B. Duty Assignment. A set of duties and responsibilities within recognized positions regularly scheduled during specific hours of duty.

C. Preferred Duty Assignment. Any duty assignment considered preferred by a full-time employee or a part-time regular employee.

D. Bid. A written request submitted on a PS Form 1717, or PS Form 1717A, or locally designed multi-bid form, which requires only the basic information on PS Form 1717, to the installation head to be assigned to a duty assignment by a full-time employee eligible to bid or a part-time regular employee eligible to bid. In the absence of a standard bid form, a bid submitted in writing will be accepted. When computerized bidding is available to all employees in a facility, telephone and computerized bidding is mandatory. Where telephone bidding is the only alternative form of bidding, bids may be submitted by telephone.

E. Application. A written request by a Clerk Craft employee for consideration for a duty assignment for which the employee is not entitled to submit a bid or express a preference under Article 37, Section 5.

F. Abolishment. A management decision to reduce the number of occupied duty assignment(s) in an established section and/or installation.

G. Reversion. A management decision to reduce the number of duty assignments in an installation when such duty assignment(s) is/are vacant.

H. Reposting. The posting of a duty assignment as required by Article 37, Section 3.A.4.a, b, or c.

I. Residual Vacancy. A duty assignment that remains vacant after the completion of the voluntary bidding process.

J. Conversion. The act of changing the status of a part-time flexible employee to full-time or part-time regular by appropriate personnel action (Form 50).

K. Currently Qualified. Possessing a live record on all of the qualifications for a posted duty assignment, including scheme and/or the ability to key at the appropriate speed and accuracy on the appropriate keyboard, such that the employee can assume the posted duties of the duty assignment without the need for a deferment period.

L. Live Record. A record of qualification which makes an employee qualified, for bidding purposes, on a particular scheme, skill, or other qualification requirement. A live record begins when an employee qualifies on the requirement. Its duration is as follows:

1. Except for positions listed in Section 3.F.7, a live record lasts for two years after the employee ceases to perform the duties which require the skill.

2. For positions listed in Section 3.F.7, a live record lasts for five years after the employee ceases to perform the duties which require the skill.

3. A full-time regular or part-time regular employee is considered to cease performing the duties which require a skill when the employee no longer holds a bid requiring the skill.

M. Brush-up Training. Training provided to an employee who is a successful bidder or is assigned to a duty assignment for which the employee is deemed to be currently qualified.

[see Memo, page 363]

A. Introduction

1. The U.S. Postal Service and the APWU, Clerk  Craft Division, AFL-CIO, agree to the following seniority principles which replace all former rules, instructions and practices.

2. This Article will continue relative seniority standings properly established under past instructions, rules, and practices and the Article shall be so applied. If an employee requests a correction of seniority standing, it is the responsibility of the requesting employee to identify and restate the specific instructions, rule or practice in support of the request.

B. Coverage

These rules apply to all employees in the regular work force when a guide is necessary for filling vacant assignments and for other purposes. No employee, solely by reason of this Article, shall be displaced from an assignment the employee gained in accord with former rules.

C. Responsibility

The Employer is responsible for day-to-day application of the seniority provisions of this Article. The installation head shall post and furnish a copy of an updated seniority list to the local union on a semi-annual basis, unless otherwise negotiated locally. The application of this Article shall be open to negotiation at the installation level with the designated official of the Union.

D. Application of Seniority

1. Seniority for full-time employees and part-time regular employees for preferred duty assignments and other purposes shall be applied in accordance with the National Agreement. This seniority determines the relative standing among full-time employees and part-time regular employees. It begins on the date of entry into the Clerk Craft in an installation and continues to accrue as long as service is uninterrupted in the Clerk Craft and in the same installation, except as otherwise specifically provided for. 

2. Reassignment of Part-Time Flexible Employees to the Clerk Craft

When a part-time flexible employee is voluntarily or involuntarily reassigned to the Clerk Craft from another craft, the employee shall be assigned to the bottom of the part-time flexible roll and begin a new period of seniority effective the date of reassignment.

