On Sept 7th , nationally there will be a reranking of many plants. We will also have plants affected in this process. Some up, some down and some the same. I will share this list with you when I receive it. Obviously, there will be domino impacts to the EAS staff in reranked plants. More info regarding process and impacts will be disseminated at a later date.

The 22-1 and 25-1 ratios for SDOs and MDOs have not changed. However, all plants will have at least one MDO per working tour. This will be an enhancement for smaller plants.

As an update, Mail Flow Coordinators will stay in their position until the end of RIF process.

There will be 7 classes of plants: MAJOR, PCES1, P2,P3,P4,EAS-25 and EAS-24. Plant Managers, whose plant has been reranked and opt to assume the newly ranked position , will have appropriate ELM provisions applying. Those reduced will have saved salary for 2 yrs and those increased will get a 2% increase. Level 22 plants will be an obvious increase to 24.

The support staff, Maintenance, Tans and IN-Plant, will be similarly impacted if reranking occurs in their plants.

There will be a VERA offered to all PCES and EAS in the field except HQ employees, including those domiciled in the field. Area and district EAS will be included. Postmasters and Customer Service will be included. There will be a mailing from USPSHQ 9/16-20 to all eligible EAS. The VERA application period will commence 9/20 with a deadline of 11/29/13 . There will be two effective dates with CSRS 12/31/13 and FERS 1/31/14. The later date for FERS is to allow them to utilize 100% of their accrued sick leave balance. Both VERAs will have an irrevocable date of 11/29/13.

There will be NO INCENTIVE...SORRY.

October 2012: NAPS/USPS Discussion

USPS Response: Yes, non-impacted EAS employees can be considered for noncompetitive laterals and downgrades until the November postings. This information was communicated to all Areas. Only a very few critical vacancies approved by exception for posting are posted now. As we shared with you during the consultations, the position of Product Information Quality Analyst, EAS-17, posted from 9/25 to 10/2, was limited to impacted AMS Specialists only. The mid-October postings for Level 19 and above will be open to both impacted and non-impacted employees, so noncompetitive consideration will likewise be open to both impacted and non-impacted employees.

USPS Response: Initially the RIF avoidance timeline allowed for the noncompetitive placement of impacted employees from August 25 to September 22, but this was expanded to allow impacted employees the ability to submit requests for noncompetitive placement at the same or lower grade now and continuously through March 1, 2013. Impacted supervisors are eligible to apply for all posted vacancies and they can submit requests for noncompetitive consideration, as well. Further, the eligibility statements for the vacancies posted November 20 and beyond will state "...Eligibility is also extended to all formerly impacted employees assigned within the district of the vacancy who were successful in obtaining a noncompetitive placement between September 8 and the date of this posting."

USPS Response: The Northeast Area has been identifying vacancies in preparing for the October 16th posting period. In addition, they have been accepting noncompetitive requests prior to the upcoming postings and will continue to do so.

USPS Response: We recommend discussion of this item during the SWC meeting we are working to schedule

USPS Response: No, as we discussed, we will post jobs geared toward placing impacted employees (primarily operational jobs). All vacancies will not be posted in order to preserve stability during these transitions. Areas were instructed to plan to post an appropriate number of vacancies at Level 19 and above to create movement sufficient to placing impacted employees competitively and noncompetitively.

USPS Response: Area and District HR Managers are evaluating the vacancies by function and level and comparing them to the qualifications of the positions that the impacted employees currently hold. This evaluation will assist the managers in determining which vacancies to post in order to place impacted employees.

USPS Response: Employees facing future impacts are eligible to apply for vacancies to be posted in mid-October.

USPS Response: As we discussed during consultations, no incentives will be offered for EAS employees.

As a result of a telecon between USPS HQ and Field HR Officials regarding VER offerings to EAS-15 AMS Employees, the following directives were handed down:

1. AMS EAS-15 impacted employees who apply for VER and who are successfully placed after the irrevocable date (November 19, 2012), but before the VER effective date (December 31, 2012), will be permitted to revoke their VER application.

2. Form 50 effective dates for reassignment of impacted employees will be the first processing date after the impacted employees can be released from their impacted position.

In the Expedited Restructuring Timeline for EAS employees, NAPS observed that impacted AMS employee’s first opportunity to apply for vacancies other than EAS-19 and above would be November 20, 2012. This date is one day later than the irrevocable VERA date that is shown on the timeline as being November 19, 2012 (see attached)..

