George Kikuchi, POSTMASTER, SAN FRANCISCO
FOR THE N.A.L.C.
Richard Becker, PRESIDENT,GOLDEN GATE BRANCH 214, N.A.L.C.
This MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING constitutes the entire agreement, including those items which are resolved as per the agreed upon Arbitration Impasse Procedures.
This MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING shall continue in full force and effect for the duration of the current National Agreement, in accordance with Article 43, Section 2 of the current National Agreement.
Violations of the terms of this MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING shall be grievable in accordance with Article 15 of the National Agreement.
Section 1. Full-Time Regular Business Parcel Post Carriers and Full-Time Regular Collection Drivers will be on a basic work week of Monday through Friday. All other Full-Time Regular Carriers will be on a rotating basis with a basic work week of Saturday through Friday. In the event that multipletrip business routes are reestablished in San Francisco, every consideration will be given to establishing a fixed work schedule of Monday through Friday for such routes.
Section 2. Part-Time Regular Carriers shall have a basic work week of Saturday through Friday, with fixed days off.
Section 3. Changes in scheduled day(s) off for Full-Time Reserve Letter Carriers, Part-Time Relief Regulars and Part-Time Flexible Carriers shall be posted in each station/section on the Wednesday preceding that service week.
Section 4. PART TIME REGULAR CARRIERS
A) All PTRCs are considered to be a separate category for seniority and assignment purposes.
B) The following assignments are considered to be within their category and available for their preferred bidding:
D) These notices shall be posted for Ten (10) days prior to the bid.
E) The PTRCs shall exercise their preference to determine both the scheduled days off and also the scheduled work assignments of their individual work weeks.
F) Notice of all PTRC bids and the results of same shall be furnished to the Local Union.
The parties recognize that overtime may be required in accordance with the needs of the Service as stated in Article 8, Section 5 of the National Agreement.
Section 1. However, an employee scheduled or requested to work overtime who would prefer not to, may request to be excused from such assignment. Such requests will be honored provided:
A) Suitable qualified volunteers are available.
B) No additional cost is involved.
C) Such assignment does not conflict with the requirement for equitable distribution of overtime (Article 8, Section 5 of the National Agreement.
D) Such volunteers have no other overtime assignments that day.
Section 2. If no such volunteers are available the junior suitable qualified Carrier available will be required to perform the overtime work, subject to the above conditions on cost, other overtime assignments, and equitability. All other available carriers in the unit or station will be credited on the appropriate overtime roster (see below) with the hours they would have worked if they had accepted.
Section 3. If neither volunteers nor employees junior to the Carrier requesting to be excused are available per the above, the requesting employee shall be required to perform the overtime work.
Section 4. "Overtime Desired" List shall be established by section; a section being defined as an individual station (not a complex), as follows:
Parcel Post 180 Napoleon St
Section 6. Any employee who after being personally contacted is unavailable shall be credited on the roster with the hours he/she would have worked, if available.
Section 7. Except in an emergency, as defined in Article 3, Section F of the National Agreement, when Form 3996 "Carrier Auxiliary Control" is properly executed and presented at least one hour and thirty minutes prior to scheduled leaving time the supervisor will notify the carrier at least one hour prior to scheduled leaving time as to whether auxiliary assistance or overtime is approved or whether mail will be curtailed.
Section 8. When Regularly assigned Carriers are requested to work on their nonscheduled day(s), they shall be assigned to work on their own route, provided that the T6 Carrier can be assigned to a route on his/her string of five (5) routes, except during the Christmas Period.
Section 1. The `Choice Vacation Period' shall consist of twenty eight (28) weeks total, beginning with the first full week in April and includes the week before Easter, Thanksgiving week, the week before Christmas and Christmas week.
Section 2. The total vacation Leave Year shall be from the first Monday in February through the last week in January.