3. Relative Standing on the Part-Time Flexible Roll

a. Part-time flexible employees are placed on the part-time flexible roll in the order of the date of career appointment as a part-time flexible from a competitive Postal Service eligible register or other means. In cases of appointment of more than one employee to the part-time flexible roll on the same day from the same competitive register, their positions on the part-time flexible roll will be in accord with their standing on the Postal Service eligible register. In cases of appointment of more than one employee to the part-time flexible roll on the same day from different registers, their positions on the part-time flexible roll will be determined in accordance with their scores on the entrance examination elements applicable to the position for which hired. If a tie still exists, standing on the part-time flexible roll will be determined by the application of Section 2.D.4 below.

b. A reinstated, reassigned, or transferred employee shall be placed on the part-time flexible roll ahead of one appointed from the register on the same day.

c. A part-time regular Clerk Craft employee who applies for and is changed to part-time flexible shall be placed at the bottom of the part-time flexible roll. Upon conversion to full-time, the employee's seniority for preferred assignments shall include all continuous Clerk Craft service in the installation.

d. Continuous time in the Clerk Craft in the same installation shall be used for vacation scheduling.

4. Seniority Tie Breaker

Except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement, when it is necessary to resolve a tie in seniority between two or more Clerk Craft employees, the following criteria shall apply in the order set forth below:

a. Total continuous postal career service in the Clerk Craft within the installation.

b. Total postal career service in the Clerk Craft within the installation.

c. Total postal career service in the Clerk Craft.

d. Total postal career service within the installation.

e. Total postal career service.

f. Total postal service.

g. Total Federal service as shown in the service computation date.

h. Numerical by the last three or more numbers (using enough numbers to break the tie, but not fewer than three numbers) of the employee's social security number, from the lowest to highest.

5. Changes in Which Seniority is Regained, Restored or Retained

a. Reemployment After Disability Separation.

On reinstatement or reemployment after separation caused by disability, disability retirement, retirement or resignation because of personal illness and the employee so stated in the resignation and furnished satisfactory evidence for inclusion in the employee's personnel folder, the employee’s seniority shall be the same as if employment had not been interrupted if reinstated or reemployed in the same postal installation and craft from which originally separated; provided application for reinstatement or reemployment is made within six months from the date of recovery. The date of recovery in the case of disability retirement must be supported by notice of recovery from The Compensation Group, Office of Personnel Management, and in the case of resignation due to illness, by a statement from the applicant's attending physician or practitioner. When reinstatement is to the part-time flexible roll, standing on the roll shall be the same as if employment had not been interrupted by the separation.

b. Restoration. On restoration in the same craft in the same installation after return from military service, the employee’s seniority shall be the same as if employment had not been interrupted by the separation.

c. Employees Electing Reassignment. Any senior Clerk Craft employee in the same level, status, and installation may elect to be reassigned to the gaining installation in lieu of an involuntary reassignment of a junior employee.

(1) Senior full-time or part-time regular clerks who elect to be reassigned to the gaining installation will take their seniority with them. Reassignment of those full-time or part-time regular clerks shall be treated as details for the first 180 days to avoid inequities in the selecting of preferred duty assignments by full-time or part-time regular clerks in the gaining installation. Such senior employees who accept reassignment to the gaining installation do not have retreat rights.

(2) Senior part-time flexible employees who elect to be reassigned to the gaining installation will be placed at the bottom of the part-time flexible roll. Upon conversion to full-time, an employee's seniority for preferred duty assignments shall include part-time flexible service in both the losing and gaining installations.

6. Changes in Which Seniority is Lost

Except as specifically provided elsewhere in this Agreement, a full-time employee or a part-time regular employee begins a new period of seniority:

a. When the change is:

(1) from one postal installation to another at the employee's request.

(2) from another craft to the Clerk Craft (voluntarily or involuntarily).

b. Upon reinstatement or reemployment.

c. Upon transfer into the Postal Service.

7. Change in Which Seniority is Modified. When mutual exchanges are made between full-time Clerk Craft employees in different installations, both of the exchanging employees shall take the seniority date of the junior employee involved and shall be reassigned as unassigned full-time employees.

A. Newly established and vacant Clerk Craft duty assignments shall be posted as follows:

1. All newly established Clerk Craft duty assignments shall be posted to craft employees eligible to bid within 28 days. All vacant duty assignments, except those positions excluded by the provisions of Article 1, Section 2, shall be posted within 28 days unless such vacant duty assignments are reverted.

a. Full-time duty assignments.

(1) Newly established full-time duty assignments are posted to full-time employees eligible to bid and to currently qualified part-time regular employees eligible to bid who were previously full-time employees in the Clerk Craft in the same installation.

(2) Vacant full-time duty assignments are posted to full-time employees eligible to bid.

(3) Residual full-time vacancies are posted for bid to part-time regular employees eligible to bid, after the application of Section 4.C, Assignment of Unencumbered Employees, unless such vacancies are being withheld pursuant to Article 12.

