The Local Line
“A PPA Award
Winning Publication”
The Official Voice Of The Northwest Illinois Area Local
American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO
194 W. Lake Street Elmhurst IL 60126
Phone: 630-833-0088 Fax: 630-833-0248
Jackie Engelhart – President Alan Czerwinski - News Director
June 12, 2005
President’s Report
by: Jackie Engelhart
Labor Scheduler Bids posted at Palatine.
The Labor Scheduler bid results were posted for posting # 005-08 on May 27,2005. Most clerks were able to stay on their tour with different non-scheduled days. These bids are effective June 11, 2005.
69 Bids Posted in June
69 clerk bids were posted for posting # 005-12 on June 7,2005. There are 9 tour 2 bids, 21 tour 3 bids, and 39 tour 1 bids on this posting. Employees who fail to bid will be placed in residual vacancies.
40 Clerks to MH Delayed until July 9, 2005.
Management has delayed moving 40 clerks to the MH craft for two more weeks, until July 9, 2005. Most of these clerks are coming from tour 1 automation and there is concern about tour 1 staffing.
Bid Pending Medical
Approximately 11 senior bidders were not awarded bids on the May posting because they are currently on restrictions. Management has agreed to award bids pending medical as we have in the past. Per the Burrus Memo, injured employees who provide a doctor’s statement saying they will be able to perform the bid within 6 months will be awarded the bid pending medical. This was agreed to by the parties and a grievance was avoided.
FSM Closed Section
For closed section bidding, the excess employees should be removed from the section first. For closed section bidding bids will be posted for employees in the section first, for the retreat right employees, and then to the facility.
Carol Stream Casuals in Lieu of Grievances
Employees at Carol Stream were promised big money was coming for casuals in lieu of grievances. I have requested a list of all “live” Carol Stream Casuals in Lieu of grievances from management. I have 10 grievances in my possession. Before actually reviewing these grievances I checked with our Business Agent office to confirm that these grievances were properly appealed to step 3. I received a fax back from that office saying “no record” of them. I will be investigating further to determine if these cases were appealed, and if not, what happened. I will share this information with the membership.
$150,000.00 Settlement for Carol Stream Signed on May
25,2005.
On May 25,2005 a pre-arbitration settlement was signed for
$150,000.00 to be paid to Carol Stream clerks. This settled 10 grievances, including one for casuals in lieu
of. This settlement was made by a National Advocate assigned to settle
and/or arbitrate these grievances. I am now being told by Labor Relations that
there are no more casuals in lieu of grievances to discuss for Carol Stream.
Carol Stream clerks were led to believe a million dollar settlement was
imminent. I have requested a list of all live Carol Stream casuals in lieu of
grievances from management. I am waiting for this list and I will inform you.
Labor Management Meetings
A Labor Management
Meeting has been scheduled for June 17, 2005 at Chicago Metro Surface Hub. There will also be a complement meeting
that day. Bob Petrowski is the new Acting Plant Manager and he has informed me
that the Labor Scheduler will be run at Metro. Metro will be receiving a second
APPS in July to be accepted in September. We have requested the complement
meeting because of the recently hired casuals and T.E.‘s in the clerk craft at
Metro. Management can only use casuals as a temporary supplemental workforce
and they must have a reason for using them.
Letters Sent to all NWIAL Offices Requesting Meetings
We intend to
schedule bi-monthly meetings at all NWIAL offices in an effort to address
problems in each office in a timely manner. We have scheduled a meeting at the
Wheaton Post Office for June 30, 2005.
Incidental Leave Problems
While management
has said we have too many clerks, they continue to refuse incidental leave to
clerks requesting days off. The reason given is high sick leave use and the
number of light and limited duty clerks. Management states they do not have to
allow 14% off for incidental leave and that the 14% applies to vacations only.
The negotiated I.MOIJ language states “The number of employees granted leave
during the choice vacation period shall be 14% by tour and section, in the Clerk,
Motor Vehicle, and Maintenance Crafts, based upon the needs of the service.“.
Union Wins Holiday Grievance!
On April 12,.2005
National Business Agent Lynn Pallas-Barber arbitrated a holiday grievance at
Palatine P&DC. It was a holiday grievance I filed in 1999 for the Labor Day
Holiday Schedule. Management refused all tour 2 volunteers for Saturday but
drafted in all sections on tour 1 for Saturday September 4, 1999. The Union
grieved that management was obligated to work the tour 2 volunteers on tour 1 in
lieu of some of the drafted tour 1 clerks. On May 4,2005 Arbitrator Simon
sustained the Union’s grievance with the remedy that all of the tour 2
volunteers be paid. Approximately 40 clerks will be paid as if they worked.
This was a representative case, which means that another grievances that we
have pending arbitration for this same violation will also be settled.
Management argued that in spite of the fact that holiday volunteer form have
always had a box for employees to check if they wish to work “my tour only”,
that they had never taken volunteers from another tour. The arbitrator agreed
with the Union, that per the holiday volunteer form, management must allow
holiday volunteer to cross tours before drafting on a holiday schedule. I have
requested a list of all casts pending this representative case, so we can pay
all of the affected employees.
New Shake-Out Begun
Vice President
Dave Baskin has begun meeting with Labor on a new grievance shake-out for all
NWIAL clerk grievances. This includes Palatine, Carol Stream, and the Associate
Offices. Maintenance Director Chuck Olson will be doing the same for
maintenance grievances in these offices.
Social &Recreation Events
Social &
Recreation Director Vera Wilkerson reports that tickets are now on sale for two
popular events. Tickets for Great America are $24.00 and do not include food or parking this year. Dates are July
28-31 and tickets are good for any one of these days. There is no limit on
tickets. Tickets may be purchased at Carol Stream and Palatine on all three
tours on Wednesday and Fridays on lunches and breaks. Tickets are also on sale for
the 4th Annual Moonlight
Cruise on the Odyssey
Cruise Liner. “Don’t go to bed! Come wear your red” Cruise date is Saturday, August 27,2005 and boarding time is 12
midnight. Cruise is from 1230 to 230 am. Red attire is optional. There is a
limit on these tickets so buy early. Ticket price for the cruise is $25.00
(cash only). Come out and enjoy these Social & Recreation events!
Voice of the Employee Surveys
APWU has long
opposed the VOE survey as a management attempt to circumvent the Union.
Management uses positive responses to show that employees are happy with their
working conditions. You do not have to fill these out, nor do you have to be
questioned as to why you do not want to fill them out You may even take the
survey with you and mail it. Contract
Negotiations with APWU begin on August 29, 2005.
Three New Plant Managers
We welcome Ron
Woodall as the new A/Sr. Plant Manager at Carol Stream, Melvin Dean as the
A/Plant Manager at Palatine, and Robert Petrowski as the A/Plant Manager at
Chicago Metro Surface Hub.