NAPS requested that AMS employees who apply for a VERA prior to November 19, 2012 and who are successful candidates for vacancies prior to December 31, 2012 be allowed to withdraw their VERA request. The USPS agreed that any impacted AMS EAS employees will be able to rescind a VERA request if they subsequently are successful applicants for vacant positions prior to December 31, 2012.

Expedited Timeline for Posting Vacancies

and Placement of Impacted Employees

The rumor mill is alive and well,  but there has been no official announcement from the Postal Service on VER’s or incentives for retirement eligible employees as of Friday 3/16/12.

NAPUS has published “No official announcement from the USPS on  a VER or Incentive has been made”.

On 3/15 a reporter for the Courier Express put out an article listing all the RUMORS that are going around, I have added a response to each in red:

1.       The announcement will come on Friday March 16. March 16 appears more likely for four reasons: 1) multiple individuals report that plant managers are meeting on Thursday March 15; 2) It is the last day to announce reassignments over long distances that would happen on May 15; 3) human resources departments tend to prefer to make these announcements on Fridays; 4) and making the announcement on Friday afternoon reduces the public relations impact of the announcement. The  fact was there was an area meeting but NOT to discuss VERA or VISP. It was about the Service Standard changes to be announced on 4/5 and to take effect on 5/19.

2. The effective retirement date for those taking early retirement will be Friday, June 1, 2012. FERS employees who are eligible for early retirement should consider retiring on or before Thursday May 31, based on when pension payouts can start. Last time the USPS announce it’s plan for an early out it gave you the dates to leave you could not chose the beginning or end of the month it was either 4/30 or 5/31 last year.
3. Early retirement will be offered to EAS, supervisors, APWU members and Mail Handlers. It is possible that it will be limited to employees affected to efforts to optimize the retail or mail processing networks. However, given how broad the geographic area that the restructurings cover, it would appear that few APWU members, Mail Handlers, supervisors or EAS employees will be exempt. It would seem likely that employees in positions that require skills that are in short supply (mostly EAS employees) will not be eligible for early retirement. That has happened in the past.
4. Incentives will be offered. However, there is disagreement as to what type of incentive is likely. Here are the two possibilities that appear most credible. 1) The Postal Service will offer no added cash but will add 2 years credit for CSRS employees and 5 year credit for FERS. 2) The Postal Service will offer a $20,000 cash incentive divided into two payments, one paid upon retirement and the second paid in October of 2012. Of these two, the non-cash incentive option right now appears more likely. Based on current law there is no provision for offering additional years of service. No such offer can be made without an act of Congress. Any announcement would have to comply with the terms of current statute. Currently, an approved incentive is limited to no more than $25,000. Terms of payment are subject to the approval granted by OPM and the organization..
   http://www.chcoc.gov/Documents/Attachments/Document78.pdf
5. The Postal Service may offer employees an option of graduated (phased) retirement. This would shift he employee from full to half-time status but they would retain all of their current benefits. Their job supposedly will involve training new full time employees. For management employees, the training requirement may be real. For craft employees, there is less likely to be much of a training component to their part time job. It is possible that this graduated retirement option could be offered to employees that are too young to retire or do not have sufficient service years to retire. (For more information see the story about phased retirement in the Washington Post.) This is a new rumor
6. The incentives offered this week will be the first of three rounds of incentives that will be offered over the next two years. The size and timing of future incentives will depend on the Postal Service’s finances and acceptance of this first round of incentives. There are some disagreements as to the timing of the three rounds with some seeing them happening over the summer and some believe that they may take as much as two years. Given the logistics of restructuring the network, it seems reasonable that the first round of incentives may have more than one retirement date either different areas will implement restructuring at different times or the Postal Service will want to implement most of restructuring in multiple steps over the summer with a few facilities closing after the new year which will require a smaller and more focused incentive offering in regions where these plants are located. Nothing was offered last week.
7. Employees are likely to have only 30 days to make a decision regarding whether they will retire early or not. The 30 day time limit is linked to union requirements for reassignments.  Last year it was announced on 3/23 and we had until 4/25 to decide. Last year, 3/23/11 the Postal Service offered the District EAS a special incentive of $20k. The Postal Service in their FAQ stated that they would fund this initiative offering by using money that would otherwise be used as wages for the employees if they had not taken the early out incentive option. The payment was split into two payments $10k Nov 2011 and $10k Nov 2012. If you wanted to take this incentive offer you had until 4/25 to start your retirement process and retire either 4/30/11 or 5/31/11.

The question  is why are all these rumors being spread?

This has happened from the PMGs last video and standup talks 2/22 where he has stated that there is the possibility of an incentive:

“Let me be clear: there is no decision on any possible incentive at this

point in time, and there are no further details on what an incentive

offer would entail. If an incentive program is approved and offered, details will be posted on the new HR Web page, Workforce Connection”.

