American Postal Workers Union
Littleton Local #3477
PRINCIPAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT
David Steinbach - Littleton APWU President
I would like to explain the importance of working your principal duty assignment as posted and bid upon.
The APWU received a settlement on posting jobs where an employee is to be working. Management must post jobs with a principal duty assignment. This is determined by where you will be spending most of your time on the workroom floor. The greater portion of your work assignment will be the principal area. Complete your principal area first. It is important that you work your job as posted. If management needs to move someone out of their principal area, they must do this juniority. Management has been moving clerks out of their principal assignment, then back filling their bid job with other clerks. This is a violation of the contract. Please let me know so I can file a grievance and get you out of schedule pay.
Management is attempting something new called a UNIVERSAL JOB. The job description would vary depending on the day. For example, on Monday a clerk would work the box section. Tuesday, throw parcels. Wednesday, work on flats - etc-.... Looks like we just became a PTF again!
The APWU has language where we got to pick by building where we spend the majority of our time on the workroom floor.
Why is it important to enforce the working of your principal duty assignment? It means more bid jobs to choose from.
The intent of the principal assignment is to work in one location, so you always know where you are and what you are doing. When management has a heavy workload in one area to address, they can on occasion move you by juniority only. But again, management cannot back fill your position. "Other duties as assigned" listed on your job description is onluy if you run out of work in your bid assignment. Management has the right to find you work elsewhere to keep you gainfully employed for 8 hours. This is the only reason duties as assigned by management shows up on the bid assignment.
When you are removed from your principal area, please write it down. I need to know the day and the time where you were moved and who did your job and for how long. I will file a grievance and get you paid. This could also result in more jobs being posted for bid.
Management is abolishing jobs because of automation and contracting out. Please don't help them by working outside of your bid position. Stick together and keep our union strong to prevent loss of job.
VOICE OF THE EMPLOYEE SURVEY EQUALS DISCIPLINE
Carrie Garcia - Littleton APWU Vice President
It would be nice if we really did have a voice to be heard along with respect and dignity. Unfortunately, management has never respected our voice or ideas. They generate a survey asking for our opinions, then use this information against the workforce.
There was a time when the clerk and maintenance craft employees answered management's voice of the employee's surveys. Management took the results of the surveys and used it against us during contract negotiation time. Apparently employees were happy with their jobs and pay, so management argued that we did not need a pay raise.
They fooled us once, shame on management for taking advantage for taking advantage of employees. All employees need to be united as a union and stand up to postal management and not allow them to trick or bully us again. The APWU strongly requests that employees do not respond to VOEs.
VOEs that are created in-house are just as damaging. I'm sure most of us can recall when your immediate supervisor reviews results of in-house VOE's. I've heard Ms. Gaul say employees seem to think that they are not being accountable for their jobs.Then Ms. Gaul said it sounds like we need to discipline those individuals. I told her you're not discipling any clerk because I know the clerks were smart and did not answer the VOE. I believe the results of this survey were generated from the dumb carries who answered. Ms. Gaul agreed, she said the union prevented clerks from turning surveys in. I thanked her for another victory for the APWU.
If you receive a VOE - management must give you your mail and not "hold it for ransom." They are to inform employees if you want to answer the survey and you will be given time on the clock. Management should never harrass employees about the survey or nag them to turn it in. If any of the above occurs, let a union steward know because we will address the issue and take it to the labor board if necessary.
Our union president, David Steinbach, continues to reward employees with $5.00 for turning in VOE's. Cross through your name and write refused to APWU and we will gladly accept it and give you $5.00. It is your mail and your business. Please tear it up or surrender it to the union, but please do not give it to management, even if you check the refused box. Management receives bonuses based on the return of the survey regardless of what they say - bad or good. Let's not repeat our history by replying and the shame is upon us. Say NO to VOE!
JOB SECURITY
Carrie Garcia
Attention window clerks/sales associates. Help protect your jobs by doing simple transactions on the NCR's. We need to get credit for all the time spent on the window. Any down-time is counted against us. Save your job from Function 4. When a customer asks a question, any question, give yourself credit for it. Go into "other customer services" then to "non-automated transactions" (big red X) A list will appear for your selection. !.) - non-automated mail pick up, 2.) - respond to CFS issue 3.) - summon supervisor 4.) - change of address information 5.) - product/service rate inquiries 6.) - employment application inquiry 7.) - voter register inquiry 8.) - give local dircetions 9.) - philatelic information 10.) - accept hold mail request form 11.) - request passport form 12.) - request tax form 13.) - accept consumer service form and 14.) - request/submit selective service form.
