LOCAL MEMORANDUM OF

UNDERSTANDING

BETWEEN

APWU HARTFORD LOCAL #147

AND

THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, HARTFORD, CT

NOVEMBER 21, 2010-MAY 20, 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM 1 WASH-UP

ITEM 2 WORK WEEK

ITEM 3 EMERGENCY CONDITIONS

ITEM 4 LOCAL LEAVE PROGRAM

ITEM 5 LENGTH OF CHOICE VACATION PERIOD

ITEM 6 DAY WHICH VACATION BEGINS

ITEM 7 TWO SELECTIONS DURING CHOICE VACATION PERIOD

ITEM 8 WHETHER JURY DUTY AND ATTENDANCE AT NATIONAL OR STATE CONVENTIONS SHALL BE CHARGED TO THE

CHOICE VACATION PERIOD 

ITEM 9 CHOICE VACATION-PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES OFF

ITEM 10 NOTICE OF APPROVED VACATION SCHEDULES

ITEM 11 NOTIFICATION OF THE NEW LEAVE YEAR

ITEM 12 LEAVE PROCEDURES: NON CHOICE VACATION PERIOD

ITEM 13 SELECTING EMPLOYEES TO WORK HOLIDAYS

ITEM 14 OVERTIME DESIRED LIST

ITEM 15 ILL OR INJURED EMPLOYEES

ITEM 16 LIGHT DUTY PROCEDURES

ITEM 17 LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS

ITEM 18 SECTION FOR EXCESSING

ITEM 19 PARKING

ITEM 20 ANNUAL LEAVE FOR UNION ACTIVITIES

ITEM 21 CRAFT ARTICLE PROVISIONS

ITEM 22 SENIORITY, REASSIGNMENTS AND POSTINGS

ITEM 1

ADDITIONAL OR LONGER WASH-UP PERIODS

A reasonable amount of wash-up time will be granted to all clerk craft employees engaged in dirty, and/or toxic work. The amount and frequency of wash-up time will vary with the circumstances in each individual case.

The amount of wash-up time granted to each employee shall be subject to the grievance procedure.

ITEM 2

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGULAR WORK OF FIVE DAYS WITH EITHER FIXED OR ROTATING DAYS OFF

Management and the Union (APWU) agree that the regular work week for full time regular employees shall be five (5) days with fixed days off.

ITEM 3

GUIDELINES FOR THE CURTAILMENT OR TERMINATION OF POSTAL OPERATIONS TO CONFORM TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR AS LOCAL CONDITIONS WARRANT BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY CONDITIONS

1. The curtailment or termination of Postal Operations because of emergency conditions shall be made by the Installation Head or Designee and shall be based upon consideration of the prevailing local conditions in accordance with information available, or upon orders and directives received from local, state or federal authorities.

2. Consideration shall be given to Acts of God (including, but not limited to storms, fires, floods, community disasters) as well as physical conditions which jeopardize the safety and health of employees. Situations must be general rather than personal in scope, and must prevent groups of employees from working or reporting to work.

3. Every reasonable effort will be made to disseminate this information.

4. Every effort will be made to notify all units as soon as possible when operations are curtailed.

5. Management will consult with the Hartford Local APWU President or his/her designee concerning the appropriate action(s) which management will determine to take, where the emergency is of such nature that advance notice is possible.

6. The Lead Plant Manager and Postmaster and/or their designee and the President of the Hartford Local APWU and/or his/her designee will meet annually for the purpose of management giving a verbal overview of the Contingency Plans. This will not include contingency plans for work stoppages. Notification to the President of the Hartford Local APWU will be provided should any changes in the contingency plans occur.

ITEM 4

FORMULATION OF LOCAL LEAVE PROGRAM

1. All references to ‘leave’ in this Item apply to only annual leave, unless otherwise specified herein.

2. During the submission period, the employer shall make available, PS Form 3971, in duplicate. A copy will be returned to the employee prior to the vacation posting if requested. 

