Update via Ray Glasser, Red Bank Local APWU, Maintenance Craft Director:
Wednesday 5/14/14
I attended the Article 12 meeting at the USPS South Jersey District HQ building today in Bellmawr, NJ. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss management’s plan for closing Monmouth P&DC and relocating all APWU represented employees. APWU Northeast Region Coordinator John Dirzius came down from Connecticut and APWU Northeast Region Maintenance Craft NBA Chris Howe came down from New Hampshire to attend the meeting. Also in attendance were APWU Eastern Region Clerk Craft NBA Jeff Kehlert, NJ State APWU President/Trenton Metro Area Local President Bill Lewis and Red Bank Local Clerk Craft Director Regina Camp.
USPS South Jersey District Senior Plant Manager David Robinson was in attendance in addition to about twelve other management representatives.
Red Bank Local President Joe Shevlin attended the meeting via speakerphone as did several management representatives.
Monmouth P&DC
(Click on image to enlarge)
Management made it clear that all operations at Monmouth P&DC will cease on September 19, 2014.
Monmouth P&DC has not been sold. It has not been officially listed for sale yet. But it was made clear that the Postal Service intends to sell the building.
The BMEU (Bulk Mail Entry Unit) will be relocated to the West Long Branch, NJ Post Office. Management claims that there is sufficient room and dock space to accommodate the current workload including relocating the MERLIN machine to that location. John Dirzius asked if a joint union-management walk-through of the new BMEU location could be scheduled. Management agreed to this. The BMEU clerks would work at the West Long Branch Post Office but would remain on the Red Bank, NJ Post Office seniority list. They would still remain members of the Red Bank Local for representation. They would be supervised by the Red Bank Post Office. They will not be supervised by anyone from the West Long Branch Post Office nor would they share any duties with the employees of the West Long Branch Post.
The two Data Collection Technicians currently domiciled at Monmouth P&DC will be domiciled at the Red Bank Post Office.
All registry, express, breakup, collection mail and dock transfer operations will be relocated to the Trenton P&DC. Management stated that all of these operations could be handled by the Trenton P&DC. I specifically asked if there were enough dock bays to accommodate all of the morning dispatch truck runs for the small AO’s in the 077 area that can’t accommodate large trucks. Trenton P&DC Plant Manager Russ Herrick replied “We have enough bays because we will be sending out the trucks in two waves.”
Nine clerks will be excessed. Management stated they will be withholding a sufficient number of clerk jobs and will look for more jobs closer to Monmouth P&DC. 60 day letters will be going out in July.
Maintenance specific issues:
The Area Maintenance Technician, Area Maintenance Specialist and Letter Box Mechanic will eventually be domiciled at the Red Bank Post Office but will stay domiciled at Monmouth P&DC for an undetermined amount of time to maintain the building. They will most likely stay there until the building is sold.
There are several issues that have to be resolved dealing with higher level skilled maintenance employees who have Veterans Preference protection. I will work with management to secure the best possible desirable positions for excessed maintenance employees.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Ray Glasser
Maintenance Craft Director
Maintenance Shop Steward Tour 2
Red Bank Local APWU AFL-CIO
Monmouth P&DC
Eatontown, NJ 07799
732-544-0335 (Office)
732-544-3682 (Fax)