After transferring to the PMPC, if management, in their managerial wisdom, would contract out the priority business again (can you say Emery?) excessed clerks would retain their seniority.

Part Time Regulars and Part Time Flexible clerks can voluntarily transfer with their current installation seniority and be converted to Full Time Regular status. After full time regular clerks has been given the opportunity to transfer.

Management intends clerk staffing to be 75% Full Time Regulars and 25% casuals. There are no Part Time Flexible or Transitional Employee positions in the plans.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the USPS and the APWU concerning transfers contains the following excerpt:

Managers will give full consideration to the work, attendance, and safety records of all employees who are considered for reassignment. An employee must have an acceptable work, attendance, and safety record and meet the minimum qualifications for all positions to which they request reassignment. Both the gaining and losing installation head must be fair in their evaluations. Evaluations must be valid and to the point, with unsatisfactory work records accurately documented.

Since our PMPC will not have any machinery (spbs, fsm), all clerks meet the qualifying condition. The available positions will include General Clerks, Expeditors (PS-06) and Manual Distribution Clerks (PS-05).

The following questions and answers are intended to keep you informed of the events at the Pittsburgh PMPC:

Question
Does the National Agreement apply at the PMPC?
Answer
Yes. The priority MOU provides for some differences (e.g. 75% Full time regulars and 25% casuals), but the National Agreement does apply at the PMPCs.

Question
Is there a local agreement?
Answer
No. Not yet.

Question
What is the order of selection?
Answer
Full Time Regulars first.
Part Time Regular second.
Part Time Flexible third.

Question
Who is going to monitor the determinations of who is accepted or rejected for the PMPC?
Answer
The June 6, 2001 joint communication between the parties provides that the APWU Regional Coordinator will receive a copy of the list of employees who applied and those who were selected.

Question
What seniority is it-- total craft seniority or installation seniority?
Answer
On June 6, 2001, the parties agreed that a clerk employee will transfer into the PMPC with his/her current installation seniority.

Question
Can you explain the differences in seniority?
Answer
The best explanation is an example.
Employee X worked ten years in office A.
Employee X transferred to office B and worked there for five years. This is his current installation.
Employee X transfers to the PMPC and is accepted.
Employee X's seniority is five years, his current installation seniority.

Question
If I have saved grade at present (due to LSM downsizing for example) do I lose that saved grade when I transfer to the PMPC?
Answer
No. However, you are still obligated to adhere to the conditions of maintaining your saved grade.

Question
Will PTF Clerks be allowed to transfer to the PMPC?
Answer
The parties have agreed to open vacancies to PTF's. However, that process will not be undertaken until the transfer requests of FTRs and PTRs are concluded. If there are still vacancies available, PTF clerks will be considered.

Question
What does a General Clerk or General Expeditor do at the PMPC?
Answer
They essentially do what is done in all other P&D plants.


Question
What is the 180 day detail?
Answer
The APWU and USPS agree that for 180 days from the date the first career employee transfers into the PPMPC, all employees will be considered to be on a detail. These detail assignments will not be the employee's permanent bid. When the 180 days expire, notice of full time regular bid assignments will be posted as outlined in Article 37 of the National Agreement. Jobs will be awarded by installation seniority. The intent behind this agreement is to protect senior employees from losing out on the preferred bid assignments. Under this arrangement, junior employees will not be awarded preferred bid assignments over senior employees based on the fact that the junior employee transferred into the facility a day or a week before the senior employee arrived.

Question
Will the jobs during the detail be the same when they are finally posted after 180 days?
Answer
Basically yes. A few may change as to hours, but essentially the jobs posted should Remain as is, in the majority of cases. Management is reserving the right to change bids according to their staffing needs before the permanent posting.

Question
What do I do if I want to cancel my request?
Answer
Employees who want to cancel their transfer request, should do so in writing to the Manager of the PMPC. Send a letter indicating that you want to cancel your request. This letter must be received before your effective date of transfer.

Question
If I transfer to the PMPC, can I subsequently bid to other Post Offices?
Answer
No. The Warrendale PMPC is an independent installation and does not have any stations or plants attached to it. One can always voluntarily transfer to another installation, however, one would go as a PTF with no seniority.


TRANSFER FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Eligibility
All Full Time and Part Time Regular Clerks and Part Time Flexible Clerks within a 50-mile radius of the PPMPC are eligible to apply.

Seniority
All individuals electing to transfer will transfer with their current installation seniority date. Selection for all positions among two or more individuals will be on a strict seniority basis.

Retreat rights
There are none. Once an employee is accepted at the PMPC, they are an employee of the PMPC. They do not have retreat rights, as this is not an excessing situation under Article 12 of the National Agreement.

Annual and Sick Leave
An employee transferring takes with them to the PMPC all of their annual leave and sick leave balances.

Relocation expenses
Relocation expenses will not be paid, as any employee electing to transfer is doing so voluntarily.

National Agreement
The National Agreement is applicable at the PMPC.

Days Off & Work Hours
The PMPC handles priority mail. The majority of assignments will be Tour 3 assignments. Management anticipates few Tour 2 and Tour 1 assignments.

Qualifications
Currently all clerks are qualified for the available positions. If mechanized or automated equipment is installed that would require a skill, those employees who fail to qualify will not be accepted for employment at the PMPC. These employees would remain at their current facility.