3. There shall be two submission periods for applications for Annual Leave for the choice vacation period. The submission periods shall be:

1. January 15 through January 30 for selection period one.

A. Each employee will have two (2) selections in accordance with Item 7.

B. Employees will select full weeks only.

C. Selections will be made on a PS Form 3971.

D. Period one approved selections will be posted by February 15.

2. February 15 through February 28 for selection period two.

A. The employee will have three (3) selections and will have the option of selecting full or less than full weeks.

B. Full weeks shall have precedence over less than full weeks. 

C. Selections will be made on the PS Form 3971.

D. Period two approved selections will be posted no later than March 10.

3. The Employer shall post notice of the submission periods.

1. If an employee is not present for the selection periods due to extended absence, they may submit their request by mail, electronic transmission or other means available.

2. All employees shall retain their approved choice vacation period, although their regular assignment changes.

3. Employees who have been awarded a bid assignment that includes coverage in the Finance section, Accounting, or at a Station or Branch, or at a Detached Unit, etc. shall bid for vacation in their principle assignment area.

4. Military duty shall not be charged to the choice vacation period. Any employee who is called for Military duty during his/her scheduled choice vacation period shall be given another selection, but not to the detriment of any other employee in the craft.

5. Management and the Union must mutually approve all leave cancellations. A leave cancellation request must be in writing to Management and the Union. If the leave cancellation is approved, the cancelled leave shall be opened for bidding to all other employees through the use of posted announcement.

6. If employees do not have sufficient annual leave to cover their entire vacation request, the approved request will be rescinded and posted to all employees.

7. The approved vacation selections shall remain posted throughout the year.

8. All requests for leave after the March 10 approved selection posting, will be submitted on a PS Form 3971 in duplicate. These requests will be granted on a first come first serve basis, by seniority as per Item 9.

   1. Leave requests for a full week or more must be submitted by noon seven (7) days prior to the first day of the leave request.

   2. Leave requests for less than a full week must be submitted by noon two (2) business days prior to the first day of the leave request. 

   3. The PS Form 3971 must be submitted to the supervisor and be approved before leave is taken.

   4. For individual and multiple leave requests that are submitted on the same day for essentially the same hours, seniority will be the governing factor.

   5. A determination of whether or not leave requests have been approved shall be made within 72 hours after the date of the request, exclusive of those submitted between March 10 through March 15, which will be acted upon by March 20.

   6. Properly submitted leave requests not acted upon in a timely manner shall be considered approved.

MAINTENANCE CRAFT

A. Work units for leave purposes shall be established by occupational group, principal assignment area (Hartford P&DC, BDL/AMF, Mail processing equipment side, building maintenance side), and tour. Employees, who work split shifts (a duty assignment that has one or more full days of duty on one tour and one or more full days of duty on another tour) because of holding a “jumper bid”, shall constitute a separate tour for the purpose of this article. 

B. The employer will make every effort to avoid scheduling maintenance employees to take postal training courses at the same time as their choice vacation selection and to offer employees dates and times of training sessions in order to avoid cancellation of their vacation. In the event an employee is scheduled for training, he/she may cancel their vacation, and it will not be charged to the choice vacation period. He/she may make another selection, but not to the detriment of any other employee.

ITEM 5

THE DURATION OF THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD

The choice vacation period will be April 1 through March 31. The exception is the first full week of December through December 24. 

ITEM 6

THE DETERMINATION OF THE BEGINNING DAY OF AN EMPLOYEE’S VACATION PERIOD

The vacation period will start on the first day of the employee’s basic work week. In the case of employees with split days off, the vacation will commence on the first day after the first non-scheduled day in the service week. Exceptions may be granted by agreement among the employee, his union representative, and the employer. Each request for exception will be considered on its own merits. Such requests shall not be ordinarily denied.

ITEM 7

WHETHER EMPLOYEES AT THEIR OPTION MAY REQUEST TWO SELECTIONS DURING THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD, IN UNITS OF EITHER 5 OR 10 DAYS

Employees may make (2) selections in selection period one not to exceed the allowance defined in the National Agreement below.

1. Employees who earn 13 days annual leave per year shall be granted up to ten (l0) days of continuous annual leave during the choice period. The number of days of annual leave, not to exceed ten (10), shall be at the option of the employee.

