NLRB: USPS Must Give APWU Staples Info

From the APWU Web News Article #040-14, March 3, 2014

In a complaint issued Feb. 25, Region 5 of the National Labor Relations Board found merit in APWU charges that the Postal Service has improperly refused to provide the union with information about its agreement with Staples.  The pilot program has placed postal counters in 82 Staples stores — staffed with Staples employees rather than postal workers. A hearing before an Administrative Law Judge has been set for March 31.

Region 5 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has also recommended that the board seek an injunction in federal court to compel the USPS to provide the requested information to the APWU.

The decision to recommend an injunction is extremely rare, according to the union’s attorneys. Violations carry heavy penalties for management officials who fail to comply, up to and including incarceration. 

APWU President Mark Dimondstein applauded the ruling. “This is an important victory for the APWU and for postal customers. The Staples deal is a brazen attempt to privatize postal retail services and it has been shrouded in secrecy,” he said.

“Postal officials seem to forget that the Postal Service belongs to the people,” Dimondstein said. “We intend to keep reminding them.”

The union president said getting the complaint issued was a group effort. “Special thanks go to Clerk Craft Director Clint Burelson and Assistant Director Lamont Brooks for all their work toward that goal.”

The information in dispute includes:

Measures to protect the sanctity of the mail;

Training of Staples employees;

Criteria for determining any Postal Service compensation to Staples;

Discounts, if any, to be offered by Staples, and

Cost analyses of the Staples project.

The APWU is demanding that postal employees staff the postal counters at Staples stores. If Staples refuses, the union plans to ask Staples customers to take their business elsewhere. Postal management, on the other hand, plans to expand the program to Staples’ 1,600 stores across the country.

The union submitted an extensive set of questions about the pilot program to postal management in November, shortly after the deal was announced. In January, management brushed off the request, claiming that the Staples project was a pilot that was not covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The APWU has filed a national-level dispute over the Postal Service’s contract violations.

For a copy of the NLRB decision, click here.

Effective February 22, 2014, Long Island NY Area Local part time flexibles will be converted to full time regular. The PTFs will be converted into residual vacancies. According to President Peter Furgiuele "Please be mindful of the fact that some of the residual bids are less than 40 hours and some are for 6 day workweek. Those bids can be adjusted, especially if there are PSES' working in the office." In offices where there are more than one residual, the PTF will have a choice of assignment.

In reference to the pending excessings still scheduled on Long Island, President Furgiuele states "We are now proceeding in trying to cancel the current excessing events (Sayville, Wantagh, and Yaphank) or have those offices pick prior to filling all the other Residual Vacancies through e-Reassign. We have approx. 75 Residual Vacancies going to e-Reassign.  We are trying to do what is best for all our Members."

As always, special thanks go to our National Officers, NBA Pete Coradi and Regional Co-ordinator John Dirzius for their never ending work and support of the members and our local.

The officers and stewards of the Long Island NY Area Local, APWU continue to fight for our members rights and jobs. Support your Union.

For the list of PTFs and duty assignments, 

LID PTF Clerk Conversions eff 2-22-14.pdf

Amended Senate Bill S. 1486 Would Harm Postal Service, Standards, and Workers

The amended Senate bill does not address the inherent fault of the current requirement to pre-fund future health benefits. Instead, the bill would require the postal service to prefund workers compensation at rates similar to the amounts being taken from the postal service right now. In addition, it merely delays the elimination of Saturday delivery; it takes away postal workers participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, making it subject to bargaining in contract negotiations; it reduces pensions for future employees. In short, the bill does nothing to help maintain the postal service as it has been known for 200 years. 

The four major unions of the postal service have written a letter to Members of the Senate Committee stating their position on the bill. Action by our members, all postal workers, must be taken, and continued beyond this round of Senate action. Contact your legislators, urge them to say NO to this outrageous attack on our jobs and benefits!

To see a copy of the Union's letter, click on the link below.

four unions oppose senate bill.pdf

If you cannot make it to work because of the snow storm, follow these procedures!

If the snow prevents you from reporting to work, call in requesting Administrative leave; when you can report for work, put in the PS 3971 requesting ADMINISTRATIVE leave. When (and if) it is denied, submit another PS 3971 requesting emergency annual leave. Make sure you get a copy of the administrative leave denial. Again, call in requesting administrative leave, when able to report to work, submit for administrative leave, get a copy of the response, then submit for emergency annual. 

When the administrative leave is denied, contact your shop steward or area representative. Do not delay.

Gather as much information as possible to substantiate the need for administrative leave: newspaper accounts; reports of governor or county/town supervisor declaring road emergencies; statements from people that your roads were not plowed until well after reporting time; any other verifiable reason you could not report to work. Write a statement detailing what attempts you made to report to work.

Be safe, use the proper process, and shovel without straining yourself.

APWU Vows to Stop the Great Postal Giveaway to Staples

USPS Sends Jobs, Work to Staples

When Staples agreed to put USPS retail units in its stores, the office-supply chain may have gotten more than it bargained for.

 (01/01/14) In a deal that has been in the works at least since March 2012, the USPS announced in November that it was launching a pilot program to place postal retail units in more than 80 Staples stores in four states: California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

Some of the sites opened quietly in October and others opened in November, including some where ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held. If postal management and Staples consider the pilot successful, the program may be expanded to the chain’s 1,600 other locations. Agreements between the USPS and other big retailers may follow.

“This is a direct assault on our jobs and on public postal services,” APWU President Mark Dimondstein declared when he heard the news. “The APWU supports the expansion of postal services. But we are adamantly opposed to USPS plans to replace good-paying union jobs with non-union low-wage jobs held by workers who have no accountability for the safety and security of the mail,” he said. “Postal workers deserve better, and our customers deserve better.” [read more]

‘Postal units at Staples must be staffed by career postal employees.’

– President Mark Dimondstein

The APWU also has requested a meeting with Ron Sargent, the Chairman and CEO of Staples, to discuss our concerns, Dimondstein said. He also expects to have additional discussions with postal management.

“While these efforts proceed, we will begin preparations for protests at Staple stores across the country,” he said. The APWU Executive Board discussed the issue via telephone on Nov. 22 and endorsed the plan to fight back.

“Postal management will undoubtedly try to convince our members that this arrangement is beneficial because it creates revenue for the USPS,” Dimondstein said. “But revenue without good union jobs is not in the interest of our members. Postal services that are performed by anyone other than well-trained postal workers will not serve the American people well,” he said.

“This is a huge step toward privatizing retail services,” Dimondstein said. “If we don’t draw a line in the sand, mail processing and other operations will soon follow.”

The Staples units will offer most postal products and services: They will sell stamps; accept first-class letters, Priority, Priority Express, standard mail, and first-class packages, and accept certified mail. The units will be operational during Staples’ business hours — as late as 9 p.m. on weekdays, on Sundays and many holidays. And, in a unique arrangement, the office supply giant will offer 5% Staples Rewards for the postage on packages paid for and shipped at its locations.

“We can only stop these privatization plans if we work and fight together,” Dimondstein said. “We will keep APWU members informed of any progress at the national level. In the meantime, prepare for action!”

President Dimondstein recognized the prompt action by our President, Pete Furgiuele, upon hearing of the Staples agreement. Read the letter President Furgiuele sent here. See President Furgiuele's action request by clicking the link below.

boycott staples.pdf