Arbitration Decision Highlights

* CONTRACT TERM - 3 YEARS - NOV. 21, 2000 TO NOV 20, 2003

* THREE GENERAL SALARY INCREASES

Wages: 1.2% November 18, 2000 (Retroactive for hours paid)

COLA: $499 Lump Sum for two 2000 COLA’s (Not added to basic pay)

Wages: 1.8% November 17, 2001 (Retroactive for hours paid)

COLA: March and September 2002

Wages: 1.4% November 16, 2002

COLA: March and September 2003

*NO CHANGE IN COLA FORMULA

* UPGRADES

* Mail Processors PS 4 to PS 5 (Effective no later than 3-23-02

* Senior Mail Processors PS 5 to PS 6 (Effective no later than 3-23-02

Panel required that all grievances on Mail Processor Upgrades be withdrawn

Effective Nov 16, 2002:

* Motor Vehicle Operators PS 5 to PS 6

* Tractor Trailer Operator PS 6 to PS 7

* Building Equipment Mechanic PS 7 to PS 8

* Maintenance Mechanic MPE PS 7 to PS 8

* Electronic Technician PS 9 to PS 10

* Electronic Technician PS 10 to PS 11

UPGRADES TO POSITIONS, NOT INDIVIDUALS

* SEE ATTACHED EXAMPLES OF SALARY INCREASES RESULTING FROM WAGES, COLA’s AND UPGRADES

* EXAMPLE OF RETROACTIVE AND LUMP SUM PAYMENTS (Assumes Payout in February 2002)

Level 5, Step O will receive:

  • Lump Sum for COLA during 2001: $499
  • Retroactive 1.2% Pay Increase 11/18/00 $554
  • Retroactive 1.8% Pay Increase 11/17/01 $114
  • Total Lump Sum And Retroactive Payments $1,167

    All Upgrades Will Be To Higher Grade While Carrying In-Step Waiting Time

    Employees In Schedule 1 Salary Scale When Upgraded Will Be Moved To The Next Higher Grade On Schedule 2

    * TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYEES

    * All Non-REC TEs Will Be Phased Out By December 31, 2005

    * Until December 31, 2005, USPS May Hire Up To 4,000 Non-REC TEs Pursuant To TE 2

    * REC TEs Will Continue Pursuant To Existing Memo

    * CHANGES TO WORKING CONDITIONS

    * ARTICLE 11

    Employee option to receive extra days pay for working holiday or designated holiday or credit for additional annual leave. Option available for holidays occuring after February 2, 2002

    * ARTICLE 15

    If payment of grievance settlement or award has not been made within 60 days, employee will be paid up to 70% of grievance settlement or award after required forms have been completed

    Union and management have the right to elevate one case per scheduling docket to top of schedule for arbitration hearing

    * ARTICLE 19

    Management must include explanation of handbook changes and how they impact employees. Must also make available a manager with actual knowledge of proposed change in the Article 19 meeting. Union will have 90 days to appeal change.

    * ARTICLE 26

    Allowance increased 4.5% on November 21, 2001 and 2.5% on November 21, 2002

    [PANEL REJECTED UNIONS PROPOSAL TO CHANGE PROGRAM]

    * ARTICLE 30

    Panel changed managements right to challenge Local Memo provisions as in conflict or inconsistent limiting such right to only those provisions of the local agreement that have been affected by changes to the national agreement since last negotiated at local level. If challenged as in conflict or inconsistent, the provision must be complied with for a period of four months and the arbitrator is empowered to provide a remedy to the union.

    * ARTICLE 32

    The panel required that the unions views must be considered in the initial Comparative Analysis and in any Decision Analysis Report prior to the final decision.

    * ARTICLE 36

    All job related travel time is compensable

    * ARTICLE 38 MOU

    The panel accepted the unions demand to establish a joint task force to evaluate the assignment of duties to specific work assignments

    * SICK LEAVE FOR DEPENDENT CARE

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

    * NO LAY OFF MEMORANDUM

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement and protected employees in the regular work force on November 20, 2000.