2. Employees who earn 20 or 26 days annual leave per year shall be granted up to fifteen (15) days of continuous annual leave during the choice period. The number of days of annual leave, not to exceed fifteen (15), shall be at the option of the employee.

ITEM 8

WHETHER JURY DUTY AND ATTENDANCE AT NATIONAL OR STATE CONVENTIONS SHALL BE CHARGED TO THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD

1. Employees who are delegates to the APWU National Convention during the choice period and for whom management has approved request for leave will not be charged with the selection during choice period.

2. Five (5) delegates of the Hartford Local shall not have attendance at National or State Convention charged to the choice vacation period.

3. Any employee who is called for jury duty or a National or State convention during his/her original scheduled choice vacation period shall be allowed another choice vacation period, within the slots that have not been selected.

ITEM 9

DETERMINATION OF THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO SHALL RECEIVE LEAVE EACH WEEK DURING THE CHOICE VACATION PERIOD

A minimum of fourteen (14%) of the total complement, on each tour, will be granted leave during the choice vacation period. Rounding shall be the standard of .49 down and .50 up. If the fraction is less than .50 for the first employee, a minimum of one employee will be granted leave.

ITEM 10

THE ISSUANCE OF OFFICIAL NOTICES TO EACH EMPLOYEE OF THE VACATION SCHEDULE APPROVED FOR SUCH EMPLOYEE

A copy of the PS Form 3971 will be returned to the employee.

ITEM 11

DETERMINATION OF THE DATE AND MEANS OF NOTIFYING EMPLOYEES OF THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW LEAVE YEAR

No later than November 1st of each year, the Employer shall notify the employees of the beginning of the new leave year. Such notice is to be through the Bulletin Board.

ITEM 12

THE PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSIONS OF APPLICATIONS FOR ANNUAL LEAVE DURING OTHER THAN CHOICE VACATION PERIOD

ALL CRAFTS

1. The non-choice period is the first full week of December through December 24.

2. If management determines leave will be available, requests will be approved on a first come, first serve basis, by seniority and will not be unreasonably denied. 

3. Leave Requests will not be accepted prior to the first full week in December, and no more than 24 hours in advance.

ITEM 13

THE METHOD OF SELECTING EMPLOYEES TO WORK ON A HOLIDAY

ALL CRAFTS 

The parties agree to the following concepts in an effort to accomplish its mutual objective of scheduling the LEAST number of full time and part time regular employees on a holiday or day designated as their holiday.

A. The Employer will determine the number and categories of employees needed to work on any given holiday or designated holiday, in accordance with Article 11, Section 6 of the National Agreement. These numbers and categories shall be forwarded to the President of the Hartford Local, American Postal Workers Union.

B. One week prior to the holiday posting, the Installation Head or his/her designee, shall meet with the President, or his/her designee, Hartford Local APWU, to review the Holiday schedule.

CLERK CRAFT 

The Employer shall secure employees for Holiday work in the following manner:

1. By seniority, Full Time Regular employees who have volunteered to work on the Holiday or their designated holiday when such day is part of their regular work schedule. These employees would be working at the straight time rate in accordance with Article 11, Section 4.

2. By seniority, all other Full Time volunteers. In the case of such Full Time volunteers, if they are scheduled to work and it is what would otherwise be their non-scheduled day, they will be guaranteed eight (8) hours at the overtime rate in accordance with Article 8, Section 1 and Section 4.

3. Postal Support Employees (PSE), to the maximum extent possible, even if the payment of overtime is required.

4. Full Time Regular employees who have not volunteered, by inverse seniority, and who will be working on what would otherwise be their non-scheduled work day. In this case of such Full Time employees, they will be guaranteed eight (8) hours at the overtime rate in accordance with Article 8, Section 1 and Section 4.

5. All other Full Time Regulars who have not volunteered, using inverse seniority, starting with employees on their non-scheduled day, their Holiday or day designated as their holiday.

6. Volunteers, by seniority, with the necessary skills, from other tours, as long as the volunteer was not required to work in his/her holiday work area.

