MISC. ARTICLES

FEBRUARY 2008 BOSTONIAN Christmas Nightmare - Function 4 Implosion By Bob Dempsey, Back Bay Annex Being a window clerk during the Christmas season these days is becoming an undesirable and even more stressful position, thanks to management’s onslaught of Function 4 implosions. Long lines, no stamp vending machine, fewer window clerks and frustrated customers, make for a very demanding and exhausting Christmas season. Management continues to cut clerical positions at an alarming rate (based on flawed/tainted results generated by a computer model (POS - Point-of-Sale) which does not adequately reflect real-life service and staffing needs), even at Christmas! Every other company in America was adding people for the upsurge of business at Christmas but not Postal management. They thought the Back Bay Post Office should run with fewer clerks. They decided it was time to implement their Function 4 staffing package even though their data was outdated (nine months old) and defied logic. They believed it was time to reassign an unassigned clerk and make some more clerks unassigned. Another chapter in the chronicles of "What were they thinking". I hope everyone had the opportunity to read the last issue of the Bostonian (because it touched upon this subject – Function 4). I also attended the All-Craft Conference (at my own expense of course) and the workshop on Preserving Function 4 Work. I believe it was the best workshop the National has put on in years. Understanding how clerks "earn" hours in this computerized staffing system should allow us to be a little more proactive. Hopefully, in the near future we can schedule a local workshop/seminar on this issue. Today’s so-called staffing package (budget) is generated electronically, based on volume measurements of clock rings, moves, and keystrokes that have been entered into the POS system. So when your supervisor has you open your POS terminal (to be "on call" or as needed) and you then go and throw the boxline mail (while being on Operation #355 and POS), you are actually costing the station hours. Another big problem is the non revenue transactions. Upper management knows this but they’re using these distorted statistics anyway to justify cutting positions. They know there are problems with this data but they simply don’t care because it supports their agenda of continuing to abolish clerical positions. Talk about manipulating statistics! Supervisors and Managers need to be educated (of their own self destruction) to help fend against this implosion. Unfortunately, they refuse to listen to reason or logic. The only concern they show these days is towards protecting the APC (automated postal centers). Ever since the Postal Service announced (07/11/07) it was delaying the second stage of installing automated postal centers (APCs) in lobbies, there has been a serious push by management to increase the revenue on the existing APCs. Their tactics are questionable and most times a grievance. The latest fiasco here in the Back Bay Retail Unit involved unplugging and putting "out of order" signs on the Stamp vending machine (located next to the APC) and putting a standing sign in front of the unplugged vending machine claiming; if you use your MasterCard at the APC you could win a second car. You can use your own imagination as to the customer’s reaction to this stunt at Christmas time. This in itself could be a chapter in the chronicles of "What were they thinking". Management recently (11/26/07) even put out a memo to supervisors stating; "…If you have too many clerks at the window people will not go to your APC…" (Supervisor’s interpretation -- back the lines up to frustrate the customers to the point where, they’ll willfully use the APC). Although these machines (APC) were meant to be a Self – Service option for the customer and never intended to be manned, local management is using it as a substitute POS/NCR Terminal (another window). In June 2007, the OIG (Office of the Inspector General) issued a report "…Although Postal Service Headquarters officials stated they have discussed with area officials the need to redirect noncomplex transactions from the retail counter to APC kiosks, they have not developed or communicated to area officials specific plans for how to do this. In addition, officials have not finalized the specific operational procedures for daily operations in the APC instructional documents since Phase I deployment in November 2004…" Having not developed or communicated to area officials specific plans for how to do this, has been one of our current problems. Newer guidelines were developed locally and printed here in Boston (APC Host – SOP). The problem with these newer (local) guidelines is all of our (Boston) APCs, are over ninety (90) days of deployment. This "anyone" theory no longer applies. They even went and added, under "Roles and Responsibilities" there’s a note: "…If there is a lull in traffic, the Host can perform lobby sweeps, deliver mail pickup, and tidy up the APC area…". This is getting insane! If anyone is assigned to the APC, it should be a clerk (more universal -- can also [legitimately] act as a lobby director). Back in July (07/31/07), Postmaster Cannon sent out a memo claiming; "…the manager and supervisor were working the lobby, and there was no line…" This memo has caused management to believe (conveniently misinterpret) it’s not necessary to put a clerk in the lobby (Lobby Director/APC Host) and has recently started shifting this assignment to supervisors. As Management continues their competition with Mystery Shopper scores (also a Pay for Performance Goal) there’s currently a big push to reduce the Wait in Line Time (WILT) and move non revenue transactions away from the window. Clerical positions continue to disappear but Station Managers and Supervisors believe it’s perfectly acceptable to personally backfill these lost positions to "meet the needs of the customers" (as they claim) but it’s really only to reduce their WILT (Wait in Line Time) for their Mystery Shopper scores. They believe they were given this right under "Team Boston" in their Mystery Shopper game.   