    * ANNUAL LEAVE EXCHANGE OPTION

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

    * RETAIL OPERATIONS WITHIN INSTALLATIONS

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

    * LEAVE SHARING MEMORANDUM

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

    * CFS ROTATION

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

    * DEPENDENT CARE

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement with selection of contractor determined by Sub Committee

    * PTF REASSIGNMENT OPPORTUNITIES

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

    * MAIL EQUIPMENT SHOPS

    The panel continued the memorandum for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

     

    * NLRB DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS

    The panel ordered this memorandum be discontinued

    * ARITICLES 7/12/13 MEMORANDUM

    The panel ordered the memorandum be continued for the life of the 2000 National Agreement

    *MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON MODIFIED WORKWEEK

    The text of a MOU on Modified Work Week, that permits the parties at the local level to negotiate a modified work week, was awarded by the Panel and will be included in the 2000 National Agreement

    PANEL REJECTED UNION DEMANDS ON THE FOLLOWING:

    * Definition of An Installation

    * Filling Maintenance Craft Positions By Seniority

    * MOU On Transfers

    * Computerized Transfer Request System

    * Purge Of Letters Of Warning

    * Prohibition Of All Subcontracting For The Term Of The Agreement

    * PANEL REJECTED THE FOLLOWING USPS DEMANDS

    * Change Night Shift Differential (Continued as per 1998 Agreement)

    * Limit Sunday Premium Payments (Continue as per 1998 Agreement)

    * Increase Employee Health Benefit Contribution (formula continued as in 1998 Agreement)

    * Annual And Sick Leave Reduction For New Hires (Continue as in 1998 Agreement)

    * COLA - No COLA Payments For The Life Of The Agreement (Formula Continued Unchanged)

    EXAMPLES OF SALARY INCREASES FROM WAGES, COLAs AND UPGRADES

      Level 4 Step O Level 5, Step O Level 7, Step O
    General Increase      
    1.2% 11/18/00 476 480 509
    1.8% 11/17/01 713 741 770
    1.4% 11/16/01 546 567 600
    COLAs      
    March '02 0* 0* 0*
    Sept. '02 395 395 395
    March '03 291 291 291
    Sept. '03 416 416 416
    If Upgraded      
    Annual Value of upgrade at end of contract 968 1055 1255

    * These figures are zero (0) because our economists project a low inflation rate, not because of any change to the cost-of-living formula.

      Level 9, Step O Level 9, Step P
    General Increase    
    1.2% 11/18/00 544 567
    1.8% 11/17/01 822 839
    1.4% 11/16/02 645 658
    COLAs    
    March '02 0* 0*
    Sept. '02 395 395
    March '03 291 291
    Sept '03 416 416
    If Upgraded    
    Annual Value of upgrade at the end of contract 1421 1523

Value of Upgrades -Schedule Two

March 2002 Upgrades  (Value as of March2002)

Mail Processors (231555XX)

 

Level 4 Step A to

Level 5 Step A

 

Level 4 Step H to

Level 5 Step H

Level 4 Step O to

Level 5 Step O

$1577 (5.5%)

$1262 (3.6%)

$947 (2.3%)

Senior Mail Processors (231556XX)

Level 5 Step A to

Level 6 Step A

 

Level 5 Step H to

Level 6 Step H

Level 5 Step O to

Level 6 Step O

$1676 (5.5%)

$1354 (3.7%)

$1032 (2.5%)

November 2002 Upgrades (Value as of November 2002)

Motor Vehicle Operator (570302XX) 

 

Level 5 Step A to

Level 6 Step A

 

Level 5 Step H to

Level 6 Step H

Level 5 Step O to

Level 6 Step O

$1699 (5.4%)

$1377 (3.7%)

$1055 (2.5%)

Tractor Trailer Operator (575601XX)

 

Level 6 Step A to

Level 7 Step A

 

Level 6 Step H to

Level 7 Step H

Level 6 Step O to

Level 7 Step O

$785 (2.4%)

$946 (2.5%)

$1107 (2.5%)

Building Equipment Mechanic (530607XX) and Maintenance Mechanic MPE (534201XX)

 

Level 7 Step A to

Level 8 Step D

 

Level 7 Step J to

Level 8 Step J

Level 7 Step O to

Level 8 Step O

$5824 (17.3%)

$2230 (5.5%)

$1225 (2.7%)

Electronic Technician (260401XX)

 

Level 9 Step D to

Level 10 Step D

 

Level 9 Step J to

Level 10 Step J

Level 9 Step P to

Level 10 Step P

$977 (2.4%)

$1199 (2.7%)

$1421 (3.0%)

Electronic Technician (085601XX)

 

Level 10 Step D to

Level 11 Step D

 

Level 10 Step J to

Level 11 Step J

Level 10 Step P to

Level 11 Step P

$1028 (2.5%)

$1274 (2.8%)

$1520 (3.1%)

Level 11 will be newly created for the purpose of these upgrades, this is based on the APWU's estimate of what that level will look like, the Postal Service may produce a slightly different schedule.

Employees on Schedule 1 will be moved to Schedule 2 when upgraded.

Upgrade amounts are the annual difference between a given step and its upgrade step at the time of the upgrade. Since progression through a step takes less than a year, those below the top step will receive slightly different dollar amounts than this because they will spend time in more than one step. Percentages are of salary levels at the time of the upgrade.