Part-Time Regular (PTR) National Cap Violations in the Maintenance Craft_signed 9-20-2024
https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/step_4_settlement_ptr_cap_violation_-_9-20-2024_-_final_ib.pdfPart-Time Regular (PTR) National Cap Violations in the Maintenance Craft_signed 9-20-2024
Read More....APWU Maintenance Division Secures $15 Million Part-Time Regular Settlement Agreement
September 23, 2024In 2021, the APWU Maintenance Division filed a national dispute regarding the Postal Service’s violation of Article 7 section 3 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), specifically concerning the 2.5 percent cap on the total number of Part-Time Regular employees in the Maintenance Division. According to the CBA, the total number of part-time employees who “may be hired” should not exceed 2.5 percent of the total number of Maintenance Craft employees covered by the agreement.
Awards and SettlementsPart-Time RegularsMaintenance Division
In 2021, the APWU Maintenance Division filed a national dispute (USPS # 6X 18T-6X-C 21354335) regarding the Postal Service’s violation of Article 7 section 3 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), specifically concerning the 2.5 percent cap on the total number of Part-Time Regular employees in the Maintenance Division. According to the CBA, the total number of part-time employees who “may be hired” should not exceed 2.5 percent of the total number of Maintenance Craft employees covered by the agreement.
On September 20, 2024, the APWU and the USPS reached the following agreements:
Conversion Opportunities: The USPS will offer 50 Part-Time Regular employees conversion to full-time positions.
Financial Compensation: The USPS will distribute a total of $15 million to Maintenance Craft Part-Time Regular employees, covering the Fiscal Years 2018-2024, which they will pay in two installments. The USPS will make the first payment no later than December 31, 2024.
Future Conversions: Future Part-Time Regulars may be eligible for conversion to full-time positions around March of each year.
Resolution of Grievances: This settlement resolves all outstanding local, regional, and national grievances and disputes from 2018 to 2023.
“We extend our special thanks to the Maintenance Division Officers, the Office of Industrial Relations, and President Mark Dimondstein for their support in reaching this agreement,” said Maintenance Division Director Idowu Balogun.
“Hats off to Maintenance Craft Director Idowu Balogun and his team for leading the way in securing justice for our part-time regular maintenance members,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein.
If you were a Part-Time Regular from 2018 to 2024, please provide your name, as well as start and end dates via email to Maintwebinar@apwu.org.
We invite you to register and join us for a Zoom presentation on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 2 p.m. EST : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87033487244?pwd=t3O4nzPfCxfm7NEUVAjU5ydL4GBDPi.1
Step 4 Settlement Agreement
Part-Time Regular (PTR) National Cap Violations in the Maintenance Craft_signed 9-20-2024
APWU Maintenance Division Secures $15 Million Part-Time Regular Settlement Agreement0
Read More....Part-Time Regular (PTR) National Cap Violations in the Maintenance Craft – signed 9-20-2024
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE AND THE AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION, AFL-CIO
Re: 6X 18T-6X-C 21354335 Part-Time Regular (PTR) National Cap Violations in the Maintenance Craft
The parties agree that the following represents resolution of all outstanding remedy issues in case 6X 18T-6X-C 21354335 / HQTT20210355. Paragraphs 7 and 8 of this Settlement Agreement also provide the process the parties will follow to address and remedy future violations, if any, of the national PTR cap in the Maintenance Craft.
1. The Postal Service will do a one-time conversion to full-time status of 50 Maintenance Craft PTRs. In order to get 50 conversions, the Postal Service will identify 75 Maintenance Craft PTRs who will be offered a conversion opportunity. The employees will have the option to decline, in writing, the offer of conversion and remain in their current PTR duty assignments. If more than 50 PTRs accept the conversion, the Postal Service will determine the 50 PTRs who will be converted. If there are less than 50 PTRs that accept the conversion opportunity, additional PTRs will be identified for conversion until a total of 50 PTRs are converted as part of this one-time conversion. The parties will discuss the locations where the conversion opportunities will be offered. The PTRs will be converted in place to FTR status consistent with the duty assignment the PTR currently works, and the employee will remain at their current level. The Postal Service will issue a written offer of conversion to the identified PTRs as soon as practicable, but no later than five (5) months of the date of this settlement, with a copy of the offers to the APWU at the National level. A copy of the declination, if applicable, will be provided by the Postal Service to the APWU at the National level. Converted PTR duty assignments will be reverted once the new FTR positions are filled in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of this MOU.