(a) To be eligible to bid on a residual full-time vacancy, a part-time regular employee must be senior to the senior part-time flexible on the roll who states a preference on the duty assignment.

(b) Posting of residual full-time duty assignments to part-time regular employees will be concurrent with part-time flexible preferencing under Section 5. A part-time regular employee eligible to bid on a duty assignment will be placed in the duty assignment ahead of a part-time flexible employee expressing a preference for the duty assignment.

b. Part-time regular duty assignments.

(1) Newly established and vacant part-time regular duty assignments are posted to full-time and part-time regular employees who are eligible to bid.

(2) Residual part-time regular vacancies are filled in accordance with Sections 4 and 5 of this Article.

2. Reversion. When a vacant duty assignment is under consideration for reversion, the local Union President will be given an opportunity for input prior to a decision. The decision to revert or not to revert the duty assignment shall be made not later than 28 days after it becomes vacant and if the vacant assignment is reverted, a notice shall be posted advising of the action taken and the reasons therefor.

3. Withholding. When vacancies are withheld under the provisions of Article 12, the local Union President will be notified in writing.

4. Reposting.

a. When it is necessary that fixed schedule day(s) of work in the basic work week for a duty assignment be permanently changed, the affected assignment(s) shall be reposted.

b. The determination of what constitutes a sufficient change of duties, principal assignment area or scheme knowledge requirements to cause the duty assignment to be reposted shall be a subject of negotiation at the local level.

c. The determination of what constitutes a sufficient change in starting time of a duty assignment to cause the duty assignment to be reposted is negotiable at the local level, provided:

(1) No duty assignment will be reposted when the change in starting time is one hour or less.

(2) The above criteria will also apply to cumulative changes in starting time within the life of this Agreement. Cumulative changes are changes that move the starting time outside a circle which has the starting time as its center and the agreed upon time as its radius.

(3) The incumbent shall have the option of accepting the new reporting time, if negotiated at the local level. If the incumbent accepts the new reporting time, the assignment will not be reposted.

(4) If the incumbent does not accept the new reporting time, the assignment will be reposted.

d. When duty assignments are reposted in accordance with a., b., or c. above, such repostings of level 5, 6, and 7 duty assignments will be limited to employees within the same and higher salary levels and status; and repostings of level 4 duty assignments will be limited to those employees in that salary level and status.

Subsequent postings which result from a reposted duty assignment will be limited to employees within the above salary levels until a residual vacancy is identified. Residual vacancies which result from repostings will be filled in the following order:

(1) Assign any unencumbered employees in the same salary level who are available for assignment, in accordance with Section 4.C.1.

(2) Post to full-time employees in all levels who are eligible to bid and part-time regular employees in all levels who are eligible to bid.

(3) If no bidders, assign unencumbered lower level employees in accordance with Section 4.C.1.

e. Duty assignments within multicraft positions shall not be reposted due to changes in hours, off days, or duties. A multicraft position is a position from which a duty assignment is posted for bid to employees from more than one craft and is awarded based on seniority.

f. If the decision is to repost an occupied duty assignment and there are two or more identical (hours, off days and duties) assignments within the section, the duty assignment of the junior incumbent of such assignment will be reposted.

5. In instances where more than one duty assignment is posted, clerks may indicate preferences on the bid form or in the telephone or computerized bidding process.

6. An employee who has submitted a bid shall have  the right to cancel the bid, in writing or in the telephone or computerized bidding process, at any time before the closing time (hour and date) of the posting. Such cancellation, to be official, shall be date stamped or processed by telephone or computer (with confirmation). An employee may not cancel a bid after the closing time of the posting.

7. Best Qualified Positions

a. All newly established and vacant duty assignments in a best qualified position shall be posted for bid to full-time employees encumbered in duty assignments in the same salary level and same best qualified position, except when a vacant assignment(s) is being considered for reversion. The successful bidder must be placed in the duty assignment within 28 days after the successful bidder notice is posted, except in the month of December.

b. The residual vacancy, as defined in Section 1of this Article, will be posted for application unless the vacancy is being withheld pursuant to Article 12. The successful applicant must be placed in the duty assignment within 28 days after the successful applicant notice is posted, except in the month of December.

c. Part-time regular employees may apply for best qualified duty assignments. Applications from part-time regular employees will not be considered if sufficient (equal or greater in number than available duty assignments) full-time and part-time flexible employees meeting the minimum qualifications apply.

d. Incumbents in each best qualified position and salary level will be in a separate category for Article 12 excessing purposes. These categories will be separate from senior qualified positions.