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Feb 19^th Federal Times: The U.S. Postal Service may resort to early retirements and buyout offers as a way to slash its staff by 66,000 employees this year and another 51,000 next year. Combined, the planned cuts over the next two years amount to more than one-fifth the agency's workforce.

Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry said last week that Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe alerted him a week earlier that USPS could offer both early retirement and buyout incentives to encourage employees to leave.

Chief Financial Officer Joe Corbett on Feb. 16 outlined for reporters the Postal Service's ambitious plans to pare down its workforce in the next five years by 155,000 employees — ultimately leaving a workforce of 402,000 by the end of fiscal 2016.Normal attrition removes roughly 30,000 employees a year, so it appears likely the agency will have to resort to either early retirement offers or buyouts or both to reach its downsizing targets. The agency's labor contracts generally prohibit layoffs.Corbett told reporters in a conference call that early retirement incentives are under consideration, but he did not discuss the possibility of buyouts.

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NAPS:, USPS officials have acknowledged they are considering a voluntary early retirement program. But Louis Atkins, president of the National Association of Postal Supervisors, said Friday that he expected the agency to offer buyouts and early retirements within the next month to bargaining unit and white-collar employees.

In general, Atkins said, the offers will be restricted to employees working in processing plants, post offices or other positions. He had no details on the scope of the buyout package, but said that eligibility for early retirement would be limited to employees of any age with a minimum of 25 years service or are at least age 50 with 20 years service. In each category, employees would see a 2 percent reduction in their expected pensions for each year they are under age 55 or 30 years of experience, Atkins said.

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On Tuesday 3/13 I checked the liteblue Workforce Connection page for any news of a VER and it WAS listed there. On the left side of the page just above Quick Links (there’s a big blank spot there now) was a section titled “2012 special incentive”. It had 3 links below it: VER/incentive FAQ’s, How to apply, and Retirement videos. None of the links worked, they took you to the address change page. But it was there! I have a link that shows this screen shothttp://www.webpagescreenshot.info/img/437414-3132012115331AM . When I checked a while later, it was gone.

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The restructuring that has been ongoing throughout the summer closes today, September 9, 2011. As recently as the beginning of this week, we still had more than 28 members who were still considered impacted and were without positions. The resident officers and board members worked diligently throughout the restructuring period to ensure that our member’s rights were protected.

In addition, as of today, September 9, 2011 all NAPS members who were impacted and wanted a position have been placed. This could not have been accomplished without the joint effort of USPS HQ, NAPS HQ and our Executive Board members providing constant follow-up to get members placed.

We would like to provide our members with some of the highlights of actions that were taken by NAPS in the restructuring process to protect our members:

· NAPS maintained close contact with USPS Headquarters concerning all impacted employees to make certain that the application process was completed properly and that sufficient positions were included in the application process. We realize that not everyone was satisfied with the position they may have been reassigned to or applied for. NAPS believes that keeping a position and having the opportunity to apply for a desirable position in the future is a better alternative to being RIF’d.

· Gaining impacted status for FMLA Coordinators who would not have been considered impacted due to the fact that their positions were relocated. FMLA Coordinators were given impacted status which allowed them to apply for positions and maintain saved grade/saved pay for two years. All FMLA Coordinators are now either in positions at Greensboro, NC have received new assignments or took advantage of retirement opportunities.

· NAPS worked with the USPS to ensure that impacted EAS employees had cross-training opportunities to develop new skills to obtain positions in other functional areas.

· NAPS worked with the USPS to provide a special cash incentive program for the New York Metro Area that had the highest number of impacted EAS employees in the country. The special incentive that was developed for seven Districts around the New York City Area assisted the USPS in opening over 170 additional positions for landing spots for our members who were impacted by the restructuring and SWC’s impacts.

· NAPS worked closely with the USPS to identify impacted individuals in both the Caribbean and Hawaii Districts where the District office’s complements were reduced by 50%. NAPS identified impacted employees and tracked them on a weekly basis and worked with the Pacific and Northeast Area offices to ensure that positions were available for impacted employees in these areas.

Please share this information with our members in the field to let them know that membership in our organization is still a sound decision because when you get into situations where your future employment is at stake, NAPS will continue to be there to ensure that your rights are protected.

NAPS Headquarters

September 7, 2011

1.       NAPS requests a list of all current EAS vacancies that remain to date prior to the completion of the 2011 restructuring, and the names of any individuals who are not yet placed in the 2011 restructuring.

