Advice to Employees When
Inspectors or OIG Wants to Question You
The APWU advises employees to request the presence of an APWU representative if questioned by a U. S. Postal Inspector or OIG agent, even if the employee believes they are not guilty of any wrong doing. Employees should keep in mind that Postal Inspectors or OIG agents are law enforcement officers who are investigating allegations of a criminal matter. They should remain silent until they have consulted with an APWU representative or attorney, as appropriate.
It is important for employees to ask whether or not they are a suspect in a Criminal matter. Even if they are told that whatever they say will not be used against them in a criminal proceeding, if it is a criminal matter that is being investigated they should advise the agent that they wish to contact an attorney. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should an employee sign any forms or make any statement until they have consulted with an attorney.
Weingarten Rights
If called to a meeting with management, you need to ask if this discussion could in any way lead to discipline, termination, or affect my personal working conditions. If the answer is anything other than NO, request that a steward be present at this meeting. DO NOT PARTICIPATE without representation present.
FEHB Open Season
November 9th – December 14th
Open Season is upon us and this year the APWU Health Plan is proud to announce new benefits and premiums for 2010. The APWU Health Plan’s renowned High Option gets a variety of new features, most notably an enhanced dental feature and two management programs. Members who participate in the Diabetes Management Program have no out-of-pocket cost for generic drugs, insulin and test strips purchased through the mail. Members in the Hypertension Management Program also may be eligible for no-cost generic drugs purchased through the mail. Program members may also be eligible for a zero dollar co-pay for in-network diabetes and hypertension related office visits and lab tests. There are also enhancements to existing benefits. The dental benefit now covers routine services at 70% and in-network preventive screening such as mammograms, total blood cholesterol and pap smears are now covered at 100%.
The Consumer Driven Option is also a great choice for APWU members. Thanks to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for the third straight year, APWU represented employees will receive comprehensive coverage and pay only 5% of the coverage costs. The Consumer Driven Option also features a new benefit, the Diabetes Management Program, under which members have no out-of-pocket expense for generic drugs, test strips and insulin purchased through the mail, as well as diabetes related office visits and lab tests.
Enrolling in APWU Health Plan not only reduces your out-of-pocket expenses, but it strengthens your union. These new benefits are a direct result of responses to our members’ needs. Help yourself. Help your union. Join the APWU Health Plan. To enroll, go to https://liteblue.usps.gov or Postal EASE (877-477-3273 option 5). You will need your employee identification number and USPS pin number in order to access Postal EASE.
Excessing Resumes in
the Denver MPA and Boulder
After a lull in the action, excessing in the Clerk Craft has resumed in the Denver Mail Processing Annex. Clerks working in the SPBS T-2 section have received notice that their jobs will be abolished effective January 16, 2010. The total number of jobs impacted is less than 10, but an impact none the less. This action comes less than a year after negotiations were held that adjusted Tour 2 Begin Tour to 1030. All efforts to retain a Tour 2 SPBS operation have been exhausted, thus the abolishing.
In Boulder, the DBCS’s have finally been moved to the GMF. Management identified that 16 clerks too many remained in Boulder. 13 Clerks accepted the retirement incentive reducing the number of excessed clerks to three (3). The Article 12 process is underway and 60 day letters have been delivered to the affected clerks. No clerks can be involuntarily reassigned prior to 60 days from October 2nd. Management is required to identify withheld jobs to place excessed clerks. Jobs have been identified as different craft, same installation (labor custodian) and same craft, different installation (Longmont).
In the Boulder Maintenance Craft, four craft employees have been identified as excess: two (2) ET’s, one (1) MM and one (1) MOS Clerk. An equal number of positions have been withheld in the Denver area to accommodate these employees. The affected Maintenance Craft employees are to be given the option of being excessed to lower level (labor custodian) and remaining in the Maintenance Craft in Boulder and shall receive saved grade. Employees receiving saved grade are required to request placement on Promotion Eligibility Registers in their former higher level. In addition, current Maintenance Craft employees who are reassigned pursuant to Article 12 retain retreat rights to their former section.
As a side note, excessing is occurring in Ft. Collins that will likely impact the Maintenance Craft in Longmont. As more information becomes available, I’ll share.
Congress Approves
FERS Sick-Leave Credit
APWU Web News Article #130-09, Oct. 22, 2009
At long last! After a protracted campaign, postal and federal workers who retire under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) will receive credit for sick leave when they retire. The new benefit was included among a number of pay and retirement provisions in a compromise version of the 2010 Defense Authorization bill, which the Senate approved 68-29 on Oct. 22.
The bill was approved in a House-Senate conference on Oct. 7, and the House adopted the measure the following day. The legislation will now be sent to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law.
The compromise legislation also includes a provision that would make it easier for federal agencies, including the Postal Service, to rehire retirees (for a limited time) without forcing them to take a cut in their annuity checks. “This provision will help eliminate the USPS objections to APWU’s efforts to return postal retirees to employment,” Burrus said. “If the bill is passed, the union will renew our discussion with management on this issue.”