8. Clerks temporarily detailed to a nonbargaining-unit position (204b) may not bid or apply for vacant Clerk Craft duty assignments while so detailed. However, nothing contained herein shall be construed to preclude such temporarily detailed employees from voluntarily terminating a 204b detail and returning to their craft position. Upon return to the craft position, such employees may exercise their right to bid or apply for vacant Clerk Craft duty assignments. The duty assignment of a clerk detailed to a nonbargaining-unit position, including a nonbargaining-unit training program, in excess of 4 months shall be declared vacant and shall be posted for bid in accordance with this Article. Upon return to the craft the employee will become an unassigned clerk with a fixed schedule. A clerk temporarily detailed to a nonbargaining-unit position will not be returned to the craft solely to circumvent the provisions of Section 3.A.8. Form 1723, Notice of Assignment, shall be used in detailing clerks to temporary nonbargaining-unit positions (204b). The Employer will provide the Union at the local level with a copy of Form(s) 1723 showing the beginning and ending of all such details. Employees detailed to nonbargaining-unit positions are not entitled to out-of-schedule premium.

9. Filling Upgraded Positions

a. When an occupied Clerk Craft position is upgraded on the basis of the present duties:

(l) The incumbent will remain in the upgraded job provided the employee has been in that job for more than one year.

(2) The job will be posted for bid or application in accordance with the Agreement if the incumbent has not been in the job for more than one year.

b. When an occupied Clerk Craft position is upgraded on the basis of duties which are added to the position:

(l) The incumbent will remain in the upgraded job provided the employee has been in that job for more than one year. The year of required incumbency in the job begins when the duty or duties were added which permitted the job to be reranked.

(2) The job will be posted for bid or application in accordance with the Agreement if the incumbent has not been in the job more than one year since the date when the duty or duties were added which later permitted the job to be reranked.

10. Full-time Clerk Craft employees may use their seniority to bid on any senior qualified assignment involving a change in level provided the bidder meets the qualifications established for the position and the requirements in subsection a. and b. below, when applicable. Part-time regular employees may use their seniority to bid on full-time duty assignments in other levels for which they are eligible to bid under the provisions of Section 3.A.1 of this Article.

a. Full-time Clerk Craft employees in levels PS-5, PS-6, and PS-7 may bid and compete for vacant and newly established full-time duty assignments ranked below PS-5.

b. Full-time Clerk Craft employees in levels below PS-5 may bid and compete for vacant and newly established full-time duty assignments ranked at PS-5, PS-6, and PS-7.

c. Employees in levels below PS-5 who are promoted as a result of this section and are subsequently impacted due to technological and mechanization changes shall not be entitled to saved grade for a period of two years beginning with the effective date of promotion. This two-year restriction does not apply to employees who previously occupied the higher level.

d. Before excessing pursuant to provisions of Article 12, employees serving their initial assignment per part a. or b. above may be excessed to their former wage level by inverse seniority provided the employee has not completed three years in the new level.

e. Employees in levels below PS-5 who are promoted as a result of this section will be restricted from bidding to duty assignments in PS-5, PS-6, and PS-7 positions other than the position description initially bid for one year from the effective date of promotion. Employees serving this bid restriction may bid on any duty assignment below PS-5 during this one-year period. This restriction does not apply to employees who previously occupied the higher level.

11. The following PS-6 and PS-7 positions are filled on the basis of senior qualified:

Position Number Title

KP 17 Claims Clerk Paying Office

SP 1-54 Highway Transportation Clerk

SP 2-3 Information Clerk

SP 2-4 Scheme Examiner

SP 2-12 Postage-Due Technician

SP 2-20 Clerk-Finance Station

SP 2-25 General Expediter

SP 2-26 Review Clerk

SP 2-28 Flat Sorting Machine Operator

SP 2-156 Stamp Supply Clerk

SP 2-157 Special Postal Clerk

SP 2-158 Schedule Clerk-Foreign Mail

SP 2-181 General Office Clerk-Foreign Mail

SP 2-188 Examination Specialist

SP 2-195 Vehicle Operations-Maintenance Assistant

SP 2-217 Transfer Clerk, AMF

SP 2-218 Receiving Clerk-Foreign Air Mail

SP 2-346 Procurement and Materiel Management Assistant

SP 2-362 Parcel Post Distributor-(Machine)