USPS: The number of impacted EAS is dropping daily.  The RIF impacted are down to 13 people in the field that have not yet received a position.  USPS will give NAPS the names of the remaining impacted field employees.

2.       NAPS requests a meeting be scheduled as soon as possible to discuss the initiation of the replacement for the former Associate Supervisor Program and the Short-Term Supervisor Program to address the critical shortage of supervisors in both Customer Services and Plant operations.

USPS: ASP training will include training that is now called “Essential Foundation for Supervisors”.  eLearning will be part of this training.  USPS will add more one-on-one concepts for supervisors to help with the supervising of employees.  The new supervisor’s manager will assess the training the supervisor needs and both will sign-off on what training is and isn’t needed.  The concept is that an employee gets promoted first and then trained.  A supervisor cannot be dropped from the program, because it is a promotion.

The goal is to get it out within the next month. The USPS has the flexibility for EAS to lateral and take portions of the training that is more applicable to what they need.  If a person is in an EAS support position, they take the 642 Exam.  However, if they are already a supervisor and they lateral from Plant to Customer Services the 642 Exam is not necessary.  In the Short-Term there was no review committee.  However, in the new ASP process, a person will apply in eCareer, take 642 Exam, if there are 11 or more applicants the applications are sent to a review committee and evaluated as pass/fail. The review committee will look at the 642 Exam score and eCareer submission to determine pass/fail. The top 5 passing applicant names are sent for an interview with the selecting official for final selection. This mirrors the EAS selection process for other EAS positions.  The proposed EL 312 Revision was sent to NAPS HQ for review and questions.

3.       NAPS requests to be briefed on the Postal Service’s plans to start posting vacant EAS positions for application from the field. NAPS would like to know details of any plans or that NAPS be included in the development of any plans including the frequency of postings, areas of consideration and other pertinent information that we can share with our members.

USPS: A new round of posting positions will start by the end of September.  However, the freeze for posting positions is still in effect.  This means that USPS field must request to USPS HQ (Mr. Vigliante) and exception to the freeze to post EAS positions.  Once the request is approved by USPS HQ it will be posted in the field.   

NAPS will ask its Executive Board to review vacant EAS positions in their areas and request those respected Districts post those positions that NAPS considers critical positions.  If the District does not agree, NAPS Area VPs should then send their request to the USPS Area Office. If Area denies NAPS request, then NAPS HQ will take it to USPS HQ. 

4.       The current implementation of SWC throughout Customer Services finds that multiple offices within a city are not provided any consideration for variances even when, in some cases, the offices are merely .50 short of having a supervisor or an additional supervisor assigned to their office.

NAPS would like to discuss the feasibility of utilizing a staffing formula that would provide coverage for post offices, stations and branches in certain contiguous geographic areas where the total of SWC points that are in excess of the number of supervisors assigned could be merged to create a supervisor position that would be assigned to a group of offices to cover non-scheduled days of regular supervisors in the offices.  

USPS:  Will listen to NAPS and consider refining the SWCs process where there is a business case. Staffing is not compensation or a benefit issues and therefore is not part of the consultative process.  

NAPS disagrees with the USPS response.  Title 39 discusses efficiencies for the USPS, SWCs affects USPS efficiency.  NAPS therefore will request a meeting with those USPS officials responsible for implementing the SWCs program to discuss the issue.

5.       As a result of the passage of a convention resolution (#35), NAPS is bringing the following issue to Consultation relating to disciplinary actions that are not appealable to MSPB under ELM 650:

“After the decision is made by the deciding official, a team consisting of the District Human Resource Manager and a designated local NAPS branch officer meet within 21 days to review the disputed decision. If these individuals cannot meet, mediation may be pre-arbitrated by a team consisting of the Area Human Resources Manager and a designated area NAPS representative”.  

USPS: Meetings have been scheduled with NAPS & USPS separately to discuss the ELM 650 process. 

 6.       As a result of the passage of a convention resolution (#47), NAPS is bringing the following issue to Consultations regarding lunch periods:

“That no EAS-17 Supervisor, Customer Service be required to take lunch periods of over one hour”.

USPS: It is a local matter.  Establishing a lunch period should be determined based on local operating requirements.  If lunch break rules are not being followed, bring to the attention of USPS for resolution.

7.       As a result of the passage of a convention resolution (#53), NAPS is bringing the following issue to Consultations regarding compensation and grading of the position of Manager, Transportation:

“That the USPS takes immediate steps to eliminate this inequality in pay between Transportation Managers and other higher-level managers with the same level of responsibilities, but not less than Level -21 and/or pay based on the number of facilities he or she is responsible for in his or her district.

