upon that decision being made. The reversion notice must state what position has been reverted and the reason(s) for the reversion (the reversion notice to be filled out is found on the HR website under Labor Relations). PM/Manager/Designee must be informed immediately if a position is reverted, or if a position is being considered for reversion.

3) The local union must be given a copy of this posted notice. To serve as proof that the local union was given a copy of this notice, local management must send the notice to the union via certified return receipt, with a copy of both the notice and the signed return receipt being kept at the local office in case it is needed for a future grievance.

4) The PM/Manager/Designee must complete the necessary worksheet and send to Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) to process the reversion decision.

5) If the decision is made not to revert the position, the decision must be made to allow enough time for the position to be posted within 28 days.

Mail Handlers

All vacant duty assignments must be posted for bid within 10 days after management has determined a position will not be reverted.

If the decision to revert will be made within 30 days of the position becoming vacant, then:

1) A reversion notice is posted by local management in the facility of the position being reverted. The notice must state the action being taken and the reasons for the action (the reversion notice that is to be filled out and posted is found on the HR website under Labor Relations). The PM/Manager/Designee must provide the local union official with a copy of this notice via certified return receipt. A copy of the reversion notice and the signed receipt must also be filed in the facility in case it is needed for a future grievance.

2) The PM/Manager/Designee must complete the necessary worksheet and send to Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) to process the reversion decision.

If the decision to revert will be made outside 30 days of the position becoming vacant, then:

1) The PM/Manager/Designee will send a letter, via certified return receipt, informing the union why the position is not being posted and the anticipated length of time the position will remain vacant. A copy of this letter and the signed return receipt will be kept by the PM/ Manager/Designee. This written notice must be given to the union no later than the 30th day after the position becomes vacant (a template of this letter can be found on the Central Plain’s HR website under Labor Relations).

2) If the ultimate decision is to post the position, the position must be posted within 10 days of the date the decision was made, and no later than 40 days after the position became vacant. This decision must be made to allow enough time for the position to be posted within 40 days.

3) If the ultimate decision is to revert the position, local management must post a reversion notice in the facility of the position being reverted. The notice must state the action being taken and the reasons for the action (the reversion notice that is to be filled out and posted is found on the HR website under Labor Relations).

4) The manager must immediately send a copy of this reversion notice to the union via certified return receipt. A copy of the reversion notice and the signed return receipt must also be filed in the facility in case it is needed for a future grievance.

5) The PM/Manager/Designee must complete the necessary worksheet and send to Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) to process the reversion decision.

NALC

1) A decision to revert or not to revert a position must be made no later than 30 days after the position becomes vacant. If a vacant position is not being considered for reversion, it must be posted within 14 days of the position becoming vacant.

2) If a facility is considering reverting a vacant position, Postmaster/Manager/Designee must send a letter to the union, via certified return receipt, notifying the union what position is being considered for reversion. The position will be identified by job title, job number and station/office name or section/tour. A copy of the letter and the signed receipt must be filed in the facility in case it is needed for a future grievance (a template of this letter can be found on the Central Plain’s HR website under Labor Relations).

3) If the ultimate decision is to post the position after reversion was considered, the union must be notified of this decision by letter. A copy of the letter and the signed receipt must be filed in the facility in case it is needed for a future grievance. This decision must be made to allow time for the position to be posted within 30 days of it becoming vacant.

4) If the ultimate decision is to revert the position, the designated manager must send a written notice to the local union advising them what position(s) is(are) being reverted. The manager must immediately send this reversion notice to the union via certified return receipt. A copy of the notice and the signed return receipt must be kept at the local office in case it is needed for a future grievance.

5) The PM/Manager/Designee must complete the necessary worksheet and send to Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) to process the reversion decision.

DOCUMENTATION

To increase the likelihood of prevailing in arbitration, management must produce documents, not just arguments, in support of its decision. The documents or reports that must be reviewed and provided in the grievance file if relevant can include the following:

TACS reports – is there stand-by time before reversion? Is there OT increase after reversion? If so, how much? Any increase in PTF/ TE/ casual hours after reversion? If so, how much?

Volume reports – total mail volume, cased volume, distribution volume, percent to standard performance, window transactions,

Performance/Productivity reports – 3999, 1838C, end-of run reports.

Any evidence of operational changes, including new equipment, change in mail arrival/dispatch times. The closer a reversion or abolishment is in time to the operational change, the stronger the operational change argument.