SP 2-385 Ramp Clerk, AMF

SP 2-387 Bulk Mail Technician

SP 2-388 Window Services Technician

SP 2-433 Self-Service Postal Center Technician

SP 2-464 Mail Classification Clerk

SP 2-465 Mail Classification Clerk

SP 2-468 Mailing Requirements Clerk

SP 2-495 Records Clerk, International Air Mail

SP 2-502 Sack Sorting Machine Operator

SP 2-633 Distribution Clerk, Machine, MPLSM

SP 2-634 Distribution Clerk, Machine, SPLSM

B. Bidding Provisions -- Letter Sorting Machines

[see Memo, page 356]

C. Place of Posting

1. The notice inviting bids for a duty assignment shall be posted on all official bulletin boards and available within the computerized bidding process at the installation where the vacancy exists, including stations and branches, to assure that it comes to the attention of all employees eligible to submit bids. Copies of the notice shall be given to the local Union. When absent employees have so requested in writing, stating their mailing addresses, a copy of any notice inviting bids from the Clerk Craft shall be mailed to them by the installation head.

2. Posting and bidding for preferred duty assignments shall be installation-wide, except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement.

D. Length of Posting

The notices shall remain posted for 10 days, unless a different length for the posting period is established by local negotiations.

E. Information on Notices

Information shall be as shown below and shall be specifically stated:

1. The duty assignment by position, title and number (e.g., key or standard position).

2. PS salary level.

3. Scheme knowledge (essential and non-essential) and special requirements involving training, where applicable. When the assignment requires scheme distribution, one or more scheme(s) will be listed as essential.

4. Hours of duty (beginning and ending), and tour.

5. The principal assignment area (e.g., parcel post, incoming or outgoing in the main office, or specified station, branch, or other location(s) where the greater portion of the assignment will be performed).

6. Qualification Standards.

7. Physical requirements unusual to the specific assignment.

8. Invitation to employees to submit bids.

9. The fixed or rotating schedule or days of work, as appropriate.

F. Results of Posting

1. a. Within 10 days after the closing date for the posting (excluding December), the installation head shall post a notice listing the senior or successful bidder(s) and their seniority date(s). The senior qualified bidder meeting the qualification standards for the position shall be designated the "successful bidder." If a deferment period is required, the employee will be designated the "senior bidder."

b. An employee will be limited to five senior unsuccessful bids during the duration of this Agreement.

c. A senior unsuccessful bid is one on which the employee is designated the senior bidder and, due to withdrawal, failure to qualify, or other voluntary relinquishment of the employee's rights to the duty assignment, does not become the successful bidder. If an employee exercises an option to withdraw in order to accept a duty assignment on which the employee remains a live bidder, such withdrawal does not constitute a senior unsuccessful bid.

d. An employee who has used five senior unsuccessful bids for any reason during the duration of this agreement will not be permitted further bids unless such bid:

(1) is to a duty assignment for which the employee is currently qualified;

(2) is due to elimination or reposting of the employee's duty assignment; or

(3) is required in order to retain saved grade.

2. The successful bidder must be placed in the new assignment within 28 days except in the month of December. The local agreement may set a shorter period.

3. a. When the duty assignment requires scheme knowledge, if the senior bidder is qualified on the essential scheme requirements of the position, assign the employee in compliance with 2 above. If the senior bidder is not qualified on the essential scheme requirements when the posting period is closed, permanent filling of the preferred assignment shall be deferred until such employee is qualified on the essential scheme requirements. The deferment period shall begin the date the senior bidder is scheduled to report for training and shall be computed based on the following:

Total Number Deferment period of Scheme Items (calendar days)

1301-1400 86

1901-2000 115

Self-Service Postal Center Technician, PS-6;

All senior qualified duty assignments requiring typing skills.

b. An employee who, as the result of a bid, attempts to demonstrate the skill(s) for one of the above positions/duty assignments and fails will be restricted from bidding on positions/duty assignments which require the same skill(s) for a period of 120 days from the date the employee attempts to demonstrate the skill.

6. Where incidental typing is required as a part of a duty assignment, such requirement must be reasonably related to the efficient performance of the responsibilities of the duty assignment.

7. The senior bidder for any of the following positions will enter a deferment period and be provided appropriate combinations of training, testing and practical demonstration of ability to perform in the actual position. Permanent assignment to the position will be deferred until successful completion of the training. If the employee does not satisfactorily complete the training or withdraws, the employee will be returned to his/her former duty assignment and the next senior bidder will be placed into training. An employee bidding from one of the positions on the list to another requiring similar essential duties will not be required to take the training.