That the USPS takes immediate steps to make whole Transportation Manager’s pay of those EAS-18 managers who were selected for their positions at EAS-21 and that the USPS takes immediate steps to pay the same EAS-18 Transportation Managers a one-time, lump sum, retroactive payment equal to 10 percent of their salaries to begin when they were selected for their positions between June 2009 and August 2009”. 

USPS: USPS will look at the position descriptions listed above to determine if the duties and responsibilities of the Transportation Manager warrant a level increase. The USPS is also going to start looking at Plant positions to determine if jobs are aligned with their primary duties and responsibilities.  USPS is requesting NAPS to provide feedback and input on positions such as MDO, Mgr. In-plant Support, Mgr. Transportation/Networks, Maintenance Manager, and Plant Manager.  USPS wants to know if anything has changed.  USPS will get feedback from Subject Matter Experts (SME’s), too.  However, the USPS won’t know if the levels of the specific plant positions referenced will change after the review. 

NAPS wants to make sure job descriptions and level match the workload of the job.

8.       As a result of the passage of a convention resolution (#53), NAPS is bringing the following issue to Consultations regarding  the establishment of EAS leave policies:

“That in every postal facility, a vacation list be created similar to that used by bargaining unit employees, so that ELM 512.11 be followed and that ELM 512.62 (a) be avoided”.

                Referenced sections from ELM:

512 Annual Leave

512.11 Purpose

Annual leave is provided to employees for rest, for recreation, and for personal and emergency purposes.

 512.62 Nonbargaining Unit Employees Vacation Planning

Vacation leave is granted to these employees when their services can best be spared. Postmasters and other responsible officials must schedule leave so that (a) employees do not forfeit leave and (b) postal operations are not impaired.

USPS responded that it does not intend to establish a process.  Issues of supervisors not getting leave and such issue not being resolved locally should be brought up to the headquarters level to avoid an EAS employee from being placed in a situation of a “use or lose” leave situation.

9.       As a result of the passage of a convention resolution (#68), NAPS is bringing the following issue to Consultations regarding  the establishment of Relief Supervisor positions in Customer Services:

“That it become a national requirement that a relief supervisor position be created for every five supervisors in an office and that in small offices, a relief supervisor position be created for every five centrally located positions”. 

USPS responded that SWCs already accounts for relief supervisors.  NAPS does not agree and will bring this issue up at the next scheduled SWCs meeting.

10.   NAPS would like to schedule a meeting to discuss several issues of our members in the NDC’s around the country. These issues include; the changes in focus of Tier One, Two and Three facilities from the original NDC plans we received, EAS and craft staffing, high accident rates and excessive overtime requirements.

According to the USPS, fundamentally, nothing has changed in NDC processes.  USPS has deployed ABS equipment to NDCs due to space. USPS is reviewing NDCs --site-by-site.  National scanning rate is 16% manually for NDCs.  The goal is 10% or less in manual scanning.  Some NDCs sites are has high as 35% in manual scans and as low as 3%.  USPS will work with NAPS to schedule a meeting with the NDC and NAPS’ Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to address staffing, overtime and accidents.

Executive Board Teleconference Minutes

May 31, 2011 @ 4:00 PM ET

Participating:

Atkins, Killackey, Wagner, Keating, Walton, Ford, Johnson, Roma, Cherry, Clapp, Beaudoin, Sebastian, Elizondo, Warden

Not Participating:

Butts, Aceves, S. Green, Wesley, Ewing, Trayer, Baker, Mulidore, Dumas, Aglidian, R. Green

The resident officers briefed the executive board on the latest information concerning Greensboro, excess supervisor positions in the Northeast and pay-talks. 

Greensboro (Shared Services)

NAPS reached a viable solution with the USPS to allow NAPS to represent members in Greensboro.  The new manager of Shared Services, Tom Bunnell, is very receptive to NAPS having access to members in both the areas of representing disciplinary action and work place environment.  NAPS HQ requested Capitol-Atlantic Area VP, Richard Green, along with NAPS President over Greensboro NAPS members, Rodney Charles schedule a Consultative Meeting with Mr. Bunnell to address current local issues.

