Floor Edition

March 1, 2011

Update by Jackie Engelhart

More Local Jobs for Impacted Clerks

Complement Coordinator Julie Oakes faxed me the list of jobs to be offered to 223 impacted Clerks in the Northern IL District. More local jobs were added since the last list of mostly out of state jobs was sent to the Carol Stream Clerks. The Union said those jobs had to be offered to both plants as they were impacted at the same time and management added the AO impacted Clerks as well. The number of impacted Clerks is down from 248 to 223 due to attrition. More local Mail Handler jobs have been added because all local MH impacts have been met so MH jobs can now be offered to Clerks. The list show 23 Clerk jobs at Busse (CMSH), 11 MH jobs at ISC, 11 MH jobs at Fox Valley in Aurora, and 2 Clerk jobs at South Suburban in Bedford Park for a total of 47 local jobs. I asked about MH jobs at Palatine and CS and she said we don't have them yet.

Offer the MH jobs at Palatine and CS

I told Julie management should not offer these jobs until they offer MH residuals at Palatine and CS so impacted Clerks in those offices don't have to choose between securing a local job at another facility or waiting in hopes of getting a MH jobs at their own facility. This should be fixed because I am sure Palatine and CS want to fill their MH residuals in-house. The Clerks at Palatine and CS should be offered jobs within their own installations before being offered jobs outside. If the parties can agree to post detail assignments pending the creation of residual vacancies as has been done at CMSH that would solve the problem. Residual MH jobs should have been created by now.

FSS Sections

Management at both CS and Palatine wanted the FSS to be a separate section for item 18 and the union is now in agreement with making FSS a separate section for items 18 and 14 (OT).

AMP Study-Rockford Into Carol Stream

Management at announced an AMP Study for the consolidation of outgoing mail from Rockford into Carol Stream. USPS tried to consolidate Rockford's outgoing mail to Palatine in late 2005 but this AMP was terminated because of strong support from the local community and the local Congressman, Don Manzullo who helped the Local Unions fight the consolidation. The USPS has again announced that they want to "study" the consolidation of Rockford mail into Carol Stream this time. The mail would still have to be trucked 90 miles each way and then dispatched to offices in the 610-611 SCF some of which are not that close. After the community fight in 2006 and the 180 miles round trip the mail would have to travel this AMP makes no sense from any standpoint. The jobs CS was supposed to get from the Palatine AMP turned out to be 20 Casuals so we can hope to get jobs if the mail is consolidated but that is not a guarantee.

23 More Clerks to Busse

The Union agreed to 23 more Clerks being detailed into CMSH pending the creating of residual Clerk vacancies at the facility. The detailed Clerks will not be allowed to bid until they are placed into actual residual Clerk vacancies and they will be at the bottom of the seniority list until they are placed into residuals to be created by the posting of 23 newly created Clerk jobs. The word on the floor is the second SPBS is being taken out and will be used for parts for the remaining SPBS, but we have not been notified by management. A/Plant Manager Mitchell did say he needs the 23 additional Clerks regardless of what happens with the second SPBS machine.

APWU Locals to Madison...

The South Suburban Local has organized a bus trip to Madison on 3-2-11 to show our support. One bus will leave from the Chicago Local, one from South Suburban in Bedford Park, and one will stop at the BMC in Forest Park and the NWIAL Union Hall in Elmhurst. The busses will depart for Madison at 7am on 3-2-11 for the three hour trip to Madison. APWU members will join our National Industrial Relations Director Mike Morris and Regional Coordinator Sharyn Stone for the two hour rally at 11 am to support Wisconsin unions who continue to demonstrate against the attempt by Governor Walker and a Republican controlled legislature to take away their lights under collective bargaining. The busses should leave Madison for the return to Chicago at 1pm so participants will be back by 5 pm. Thanks to the 20+ NWIAL members, stewards, and officers who signed up.

Bob Hart Steps Up and Gives Administrative Leave

The Manager of the Northern IL District made the tough decision to authorize administrative leave for 2-2-11 for the 20 inch blizzard. After talking to union and or management in other districts it is clear that Great Lakes Area VP JoAnn Feindt did not want administrative leave given to employees despite the obvious fact that the 20 inch snowstorm had made travel dangerous and close to impossible. The Postal Service itself was unable to open many post offices and there was no mail delivery in many areas on 2-2-11. In spite of these facts the GLA Vice President made a "business decision" to not give administrative leave for the third worst snow storm in Chicago history. The Chicago and Central IL Districts did not give administrative leave. Bob Hart was the only District Manager who stepped up and did the right thing on this issue.

Do the Right Thing and Do Not Hire Casuals When Excessing.

Management told me they will be hiring 18 Clerk Casuals to staff APC machines at the same time they are excessing 223 Clerks in the Northern IL District. Today I received a faxed notice showing management hiring Clerk casuals in 11 offices, including Winnetka, Wilmette, and Lake Forest. All three of these offices had impacts but Winnetka was cancelled due to information from the Steward. Wilmette has an impact for two full-time Clerks and Lake Forest had their impact of two reduced to one because one Clerk was put out by the NRP. The contract states casuals are to be reduced to the extent possible before excessing, not to hire casuals!

Maintenance Holding the Line

Management has come and go with staffing changes but so far no Maintenance employees have been excessed out of any NWIAL office and we hope to keep it that way. The Maintenance Stewards and Craft Director have worked hard and successfully to protect the craft against any ill advised plans to reduce staffing. There should be residual Custodian jobs at CMSH but the Chicago District has lied again and told us there are no residual vacancies in the entire Chicago District! CMSH has gained more mail and equipment so more maintenance positions are needed. They recently provided the union with a new approved staffing package to be review.

25,000 or 45,000?

A Palatine Clerk called me to say Management in tour 1 Automation is pushing them to feed 40-45,000 pieces per hour. I spoke with Greg Johnson about this and was informed that the average hourly feed-rate for Palatine Automation is 20-25,000 pieces per hour. I asked about the feed gaps being set at 7 and he said all DBCS are to be set at 7 which would produce an optimum rate of 35,000 pieces per hour. I spoke with VP Baskin and he said Clerks are being pushed to get 40-45,000. He also said tour 1 Automation is constantly short and taking Clerks from other units to get mail out. Management is not releasing the Stewards because they are short but still want to excess 66 Clerks. Management continues to excess Clerks to improve their BPI and is starting to revert jobs based on the BPI impact but has not placed anyone on standby. We need the name of supervisor who saying Clerks have to get 40-45,000.