Section 3. If requested, at least 12% of the Letter Carriers in each station/section shall be granted Annual Leave throughout the vacation Leave Year, EXCEPT: the week before Christmas and the two weeks prior to the November Elections when at least 6% of the Letter Carriers shall be granted Annual Leave; and the week before the March Elections (if held) when at least 9% of the Letter Carriers shall be granted Annual Leave, with the understanding that the week before Easter and the week after Easter will remain at 12%. The base date for determining these percentages shall be thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the AL bid process.
Section 4. In applying the percentage rules, any fraction of .40 or more (rounding rule applies), shall mean one (1) additional available vacation slot. Any fraction less than .40 will be discarded except that at least one (1) Carrier in each station shall be granted annual leave each week when ten (10) or less employees are assigned to that station/section.
FORMULATION OF ANNUAL LEAVE PROGRAM
Section 5. Annual Leave periods shall begin on Monday and end on Sunday of each week.
Section 6. Attendance at National and State Conventions will not be charged to the Choice Vacation Periods if certified by the President of Branch 214, or his/her designee.
Section 7. A leave chart shall be posted in all stations/sections, which shall be available for review by the Carriers and shall be kept up to date by the Employer.
Section 8. The mutual exchange or trading of vacation periods shall not be allowed.
Section 9. JURY DUTY will not be charged to the Choice Period. In the event a carrier serves as a juror during a period he/she would have otherwise have been on Annual Leave, he/she shall be entitled to another Choice Period Selection.
Section 10. Any carrier who transfers (bids or is reassigned) to another station/section shall be granted Annual Leave as previously chosen.
Section 11. A previously bid vacation period shall not be denied solely because the Carrier has no annual leave balance.
Section 12. The bidding and awarding of Annual Leave shall be by CityWide seniority but within each station/section as enumerated in Article 5 of this Agreement.
Section 13. There will be two (2) rounds of bidding, PRIMARY and SECONDARY. Bidding for the primary round will start no earlier than December 1st, and bidding for the secondary round should be completed no later than the beginning of the first full pay period in January. During the primary round (choice periods), carriers can made one or two selections, in units of either five (5), ten (10) or fifteen (15) days; total not to exceed ten (10 or fifteeen (15) days on the first choice, in accordance with leave earned annually. Carriers can not bid threee separated weeks in the Primary round of bidding. Any vacation slots still vacant after the PRIMARY [Choice Periods] round of bidding shall be considered nonchoice, and shall be available for bid during the SECONDARY round of bidding.
Section 14. During the SECONDARY round of bidding carriers shall be entitled to bid any remaining annual leave which they have or will earn prior to the selected periods, and subject to the percentage formula cited in this Article.
Section 15. The Employer shall give each Carrier at least two (2) days advance notice of when it is their turn to bid for their vacation during both rounds of bidding.
Section 16. The Employer shall sign the Bid Form and give a copy of same to the Carrier, indicating his/her approved vacation periods.
Section 17. Carriers shall be granted all leave requested and available on the Leave Chart, provided they have a sufficient projected Annual Leave balance and subject to any other restrictions enumerated elsewhere in this Article.
Section 18. After the PRIMARY round of bidding, the SECONDARY round shall be conducted in the same manner. Any carrier failing to submit a bid for Annual Leave for the upcoming leave year may be arbitrarily assigned to any open period.
Section 19. After both rounds of bidding are completed the Employer will furnish the Local Union President, and each Shop Steward with a copy of the approved, finalized vacation bid results.
Section 20.
A) Following the conclusion of both rounds of bidding, management may block out up to 50% of all unbid upon NonChoice vacation slots but any reduction will be governed by the rounding rule enumerated elsewhere in this Article [Example: two vacant slots would be reduced to one (1), one (1) vacant slot would not be reduced because of the rounding formula]. Vacant slots during the Choice Periods shall not be reduced.
NOTE: Section A has been sent to impasse, the preceding is the current language!
B) Any remaining open full weeks on the vacation chart shall be granted to Carriers upon their request at each station/section, provided the requesting carrier has a sufficient projected annual leave balance. For purposes of this Section, such requests shall not be made later than two (2) weeks prior to the service week in which the Annual Leave is desired. Requests will be approved on a first come, first served basis. However, if two (2) or more applications requesting the same open slot(s) of vacation are submitted within one (1) day of each other, preference will be given the senior carrier. The Employer shall inform the successful bidder within seven (7) days of their request.