MAINTENANCE CRAFT 

The parties agree to the following concepts in an effort to accomplish its mutual objective of scheduling the least number of employees on holidays, as long as the manpower needs of the service are adequately met.

Solicitation notices will include the number of employees needed for each work unit.

1. The employer will determine the number and category of employees needed to work on any given holiday or day designated as a holiday, in accordance with Article 11, Section 6 of the National Agreement.

2. Prior to solicitation of employees for the holiday schedule, the Employer shall provide the Maintenance Craft Director and the President, Hartford Local APWU, the number and category of employees needed for the holiday schedule. If requested by the Union, a meeting between the Union and the Employer shall be held to discuss the number and category of employees needed for the holiday schedule.

3. All work units for holiday scheduling shall normally be established by occupational group, principal assignment area (Hartford P&DC, BDL/AMF, Mail Processing equipment side, Building Maintenance side, and by tour.)

4. Employees shall be solicited on a voluntary basis to work on a holiday in the following order:

1. Volunteers from within the work unit on their holiday or day designated as their holiday by seniority.

2. Volunteers from within the work unit on their non-scheduled day, by seniority.

3. Volunteers by seniority from other tours on their holiday or day designated as their holiday, with the same occupational code and principal assignment area, as long as the volunteer was not solicited or required to work in his/her own holiday work unit.

4. Volunteers by seniority, from other tours on their non-scheduled day, with the same occupational code and principal assignment, as long as the volunteer was not solicited or required to work in his/her own work unit.

5. Volunteers by seniority, with the necessary skills, from all other holiday units with the same occupational code, provided that the volunteer was not solicited or required to work in his/her own work unit.

6. A volunteer from one tour will not be permitted to work a consecutive tour, unless all the volunteers from the second tour have been offered the opportunity to work.

1. Employees shall be selected on an involuntary basis to work on a holiday in the following manner.

1. Postal Support Employees (PSE), to the maximum extent possible, even if the payment of overtime is required.

2. Full and Part Time regulars, who have not volunteered, using inverse seniority.

3. All other Full Time Regulars who have not volunteered, using inverse seniority, starting with employees on their non-scheduled day, their holiday or day designated as their holiday.

MVS CRAFT 

Employees shall be solicited on a voluntary basis to work on a holiday in the following order:

A. All work units for holiday scheduling will be established by occupational code, principal assignment area and by tour.

1. Volunteers from within the work unit on their holiday or day designated 

as their holiday, by seniority on the effected tour.

2. Volunteers from within the work unit on their non-scheduled day by seniority.

3. Volunteers by seniority from other tours on their holiday with the same occupational code as long as the volunteer was not solicited or required to work in his/her own holiday work unit.

4. Volunteers by seniority from other tours on their non-scheduled day, with the same occupational code and principal assignment, as long as the volunteer was not solicited or required to work in his/her own holiday work unit.

B. Employees shall be selected on an involuntary basis to work on a holiday from the effected tour in the following manner:

1. Postal Support Employees (PSE), to the maximum extent possible, even if the payment of overtime is required.

2. Full Time Regulars from the effected tour who have not volunteered, using inverse seniority.

3. All other Full Time Regulars who have not volunteered using inverse seniority starting with employees on their non-scheduled day, their holiday, or day designated as their holiday.

C. The total number of employees scheduled to work will be kept to a minimum, consistent with the needs of the service, on their holiday, scheduled holiday, or non-scheduled day.

D. For the purpose of this agreement, Level PS-7, Motor Vehicle Operators and Level PS-8 Tractor Trailer Operators, will be considered as the same occupational code.

ITEM 14

WHETHER “OVERTIME DESIRED” LIST IN ARTICLE 8 SHALL BE BY SECTION AND/OR TOUR

ALL CRAFTS 

1. Overtime Desired Lists will be established by tour.

2. When needed, overtime for regular full-time employees shall be scheduled among qualified employees doing similar work in the work location where the employee’s regular bid assignment is located. When it is determined that other additional employees are needed, available employees having listed their names on the Overtime Desired List shall be utilized.