The only acceptable way to solve these Customer Service issues is to stop allowing our clerical positions to WILT away and staff accordingly. As management continues to abolish (WILT away) our positions, protection of work within our clerical positions must continue — whether staffing considerations (violations) involve other crafts (Article 7.2) or supervisors performing our work (Article 1.6). These duties (APC, "lobby sweeper", "tidier upper" etc.) need to be incorporated and remain within a clerical window position’s (Sales and Service Associate) duties. So no matter when, whether it is Christmas time or a rainy day in May, these violations must be grieved to protect our work. Please call the Union Office or see your Steward if you witness any violation. You can even remain anonymous if you like, but we need to know about these violations for our survival. Please do not allow management to get away with their agenda.                            * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DECEMBER 2007 BOSTONIAN IOD CORNER . . . By Paul Kilduff FORM CA-16, A WELL KEPT SECRET The Postal Service will never use this form unless you, the employee, or your steward forces management to issue one. A Form CA-16 is an important form any injured employee should have in their possession when they seek medical attention for a job related injury. This form is only issued for a traumatic injury (a wound or other condition of the body caused by external force identifiable in time and place that occured during a single workday). Your supervisor will not issue this form for two reasons: 1.) He or she does not know it even exists; 2.) He or she does not know where one is or even what it looks like. I will try to explain step by step what you, the injured employee, should do after you suffer a traumatic injury. As with any injury, you must always report it as soon as possible to your immediate supervisor. If you cannot find a supervisor in your area, report it to a co-worker as a witness. Along with a traumatic injury comes a Form CA-1. Your supervisor will give you a CA-1 once you report your injury. If your injury is an emergency, you will need immediate medical attention and in that case your supervisor will have no choice but to seek medical attention as soon as possible . Management will not tell you in the case of a non-emergency that you have the option of going to a contract physician (Postal Service doctor) or choose your own physician or hospital. My advice to anyone is to go to your own physician for obvious reasons; your doctor knows you and cares about you. The postal physician only wants you back to work as soon as possible. Once you choose your physician or hospital of choice, your supervisor must fill out a CA-16. This form authorizes examination and / or treatment. This form lets your physician know he will be paid for services renderd for the next sixty (60) days. The Form CA-16 must be issued within four (4) hours of the claimed injury. The Postal Service has the right to contact your physician to make sure you are receiving medical care that day before issuing the CA-16. If your physician is not available that day, I recommend you go to the emergency room in the same hospital your physician has a practice. I can’t stress how important this form is. It will stop any questions concerning payment of medical bills and stop collectors chasing you for payment. A steward should go to their manager and ask where the CA-16’s are kept. If your manager has no idea what this form is or where he can get one, then I would ask you to call me so I can make sure the CA-16 ‘s are in all offices. Let me summarize: 1. Report any injury immediately to your immediate supervisor. 2. Fill out a CA-1 for a traumatic injury 3. Check off C.O.P. ( continuation of pay ) 4. For non-emergency only, call your doctor for an appointment that day. If one is not available, go to the emergency room in the same hospital where your doctor practices. (Do not go to a contract physician). 5. Insist on a completed Form CA-16 before you leave for your appointment. It should be filled out by your supervisor. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - UPDATE ON THE REASSESSMENT PROGRAM As of today (11/15/07) Phase Two is still not complete. No interviews have been set up for anyone. Management is still waiting the return of available job assignments from the local commuting area. If anyone receives anything in the mail concerning the reassessment process, I would ask you to call your steward for help. I am always available to answer any questions you may have concerning job related injuries. Please call me at the GMF at (617)-728-4975. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22nd Annual Health Plan Open Season By Jeff Baird I attended the 22nd Annual Health Plan Open Season Seminar in Las Vegas in October, and there was a lot of excitement about what the Plan has to offer this Open Season. A.P.W.U. Health Plan this year will be the most affordable plan in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Affordable pricing, competitive benefits, quality service and the choice of two outstanding options combine to make the A.P.W.U. Health Plan the most competitive plan in the Federal Program this Open Season. Because of this year’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, postal employees who are A.P.W.U. members can give themselves a raise by enrolling in the Consumer Driven Option. A.P.W.U. members will pay only 5% of the cost - compared to 11% in 2007. The Postal Service will pay 95% of the Premium Cost in 2008. Premiums for Consumer Driven Option are: Self $7.77 per Pay Period (474) Self & Family $17.48 per Pay Period (475) Please review what the A.P.W.U. Health Plan has to offer. You can review all the information on the Plan’s website (www.apwuhp.com), or call the union office for a packet. Open Season is November 12, 2007 - December 10, 2007 Sincerely, Jeff Baird, Asst. Treasurer, Health Plan Rep.           ------------------------------------------------- STATIONS & BRANCHES FUNCTION 4 AUDITS by Bob White  Every Sales & Service Associate has been affected one way or another by a "Function 4 Audit". Therefore, this article will focus on mostly window operations (355) rather than distribution operations (240). The old way of doing business on the window was simple - - we serviced the customer. We sold stamps, or accepted their package, threw a meter strip on it, and got them out as fast as we could. We would work as fast as possible to knock down that line. Back then, supervisors would watch us and we, as window clerks, were given sheets that were taped to the counter to list the transactions we performed within a particular ½-hour period. We would put a slash under Certified, two slashes next to Insured parcel, four next to Priority, etc. This would occur over a 2/3 day span. As the years passed by, the business changed dramatically right before our own eyes. Because of the changes, we can no longer accurately account for the time we spend with our customers. Some of the shortcuts we take throughout the day to speed up service for our customers are coming back to haunt us. Audits tracking "window hours" now take place through computerized systems. The sheets we used to use to document our time are in the recycle world. Management can now look at different reports from the Automated Workforce Projection System (AWPS), which utilizes the Window Operating Survey (WOS) and the Remote Office Verification Electronic Retrieval (ROVER). The AWPS is reviewed by U.S.P.S. Headquarters personnel who, in many cases, decide at that level what our staffing needs are, without ever seeing the inside of our stations. From reviewing these programs, the Postal Service currently states that they are overstaffed on the window by 9300+ SSAs. That’s right, I said the Postal Service is of the opinion that they can do without the hours generated by more than 9300 window clerks. The system the Postal Service uses is new to them as well as to the union. However, the Service specifically trained their supervisors to look for areas to cut hours. The union will have to learn this new system on the go. We, as a union will learn the game and figure out how to use the information to save our jobs.   I’m sure many of you have heard your manager say when they come back from meetings with their bosses and operations support, that they are overstaffed by 2-1/2 clerks here and 2-1/2 clerks there. Realistically, I don’t know how they expect us to get by. I think they are crazy to run the operation in this manner. The A.P.W.U., just about every window clerk, and many front line supervisors realize that the Postal Service cannot run its operation efficiently when it is down so many people. Inevitably, when managers make such statements, everyone looks at each other and wonders who is going to lose their job. Supervisors get that "deer in the headlights" look and say things like, "they’re out of their minds if they think this will work". Unfortunately, everyone goes into panic mode. This has been going on for years now, and I believe it is part of a strategy to encourage employees to point the finger at each other. ALL CRAFTS CONFERENCE At the 2007 All Crafts Conference, an overwhelming number of delegates attended the lass that dealt with Preserving Function 4 Work. There was a lot of information provided, and the following represents some of the more useful points that apply to window hours. When working in an operation, make sure you are on the right operation. If you’re in Distribution - be on a 240 Operation. If you move to the box-line, hit 760; Window - go to 355, etc. If you are in and out of operations such as going to the window as needed, then to the box-line, and then back to the window, you are unable to make the clock hits, use a 1260. You can give your supervisor as many as needed, and they must put you into the proper operation. It is management’s job to ensure that clerks are in the proper operation and must input the proper operation into TACS. If you are working the window, get credit for it. Get credit for all the work you perform. A customer wants to resume "hold mail" and you have to go to the carrier case to get it, get the credit by hitting the prompts on the POS. Whether you are getting "hold mail", unnumbered parcels, receive the time by using the non-revenue key, put the POS on standby, retrieve the items, log back on and finish the transaction, which may take a few minutes. This way you will receive credit for this time.   Please, do not hit the non-revenue key, end the transaction, and then perform the task. If you do, you will not receive credit for the time it actually takes to perform the particular task, and everyone in your station will suffer the consequences. SELLING STAMPS When selling stamps on the window (this was an eye-opener), do not sell numerous books in one transaction. In other words, if you’re selling four books of stamps, do not "hit" the number 4 and scan in the book. By doing it this way, you will only be credited for 46 seconds. However, if you scan in the books individually, you will receive about 4 minutes for the same transaction. This more accurately reflects the time needed to service the customer, and protects our jobs at the same time. Another example occurs when a customer wants a non-revenue pickup, (100) .02 cent stamps, (2) coils (stamps). If the SSA doesn’t hit the non-revenue key, and instead hits in the (100) .02 cent stamps, and hits in the number (2) coils (stamps), the station will only receive 1.34 minutes credit. However, if the SSA hits the non-revenue key, logs off, gets the mail, logs back on, scans the 5 sheets of .02 cent stamps individually, and then scans in the coils individually, the station will receive a total of 6.39 minutes credit for the same transactions. In other words, the same transaction earned window clerks 5 minutes more of creditable time. This doesn’t seem right; but it is. Soft time is time given because the SSA earned 45 minutes of creditable time. Soft time isn’t extra time so SSAs can go into the lobby and retrieve packages to cut down on the waiting line time. If an SSA earns 6 hours on the window, another 2 hours is given considered soft time. All customer transactions should pass through the POS terminal so we can be credited. Some of the time given into your soft time, only if you earn 45 minutes is: audit stamp credits, intermediate log/on/off, obtain change. An SSA should never log on while performing other transactions, whether it be a few box rents, BRM payments, postage due invoice, passport photos, etc. Once you long on, you are tracked for the next ½ hour period, so don’t log on if you don’t need to. Supervisors need to be educated on this matter also, and the A.P.W.U. will be monitoring this issue closely. Not only does this affect Article 1.6 violations (supervisors doing bargaining unit work), but it could also explain why the Postal Service