2. In the facilities where conversions occur pursuant to paragraph 1 above, the Postal Service will post either a Level 4 Custodian or Level 5 Building Maintenance Custodian (BMC) based on operational need as determined by the Postal Service. The parties agree that any new full-time Level 4 or Level 5 position created will be complement neutral in the installation. The positions will be filled in accordance with Article 38. No Maintenance Craft bargaining unit employee will be excessed or have their hours reduced in order to implement this Agreement.
3. Any successful bidder on a Level 5 BMC pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 7 of this Settlement Agreement will be placed in a pending qualification status, subject to successfully passing Exam 955 and the interview. The parties agree that this position is limited to in-craft posting only. If no successful in-craft bidder is identified, the Level 5 BMC position will be eliminated. If an employee does not qualify for the Level 5 BMC position, they will be a FTR Custodian at the employees’ current level and facility.
4. Adjustments to staffing packages to support additional non-custodial workhours for the conversion of PTRs to FTR status will be identified on PS Form 4852, Table C, and will not count toward the weekly obligation of Line J or the annual obligation of Line H.
5. The population of Maintenance Craft PTRs who are counted towards the 2.5% cap will not include 475 Maintenance Craft PTRs assigned to POStPlan Installations (Administrative Post Office (APO) and associated Remotely Managed Post Offices (RMPOs)). Compliance with the
Maintenance Craft PTR cap percentage will be administered at the National level and will be based on the number of PTRs on-the-rolls on December 31 each calendar year.
6. The Postal Service will make a one-time payment totaling fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) to PTR Custodians. This one-time payment will be made in two disbursements, with the initial disbursement to occur no later than December 31, 2024. Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) will be held by the Postal Service to be disbursed at a later date. The Postal Service will provide the APWU with the information necessary to determine the eligible employees for payment for the remedy period from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2023. Based on the information provided, the APWU will identify the employees to be paid and entitlement amount. Within six (6) months after the initial disbursement, the APWU will provide the Postal Service with the list of additional employees to be paid and the entitlement amount for the final disbursement of the remaining funds. Payments will be administered by the parties at the national level.
7. Future Maintenance Craft PTR cap violations will be remedied by converting the appropriate number of PTRs to FTR status within the craft and occupational group, if applicable, as is required to come into compliance with the Maintenance Craft 2.5% PTR cap based on the number of PTRs on-the-rolls on December 31 each calendar year. The parties at the National level will meet and discuss the locations for conversions, including consideration for the addition of Level 5 BMCs. Maintenance Craft PTRs identified for conversion will have the option to decline, in writing, the conversion opportunity. Maintenance Craft bargaining unit employees shall not be excessed for the sole purpose of compliance with the cap requirement.
8. Maintenance Craft PTR conversions to Level 4 Custodians and/or Level 5 BMCs made pursuant to item 7 of this MOU will be completed no later than March 31 each calendar year. Following the conversions, duty assignments in the facilities where the conversions occurred will be posted and filled in accordance with Article 38. No backpay or other monetary award is due for the Maintenance Craft PTR cap violation during the conversion process. This process will be administered by the parties at the national level.
9. The parties agree that this settlement agreement resolves all outstanding issues, including local grievances held in abeyance, related to the national Maintenance Craft PTR cap violation dispute and does not prejudice the parties’ positions in any other disputes.
Please sign and return the enclosed copy of this decision as your acknowledgement of agreement.