3. Clerks who have bids in split locations may only place their names on the Overtime Desired List in the Main Office.

4. Employees on overtime may not exercise their seniority while on overtime.

5. Normally, there will be one (1) hour notice when overtime assignments are made.

6. One (1) copy of the Overtime Desired List shall be sent to the President of the APWU Hartford Local each quarter.

7. Once the Overtime Desired List is made up for the quarter, the only additions shall be as follows:

A. When a Postal Support Employee (PSE) or Part Time Regular employee becomes a Full Time Regular Employee.

B. When a successful bidder goes from one Tour to a different Tour (within reasonable amount of time, usually a pay period or two (2) weeks.

MAINTENANCE CRAFT 

1. Overtime Desired List in Article 38 shall be established by occupational group and level showing special qualifications where necessary.

2. Overtime Desired List shall be posted on all Maintenance Craft bulletin boards. One copy of each list shall be provided to the Maintenance Craft Director and the President of the APWU.

3. A list of employees called for overtime will be provided to the Union steward.

MVS CRAFT 

1. Normally, there will be one (1) hour notice when overtime assignments are made.

2. Once the Overtime Desired List is made up for the quarter, the only additions shall be as follows:

A. When a successful bidder goes from one Tour to a different Tour (within a reasonable amount of time, usually a pay period or two (2) weeks.)

1. Overtime Desired List in Article 39 shall be established by occupational group and Tour.

2. Overtime Desired List shall be posted on all Motor Vehicle Craft bulletin boards. One copy shall be provided to the Motor Vehicle Craft Director and the President of the APWU.

3. A list of employees called for overtime will be provided to the Motor Vehicle Craft Director monthly.

ITEM 15

THE NUMBER OF LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN EACH CRAFT OR OCCUPATIONAL GROUP TO BE RESERVED FOR TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS

The employer shall provide a sufficient number of light duty assignments so as to reasonably accommodate as many ill or injured employees as possible, consistent with the needs of the service.

ITEM 16

THE METHOD TO BE USED IN RESERVING LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS SO THAT NO REGULARLY ASSIGNED MEMBER OF THE REGULAR WORK FORCE WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED

CLERK CRAFT 

The United States Postal Service and the Unions recognizing their responsibilities to aid and assist full-time regular employees who, through illness or injury, are unable to perform their regularly assigned duties, agree to the following provisions and conditions for reserving light duty assignments.

A. Requests for temporary or permanent light duty will be put into writing and submitted to the installation head for approval. This request will be supported by medical proof of illness or injury and, if possible, state the anticipated duration, in accordance with Article 13, Section 2.

B. Before the installation head reserves any additional temporary or permanent light duty assignments, he/she shall consult with the President, Hartford Local APWU, or his/her designee. Any additional assignment shall be identified and reserved.

C. An employee will remain on his/her own bid assignment while recovering from an illness or injury, if he/she can safely perform those duties within their restrictions, so that no regularly assigned member of the regular workforce will be adversely affected.

D. The granting of permanent and temporary light duty requests in Stations and Branches will depend on the restrictions placed on the employee and the availability of work within those restrictions.

E. Where feasible, part time hours will be set aside for full time clerks and identified by mutual consent between the parties to provide limited light duty hours to consist of less than eight (8) hours of work in a service day, or less than forty (40) hours of work in a service week. This is to be accomplished without detriment to the status of other employees or the needs of the service.

F. Employees of the clerical craft will be afforded clerical light duty work, which is available within their restrictions on their tour, prior to providing such assignments to employees of other crafts.

G. No employee from any other craft shall be granted light duty in the clerk craft, on Tour 1 or Tour 3, unless there is no work in their craft. If an employee is granted light duty in the clerk craft, the President Hartford Local APWU, or his/her designee, will be notified and given the following information:

1. The name of the employee.

2. The assignment to which the employee will be assigned.

3. The approximate time this employee will be in this assignment.

H. If any clerk craft employee’s request for light duty is denied, for any reason, the President, Hartford Local APWU, or his/her designee, shall be notified of the denial and the reason for the denial, by the installation head or his/her designee, in writing, as soon as the determination is made.

I. If any clerk craft employee’s request for light duty in excess of five (5) working days is accepted, the President will be notified in writing. The Installation Head will review and discuss with the APWU Hartford Local President all assignments that exceed 30 days.