Special Supervisor VERA

The resident officers announced that in working with USPS HQ regarding the number of excess supervisors in the areas of the New York Metro, Northern NJ, Long Island, Triboro and Westchester that a special $20,000 VERA and optional retirement incentive will be given to Supervisor, Distribution Operations (SDO) and Supervisor, Customer Service (SCS) positions in the areas listed above, with a cap of 300.  USPS estimates that there are 261 excess supervisors in New York Metro, Northern NJ, Long Island, Triboro, and Westchester areas.  Therefore, the special incentive is being used to open up positions for those excess supervisors.  Again, this is limited to a 300 cap and limited only to the specific areas listed above.  Those taking advantage of the Incentive VERA/Optional Retirement must make their decision by June 30 and be off the USPS rolls by July 31, 2011.

Pay-Talk Update

Resident Officers have been working closely with our Attorney Ford Ladd and our pay consultant, Lockton Group, on the research and preparation for NAPS’ upcoming pay-talks.  President Atkins is requesting NAPS Regional VPs come to NAPS HQ for a briefing from Attorney Ford Ladd on Monday, June 13 and to receive feedback from the Regional VPs.

Additional Discussion from Executive Board

·         It was mentioned that Stockton CA was being consolidated with completion in October. 

·         NAPS HQ is planning on meeting with NAPS Regional VPs and their respective designees to address selected data and anomalies of processes in Maintenance.

·         It was asked if NAPS had a date for the APWU contract briefing.  A meeting will be set up within the next two weeks.

·         One District Manager is not allowing carriers to step up as 204B’s to reduce OT.  This will cause a problem with the current ratification of the APWU Contract regarding 204B usage.  A Board Member stated to be careful in approaching 204B usage since NAPS was complaining there was too much.

·         Not all vacant EAS positions are going to be posted on June 14, 2011, due to the potential consolidations in plants and the need to have more landing positions.  NAPS will monitor the postings.

NAPS Restructuring Update – May 5, 2011

We are now six weeks into the 2011 restructuring process and we would like to update you on our efforts to represent our members who have been impacted by the changes that the Postal Service has implemented. We also want to provide impacted employees with sound advice to enhance your ability to secure a position in the new organizational structure.

NAPS has been consulting with the Postal Service to make adjustments to their original plans based on feedback that we have received from our members in the field and problems that were found with the restructuring roll-out. The dialogue between NAPS and the Postal Service has been continuous, productive and positive.

We would like to review the current status of the restructuring, and explain what NAPS has been able to achieve point-by-point to provide opportunities for impacted EAS employees to continue their employment with the Postal Service:

Southeast Area Employees and Employees from Closing District Offices:

Employees from the Southeast Area and employees from closing District offices will have the opportunity to apply for positions both in their current local commuting area as well as any vacant position throughout the United States. We have outlined the application process and timelines later in this message. Please ensure that you read the instructions we have provided thoroughly so you are familiar with what is expected of you to be considered as an applicant.

Impacted District Employees in the Remaining Districts:

Impacted employees in the remaining Districts will have the opportunity to apply for positions within their local commuting area during both postings. Impacted employees may also be placed into positions at their current level or at a lower level. More information on this process is provided below.

Postings of positions will be accomplished in two separate phases.

First posting cycle: June 14, 2011 – June 20, 2011

Selections: June 27, 2011 – July 8, 2011

Second posting cycle: July 26, 2011 – August 1, 2011

Selections: August 8, 2011 – August 19, 2011

In these posting cycles, all EAS employees, both those who are impacted, as well as all other EAS employees (non-impacted) will have an opportunity to apply for vacant positions. It is important to note that our members who are not currently impacted in the restructuring can apply for vacancies. All members should be aware of the opportunities they have to apply for vacancies.

The Importance of Developing Your eCareer Profile and Using eCareer:

We cannot overemphasize the importance the need for you to master the use of eCareer to prepare you to compete for positions. Impacted employees should immediately begin to develop the profile section of their personal eCareer applications.

All EAS employees should be developing their eCareer profile in the event that you may be seeking promotional opportunities that will arise following the current restructuring.

All impacted employees must ensure that your profile is current. Your eCareer profile will be used by management to match your past experience versus current vacancies at your level or at a lower level should the Postal Service offer you a placement opportunity prior to the start of the bidding process on June 14, 2011.

Placement of Impacted Employees:

The Postal Service will be utilizing the eCareer employee profile beginning May 16, 2011, as a resource to match impacted EAS employees to vacant positions based on the information that is found in each individual’s eCareer profile.

It is critical that all impacted employees work on their eCareer profiles and to populate the information contained within eCareer so that your experience and prior work history can be documented for review by management. Your prior experience in the Postal Service in other positions can be instrumental in your receiving consideration for a lateral reassignment or selection through the application process.