believes it has too many SSAs (9300+). If you need backroom transactions done, give them to the clerks at the window and let them do the payments on their down time. This way they will constantly be earning time on the window. If we exercise a little vigilance by adjusting our work habits a little here and a little there, we can begin to shave down that 9300+ number. We need to do our part in the Boston District to save our own jobs. The Postal Service invented this game. We are just adapting to play by their rules. Remember, if SSAs don’t earn the 45 minutes of window time, they don’t get the 15 minutes of soft time. We need to practice this and get used to the new environment we work in. Look at what cutting corners has done to our craft. Look at the carriers and the actions they take to save their routes. They insure that they get credit for the work they perform. Whatever job we do, get credit for it. We need to be just as disciplined with our own work. This is just a glimpse of what we need to do to preserve our future. Like many of you, I have at least 10 - 15 years of work left before I can realistically think about retirement, so I don’t want to be one of the 9300 overstaffed SSAs the Service is talking about. If we are vigilant, we can insure our future! Have a Happy Holiday Season! Bob White, (Acting) Vice President Central               - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OCTOBER 2007 Bostonian Untold Stories of the Postal Service By Dave Chandler We’ve all seen Post Office propaganda materials describing how the ever-vigilant Inspection Service has caught craft employees committing felonies and misdemeanors – typically, the stories depict a clerk or mailhandler who is out on an on-the-job injury (IOD) and gets filmed running a marathon or participating in one of those Scottish strong-man contests where you throw a telephone pole. These articles often don’t tell the whole story: sometimes the employee in question has been told by his doctor to get more exercise as a form of therapy, but it is unfortunately true that occasionally the inspectors catch a bargaining unit employee doing something seriously wrong. Every large organization has its bad apples. Now, I don’t want to seem like I’m picking on the Inspection Service, what with their recent utter humiliation at the hands of the Office of the Inspector General, but what the Postal Service conspicuously doesn’t tell you is that some of the worst crimes in American history have been perpetrated by postal inspectors and members of Management. Consider what is regarded by some to be the first professional bank robbery in US history. It happened right here in our own backyard way back during the Civil War. On the afternoon of December 15, 1863, customers arriving at the Malden Savings Bank discovered a tragedy: the bank clerk, a 17-year old boy named Frank Converse, had been shot to death and the bank had been robbed. Police soon determined that about $5,000 in cash was missing. The public was stunned. The murder/robbery was front page news and everybody in town was obsessed by the crime, everybody that is except for the Malden postmaster, a thirty-year old man named Edward Green, who claimed to be utterly disinterested in the matter. Suspicion focused at first on a career criminal named Bailey, who was actually arrested right around Christmas. Fortunately for all concerned, Bailey was acquitted at his trial in January 1864 (justice moved quickly in those days). Police then began to take notice of Postmaster Green, the man who pointedly avoided talking about the holdup. Several tipsters reported that the perennially-broke Green had somehow come into a large amount of cash. A detective was assigned to follow the postmaster, and observed him paying off a $700 bank draft with small bills and also making frequent shopping trips into Boston. Once they had enough evidence, police arrested Green on February 7, 1864, and charged him with murder and armed robbery. The postmaster confessed and showed police where they could find the rest of the stolen money. He was executed by hanging in 1866. Another bad apple in Management’s not-so-wholesome barrel was William F. Fahy, a Chicago postal inspector of the 1920s. In those days registered and other valuable mail was carried on the railroad, and mail trains were a favorite target for criminals. Fahy had a reputation as a robbery specialist and had won several awards for catching high-profile train robbers. Unfortunately it seems that many of his collars were frame-ups, innocent men who were sent to prison by Fahy’s perjured evidence. The fact of the matter was that Fahy was in league with a band of holdup men and would tip them off as to which mail trains were likely to have a lot of money and valuables. After the robbery Fahy would manufacture evidence against a convenient patsy to throw law enforcement off the track of the real bandits. For this he received a substantial share of the loot. This went on for years but ultimately, like many criminals, Fahy was brought down by his own bad habits. The attractive wife of one of his framed victims, determined to free her husband, picked up Fahy (who was married) in a bar one night and got him drunk enough to reveal some inside details about a 1924 train robbery near Chicago that netted the robbers some $2,000,000. She went to the (honest) police with her information, and they placed a wiretap on Fahy’s telephone. The cops soon overheard him talking to one of his co-conspirators, and Fahy was arrested and served most of a 25-year prison sentence. You’d think murder, bank robbery and train robbery would have been enough for these people, but it wasn’t. How about kidnapping? The early 1930s saw a wave of kidnappings in the Midwest. Famous desperadoes like the Ma Barker gang, Alvin Karpis and Machine Gun Kelly all indulged in the pastime, which typically involved snatching a successful businessman and holding him until payment of a ransom that generally ran between $50,000 and $200,000. A pivotal part of the system was to have a "safe house" where the victim could be held while ransom negotiations were taking place. When Minnesota brewer William Hamm was kidnapped by the Barkers in 1933, the safe house was the home of one Edmund Bartholmey, the postmaster of Bensenville, Illinois. Hamm was released unharmed after $100,000 was handed