Section 21. Unscheduled annual leave may be granted in increments of minutes, hours or days and such requests shall not be unreasonably denied. Such requests for annual leave will be responded to as soon as possible, but no later than 72 hours, beginning with 6:00 PM of the date of the request as submitted to a supervisor on a form 3971. If there is no response within the specified time period, the leave shall be considered granted.
Section 22. Cancellation of scheduled Annual Leave shall be approved if submitted in writing no later than two (2) weeks in advance of the scheduled leave to the immediate supervisor. Cancellations submitted after the cut off period shall not be unreasonably denied. All cancellations shall be reposted as soon as reasonably possible, once management is notified of the cancellations.
Section 1. A "Holiday Desired" sign-up list for those Full-Time and Part-Time Regular Carriers who wish to volunteer to work on a holiday or day designated as a holiday [including those carriers with nonscheduled days off] shall be posted in each station/section approximately fifteen (15) days prior to the Tuesday preceding the service week in which the holiday or designated holiday falls.
Section 2. Once Casuals and Part-Time Flexibles have been utilized to the maximum extent possible, Carriers whose names appear on the "Holiday Desired" list shall be utilized, as needed, in accordance with the following:
Section 2A.
Section 2C. A carrier working his/her nonscheduled work day shall be permitted to work his/her own assignment or route, provided such assignment is available after the application of `B' above. If this is not possible because of `B', these carriers will be assigned to vacant assignments or routes based on their seniority.
Section 3. If, after the posting period, a need develops for additional or replacement Carriers, Carriers shall be selected according to the same order as listed above.
Section 4. It is understood that the above shall be administered on an individual station/section basis as identified in Article 2.
Section 1. For purposes of reassignment, a station/section shall be defined as a delivery unit throughout the San Francisco Post Office (e.g., the Parkside Post Office is a delivery unit, etc.).
Section 2. It is agreed that the San Francisco Post Office and its stations and branches shall be known as an installation. It is further agreed each of the following shall be considered a separate station/section for reassignment purposes:
Parcel Post 180 Napoleon St
All Full-Time Regular Collection Drivers
All Part-Time Regulars PMCollections
(Station A) Steiner Station (015)
(Station O) Pine Street Station (009)
(Station C) Bryant Station (010)
(Station F) Excelsior Station (012)
(Station G) 18th Street Station (014)
(Station J) Clayton Street Station (017)
Golden Gate (018)
Station P (021)
(Station E) Brannan Station (007)
Sunset Finance
Sunset /PCA
Marina (023)
Bayview (024)
West Portal (027)
Presidio (029)
Treasure Isl.(030)
Diamond Heights. (031)
Stonestown (032)
North Beach (033)
Visitacion (034)
EPC North (002)
EPC South (003)
Rincon North (004)
Rincon South (005)
EPC West (008)
Rincon East (011)
Airport (667) & Parkside (016)
Section 3. When there is a need for reassignment of a "Bid Letter Carrier" or Letter Carriers excess to the needs of a station/section, as defined above, the Union shall be notified prior to effecting the reassignment.
Section 4. Where possible, the excess Carrier(s) will be assigned to a station/section of the Carrier(s) choice, based on seniority.
Section 1. The notice inviting bids for all Letter Carrier assignments/positions shall be posted on an installation wide basis.
Section 2. All Full-Time Carrier assignments/positions shall be posted for ten (10) calendar days.
Section 3. Copies of the notice inviting bids and the results of same shall be furnished to the Local Union President.
Section 4. Letter carriers shall obtain the Preferred Bid Assignment Form from their respective supervisor (two copies). Carriers shall make their bids, in writing, on said form.