Here’s what NAPS has accomplished through our consultations with the Postal Service:

Impacted FMLA Coordinators:

Since FMLA positions were moved to the Greensboro HRSSC as a transfer of functions, resulting in current position holders were not being considered impacted, as their work only was moved to another location. NAPS was successful in ensuring that FMLA Coordinators who did not want to relocate to Greensboro would have the ability to apply for positions in their local commuting area. FMLA Coordinators will also receive saved grade and saved salary for two years should they be selected for a lower level position.

Impacted Southeast Area and Closing District Employees:

This group of employees will have the ability to apply through eCareer for positions in their current local commuting area as well as all vacancies across the country and will also receive saved grade and saved salary for two years. This group will also receive relocation benefits if they are selected for a position that is outside of their local commuting area.

All EAS Employees:

All EAS employees will have the opportunity to apply for vacant positions in both posting cycles that were described earlier.

Next Steps for NAPS:

NAPS will continue to monitor the restructuring process and react to the issues that are brought to us by our executive board and our membership. We will continue to provide support to our members in the field and address any concerns that are brought to our attention.

Our objective is to ensure that every member who seeks to continue their career in the Postal Service has an opportunity to either be placed in a position or become a successful candidate for a position in the restructured organization. As always we appreciate your feedback.

NAPS Headquarters

May 4, 2011 @ 8:15 AM

 1.       How many EAS employees have taken advantage of the opportunity to receive the cash incentive to retire, by District?

USPS Response: USPS HQ handed out a list by District.  (See handout)

 2. In advance of the first round of vacancies that will be available for application, NAPS is requesting a listing of all vacancies that will be offered by District.

 USPS Response: Pending due to Phase 1 & 2 of RIF currently not complete.

 3. Based on available data, how many EAS employees remain impacted in the Districts that have been eliminated?

 USPS Response: Pending due to Phase 1 & 2 of RIF currently not complete.

 4. Based on available data, how many EAS employees remain impacted in Districts with position reductions?

 USPS Response: Pending due to Phase 1 & 2 of RIF currently not complete.

 5. NAPS requests to be provided with the instructions that will be provided to the field for impacted HQ related and Area related EAS employees who are attempting to apply for positions within their current local commuting area. 

 USPS Response: There are FAQ’s about RIF on the organizational change website from Liteblue that addresses the agenda item NAPS has brought up. There is a minimum posting requirements for those Districts and Areas that have been closed in the Redesign. 

 6. NAPS requests to be provided with instructions that will be given to the field for impacted District employees in Districts that have been eliminated in their attempts to secure positions within their current local commuting area.

 USPS Response: There are FAQ’s about RIF on the organizational change website from Liteblue that addresses the agenda item NAPS has brought up. There is a minimum posting requirements for those Districts and Areas that have been closed in the Redesign. 

 NOTE: NAPS has RIF FAQ’s on its website at www.naps.org under Members Only under the Forum section.

7. NAPS requests to be provided with instructions that will be given to the field for impacted Districts where reductions in complement have been implemented and District employees will be attempting to secure positions within their local commuting area.

 USPS Response: There are FAQ’s about RIF on the organizational change website from Liteblue that addresses the agenda item NAPS has brought up. There is a minimum posting requirements for those Districts and Areas that have been closed in the Redesign. 

 8. What is the total number of Sales employees who remain impacted in each Sales Area?

 USPS Response: Pending -- NAPS has requested another meeting on Sales.

 9. Since Sales employees are considered HQ related, how will these EAS Sales employees be able to apply for positions outside of Sales within their local commuting area?

USPS Response: Pending -- NAPS has requested another meeting on Sales.

 10. Will Sales employees be afforded the opportunity to request and be assigned to details outside of Sales within their local commuting area?      

USPS Response: Pending -- NAPS has requested another meeting on Sales.

 USPS Response:  We provided USPS HR and Sales with agenda items 8, 9 and 10 for answers.  We are awaiting responses.

 NAPS has requested another meeting with Sales.  NAPS will incorporate agenda items 8, 9, and 10 above with the other Sales agenda items that it has established for the pending Sales meeting.  Date for Sales meeting has yet to be determined.

NAPS was notified that Susan Plonkey, VP Sales will be retiring at the end of the month.  It is unknown who will be selected to take over the Sales department when Susan Plonkey leaves.

Maintenance Consultative Meeting

May 2, 2011 at 10:00 AM 

For USPS:               Mike Rodgers, John Cavallo, Lee Olohan, Gary Oliver

NAPS and its Maintenance Workgroup met with USPS HQ at NAPS HQ and via telecon to discuss the agenda items below. 