over. Bartholmey was caught but got off easy, with just a six year sentence. Those are just three examples of a long and sordid history. Who knows what other crimes have been committed by postal inspectors and postmasters but have remained concealed? In the 1990s several postal inspectors were accused of framing more than twenty Ohio postal workers on drug charges, when they knew the workers were innocent. This indicates that the criminal mentality is still in place. Throughout the history of our Union there have been numerous instances of inspectors and postmasters being less-than-honest in arbitration proceedings. What I want to know is why don’t the postal propaganda sheets ever tell you these stories? The silence is criminal. ------------------------------------------------------- OCTOBER 2007 BOSTONIAN THE NATIONAL REASSESSMENT PROCESS Paul Kilduff, Tour-2 GMF Chief Steward As many of you are aware, the Postal Service has initiated a program called the National Reassessment Process. This process is currently ongoing throughout the country. I will try to explain exactly what this Layoff (sorry, wrong word) or Reassessment Process means to you. The National Reassessment Process is only looking at anyone that is on limited duty or light duty with permanent restrictions, or has reached maximum medical improvement. This means if you have restrictions and you are never going to get better, the Postal Service is looking at you. For years the Postal Service has been required to find medically suitable work for anyone hurt on the job. Now they are claiming due to automation it’s getting more and more difficult to find work for the injured employee. Thus a couple of new words have surfaced from the Postal Service - - "necessary/productive work", instead of medically suitable work. To put it in simple terms, if you fall in the category of maximum medical improvement, or your injuries are permanent, and your manager feels the work you are currently performing is not necessary to them, then you will be placed into the Reassessment Process. Many of you have already received letters asking for you to update your medical. That was called Phase One of the National Reassessment Process. I hope if you did receive that letter that you did update your medical. This is important because the list the Injury Compensation office has on file is not accurate by any means. Again, this is only for maximum medical improvement or permanent( injured) employees. If you do not fall in this category, your doctor should make it clear on the latest forms you had him or her fill out. The union has requested an updated list from Injury Compensation in regards to any employee that is now listed as maximum medical improvement or permanent after the Phase One part is complete. We did receive a list of names from the Office of Injury Compensation, but the list contained many names that are inaccurate. The Office of Injury Compensation is also sending letters to treating physicians without your knowledge. It is in your best interest to call your physician to ask him or her if they received a letter from the Injury Compensation office. They (Injury Comp.) are required by Law to send you a copy of any correspondence sent to your doctor. If you find your doctor has been contacted by Injury Comp, then please call the union office. For some reason the Injury Compensation office feels they are physicians as well as private investigators. Their job is a control office in which they receive claims to be forwarded to the Department of Labor so that claims are received in a timely manner. They are the record keepers for all postal workers, and they are supposed to have your best interest at heart. Lately, however, I don’t feel they care about you or me. So it’s up to you to make sure you have all your medical in order. After Phase One is complete, Phase Two will be initiated. We are now in Phase Two but to be honest, it’s a complete mess. Management is supposed to take the names of all employees identified as maximum medical improvement or your injuries are permanent and place their names into the Phase Two process. The list of names management has submitted to the union is a complete joke. On the list they have included several people that are not maximum medical improvement or injuries are permanent. The biggest joke of all is they even listed mailhandlers on the A.P.W.U. list. I have been informed this list is updated and accurate. How can mailhandlers be on the A.P.W.U. list? If you do anything after reading this article, please make sure your medical documentation is updated, and please call your physician to ask if the Post Office has sent any correspondence to them. Phase Two involves either keeping you at your current job, or management sending out a 546 Worksheet in our district or the local commuting area. The 546 Worksheet contains your work restrictions. Each manager will look at the 546 Worksheet and state if there is a job available for you or not. If a job is located for you, an interview will be set up for you to be offered your new limited duty job. It’s important to request union representation at any interview. Management will show you the new job offer, but you don’t have to accept it at that time. If you see something you don’t agree with, it’s important to state it at that time. A second interview will then be set up to go over the limited duty job offer again. Your steward will assist you if this happens to you. The second set of interviews are for employees management cannot find available work for. You will be scheduled for an interview. Any employee will be given a two week notice before their interview. The interview is the time to bring up any additional medical documentation you may have, or any information that may help find a limited duty job for you. Like I have stated, they have not done their homework and I feel they will not try very hard to find work for everyone. It’s up to you at this interview to bring up all the reasons you should be staying employed. A second interview will be scheduled to discuss anything else you may want to bring up. After the second interview, if the Postal Service cannot find you work, you will be given a CA-2A and a CA-7, which at that time you should fill out. Someone will then take your badge and have you clean out your locker. Yes, that is how your Postal Service will treat you that