The bill also includes:
· A provision that would allow employees who choose to work part-time toward the end of their careers to use a higher salary figure in calculations for how the reduced work factors into their retirement benefits.
· A provision that would move workers in Hawaii, Alaska, the Virgin Islands and other U.S. territories from cost-of-living adjustments to a locality-pay system. [The territorial COLAs, as they are known, would be applied differently to postal employees than to other federal workers. The T-COLAs would not be taxed and would not be credited towards retirement; for other federal employees these earnings would be taxed and would be credited toward retirement.]
· A provision that would allow FERS employees who left and then returned to government service to redeposit savings in the retirement system and earn credit for years they had previously worked.
Health Care Reform Moving Forward
As most of you are aware, Health Care Reform has passed the U.S. House and is currently pending in the Senate. We are closer now than ever before on achieving true health care reform. The DMAL is doing its part to ensure this vital legislation gets approved. On November 5th, a National Call-In Day for real health care reform took place and 33 calls from DMAL members occurred. I want to thank our Political Director, Tina Desautels for her efforts to ensure we are participating in this history- making event. This bill will end insurance company abuses; require employers to pay their fair share and establish a strong public option to lower costs and end the insurance company’s monopoly that has a strangle-hold on this nations’ economy.
Pay Raise Set for Nov. 21
APWU News Bulletin #04-2009, Nov. 18, 2009
APWU-represented postal workers will receive a 1.2 percent increase in their annual salaries effective Nov. 21. The raise will be reflected in the paychecks issued Dec. 11, and will be based on the grades and levels in effect on Sept. 6, 2006. The increase will apply to employees covered by the APWU-USPS 2006-2010 contract.
“The Collective Bargaining Agreement is our union’s strongest achievement,” said APWU President William Burrus. “At a time when the Postal Service is experiencing severe financial difficulties, the contractual commitment must be honored, and the required 1.2 percent pay increase must be paid. Despite excessing, reassignments, and early retirements, the raise must be granted.
“With the salary increases, upgrades and cost-of-living adjustments, wages for the vast majority of APWU members have increased by approximately $3,800 under the current contract,” he said. “In these difficult times, that is quite an accomplishment.”
The agreement expires Nov. 20, 2010. Under a separate contract of similar duration, Operating Services employees at USPS Headquarters in Washington and at a facility in nearby Merrifield, VA, also will receive a 1.2 percent raise Nov. 21. (APWU-represented employees in Information Technology/Accounting Services will receive a 1.2 percent raise Jan. 16; their contract runs to Jan. 2011).
Per APWU bylaws, an across-the-board contractual salary increase results in a dues adjustment. This raise will lead to a 62 cents per member per pay period increase in dues for career employees, and an increase of 40 cents per member per pay period for Transitional Employees. Thirty-nine cents of the 62-cent increase will go to the career employees’ locals, and 23 cents will go to the national union, including the union’s private-sector organizing fund.
Penalty-Overtime,
Casual-Exception Periods Set
As referenced in Article 8, Sections 4 and 5, of the 2006 National Agreement, there are four consecutive service weeks each year during which penalty overtime regulations are not applicable. This year, the period begins Dec. 5 (first day of Week 1 of Pay Period 26-09) and ends Jan. 1, 2010 (last day of Week 2 of PP 1-10). Article 7.1.B.5 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement provides exceptions to the 6 and 11 percent casual caps during accounting periods 3 and 4 of the Fiscal Year. For FY2010, the exception period is from Nov. 21, 2009, through Jan. 15, 2010.
Denver Metro Bids
Farewell to Long Time Members
As a result of the $15,000 retirement incentive negotiated by APWU National President Bill Burrus, the DMAL lost 135 members on October 31, 2009. President Gary Scott and Executive Vice-President Sonda Goss personally thanked and congratulated more than half of those members during their last days at work.
During the retirement frenzy, more than 80 APWU watches and denim jackets were awarded to our retirees during the ceremonies held in their honor. Your officers had hoped to personally thank each and every retiree for their many years of membership, however with so many retiring at the same time, it simply wasn’t possible. We hope that all will enjoy a long and wonderful retirement.
Changes to Postal Service Health and
Medical Units
As part of the national interest arbitration panel decision, all clinical medical services within Postal Service Health & Medical Units, provided by both career and contract Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) will be discontinued.
This memo provides at least sixty (60) days notice that the clinical operations in the Health & Medical Unit(s) located at the Denver Processing & Distribution Center will stop on January 10, 2010.
Effective immediately, hours of service are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Return to Work questions / paperwork:
Ellen Jenkins, RN, Phone: 303-853-6075
Last names beginning: A-K
Dennis Hernandez, RN, Phone: 303-853-6075
Last names beginning: L-Z
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