Window Clerk (KP 13)

Distribution and Window Clerk (SP 2-1)

Distribution, Window and Markup Clerk (SP 2-629)

Window Services Technician (SP 2-388)

Clerk -- Finance Station (SP 2-20)

Bulk Mail Clerk (SP 2-44)

Bulk Mail Technician (SP 2-387)

Mail Classification Clerk (MSC) (SP 2-464)

Mail Classification Clerk (MSC) (SP 2-465)

Mailing Requirements Clerk (SP 2-468)

Mailing Requirements Clerk (SP 2-469)

Postage-Due Clerk (SP 2-11)

Postage-Due Technician (SP 2-12)

Self-Service Postal Center Technician (SP 2-433)

a. In installations where 105 or more hours of training are required for position qualification and a full-time duty assignment in any of the above position designations requires scheme qualification, the deferment period for scheme(s) and position qualification will not be concurrent.

b. An employee who is designated the senior bidder for any of the positions listed in F.7. above and who subsequently fails to satisfactorily complete the training or withdraws from the bid will be restricted from bidding on posted duty assignments in that position designation for a period of 180 days, except as provided for in (1) and (2) below. The 180 day restriction begins on the effective date of the withdrawal, or, if an examination is required, on the date the employee took the examination.

This bidding restriction does not apply if:

(1) The employee's bid duty assignment is abolished or reposted during the 180-day bidding restriction.

(2) The employee withdraws prior to completion of 25% of the position qualification training hours.

8. a. When an employee is designated as successful bidder and remains a live bidder on other bids, the employee shall notify management in writing within ten days of his/her election to remain a bidder on one or more of those assignments. The notice shall identify the assignment(s) by job and posting number. Failure to notify within ten days will cancel such other bids.

c. Except as otherwise specifically provided in 3.F.3, 3.F.4, and 3.F.7, any of the following shall end the deferment period, and the duty assignment shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of this Article:

(1) The senior bidder withdraws prior to the end of the deferment period;

(2) The senior bidder is designated the senior or successful bidder on a subsequent posting during the deferment period. Eligibility to demonstrate a skill per 3.F.5 does not end a deferment period.

(3) The senior bidder otherwise relinquishes the employee's rights (voluntarily or involuntarily) to the assignment.

d. Any withdrawal, to be official, shall be date stamped or if done by telephone or computer, must have confirmation.

9. Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding, dated March 3, 1975, concerning use of full-time employees on Relief and Pool duty assignments, such assignments in the Clerk Craft shall normally be used to cover:

a. Absences of employees holding full-time bid assignments in:

(l) Stations or Branches;

(2) Window Service;

(3) Customer Service, Finance or E&LR.

b. Functions which predictably occur at the end of the accounting period (Timekeeper, Examination Specialist, etc.)

10. Normally, the successful bidder shall work the duty assignment as posted and shall not be displaced by a junior employee. This does not prohibit the Employer from assigning other employees to work the assignment for training purposes.

A. Coverage. Full-time flexible employees and unassigned regular employees are considered unencumbered employees.

B. An employee who becomes an unassigned regular will continue to work the same hours and scheduled days the employee worked immediately prior to becoming unassigned unless notified of a change in work schedule before expiration of the first 28 days after the date on which the employee became unassigned. Additional work schedule changes may be made, provided that such change cannot be made effective until 180 days after the effective date of any previous change.

C. Assignment of Unencumbered Employees

1. To the Same or Higher Level.

a. Employees not encumbered in bid duty assignments should bid on duty assignments posted for bid. These employees shall be assigned to residual full-time duty assignments in the same or higher salary level for which the employees meet the minimum qualifications. The assignments will be made in the following order:

(1) Currently Qualified Employees. Offer residual assignments by seniority to employees who are currently qualified on all of the requirements of a residual assignment. If an employee is qualified on two or more residual duty assignments, the employee will be given an option and be awarded their choice based on seniority. If assignments remain unfilled for which there are currently qualified unencumbered employees, involuntarily assign these employees by inverse seniority.

(2) Partially Qualified Employees. Offer residual assignments by seniority to employees who are qualified on at least one, but not all, of the requirements of a residual assignment and have not occupied a bid assignment during the last 90 days. If an employee is partially qualified on two or more residual duty assignments, the employee will be given an option and be awarded their choice based on seniority. If assignments remain unfilled for which there are partially qualified unencumbered employees, involuntarily assign these employees by inverse seniority.