day. It doesn’t matter if you have one year service or 30 years service with the Post Office. The fact is the Postal Service is trying to end your career. The CA-2A and CA-7 will go to the Department of Labor and, hopefully, will be approved in a timely manner. I have to be honest with you , you may be without a check for weeks. If you have annual leave or sick leave, you should use it to keep a cash flow. Once the Postal Service puts you out, the Department of Labor will then place you in a Vocational Rehab Program. This is a program designed to try to find you work in the outside sector within your restrictions. The Department of Labor will try to identify two jobs within 90 days in the outside sector that you will have to apply for employment. The Department of Labor will look at your skill level, educational background, and restrictions, while looking for employment for you. If and when the Department of Labor does identify any job for you , you must schedule an interview with that employer. If you fail to do this, your compensation will be reduced. I wish I could tell you everything will work out, but I can’t. The Postal Service is doing their best to get rid of as many limited duty employees as possible. This is going to be a very stressful time for anyone involved in this process. The American Postal Workers Union will file grievance after grievance to protect your rights. A steward or officer will be at every interview to help you with your decisions and mostly to protect your rights. If you do receive an interview letter - - please call your steward immediately. The A.P.W.U. national office has filed several grievances in regards to the National Reassessment Process. One grievance involves the Postal Service completely ignoring seniority rights when placing limited duty employees into limited duty assignments. It’s possible for you to have 30 years service and someone else has 5 years service, but the Postal Service keeps the employee with less seniority. That doesn’t make any sense, does it? The Postal Service has always used employees’ seniority dates whenever placing anyone in a job. In my opinion , this is a way for management to keep their suck pumps. The Boston Metro will fight for anyone whose rights are violated. We will not stand by and let management have an easy path to this Layoff (sorry, wrong word again), or should I say ending someone’s postal career. It’s obvious they don’t care about you, your family, mortgage, or even taking care of a sick child or parent. They only want to get rid of you to save money. They know they can’t lay you off legally under our national contract so this is the next best thing. I don’t know how anyone can sleep at night doing this to loyal postal workers. You have given many years of service and this is what you get for all your dedication and hard work. -----------------------------------------------------------   Notary Public Services Available Please be advised that if you need a Notary Public, you can contact Jeff Baird at the General Mail Facility @ (617)-654-5468, or leave a message for him at the union office @ (617)-423-2798. Jeff is happy to offer his services as a Notary free of charge. ----------------------------------------- BOSTONIAN ARTICLE October 2007 UNION EQUALS JOB SECURITY FOR YOU AND ME By John Tobin, Tour-3 GMF Steward Outsourcing of jobs, massive layoffs and rising health care costs are just a few of the issues that, as working class Americans, we are all too familiar with. Working class families are guaranteed nothing from their employer. Workers have virtually no protection from corporate head hunters hell-bent on cutting costs so that the upper echelon employees of the company get richer. Thank God for the UNION, I say! Can you imagine working for the Postal Service with no Union? Most of us probably wouldn’t be here. Think about it for a moment . . . No sick leave benefits, the No Layoff clause gone, No health care benefits, No Cost-Of-Living increases, No night differential, No Sunday Premium, No A.B.A. Plan, etc. . . . I’m sure I have probably missed a few, but I think you get the general idea. FACT: ALL of these benefits were negotiated by your union. The union equals job security for you and me. Postal management would like nothing better than to bust the union. This is obvious every time we, the A.P.W.U., negotiate a contract with the Postal Service. Then, after the vigorous task of staying the course by the union and getting a negotiated contract, management has no qualms of violating the contract every day. Every member in this local should always request a steward when you witness a supervisor perform bargaining unit work. It is your contractual right to do so. Withhold your labor and write these supervisors up! These people are not our friends! Stand up and be counted! SUPPORT YOUR UNION! -------------------------------------------------- ROBERT KEOUGH, GMF TOUR-3 CHIEF STEWARD      AUGUST 2007 BOSTONIAN For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would not join the union. Even more troubling is why anyone would quit. Although the Boston Local is highly organized with roughly 93% of the workforce united, I still find it disturbing that approximately 170 of our co-workers have made the decision not to join. I do not want to bad mouth these individuals, but I would like to address this problem. As GMF Tour-3 Chief Steward, I have had the opportunity to talk with many of our co-workers that are not in the union. There is a small number of these folks who, since day one, have not joined and more than likely never will. I consider them the hardcore non-members. In my opinion, most of these folks are either anti-union or are just too cheap to pay union dues. However, the majority of non-members were once members and chose to quit. It’s the latter that I would like to address in this article. When asked why they chose to quit, I hear a variety of reasons, and to be fair, I listen carefully, knowing that whatever the reason is they considered it serious enough to quit. The reasons vary but the more common complaints usually have something to do with being excessed, or with a personal problem with a particular union official. There are some that are upset because a grievance filed on their behalf was denied by an arbitrator. But whatever the reason, each one chose to leave the union. Again, the point of this