Section 5. After the carrier has completed the form and handed it to the supervisor, the supervisor will sign one copy and immediately return it to the carrier. The supervisor shall then forward the Carrier(s) bid to the appropriate official. If a carrier submits a telephonic bid, confirmation will be provided to the carrier. Should the question ever arise as to whether or not a Carrier has submitted a bid, his/her copy or confirmation number shall suffice as proof of same.
Section 6. Letter Carrier(s) route(s) or Full-Time Assignment(s) shall not be reposted when there is a change in their starting time.
Section 7.
A) At each Station/Section, management shall post all available craft duty assignments of anticipated duration of five (5) days or more in the delivery unit.
B) Reserve Letter Carriers, Unassigned Regular Carriers and Part Time Flexible Carriers may OPT by use of seniority for available craft duty assignments of anticipated duration of five (5) days or more in the delivery unit within their assignment areas. This form is to be submitted by the Carrier no later than the Tuesday preceding the service week in which the vacancy occurs.
C) Reserve Letter Carriers, Unassigned Regular Carriers and Part Time Flexible Carriers may indicate their opting for such assignments by use of the official OPTING FORM.
D) On the Wednesday preceding the service week in which the vacancy occurs, the Senior Carrier who has successfully OPTED shall be furnished an approved copy of the OPTING FORM.
E) The name(s) of successful opters and the assignments opted for will be posted on the official bulletin board.
F) In those cases where assignments become available for a duration of five (5) days or more and less than 24 hours notice was given then management will:
1) Inquire of all RLCs' or ULCs' who have not OPTED.
2) Award such assignment to the senior eligible carrier who indicates a preference on the OPTING FORM.
Section 8. All assignments shall be classified by description, that is:
FOOT ROUTE = FT
MOUNTED = MTD
COLLECTION MOUNTED = COL.MTD
PARCEL POST = PP
VERTICAL IMPROVED MAIL(with address) = VIM
T6/UTILITY = T6/U
RESERVE LETTER CARRIER = RLC
PARK AND LOOP = P/L
ROUTER = ROUTER
Section 9.
A) When a route becomes vacant the NonScheduled Day for that route, shall be posted for bid only in the string where the vacancy occurs. The rotating day off shall be offered by seniority to the carriers on the T6 swing (and the T6) of the vacant route. After the bidding is completed the remaining nonscheduled day shall be assigned to the vacant assignment.
B) Between bids, if the two primarily affected carriers and the T6 on the string all agree, Non Scheduled Days may be permanently exchanged.
Section 10.
A) When a letter carrier route or full-time duty assignment, other than the letter carrier route(s) or full-time duty assignment(s) of the junior employee(s), is abolished at a delivery unit as a result of, but not limited to, route adjustments, highways, housing projects, all routes and full-time duty assignments at that unit held by letter carriers who are junior to the carrier(s) whose route(s) or full-time duty assignment(s) was abolished shall be posted for bid in accordance with the posting procedures in this article.
B) The posting for bid of routes and full-time duty assignments in the circumstances described immediately above shall be restricted to the affected delivery unit as described in Article . This shall be an exception to the procedures for posting duty assignments provided in Article 41 of the National Agreement and in this Local Memorandum of Understanding.
Section 1. Management agrees that every effort shall be made to reassign an ill or injured Carrier within his/her present craft or occupational group. Where practicable, the tour of light duty shall coincide with the Carrier's present tour of duty.
Section 2.
A) Carriers having a specific bid assignment, i.e. a route, a Carrier Technician, Router or a Reserve Carrier, who request light duty shall be assigned to perform those tasks within their regular assignment, to the extent work is available, that does not exceed their physical limitations. Further work, if available, within the Carrier Craft that does not exceed the carrier's physical limitations may be assigned to the carrier requesting light duty.
B) Parcel Post and Full-Time Regular Collection drivers shall be assigned to light duty as outlined above, with one exception. The Manager, Delivery and Collections, or his designee, will make such assignments.
C) Eight (8) lightduty assignments have been designated: two (2) at PCA; two (2) at the Napoleon Street Facility; two (2) at EPC and (2) at Mission Annex.