1.       Our members have been questioning NAPS on the use of “seepage” audits that are expected to be performed to determine craft work that may currently be being performed by EAS employees. NAPS would like to know how these audits are expected to be conducted.

USPS Response: The USPS has no news at this time on a plan for the audits of maintenance.  USPS will brief NAPS on the APWU contact when ratified and the effects the contract will have on NAPS. 

NAPS stated that the APWU had published an article about referencing the EAS maintenance work that is going to be audit and should result in jobs for the APWU.

USPS Response: USPS can’t respond to articles the APWU publishes in their national magazine.  USPS will have to wait until the APWU contract is ratified before it can brief NAPS.

2.       What happens with the FMO positions in Districts that went away during this current restructuring?  Since each lead Plant in each District was staffed for a lead FMO and now if the District no longer exists will the FMO position still exist in the future?

USPS Response: There is one Lead FMO for each Lead Plant per district.  USPS will evaluate the workload of the closing districts with those of the gaining districts and determine if an additional SMO position will be authorized for the Lead FMO.  USPS is rewriting the duties for SMO duties to fit more with FMO duties.  USPS will complete a relook at Plants on how they are impacted by the recent restructured and their grade level.

3.       If the FMO position does still exist, what methodologies will be used to determine how is the territory going to be split up, especially when the District that was split was split between two or more other districts?  This would be an issue with finances in the districts as far as allocation of budget and costs associated with the role Maintenance plays in servicing field issues.

USPS Response: There will be a review and analysis of maintenance work by USPS HQ.  All work for AO’s is to be entered into the FSSP system and not eMARS.  All AO’s were instructed over the past two years to call the FSSP to have data entered into the system to determine maintenance staffing.  AO’s are not to enter data into eMARS.  Only Plant maintenance that handle plant and station & branch maintenance work is to entered data into eMARS.

4.       The new MMES positions that were created in each lead plant.  Will these positions remain once the restructuring is completed?  Will they be downgraded to the MES position?  If they do remain, do they still report to the Maintenance Manager in that Plant?

USPS Response: There will be a review and analysis of maintenance work by USPS HQ. 

5.       The new MMES positions that were created in each lead plant.  Will these positions remain?  Will they be downgraded to the MES position?  If they do remain, do they still report to the Maintenance Manager in that Plant?

USPS Response: There will be a review and analysis of maintenance work by USPS HQ. 

6.       Are there any plans to implement another Maintenance restructuring?

USPS Response: No.  There is no wholesale maintenance restructure.  USPS will look at operations when there is an AMP, but that is on a case-by-case basis.

7.       There is still a problem in certain Districts as to the lines of responsibility of the FMO. This problem has to do with the responsibility of servicing Post Offices and City Stations. We would like HQ Maintenance to provide guidance on how the work for these two separate entities should be managed?

USPS Response: FSSP handles all Associate Office maintenance.  Plant handles all Plant and station & branches.

8.       In cases where a District was eliminated, will the gaining District experience any increases in their EAS staffing and craft positions to adjust for the extra workload?

USPS Response: There will be a review and analysis of maintenance work by USPS HQ. 

9.       NAPS had previously requested and has not received the reporting matrix for Lead Plants, MMES, LEAD FMO Managers and their respective roles in managing Maintenance Operations.

USPS Response: There is a conceptual chart for the maintenance organization.  USPS will provide a chart.  Each Maintenance Manager reports to the Plant Manager.  Lead Maintenance Managers report to the Lead Plant Manager.  Lead Plant Manager provides functional guidance to other plants. 

10.   There are issues with management of domiciled AMT’s in the field and who should be responsible for managing these employees. In order to resolve the conflicts that are occurring in the field, we would like USPS HQ Maintenance to provide us with their expectation of the reporting structure for AMT’s in the field.

USPS Response: Field AMT’s report to FMOs. 

11.    During our prior meetings we discussed the establishment of FMO staffing requirements for both craft and management positions in the FMO. We would like to discuss this situation so that a determination can be made as to how to address this issue.

• Big Sky is going to the Dakotas District
• Southeast New England is going to Greater Boston and Connecticut Valley
• South Georgia is going to North Florida, except for the 321 zip code which is going to the Sun Coast District
• Southeast Michigan is going to the Detroit District
• Northern Illinois is going to be divided into three (3) districts:
  • Lakeland - Part of Lakeland is going to Greater Michigan
  • Central Illinois
  • Gateway
• Albuquerque is going to the Arizona District
• Columbus is going to the Cincinnati District, except a couple of zip codes which are going to Northern, OH

 refer to the positions that are shown in the organizational chart to get a good idea what positions will be domiciled in your District based on your District’s size.