(3) Employees Not Currently or Partially Qualified. Involuntarily assign employees, starting with the senior employee, who have not occupied a bid duty assignment during the last 90 days. When there is more than one residual vacancy, the employees will be given an option and be awarded their choice based on seniority.

b. Unencumbered clerks who are detailed to nonbargaining positions are considered to be unavailable for assignment in accordance with a. above.

2. To a Lower Level.

Lower-level residual vacancies that still exist after application of C.1 above may be offered to unencumbered employees and their preference shall be honored by seniority. Then assign unencumbered employees by inverse seniority to lower-level residual full-time duty assignments. An employee assigned to a duty assignment in a lower grade will receive saved grade until such time as that employee fails to bid or apply for any posted full-time duty assignment in his/her former wage level.

3. a. An employee who was not hired from a machine register and who has not subsequently passed machine training may not be involuntarily assigned to a machine duty assignment regardless of salary level. This provision does not prohibit the Employer from making a job offer to an unencumbered employee in the same level.

b. An employee hired from a machine register who has not qualified on a particular machine skill (e.g., letter sorting machine, flat sorting machine) may not be involuntarily assigned to a duty assignment requiring that machine skill until all unencumbered employees who have qualified on that machine skill have been assigned.

A. General Principles

1. The Employer will maintain a single merged part-time flexible roll.

2. Part-time flexible employees shall be converted to full-time in the manner set forth in this section.

3. When an opportunity exists for conversion to a vacant full-time Clerk Craft duty assignment, employees shall, in accordance with this section, exercise a preference(s) as to the duty assignment(s) they desire to be converted into based on their standing on the part-time flexible roll.

4. Part-time flexible employees who have exercised a preference and fail to qualify shall not be discharged or disciplined as a result of such failure.

5. Normally, the senior part-time flexible stating a preference will be placed into training within 10 calendar days.

6. When a part-time flexible employee is identified as currently qualified or successfully completes the training for a stated preference, the employee should be converted to full-time and placed in the duty assignment within 28 days except in the month of December. Management should release a part-time flexible Mark-up Clerk, Automated as soon as possible, but for replacement training purposes may delay the employee's release to that duty assignment for up to 180 days after being identified as senior for conversion or training. This delay in placement does not alter the employee's normal conversion at the appropriate time.

7. Full-time flexible assignments created as a result of the Maximization Memorandum of Understanding shall be filled in accordance with these procedures.

8. If an opportunity for conversion is to a best qualified full-time Clerk Craft duty assignment, the successful applicant shall be converted. Applications from part-time flexible employees shall not be considered if sufficient (equal or greater in number than available duty assignments) full-time employees meeting the minimum qualifications apply.

9. Part-time flexible employees who express a preference may not withdraw from the assignment or from training except as specifically provided for in 10. below.

10. A part-time flexible employee in training for a stated preference who is converted to full-time, either pursuant to Article 7, Section 3.A or due to being currently qualified on another assignment, shall have the option of either remaining in training for the stated preference or withdrawing from training.

B. Preference Requirements/Eligibilities

1. Employees are required to state a preference for duty assignments for which they are currently qualified at the same or higher level, even if they are in training for another stated preference. A Mark-up Clerk, Automated is not required to state a preference for non-Markup Clerk, Automated duty assignments.

2. Employees are not required to state a preference for duty assignments for which they are not currently qualified or are at a lower level.

3. When stating preferences, employees must list all duty assignments for which they received training and are currently qualified ahead of any duty assignment for which there is no qualifying training.

4. While in training for a stated preference, employees may not state a preference for any other duty assignment for which they are not currently qualified.

5. Part-time flexibles who were appointed from a machine register may express a preference for a manual duty assignment only if it will not deprive a currently qualified part-time flexible manual distribution clerk of the opportunity for conversion.

[see Memo, page 350]

C. Procedures. When there are one or more full-time duty assignment(s) to be filled by conversion, the conversions shall be made by the following procedures, in the following order:

1. Match the number of duty assignments to be filled with the identical number of senior part-time flexibles on the roll who are eligible to state a preference on the duty assignment(s).

2. Convert and place any currently qualified part-time flexibles on the above list. Any part-time flexibles who are currently qualified on two or more of the available duty assignments shall be given a choice, in order of their standing on the part-time flexible roll, provided their choice would not reduce the number of currently qualified employees who could be matched and converted to full time.

3. If any duty assignments remain unfilled, take preferences from all part-time flexibles who passed the required entrance examination elements, in order of their standing on the part-time flexible roll.

4. For each duty assignment, place the senior part-time flexible who stated a preference for that assignment into the assignment if currently qualified. If not currently qualified, place that employee into training for that assignment. Upon successful completion of the training, convert and place the employee into the assignment.