Section 3. After all efforts to reassign a Carrier within the carrier craft have been exhausted, consideration will be given to reassignment to another craft or occupational group within the San Francisco Post Office.
Section 4. NOTE: Proposed new Section 4 is an impasse item (no current language)!!
Section 1. Reasonable wash-up time shall be granted.
Section 1. In the event that there is a curtailment of Postal Operations to conform to the orders of local authorities, the following shall apply:
A) If on duty, Carriers will be notified what action to take.
B) If off duty, the Employer shall make every effort to notify Carriers by whatever means of communication is deemed necessary.
Section 2. Final determination of curtailment or termination shall be rendered by the Postal Authorities. After a thorough review of Local Authority declarations when Postal Authorities declare an emergency condition exists which endangers the well being of a Carrier, they shall take prompt action to alleviate such danger. At such times when a Carrier is outside the office and management communications to him/her regarding the emergency which may affect his/her well being cannot be given him/her in a timely manner, it is natural for the Carrier to determine the proper actions to take based upon his/her mature good judgment; when and if such is done, he/she shall communicate with management as soon as possible.
Section 3. The Employer shall notify the Local Union President of its decision and plan of implementation on the above, as soon as practical.
Section 4. NOTE: Proposed new Section 4 is an impasse item (no current language)!!
Section 1. Four (4) Special Stickers will be provided the President of Golden Gate Branch 214, National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO. These stickers would authorize him or his designee to park at all facilities, stations, etc., while he is on Official Union Business. The above is with the understanding that such parking is available and does not interfere with postal operations.
Section 2. Except as provided herein, Management agrees to continue the existing parking program at 180 Napoleon Street. The present open spaces shall continue to be available to all employees on a first arrival basis.
Section 3. Except as provided herein at each unit where space is available, the Station/Section Manager will determine the use of unassigned (i.e. "open") parking spaces and will allow the use of such space on a first arrival basis if this does not entail any additional cost to the Employer.
Section 4. Except as provided herein, Management will provide parking for the letter carriers at the General Mail Facility on an equitable basis with other crafts.
Section 5. Prior to implementation, when legally mandated to ensure compliance with any legal requirements by an outside agency, or government body, management will meet with the Branch 214 President or his/her designee to discuss how the existing parking program will be modified to conform with our legal obligations.
Section 6. Should at any time restrictive conditions on employee parking be imposed by any outside agency or government body, where a particular compliance is not specifically mandated, management will meet with the Branch 214 President, or his/her designee, to come to a mutual agreement as to how the existing parking program might be modified to conform to the new requirements.
Section 7. A joint NALC/USPS committee shall be established to determine the most environmentally effective way to encourage alternatives to single occupied motor vehicle commuting, including the possible use of subsidies.
Section 1. When establishing a joint Safety and Health Committee as provided for in Article 14 of the National Agreement, the President of the NALC Branch or his/her designee will serve as a committee member. Meetings of the Committee shall be held at least monthly and more often if necessary.
Section 2. No vehicle will be assigned to a Carrier unless it can be reasonably expected to conform to recognized safety standards.
Section 3. The Employer will make a reasonable effort to assign the same vehicle to the same full-time route or part-time route each day, if operational requirements permit. Management may interchange vehicles to equalize mileage and to reflect the mail volume for the various routes. It is the Employer's intent that vehicles be maintained in an acceptable state of cleanliness, including periodic washes.
Section 4. Letter Carriers are not expected to finger mail when it would create a safety hazard.
Section 1. Conferences shall be held monthly except the month of December with each craft and the respective Director or his/her designee. One (1) member shall be in a pay status on a nogain, noloss basis. Additional members will be permitted to attend in a nonpay status. The Union must submit an agenda seventy-two (72) hours prior to scheduled meetings.
Section 2. Joint LaborManagement meetings shall be held quarterly. One (1) member per craft shall be in a pay status, on a nogain, noloss basis. Additional members will be permitted to attend in a nonpay status. The Union must submit an agenda seven (7) days prior to scheduled meetings. The Postmaster will attend the Joint LaborManagement meetings.
