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COVID-19 Update
By Bobby Rollins, President
I would like to share some information with you that has been discussed in my daily telecoms with the Colorado/Wyoming Managers regarding the Coronavirus. These telecoms occur daily at 11:00 AM, and all Presidents have been invited to attend and address COVID-19 issues in their areas of representation.
I was pleased to hear today that there have been no new cases reported amongst Colorado Postal Workers in the past two days. I pray I wake up tomorrow and get the same report. I sincerely thank each and every one of you who are doing the utmost to protect yourselves and others around you. I also thank those of you who have voiced your concerns about lack of face masks/gloves/disinfectant/socially inadequate work areas. These concerns were heard and addressed with the managers and abated as quickly as possible.
In my efforts to provide every employee with a safe work environment, I agreed to allow Plant Manager Mary Alt to contract out an additional 50 custodians to ensure that all of our facilities are cleaned and disinfected at a greater frequency. These additional custodians will be divided up amongst all three tours at the GMF and some will be deployed to some of our Associate Offices and Stations. There were issues with the Capitol Hill and Mile High Stations not getting cleaned, so additional Custodians have been deployed to those facilities.
I received a complaint about the Express Mail Room being congested and difficult to exercise the six-foot rule, and Mary Alt and Brandon Cruz are working with the supervisors and clerks to come up with the best solution.
We had an issue with our TTO Drivers not being comfortable going up to the block house to get their timecards and other essential items needed to start their day because of the congestion it created in that office. Donta Green and Mary Alt worked together and will have a resolution in place soon, which Donta discusses in his article.
I recently received reports that supervisors on the workroom floor didn’t have access to the new codes for the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”. I was told today by Human Relations Manager Sandra Creek that the codes are now available, and supervisors would now have access and have been instructed to notify her if they have any problems or questions. I encourage everyone to read through the FFCRA which we have put up on the DMAL website under the COVID-19 tab. This is valuable information needed to ensure that your time off is coded properly based on the category you fall in and it also explains documentation requirements. I urge everyone to read and educate themselves on this so you can help ensure your leave is input properly. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Union Representative.
The Denver Metro APWU Website now has a COVID-19 link on our homepage which has all the MOU’s posted for everyone to review.
I want to thank District Manager Jason Mc Mahill, Human Relations Manager Sandra Creek, Plant Manager Mary Alt, and Denver Postmaster Lora Mc Lucas for addressing and taking the COVID-19 issues reported by our members seriously and abating the issues as quickly as possible.
APWU Postal Employees
Show Strength and Courage
During the COVID-19 Crisis!
By Laviena Vargas, Director of Clerk Craft
As millions of people around the world are facing mounting uncertainty due to the Coronavirus, there is one steady reminder that our country is fighting to continue to go on each and every day. That constant reminder is that the United States Postal Service continues to deliver mail every day!
As Postal employees, we are deemed an essential workforce. Everyday thousands of Postal employees show up to work to ensure that the American public gets the very important mail delivered to their homes. Everyday thousands of packages and parcels of food, safety supplies and medications are sorted by APWU Clerks. Everyday hundreds of thousands of letters are being sorted, processed and worked by the dedicated clerks of the US Postal Service. Everyday window clerks continue to serve the people of our community.
On March 26, 2020, Colorado received a Public Health Order Statewide for a stay-at-home order. As this became effective for every resident, the mail and the delivery of all mail became that much more important and vital to the people of Colorado.
APWU Postal employees have been thrust into being soldiers as we continue to work through this pandemic! Postal employees are literally putting their safety and health on the line the minute they clock in for work.
I would like to remind every employee to please follow all the safety guidelines issued during this pandemic to ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones. Please wash your hands and keep the 6ft distance when at work, whether you are in a huge processing facility or in a small station. The actions you take for your safety not only protect you as an employee but helps to protect your loved ones you go home to after every shift!
I cannot say thank you enough to every individual who continues to report to work and continues to get the mail out everyday but I will say it anyway; Thank you to each APWU USPS Employee for your hard work and dedication during this devastating time! Please take care of one another, stay safe and know you are appreciated!