Sincerely,
_____________________________ _____________________________
Shannon Richardson Idowu Balogun
Director, Contract Administration APWU National Division Director
Labor Relations Maintenance Division
United States Postal Service American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO
Date: September 20, 2024
Part-Time Regular (PTR) National Cap Violations in the Maintenance CraftFriday, September 20, 2024
GATS Number:
6X 18T-6X-C 21354335
APWU National Grievance Number:
HQTT20210355No PTR
73
https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/step_4_settlement_ptr_cap_violation_-_9-20-2024_-_final_ib.pdf
Craft:
Maintenance
Document Type:
Step 4 Agreement0
Read More....WestPac S&DC EQUIP UPDATE & RI399 9-23-24
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Read More....Worker Wins: Looking Forward to What Comes Next
Worker Wins: Looking Forward to What Comes Next
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Temple Faculty, Administration Reach Tentative Agreement: The Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP)—an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—has secured a tentative agreement (TA) on a five-year contract with the administration of Temple University. This deal follows more than a year of negotiations and is subject to approval by both membership and Temple’s board of trustees. The TA features a $10,000 across-the-board raise for full-time employees upon ratification—amounting to a 10% raise for at least half the bargaining unit, which includes more than 2,300 faculty, librarians and other academic professionals. Over the life of the contract, a tenured professor on average will receive an 18% increase, while those who are nontenured will get about 23%. Other wins include expanded bereavement leave, improved parental leave, more protections for academic freedom, no increased health care costs and more. “This is the most complex and transformative agreement for our union since our 1990 strike, and contained in this agreement are historic wins on pay equity, job security, and numerous working conditions, benefits, and union power,” the union said in a statement posted to social media.Workers at Two Maryland Cannabis Dispensaries Vote to Join UFCW: Workers at The Apothecarium cannabis dispensary in Burtonsville and Sweetspot cannabis dispensary in Olney announced on Sept. 16 that they had voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400. Staff at both Maryland locations voted overwhelmingly to form a union, joining the ranks of their colleagues at numerous other dispensaries around the region and across the country who have organized with UFCW. With the global cannabis market projected to hit $145.4 billion by 2025, more and more workers in the nascent industry are joining together to secure contracts that ensure fair wages, safe working conditions and a voice on the job. “I’m incredibly honored to be working alongside such an awesome team that believes in representation for themselves and fellow workers,” said Matt Saundry, who works at The Apothecarium. “We’re grateful for the chance to work with [parent company] Terrascend to negotiate a contract, we appreciate them working with us throughout this process, and I’m looking forward to what comes next.”CWA Wins Tentative Agreement at AT&T Southeast: The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced on Sept. 15 that the union had reached a tentative agreement (TA) with AT&T Southeast, ending the longest telecommunications strike in the region. The new contract covers technicians, customer service representatives, and other workers who install, maintain, and support residential and commercial services in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Wages and health care costs were key issues for members. The deal includes across-the-board wage increases of 19.33%, with additional 3% increases for wire technicians and utility operations, and provisions that hold health care premiums steady in the first year and then lowers them in the second and third years. “I believe in the power of unity, and the unity our members and retirees have shown during these contract negotiations has been outstanding and gave our bargaining teams the backing they needed to deliver strong contracts,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. “CWA members and retirees from every region and sector of our union mobilized in support of our bargaining teams, including by distributing flyers with information about the strike at AT&T Wireless stores.”Volkswagen Workers in Chattanooga Rally to Win Strong First Contract: After a historic union election victory earlier this year, UAW members who work for Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, geared up to begin negotiating a powerful first contract with the automotive giant last week. More than 400 newly minted UAW members, their family members and community supporters rallied on Sept. 15 to channel momentum from the vote to securing a contract that raises workplace standards, increases wages, improves benefits and codifies protections similar to those secured by autoworkers in other unionized plants. Other demands from Volkswagen workers include corporate accountability, workplace respect, retirement security and better paid time off. With representation across every department and shift at the facility, the 20-person elected bargaining committee has been meeting for weeks already to analyze survey data about members’ goals for the first agreement. “Our victory in April was just the beginning,” said Samuel Gallardo, an assembly line worker at Volkswagen. “Now we are focused on winning a contract that reflects the hard work and dedication of every worker here. We’ve shown that when we stand together, we win—first our union, and soon a contract that guarantees higher wages, better benefits, and a brighter future for all.”Mercury Ballroom Stagehands in Louisville Vote to Form Union: On Sept. 12, stagehands at the Louisville, Kentucky-based