5. If the senior part-time flexible fails to qualify or withdraws pursuant to A.10. above, convert and place the next currently qualified part-time flexible.

6. If there are no remaining currently qualified part-time flexibles for a duty assignment, the senior part-time flexible hired from the appropriate register and who is not in training for another opportunity will be assigned and placed into training.

7. If there are no remaining part-time flexibles hired from the appropriate register, the senior part-time flexible on the roll who is not in training for another opportunity will be assigned and placed into training, except that PTFs hired as manual clerks who have not subsequently passed machine training may not be involuntarily assigned to full-time machine duty assignments. PTF's may not be involuntarily assigned to a lower level or to a duty assignment requiring a skill (such as typing, shorthand, etc.) for which they are not currently qualified.

A. Letter Sorting Machines

l. Designation

In offices (present or future) with letter sorting machines, the Employer will designate on the part-time flexible roll those employees who meet the machine qualification requirements (which means the ability to key at the appropriate speed and accuracy) for letter sorting machine positions.

2. Rotation

a. The application of the rotation system for letter sorting machine operators as outlined in Handbook PO-405 is a proper subject for the Labor-Management Committee Meetings. Discussion with local Union officials shall take place with opportunity for input prior to changes in the rotation system.

b. The feasibility of a study for the purpose of better understanding the environmental effects of alternate rotation systems is a proper subject for discussion by the National Labor-Management Committee.

3. EDIT

a. An EDIT operator test will not be entered into the Individual Performance Record and become an official record unless the following conditions are met:

(l) The operator was checked by the operations table of random numbers, and the supervisor is able to reconstruct the random selection of the operator from the random number table.

(2) The supervisor is able to relate the machine printed record to the operator and identify, where possible, the error causes.

(3) The operator is allowed to inspect the record including the sampled letters as soon as possible after completion of the individual's keying cycle.

(4) The sample letters were representative of the general mail mix and not solely nixie mail, mark-up mail, or 400 bin mail.

b. Special EDIT runs of an individual operator may be made; however, they will be used only for analysis of that operator's keying problems so that corrective training can be effectively undertaken. Results of special EDIT runs should be handled in accordance with a.(2), (3) and (4) above.

B. Parcel Post Sorting Machines

1. Rotation

The application of the rotation system for PPSM operators is a proper subject for discussion at the Labor-Management Committee meetings. Discussion with local Union officials shall take place with opportunity for input prior to changes in the rotation system.

2. SIAT

A SIAT operator test will not be entered into the Individual Performance Record and become an official record unless the following conditions are met:

a. The supervisor positions himself so that he will be able to observe the operator being tested. He will verify for the record that the operator being tested was in fact keying during the entire test.

b. The operator was scheduled by the operations table of random numbers and the supervisor is able to reconstruct the random selection of the operator from the random number table.

c. The supervisor is able to relate the machine printed record to the operator and identify, where possible, the error causes.

d. The operator is allowed to inspect the record, including a record of the addresses of pieces keyed in error as soon as practicable.

C. New Mail Sorting Machines

The implementation of new mail sorting machine programs involving Flat Sorting Machines, Letter Sorting Machines, Bar Code Readers, Batch Mail Processors, Optical Character Readers, and the XTRACT System will be consistent with the contractual requirements falling within the area of Technological and Mechanization Changes.

A. The subject of fatigue as it relates to the safety and health of an employee is a proper subject for the consideration of the Joint Labor-Management Safety Committee as provided in Article 14 of the National Agreement. The Employer will continue to furnish adjustable platform stools for periods of sustained distribution as heretofore.

B. The feasibility of a study of seating devices, including seats with back supports, for the purpose of improving upon and eventually replacing the equipment termed "adjustable platform stools" heretofore supplied, as "sit-stand" devices is a proper subject for determination by the National Labor-Management Committee.

A. The Employer agrees to having as part of the National Labor-Management Committee, a labor-management subcommittee on schemes for the consideration of appropriate matters relating to schemes.

B. Subject to any criteria established in the future by the National Labor-Management Committee, local level scheme committees will continue operation as presently constituted.

C. There shall be no annual or periodic scheme examinations.

The application of a rotation system for the Computerized Forwarding System and the subject of fatigue as it pertains to the Computerized Forwarding System will be consistent with the requirements of the applicable provisions of this Agreement.

[see Memo, page 360]

The Employer will continue to furnish to the Union at the national level copies of key and standard positions including qualification standards in the Clerk Craft.

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