MVS Report
By Donta Green, Director of Motor Vehicle Craft
I hope everybody is staying safe and healthy. The GMF and VMF are set up with supplies for protecting yourselves from getting COVID-19. If you ask management for any gloves, hand sanitizer, & masks and they do not have it, fill out a 1767 and get it to your tour Steward so they can file the grievance. For MVS I addressed the time clock issues by the crow’s nest. They are going to be moving the dispatcher, scanner, keys, and radios down under the crow’s nest as soon as that office is clean and ready. This will not be a permanent move, so let’s remember that we still have to keep social distance and management will be the one you will have to contact to get the safety PPE, not dispatch. Thank you all for your hard work and for following safety precautions.
So Much Going On Right Now
By Charles Quintana, Assistant Director of Clerk Craft
Hope everyone stays safe and keep your families and friends safe. The Coronavirus has really disrupted and changed a lot for many of us. Events like graduations, weddings, and other life events have been canceled or postponed. It is so sad to see.
We have had so many questions on the details of the 80 hours paid leave since the Coronavirus. The paid leave outlined in the Families First Coronavirus Recovery Act is not automatic to regulars or PSEs. You would have to have one of the underlying conditions numerated 1 – 6 in the FFCRA.
If you qualify in numbers 1 – 6 for the 80 hours of paid leave we recommend documenting your absence if you are in a position to do so. Documents from health care providers, government entities, and school closures are examples.
Changes of Schedule and Leave usage are to be given liberally up till May 17, 2020. So if you use your own leave there should be no need for documentation. Please call us with any questions and we will get to you as soon as we possibly can. Most importantly, please take care of yourself and others.
On March 23, 2020 a stimulus bill called, Take Responsibility for Workers Act was introduced and passed by congress. Unfortunately, it did not include any financial support for the USPS. The provisions for the USPS were:
-$25 billion to USPS for revenue forgone during Coronavirus.
-Repeal of the prefunding of health benefits.
-Forgiveness of $11 billion in debt.
-Repeal of the $3 billion annual limit on the USPS $15 billion borrowing limit.
However the USPS was left with only a $10 billion line of credit. Other stimulus bills are to come, so maybe USPS will get another chance.
On a happy note, we have a new contract! Congratulations to all the PSEs who will be converted soon, we know you have been receiving letters on your conversions. If you have to take a test, we recommend passing that test. Once you pass and get into a job, you can always bid out if you don’t like it.
The retroactive pay due to us in the contractual increase is being worked out at the National level, and they will notify us which pay period those will be on. If you have any questions or concerns about anything feel free to call me.
Attention Clerks! Major Changes for
Realignment on All Tours at the GMF
By Laviena Vargas, Director of Clerk Craft
Management has notified the DMAL that they are proceeding with the planned realignment at the GMF for all three tours. Management plans to mail out notification letters to all impacted clerks April 9, 2020. If you do not receive a letter notifying you of any changes, then you are not being impacted. Please read the letter you receive very closely as it may require a response such as an option letter. The letters are being sent out before management can do the standup talks for the changes with the employees. The reason for the push on the mailing of the letters is to allow the clerks time if they are affected to be able to bid on the April DPM. Standup talks for each section will be given to all clerks coming up with a date and time to be determined.
The changes include Begin Tour hours and scheduled days off. Tour 1 bids BT will be 2200, Tour 2 bids BT will be 0600, and Tour 3 bids BT will be 1400. Some sections will have no changes while other sections may see abolishments with in-section bidding, abolishment for the whole section, option letters for a time change over 1 hour, and letters for a time change of 1 hour or less. The realignment bids will be posted on the May DPM. I encourage all clerks to review the letter they receive and to make any necessary bidding changes to fit their life and schedules as needed. While certain tours will see a decrease in the amount of jobs, other tours may see an increase in jobs in certain sections. According to the number amount of proposed jobs, we anticipate that there will be some unassigned regulars after the completion of the realignment bidding process.
Please also make note when submitting bids that the bids will be defined by pay location in the comments section of the bid. Please note the following:
610 = T2 Automation
710, 510 = T3 & T1 Auto - Colfax
711, 712, 511, 512 = T3 & T1 Auto - West Wing
713, 513 = T3 & T1 Auto - North bank
715= T3 Auto - AFCS
While change is not easy and these changes come at an already stressful time, please know that the Union worked very hard to ensure that all changes were contractually correct. Although the Union does not agree with our entire plant going through another realignment after the 2017 realignment fiasco, the Union would like our members to know that we will be enforcing the CBA on all issues concerning this event.
APWU members are strong hardworking employees and we will get through this just as we do every other obstacle thrown at us! Please Stay Safe!
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