article is not to bad mouth these co-workers, but rather to encourage you, the dues-paying members, to join in the effort to get these people to re-join our fine union. As I said previously, there are a variety of reasons, excuses in some cases, why these people have chosen to be known as "scabs". Honestly, I have yet to hear one that I would consider a ‘good’ reason to quit! Many have legitimate reasons to be upset, yet I can think of no good argument to be made that would support quitting. The most common reason, though, has something to do with being excessed. I remind you all that the union has not once ever excessed anyone. It is management that disrupts and excesses. Does being excessed suck? Of course it does, but to put one’s own personal grievances ahead of the good of the whole is self defeating and unwise. Think of what type of place the Postal Service would be to work without unions. Can you say, "casual"? There is no doubt ALL the benefits, wages and protections we all enjoy are due to the UNION. THIS IS A FACT! I am sure that every one of us at some point was frustrated or unhappy with the union. But quitting is not the answer. There is no denying the many good reasons why it is important to be and stay UNITED. However, being united does not mean that each and every member of this union doesn’t have a voice, an opinion as important and as equal to anyone else’s. At the risk of sounding corny . . . you are the A.P.W.U. This is YOUR union. So if you’re working alongside a non-member, remind them how important it is to be united against management. They are the enemy - - not the union. On a different note, recently an employee was interviewed by agents of the OIG. Based on answers given at this interview, the employee was put out of work without pay. Unfortunately, the employee chose not to ask for a steward and sat down with the agents without union representation. The OIG has no obligation to offer a steward, and will not do so. A steward will be called only if requested. Despite the fact that this issue has been written about repeatedly, again and again employees do not ask for their steward. OIG agents are trained and skilled interviewers. They will use a variety of techniques to get an employee talking. You can be sure that anything you say can and will be used against you. As postal employees, we are obligated to cooperate with investigations, but to do so without a steward present is unwise. So please pass the word. Always request a union steward to be present. It is your right. ---------------------------------- ARTICLES FROM PAST ISSUES . . . Bob Dempsey, Back Bay Annex Steward JUNE 2007 Bostonian Determined The Back Bay Post Office is in the middle of a Function 4 audit (original observation/audit date was on a rainy/snowy Friday back in March) and the "unofficial results" were leaked on to the workroom floor by management, causing animosity among the clerks. These impacts call for a reduction of approximately 7000+ hours or around 3.5 positions. On May 4th, 2007, when I arrived at work I noticed the Function 4 auditor on the dock with another Function 4 "observer/auditor" who I’ll refer to as "clipboard guy" for the rest of this article. I approached the auditor and asked him if he minded me asking him a few questions and he responded; "go ahead" and I asked if any of the rumors about reductions were true and he replied "that’s why they were back - to reevaluate the previous observations/assessment and audit results. After the clerks finished unloading the truck and the auditors came back inside, I again approached the auditor and showed him some of the documentation from past grievances about the backfilling of positions (previously reverted/abolished) by PTF clerks, the misuse of a Relief & Pool clerk & unassigned clerks, supervisors doing bargaining unit work and all the grievances concerning clerks working beyond limitations (twelve (12) hours in a day or more than sixty (60) hours in a service week) since the last reductions in this office. He said he was expecting grievances to be filed then asked what I was going to be doing for the day. I told him I would be working on some grievances that needed to be filed (Union Business). He then asked if that was all I did during the day. I told him that I also work the window when not on Union business or when there’s no other staffing (usually in the afternoons). He then looked at the clipboard guy and said "make a note of that, there’s a position that’s not needed if he spends most of his day on Union business and not on the window". A few comments were exchanged concerning that remark and I pointed out that being on Union business was a protected activity. I thought it was best that I discuss this comment/development with my manager instead of continuing with these two guys. The manager said he would speak to the auditor about his inappropriate remark. I later returned (approximately 13:14) to the retail unit to find the clipboard guy working the APC (Automated Postal Center). He was not just helping the people -- he would actually do the entire transaction (weighing the package including answering the questions, typing in the zip code, affixing the postage, applying Priority Mail stickers and then sometimes even dropping the package in the APC receptacle for them). After they noticed me watching him and taking notes they approached me and asked what I was doing and I told them I was investigating a grievance.  