[March 26]

News for the Rood Truckers

Union Yes— Newsletter of the RTC Drivers Union Committee, Pittsburgh Metro Local, APWU



Read what Larry has to say about his "firing" from RTC in
An Open Letter from Larry Marangoni

        [March 22]

BMC Steward Resignations

Late Wednesday afternoon (March 20), I received notice that Tour-2 Chief Grievance Officer Dave Cichra and stewards Terry Stokes and Bill Clinebell vacated their steward positions at the Bulk Mail Center. Thank you, gentlemen, for your years of service to our members. We wish you well in your non-union endeavors.

Due to the current lack of stewards and implementation of the new schedule this week, I am appointing member Joe Pcola, as an interim Tour-2 steward so that we have representation on the tour.


Harrassment
I just attended a hearing at a District Justice Office for a harassment case between two of our members. The Justice found one party guilty and imposed the maximum fine that could be applied. If you are harassing, or being harassed at your worksite, be advised that there are means available to put an end to this type of behavior.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Rosemary Penascino,
President

        [March 19]

Attention MVS Members

Dear MVS Members:

I am in receipt of a letter from your Craft Director stating:

"The MVS Craft, PMAPWU has no desire to negotiate any items with regard to the L.M.O.U."

Please notify me in writing only if you disagree with the above stated position. If I do not hear from our MVS members, I will go with the Craft Director's recommendation.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Rosemary Penascino,
President

        [March 19]

AMF Restaffing

In a Labor/Management meeting held today, March 18, 2002, management announced that they intend to do the following:

• Abolish 4 Jobs on daylight
• Abolish 2 jobs on night turn
• Excess the 3 junior Level 5 clerks to the General Mail Facility
• Do an insection canvas with 4 jobs: 1 of these jobs will be Tour 1, 3 of these jobs will be Tour 3

Management intends to create an Air Records Processor Section on Tour 3. There will be:

• One vacation slot in that section
• A separate Overtime Desired List
• A separate Holiday Schedule

The impact date is not yet known. Letters will be sent out to the affected Level 5 clerks before April 1, 2002.

        [March 14]

Update on Excessing

GMF

At the employee meeting held Thursday night at the General Mail Facility PEDC, management announced that deployment of the retrofit equipment for the FSM1000's has been delayed. This delay will cause a delay in the excessing of clerks. Management now anticipates that excessing will not occur before late July or August of 2002.

Excessing letters, providing the 60 day notification required by the contract were handed out to employees this week.

We've been attempting to confirm this delay information with our National Union. According to information at that level, Pittsburgh continues to be scheduled for deployment June 6, 2002.

Late Tuesday, March 12, 2002, we received official notice that the on-site REC (VCS room) will be closing June 15, 2002. The mail currently keyed at the GMF VCS room will be handled at the Turtle Creek site beginning that date.

City Stations/Branches

Currently, Upper St. Clair is the only station planning to excess their machine operators prior to the March 23rd upgrade date. Greentree is scheduled to remove their machines, but not before the Senior Mail Processor upgrade occurs. Management has notified us that no other city station/branch is scheduled to have their machines taken out at this time.

Associate Offices

At this time, we have no confirmed dates for machines to be removed from Associate Offices.

BMC

Management maintains there may be an excessing from the BMC. No firm date or numbers are confirmed at this time.

        [February 5]

YMCA Membership Discount in Beaver County

The Beaver County Labor Council has joined the YMCA in Beaver County as a corporate member and their members are entitled to a 15% discount. If any one of you would like to join the YMCA, please inform the YMCA that you are a union member of the Beaver County Labor Council and also, you will have to produce some type of union identification.

        [February 5]

Job Lockout in Beaver Falls

Our union brothers of the USWA #8183 are locked out of their jobs at Brighton Electrical Steel Casting, in Beaver Falls. We are requesting from all local unions to help support our union brother's-- by standing in the picket lines with them, to show support of solidarity-- and by contacting Elected Officials and Community Leaders to settle this contract dispute in a fair and equitable manner.

You can use our own Find Your Representative page here at pgh-metro.net to locate yours!

If you have any questions please contact Rich Lubic, President of USWA #8183
at 724-728-6455.

        [February 2]

Dates for Raises, Back Pay

Executive Vice President Cliff Guffey has finalized the dates for the receipt of back pay from the interest arbitration award. The dates are as follows:

$499 Lump Sum COLA Payment will be received in the regular paycheck on March 15, 2002.

1.2 % retroactive payment from Nov. 18, 2000, through March 22, 2002 will be received in the regular paycheck on April 12, 2002.

1.8% retroactive payment from Nov. 17, 2001, through March 22, 2002 will be received in the regular paycheck on April 12, 2002.

New salary rates to reflect the 1.2% and 1.8% wage increases will be implemented on March 23, 2002, and reflected in the paycheck employees receive on April 12, 2002.

Upgrade of Mail Processors and Senior Mail Processors to Grade 5 and Grade 6 respectively will go into effect on March 23, 2002.

Mail Processors and Senior Mail Processors on Pay Schedule 1 will be placed in Grade 5 or Grade 6 at the appropriate step in accordance with the promotion pay rules, and will carry their waiting time for the next step increase.

The retroactive pay for the 1.2% increase will be based on hours paid. Eligible employees will be those who were paid during the period of Nov. 18, 2000, to March 22, 2002.

The retroactive payment for the 1.8% increase will be based on hours paid. Eligible employees will be those who were paid during the period of Nov. 17, 2001, to March 22, 2002.

The lump sum cost-of-living payment will be paid to all non-probationary employees on the rolls on Dec. 18, 2001, with full time employees receiving the full amount. Part-Time Regular employees and Part-Time Flexible employees will receive a pro-rated amount.

From the Burrus Update, #2-02