MVS CRAFT 

A. The employer will assign work to the employee within his/her craft and occupational code as near to his/her immediate work area as possible. An effort will be made by the employer to assign the employee to a schedule consistent with his/her tour of duty.

B. When a Motor Vehicle craft employee is assigned any temporary or permanent light duty assignment, the President, Hartford Local APWU, or his/her designee, will be notified in writing and given the following information:

1. The name of the employee.

2. The assignment to which the employee will be assigned.

3. The approximate time this employee will be in this assignment.

C. No employee from any other craft shall be granted light duty in the Motor Vehicle Craft, unless there is no work in their craft. If an employee is granted light duty in the Motor Vehicle Craft, the President, Hartford Local APWU, or his/her designee, will be notified in writing and given the following information:

1. The name of the employee.

2. The assignment to which the employee will be assigned.

3. The approximate time this employee will be in this assignment.

MAINTENANCE CRAFT 

A. The employer will assign work to the employee within his/her own craft and as near to his/her immediate work area as possible. An effort will be made by the Employer to assign the employee to a schedule consistent with his/her own bid schedule.

B. When a Maintenance Craft employee is assigned any temporary or permanent light duty assignment, the craft director of the Maintenance Craft shall receive the following information, in writing, from the installation head or his designee:

1. The name of the employee.

2. The assignment to which the employee will be assigned.

3. The approximate time this employee will be in this assignment.

C. No employee from any other craft shall be granted light duty in the Maintenance Craft, unless there is no work in their craft. If an employee is granted light duty in the Maintenance Craft, the President, Hartford Local APWU, or his/her designee, will be notified and given the following information:

1. The name of the employee.

2. The assignment to which the employee will be assigned.

3. The approximate time this employee will be in this assignment.

ITEM 17

THE IDENTIFICATION OF ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED LIGHT DUTY WITHIN EACH CRAFT REPRESENTED IN THE OFFICE

ALL CRAFTS

Every effort shall be made to assign light duty employees within their present crafts or occupational group, even if the light duty assignment results in a reduction of Postal Support Employees (PSE’s) work hours.

After all efforts are exhausted in the present craft and occupational group, every effort shall be made to reassign employees to other crafts or occupational groups within the installation, but not to the detriment of any full time employee.

CLERK CRAFT 

The Employer will give each request careful attention and reassign such employee as close to the employee’s original tour and days off as possible in the employee’s office.

MAINTENANCE CRAFT 

The Employer will give each request careful attention to reassign within the occupational group as determined by the Employer and the Union as close to the employee’s original tour and days off as possible.

MVS CRAFT 

The Employer will give each request careful attention and reassign such employees as close to the employee’s original tour and days off as possible in the employee’s office.

ITEM 18

THE IDENTIFICATION OF ASSIGNMENTS COMPRISING A SECTION WHEN IT IS PROPOSED TO REASSIGN WITHIN AN INSTALLATION EMPLOYEES EXCESS TO THE NEEDS OF A SECTION

Management and the Union (APWU) agree that the identification of assignments comprising a section when reassigning within the installation shall be by tours installation-wide.

Tour 1 11:30 p.m Starting Time

Tour 2 7:30 a.m Starting Time

Tour 3 3:30 p.m Starting Time

Employees having different starting times, other than the above, shall be considered part of the tour in which they spend the majority of their work hours.

ITEM 19

THE ASSIGNMENT OF EMPLOYEE PARKING SPACES

Whenever there are assigned parking spaces in the employee’s parking area, three (3) spaces will be assigned and identified for the designated agent and/or Union official of the Hartford Local APWU at the GMF, one (1) space at the AMF/BDL and (1) space at the VMF.

ITEM 20

THE DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER ANNUAL LEAVE TO ATTEND UNION ACTIVITIES REQUESTED PRIOR TO DETERMINATION OF THE CHOICE VACATION SCHEDULE IS TO BE PART OF THE TOTAL CHOICE VACATION PLAN

Annual leave, to attend Union activities, by locally elected or appointed Union officials will not be charged to the choice vacation period.