I then asked them if they’re "for real" and "what were they doing" because I thought they were here to observe "OUR" operation as it now functions and not try to help move the line by acting as the lobby director/APC person to justify cutting positions. Clipboard guy then told me that "anyone" can help a customer. I asked if they were so desperate and determined to cut positions that they needed to resort to this. Also, who would be helping the customers when they cut our jobs (window positions) and they too were gone. After more discussion they went back to just "observing" so I left the lobby area. While I was on the phone in the office, I noticed (via the CC monitor) clipboard guy once again helping customers so I returned to the lobby. This time he said the customer walked up to him and asked him a question. After about five minutes I went back into the office and as soon as I picked the phone up, I again saw him (on the monitor) helping customers so I again returned to the lobby. The line was backing up and he was on a roll -- my presence didn’t seem to faze him at this point and he didn’t stop. At 13:39, clipboard guy continues to pull customers out of line and then do the entire transaction on the APC, instead of just assisting/coaching/helping customers develop that "hands-on experience" needed for them to feel comfortable with the machine for future visits; he never let the customer touch the screen! I overheard clipboard guy give the wrong information to a customer concerning Passports and informed him of the current turnaround time for Passports. I decided to call my manager about the entire fiasco and about clipboard guy playing lobby director. The manager asked what happened to our person that was out there and I told him she was on lunch. He said he would call the financial supervisor and have one of our people out there to work the APC and be lobby director. At 13:54, the financial supervisor is now working on the APC. At 13:59 she is grabbing peach puppies (PS Form 3849) from the people to cull them out of the line. One of the clerks comes back from lunch and is now in the lobby area but soon is tied up with a customer doing a Passport so the financial supervisor continues to "help out". At 14:40, things really get busy (that’s how this office is, customers show up in waves; we joke about it and refer to it as the bus pulling up!). At 14:44, the financial supervisor is encouraging people to use the vending machine and clipboard guy is again working the APC. At approximately 14:46, I observed clipboard guy reach into his pocket and hand a customer a dollar bill. I waited for a moment for the financial supervisor to go behind the screenline so I could talk to her. I asked why clipboard guy was giving customers money out of his own pocket. She responded that she didn’t have any money on her and a customer had lost a dollar in the vending machine. They didn’t want the customer to have to wait in line so he gave it to her. I started laughing and asked why she didn’t want the customer to wait in line and follow the procedures for refunds (PS Form 5445 – Stamp Vending Machine Reimbursement Request), especially when this guy is here to cut positions. I stated that we have clerks being disciplined for not following proper procedures and now management, to justify cutting clerical positions, decides to take short cuts (that clerks would be disciplined for, if they had done the same). I then got a Stamp Vending Machine Reimbursement Request (PS Form 5445) and brought it out to him. I said if he filled it out, I would get his dollar back for him (I really wanted it [filled out] for my grievance). He said that the financial supervisor had already given him the dollar. I walked away shaking my head in disbelief and called my manager again to discuss this saga. Shortly after 15:00, things began to slow down return to "normal". With this grievance and the representative case (on APCs) previously filed hopefully someday, we’ll get some long overdue language on the APCs and this "anyone" theory (addressing after ninety days). These machines were meant to be a Self – Service option for the customer and never intended to be manned. They’re not and should not be used as a substitute POS/NCR Terminal (another window). If anyone is assigned to the APC, it should be a clerk (more universal -- can also [legitimately] act as a lobby director). So, if you have any of these Function 4 "observer/auditors" show up in your office, please keep an eye on them. This is just another example of how determined they really are to try and cut our jobs!!!                             _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ APWU COPA needs your voluntary contribution because the union is prohibited from using dues money for political purposes. The APWU has made it possible for you to support the union’s COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION by giving an amount you choose through a payroll allotment with PostalEase. By creating a COPA allotment, you can help our union make a stronger effort to support the political candidates who will fight fo us. It is an easy way to give, and - - just like your other deductions - - it will go to work for you immediately. A salary allotment to APWU COPA - the Committee on Political Action - - can be set up easily and efficiently. Just follow the guidelines on the worksheet below and call PostalEase to begin your COPA salary allotment. 1. Before you dial, write down the following account number: 2932001, followed by your Social Security number. You will use this number in #11 below. This will enable the APWU to identify that this contribution comes from you. 2. Dial 1-877-477-3273 (1-877-4PS-EASE). 3. Press #1 for PostalEase. 4. When prompted, enter your Social Security number. 5. When prompted again, enter your PIN number. (This is the same number you use for telephone bidding and / or other payroll allotments.) If you do not have a USPS PIN number, or cannot remember your PIN number, follow the instructions at the bottom of this page, under (Don’t have your USPS PIN?). 6. When prompted, choose option #2 (to select payroll allotments). 7. When prompted, choose option #1 (to select type of allotment). 8. When prompted, press #2 to continue. 9. When prompted, press #3 to "add" the allotment. 10. When prompted, enter ROUTING NUMBER: 054001220. 11. When prompted, enter the ACCOUNT NUMBER: 29320001, followed by your Social Security number (No hyphens, 17 digits total). Press #1 if correct. 12. When prompted, press #1 for checking. 13. When prompted for the dollar amount of the allotment, enter your choice for a biweekley allotment. Press #1 if correct. 14. When prompted, press #1 to process. At this point, you’ll be provided with a confirmation number and the start date of the allotment. Record the confirmation number and start date. Press #1 to repeat, or press #9 to end the call. Retain this form for your records. =============================== Don’t have your USPS PIN? To obtain your PIN: 1.) Call PostalEase at 1-877-477-3273. 2.) Press #1 for PostalEase. 3.) When prompted, enter your Social Security #. 4.) When prompted for your PIN, pause, then press #2. 5.) Your PIN will be mailed to your address of record the next business day. ----------------------------------