Window clerks please sign out of NCR when going to lunch and break. This habit will save us time and jobs. An idle computer cannot count against us if wer not on it.
Help the union help you by saving jobs and keying every customer transaction. Thanks!
OVERTIME ISSUES
David Steinbach
Overtime rules remain the same. THE OTDL is generated in each Littleton station. Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton Main, Ken Caryl and even Columbine. This is done for all: union, management and employees keep it simple. We would not want to force employees to travel all around Littleton to get overtime. If we allow overtime rotation for all offices, it would cause confusion and anger. Years ago, around Christmas time, employees did work overtime in other offices. All employees on the OTDL, we maxed out. The union and management came to an agreement that this would no longer happen because it was a bit frustrating for all involved. This is the reason for OTDL per station.
Overtime is based on how many skills employees have. If you only have one skill, like automation, then you will be called for overtime for automation only. If you have a scheme and automation, your chances for overtime increase. You can be called for overtime in both areas. Overtime is on a rotating basis. If you believed you were skipped, please notify any steward ASAP so we can investigate and enter a grievance in a timely fashion if applicale. Again, the more qualifications you have, the better your chances are for OT.
Our Littleton Local Agreement states that overtime is by section and tour. So again, overtime is for each office on a rotating basis. Any questions ask a union steward or me.
We have a new sign-up sheet for OT. Before tour, after tour, non-scheduled days, 10/56, 12/60. If you sign for 12 hours you mish also sign the N/S day list. However, if you sign 10/56, you have the option to sign N/S. If you sign any part of the overtime list, you must sign 10/56. In other words, you cannot sign BT only. It would be BT and 10/56. Please beware that any signing of the OTDL will mean that you will be called for overtime before anyone NOT on OTDL is mandated, even if you did not sign the area that is needed for work. Questions? Please see me or any steward.
GRIEVANCES
Carrie Garcia
Notice to all employees:
Please make sure you move on the clock any time you are not working in your base area. When filing a grievance, we rely on clock rings to support our case.
When we file our grievance on your behalf or class action, we need to know the following: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How Long? and specific dates and times.
It is never okay for management or a carrier to perform our duties. If someone not in our craft is pushing a broom or doing a window sweep, the union needs to know. It is not acceptable for anyone but a clerk to aid on the APC's or lobby direct. You may think it is not a big deal for the supervisor to do a window sweep when we are busy or short -staffed, but it is. It could mean money to the OTDL or possibly another job.
Please help us help you. We do not see or hear everything going on in your office, so please let us know.
SHORT CUTS
Noe Mejia, Union Steward - Littleton APWU
I like to take short cuts, we all do. We do it at home - in the kitchen, on the street, or on the road when driving - everywhere! However, sometimes a short-circuit is better than certain short cuts!
I recently read an article in the APWU magazine that talked about practical advice for working the window. For some reason, I thought that not all of all us read it because I agree with it 1000%. I partially reproduce it here.
When we work the window, it is our job to ask all the questions. Would you like to add insurance for damage or loss on your package? Would you like to obtain delivery confirmation to verify delivery, and so on.......When we work the window, our job is to protect postal interests such as funds, stamps and even work safely at all times. At the window our job is to make eye contact., to smile and make sure the transaction goes by smoothly to provide a receipt and the list goes on and on and on!
We all know our jobs very well and we do it very well.In management, people know their jobs very well also, however; they refuse to do it well. Back in 1998, when I was a PTF, I was actually still on probation, someone told me: "Management has the right to mismanage!" I was impressed that he was convinced about such a statement. I couldn't disagree more with that statement, and I said to myself - this is B.S. and then I later joined the Union.
Management refuses to do their job well and we are forced to "take short cuts." How? Let me give you a simple but eloquent example. You see someone walking up to your window and you haven't said, "Next, please." and for some weird reason you just happen to have a gut feeling that the person is going to send his/her item Express Mail. A lot of times we hit the Ex[press button and 2.957 seconds later we have a credit card in our hands and before you know you have another gut feeling. No matter how many short cuts you take, you can feel the eyes of the line upon your face. What happens? Simple. The window is not properly staffed.
I wonder how many have been disciplined nationwide for trying to move the line "quickly" and they made a really bad mistake. Not only that they put themselves at risk of being disciplined but that they also put their jobs on the line. Our jobs are on the line if we continue to take short cuts. Sure, I know what it feels like when you are on the window all by yourself and the customers start to look at you funny, I guess it is part of the job due to mismanagement. Lack of common sense, especially in these days when Function 4 is always around the corner. They are not going to call you to make an appointment, they can show up at anytime.
Management does not have the right to mismanage. We have the right to do our job and do it well - without any short cuts.
