Summary of USPS/Management Associations consultative meeting on October 28
From: napshq [mailto:napshq@NAPS.ORG]
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 3:09 PM
Subject: Board Memo 132-09
Board Memo 132-09
Executive Board Members,
The resident officers met with Deputy Postmaster General Pat Donahoe on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, along with representatives from NAPUS and the LEAGUE of Postmasters concerning several issues that had been raised in prior meetings with the Postal Service.
The Postal Service announced to the management associations at a recent meeting that they were changing the weighted portion of the NPA for Core goals from the current 30% to 10% for all EAS employees. At the time that this change was first provided to us, we objected as this matter is part of our pay agreement and we were not consulted with as required by Title 39. We requested a meeting with DPMG Donohoe. As a result of our objections, the USPS withdrew this proposed change.
In developing the 2010 Core goals for NPA, the management associations all provided feedback on items that we believed should be changed in the NPA process. The Postal Service accepted some of the recommendations that were made by the management associations yet they rejected other proposals. We wanted to have an opportunity to discuss the reasons that some of our recommendations were not accepted and requested a meeting with DPMG Donahoe.
As a result of our session with DPMG Donahoe on October 28, 2009, we have scheduled an extended meeting for November 3, 2009 where we will discuss some of the NPA issues that we still have pending.
DPMG Donahoe briefed us on some of the current issues;
The USPS projects that the plan for volume for 2010 is 166 billion pieces. The first month of the fiscal year the volume did not meet the projections.
Nearly 20,000 employees took advantage of the incentive to leave with the cash award, approximately 17,500 clerks and 2,500 mailhandlers. Most of the clerks worked in Automation and 500 clerks were BMEU employees. 90% of the employees who took the offer were eligible to retire.
DPMG Donahoe advised us that the field was instructed to make sure that they recognized the employees who were leaving for their years’ of dedicated service. If the management organizations become aware of any area that is short-handed due to the departure of employees who took the incentive, let him know. The lowest response rates for individuals who could have opted for the incentive was in southern Michigan and in Florida .
DPMG Donahoe has advised the field to initiate action to fill critical positions in the field, starting with Postmaster positions and higher level EAS positions. The USPS will continue to pursue opportunities to AMP mail processing and consolidate delivery operations where space permits. DPMG Donahoe also advised that there will be a resolution to the ASP issues very soon and that the USPS will be discussing this with NAPS.
DPMG Donahoe advised all attendees that it is very difficult for the USPS to support offices remaining open where there is no customer base and that he will be discussing this matter with the Postmaster organizations separately.
DPMG Donohoe expressed satisfaction with the efforts that have been made in route adjustments with the NALC and the resultant reductions in workhours.
DPMG Donahoe advised the management organizations that he would work with us on EAS staffing to resolve some of the coverage issues that we have with the current SWC program. As far as the use of iSWC is concerned (in the Pacific Area0 iSWC will not be used for projecting staffing or to budget operations.
DPMG Donahoe stated that the focus for the year will be on NDC operations, office consolidations, Article 12 implementation for relocating craft employees.
The current FSS deployment has been plagued by software issues. The USPS will continue its’ plans to install equipment but the actual deployment from a use standpoint must be resolved by the contractors. DPMG Donahoe advised that the USPS is working with the contractors to resolve the bugs in the system and that the contractor has replaced all of the engineers who have been working to correct the bugs. DPMG Donahoe also advised us that there were no other major initiatives that were being planned for 2010.
DPMG Donahoe said that he expected that Postmasters in small officers would be able to submit schedules for their operations that would conform to an 8 hour work schedule in compliance with FLSA law.
The Stamp Distribution Network is planned to go from 65 centers around the country to just 6. The management organizations stressed that this will cause problems in providing the stamp stock necessary in the field. DPMG Donahoe said that something needs to be worked out to resolve these problems and that it may be necessary to adjust the offices accountability so that they can keep more product on hand for customers.
November 4th, 2009 08:34
we need to cut back on the eas and 204 b,s weve lost a percentage of routes in our unit and over half our clerk force and carriers are doing most of the work in the needed areas. two of our acting bosses are cerks why cant they step down to help out? two others are clerk craft supervisors and they watch us do the work without any apprehension. the clerk craft is so week. I ask the remaining clerks to file greivances . There afraid of the bosses picking on them. the union needs to wake up before they realize the people (clerks) dont need them. they can come into the carrier union, the more the stronger. wake up!
November 4th, 2009 22:20
[...] next year’s projection by the postal service is lower than this year’s volume. The PostalNewsBlog has reported that “The resident officers met with Deputy Postmaster General Pat Donahoe on [...]