Mercury Ballroom voted unanimously to join Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 17. The unit will include around a dozen staff at the Mercury Ballroom, which is one of the city’s premier venues for live music, performances and other events. Local 17 already represents its counterparts at other major stages throughout the city. This resounding victory marks the third crew at a Live Nation venue to organize in recent months, following successful votes by workers at Denver’s Summit music hall and Marquis Theater earlier this summer. “This win demonstrates IATSE Local 17’s commitment to representing locations of all sizes,” said Local 17 Business Agent Greg Campbell. “The workers who support these types of clubs are the foundation of the live event music industry. From amphitheaters and clubs to opera houses and Broadway, all entertainment workers deserve the voice and protections that a union brings.”Eos Workers Vote to Join USW: Some 160 workers at Eos Energy Enterprises in Pittsburgh voted to join the United Steelworkers (USW) earlier this month to ensure they have a voice in shaping the future of their role in the rapidly expanding clean energy sector. Workers at the zinc battery company manufacture batteries used to store electricity generated from renewable sources like solar and wind energy. The vote comes right as Eos is eligible for billions of dollars in clean energy federal investments from legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act. UAW members fought back against attempts to undermine their right to a free and fair union election, demanding that corporations receiving taxpayer money should respect the rights of their workforce. Their victory represents a powerful milestone in ensuring this emergent sector has high standards for labor rights. “We’re proud to be contributing to our nation’s energy future, but for that future to succeed, we need to earn fair wages and be treated with respect on the job,” said Dante Williams, an assembly operator at Eos. “Unionizing puts our future into our own hands, and now we’re looking forward to sitting down and bargaining a fair contract.”Central Vermont Medical Center Support Staff Votes to Join Union: Support staff at Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) overwhelmingly voted earlier this month to join the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Vermont. This unit will cover licensed nursing assistants, mental health technicians, phlebotomists, front desk staff and food service workers across CVMC’s locations—including the hospital, 27 community-based medical practices and a nursing facility. The resounding election victory comes just over a year after CVMC nurses and technical staff also joined the state chapter of AFT. Core issues for these invaluable workers are largely based around lack of employment protections other hospital personnel have, the need for safer patient-to-staff ratios, and demands for higher wages and better benefits. “We are passionate about our jobs, and we value being in service to our central Vermont community, so we are hoping to work collaboratively with the CVMC administration to come to mutually beneficial agreements that will impact our community positively,” said Spencer Starr, a patient service specialist and organizing committee member.Ultium Cells Workers in Tennessee Win Card-Check to Join Union: On Sept. 4, the UAW announced that a majority of workers at Ultium Cells in Tennessee have signed union authorization cards and that the battery manufacturing company has agreed to do right by its staff and recognize their union. Ultium Cells, a joint venture of General Motors and LG Energy Solution, employs 1,000 workers at the Spring Hill plant, where they produce battery cells for electric vehicles. This facility is the second Ultium Cells factory built in the United States and the second to organize with the UAW—workers at the other location in Lordstown, Ohio, recently ratified their first contract in June. This victory is yet another win for autoworkers in the South, marking the latest big win in the state since thousands of Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, made history with their union election earlier this year. “The UAW members at Ultium and VW are proving that the new jobs of the South will be union jobs,” said Director Tim Smith of UAW Region 8. “In the battery plants and EV factories springing up from Georgia to Kentucky to Texas, workers know they deserve the same strong pay and benefits our members have won. And we’re going to make sure they have the support they need to win their unions and win their fair share.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 09/23/2024 – 15:22
New UAW Political Video Calls Out Trump’s Con Job on U.S. Manufacturing
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The post New UAW Political Video Calls Out Trump’s Con Job on U.S. Manufacturing appeared first on UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.
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Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Antonio Betancourt
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Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to the labor movement. Today’s profile features Antonio Betancourt of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).
Antonio Betancourt is dedicated to moving the film industry in Puerto Rico forward. He is currently coordinating specialized workshops to improve the knowledge of IATSE crew members and has developed film workshops for underserved communities. Betancourt is also one of the founding members of IATSE Local 494. “Being part of IATSE has helped me develop into a crew member who can be proud of his legacy,” he said. He is a member of the Cinema Audio Society and was the sound mixer for “What Happened to Santiago” (“Lo que le Pasó a Santiago”), which was nominated for an Oscar.
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 09/23/2024 – 09:53