Up to three (3) people will be allowed off and not charged to prime time.

ITEM 21

THOSE OTHER ITEMS WHICH ARE SUBJECT OF LOCAL NEGOTIATIONS AS PROVIDED IN THE CRAFT SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS

CLERK CRAFT 

The Employer shall post on all official boards an updated seniority list, quarterly. Also, within the first week of each quarter, the Employer shall send to the President, Hartford Local APWU, a copy of the updated seniority list. A seniority list of all assigned clerks shall be maintained in the Tour Superintendent’s office and will be made available to the Union, upon request.

MAINTENANCE CRAFT 

The Employer, Maintenance Craft Director and the President of the APWU shall determine what constitutes a sufficient change of duties or principal assignment area to cause a job to be reposted.

MVS CRAFT 

Motor Vehicle Operator and Tractor Trailer Operator

The determination of what will cause a motor vehicle position to be reposted shall be if the duties within and eight (8) hour period of time changes more than two (2) or more, it shall be at the discretion between the Union and the employee holding such bid as to whether or not to repost the bid.

ITEM 22

SENIORITY, REASSIGNMENTS AND POSTING

CLERK CRAFT

A. Bids and Posting

1. Two (2) copies of all bid notices and awards will be sent to the Union President of the APWU Hartford Local.

2. Bids shall be posted for a period of ten (10) days.

3. The successful bidder shall be placed in the new duty assignment within fourteen (14) days, except in December and except as provided for in the P-11 Handbook when it is not possible to process a change action within 14 days.

4. It is agreed that the Union (APWU) will be given the opportunity to review bids at least five (5) days before posting. In the event that a bid is incorrectly posted, it will be cancelled and reposted at the next posting.

5. Bids shall close at 10:59 PM Eastern Time on the tenth day.

6. A secured bid box will be provided on the workroom floor for the submission of written bid sheets.

7. A copy will be provided upon request by an employee submitting a written bid sheet to the Personnel Office, prior to that bid posting results.

8. An In Service Typing Exam will be posted and offered on a quarterly basis. If an employee is deemed to have passed/qualified on the In Service Exam, that employee will be considered qualified for two (2) years from the date of the qualification.

B. Details

1. Details are assignments which cannot be filled by a permanent bid assignment. Normally, no detail will go beyond thirty (30) days. Where a detail will exceed thirty (30) days, the President, APWU, must be consulted to determine whether a full-time position should be created.

D. Seniority and Reassignments

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

a. Normally, the movement of clerks outside of the bid assignment must be as follows:

1. Regular clerks that volunteer by seniority

2. All regular clerks by inverse seniority

b. Normally, when it is necessary to reassign employees back into an assignment, it will be done by seniority. When a senior clerk volunteers to leave his/her bid area for a specific assignment, when he/she is reassigned from that assignment, he/she will be afforded the opportunity at the first available break or lunch to return to his/her area if junior clerks remain there.

MVS CRAFT 

1. All motor vehicle service assignments will be posted for bid in accordance with Article 39, Section 2 of the National Agreement.

2. The Employer will notify the Union of any changes of duties or starting times.

3. Normally the successful bidder shall work the duties of his/her bid as posted and the employer will extend the greater effort to this.

4. The Union will be furnished with copies of all job postings or changes in starting times, duties or jobs.

5. An employee, if qualified, voluntarily working overtime shall be considered to be one (1) day junior to any employee working his/her regular scheduled day.

6. If there is a change is starting time in a position of one (1) hour or more, the employee at his/her option shall have the right to retain the position, provided the cumulative changes do not exceed two (2) hours per contract.

7. The successful bidder shall be placed in the new duty assignment within fourteen (14) days, except in December and except as provided for in P-11 Handbook when it is not possible to process a change action within 14 days.

THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS ENTERED INTO ON OCTOBER 7, 2011 AT HARTFORD, CT 06101 BETWEEN THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE AND THE DESIGNATED AGENT OF THE AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION, HARTFORD LOCAL #147.

BOTH PARTIES AGREE THAT THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS TOTAL AND COMPLETE AND THAT PRECEDING LOCAL MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING ARE NULL AND VOID.