Greater Michigan Excessing Update

10/24/2010

Mail Handler Excessing Update

Those of you that have been identified for Excessing from your facility in

western Michigan may have received a letter from management, if not you can

expect one in the next few days.

The Letters really don't say much. It is Our position that this 60 day notice is

improper. The Union will Grieve these notices as being improper because they

do not notify of specific locations where employees might be relocated.

The Area meeting with management did not provide many answers from

management either. We either disagreed on many issues (level 4 vs. Level 5,

204b's, PTF/PTR hours, ect.), or they did not have the answers that We were

seeking. I have filed over 50 Information requests for the information that we

need and absent an extension request from them for the information from other

Districts (they should have most of the local Info in their justification package)

the Info is due November 1 st. We will most likely have to file a Labor Charge

with the NLRB to get everything.

They are basically clueless. Let's take Lansing for example, they claim that

they have 27.2 too many Mail Handlers but wanted to excess 28. I asked how

27.2 MH's equates to 28, they said okay we will Excess 27. I then asked them

to put 23 (not 27) MH's on standby for a week and try to get the Mail out. They

responded that they need everyone working to get the Mail out.

In Gaylord (total of 7 MH's in the facility, 4 FTR and 3 PTF) they say they

have 1.2 too many MH's but they want to Excess 2 FTR and 2 PTF.

I can go on and on about the discrepancies in their numbers, suffice it to say

that We are on top of it and We are actively trying to reduce the Excessing

numbers in each facility.

No one will be excessed before January and it is doubtful that they can find

enough jobs anytime soon to place Excessed MH's into.

I encourage you to read Article 12 of the Contract, it governs in this situation

and I am available to answer any questions that you might have.

Management will also have to abolish the same amount of jobs as the number

of excess MH's. That means that there will be more realignments and reposting

of jobs. For Example, In Grand Rapids, if they want to excess 40 MH's they

will abolish 40 jobs, yet they have no idea which 40 jobs they do not need. If

you are in GR, feel free to ask your MDO or line supervisor to identify the jobs

that they do not need.

From the documents we have been provided it appears that mail volume figures

were entered into a computer and management calculated how many employees

should have been used if they wanted perfect BPI scores. They will be

attempting to reduce to that number.

Please remember to work safely. If you attempt to move multiple containers of

mail, you could be injured and the USPS no longer provides limited duty to

those employees who are injured on the job. Management cannot ask you and

should not pressure you to work unsafely. If they do ask you to work unsafely,

file a safety hazard report (PS Form 1767) and provide a copy to the Union.

For right now Myself, State Rep Rita Tripp and Kalamazoo Branch

President Ellen Carpenter are taking the lead on this issue and will be

working closely with each and every Branch President or Chief Steward in

your Facility.

To get on the email list, send your email address to grlocal307@yahoo.com

Finally, for those of you trying to text me at my 616 #, texts can only be

guaranteed to be received by my 313 #, which is 313-421-6155

More to follow

Fraternally,

Jim Haggarty

President

NPMHU

Local 307