Section 1. The parties recognize the need for frequent and meaningful communications in their mutual desire to resolve problems peculiar to or primarily involving Letter Carrier operations, personnel or units, and the resolution of such problems (actual or potential) is more likely to be accomplished when acted on in a timely manner at the lowest possible level.
Section 2. Accordingly, the parties agree that either Management or the Union may request informal meetings for such purposes. Such meetings will be held at a time and date mutually convenient to the parties and least likely to interfere with operating requirements of those participating. The number in excess of five (5) members from either side will be by mutual consent of the parties.
Section 3. The Postmaster and/or designee will hold informal meetings with each Station Manager and Shop Steward, within their respective stations, during the month of November to brief them on the Christmas Operation.
Section 1. The President or his/her designee shall be notified at least three (3) working days prior to any employment orientation program for new Carriers and said President (or designee) shall be provided ample opportunity to address such new Carrier(s).
Section 1. The employer shall furnish a separate bulletin board for the exclusive use of the Union at each Letter Carrier Station, subject to the conditions cited in the National Agreement, if space is available. This board shall, if possible, be of a size not less than 36 X 48 inches. If sufficient space is not available for each union to have a bulletin board, at least one will be provided for all Unions signatory to the National Agreement.
Section 2. Branch No. 214 may place its literature racks in the Station swing rooms, if space is available. The literature rack will be provided by Branch 214.
Section 1. Summer or winter apparel may be worn by the Letter Carriers consistent with uniform regulations as outlined in Part 583.2 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual.
Section 2. Male and Female Letter Carriers will wear uniform items as outlined in Part 583.21 (Male City Carriers), and Part 583.22 (Female City Carriers) of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual.
Section 1. Branch No. 214 shall be consulted and afforded an opportunity to examine and make recommendations concerning proposed VERTICAL IMPROVED MAIL (VIM) installations prior to implementation.
Section 1. Branch No. 214 will be consulted prior to the designation of Carrier employees to appropriate craft committees by the Postmaster and/or designee. The President of Branch #214 may designate Letter Carrier craft employees to such committees subject to approval of the designee(s) by the Postmaster.
Section 1. An employee shall, upon request, have the right to inspect his/her Personnel Jacket (Official Personnel Folder) on his/her own time and during the business hours of the Personnel Section.
Section 1. Copies of Personnel Change Orders and City Delivery Orders will be sent to the Union (Branch # 214).
Section 1. The Postal Service recognizes that representatives of the NALC should be permitted to use available telephones and copy machines. Accordingly, the Employer at the local level shall establish a reasonable policy regarding the use of telephones and copy machines by authorized Union Officials and Stewards in relation to the administration of the National Agreement. The policy shall be made known to the President NALC Branch.
Section 1. With the exception of Emergency Suspension Procedures (Article 16 of the National Agreement), Carriers shall be informed of the EAP program before disciplinary measures are taken.
Section 2. Following the initial discussion, any disciplinary measures taken shall be taken independently of the EAP program, or the carrier's relation to it.
HTML Markup by: Spence F. Burton, Former President of Golden Gate Branch 214, NALC
© Spence F. Burton, February, 1996
This page was online on: May 25, 1996, and last updated November 30, 1999
© September, 1996. All rights reserved by the webmaster and Branch 214. Permission is given to trade unions and labor publications to copy information contained on these pages, as long as appropriate recognition and notice is given to the author and webmaster (Spence F. Burton). Permission to others must be granted in writing by the President of Golden Gate Branch 214 and the webmaster. Copying of any "graphics" contained on these pages is also restricted by the preceding language (except for graphical links to this page). This page was originally produced using Netscape Gold Version 3.0, and is best viewed with Netscape Version 3.0 or better! It was designed, constructed and is maintained by Spence F. Burton. Some of these pages require the use of a "browser" that will display "tables"! NB: Any link contained on these pages, does not in any way imply that the linked site is endorsed directly or indirectly by Golden Gate Branch 214 or the webmaster. All "links" are for informational purposes ONLY!
