Via Director Balogun:
Summary of Maintenance Management Order Zoom Meeting on MMO-47-26
Quick recap: This meeting was a nationwide webinar hosted by Director Balogun and Assistant Director Terry B. Martinez to address concerns about MMO 047-26, a new Maintenance Management Order that affects maintenance mechanic positions and skill level requirements. The presentation provided background on the 2003 DAS Award dispute that established minimum skill levels for various tasks, explained how the Postal Service notified the union about planned changes to a specific type of DBCS machine assignments, and outlined the current challenges facing Level 7 maintenance mechanics, who may be required to perform higher-level work. Director Balogun emphasized that the union has not agreed to the changes and is actively negotiating with the Postal Service to protect job security and ensure proper compensation for higher-level work. The meeting addressed numerous questions from attendees about job security, promotion processes, pay adjustments, and specific implementation issues, with the director encouraging employees to file grievances for 7-2 violations when lower-level workers are assigned higher-level tasks, apply for MPE tests, and contact their Maintenance National Business Agents for local support. President Jonathan Smith made a brief appearance to express confidence in the union’s response to the challenges and encourage continued transparency in future communications.
Meeting Code of Conduct Overview: The meeting began with introductions and technical setup, with over 500 people signed up to attend. The APWU outlined the code of conduct, emphasizing the commitment to providing an environment free from discrimination and harassment, and designated herself as the point of contact for any concerns. The meeting was being led by Idowu Balogun, Maintenance Division Director, with Jason Trier as Assistant Director and Terry B. Martinez as MMO specialist, and they were preparing to start the main presentation by sharing their screen.
Maintenance Position Reclassification Concerns: The meeting focused on addressing concerns about job security and potential reclassification of maintenance positions, particularly for maintenance mechanics (MM 7) and other occupational groups at levels 9 and 10. The Director provided background on a 2003 DAS Award that established minimum skill levels and task requirements, noting that the current dispute is not new but has resurfaced with the Postal Service’s plans to downsize certain jobs previously performed by maintenance workers. Terry B. Martinez was introduced as the contact person for maintenance management orders.
Maintenance Mechanic Task Assignment Issues: Assistant Director Terry B. Martinez discussed ongoing issues with maintenance mechanic task assignments and MMO (Maintenance Management Order) changes. He explained that since 2015, he has been addressing problems where maintenance mechanics were being assigned tasks beyond their position descriptions, including inspections. Terry detailed the process of receiving and reviewing MMOs, noting that draft documents are not shared with the field, and that final MMOs can still be changed through online modifications. He addressed specific concerns about task levels and some tasks in recent MMOs, explaining that while some issues have been corrected, the Union does not have authority to unilaterally change task levels.
MM7 Job Changes Discussion: The Director addressed concerns about MM7 job changes, explaining that while the changes are permanent for now, the union is still in discussions with the Postal Service and has not decided whether to file a dispute. The Director recommended that Level 7 employees apply for MPE tests and obtain copies of their current staffing packages to understand how the changes affect them. The Director also encouraged employees to file grievances for occupational group validation, noting that while there are no current plans to abolish positions, the ultimate impact remains uncertain.
MMO Level Changes Discussion: The Director addressed questions about recent changes to MMO levels, clarifying that the Postal Service implemented these changes without prior notification to the union. The Director confirmed that Phases 2 through 5 involving eCBM machines are currently affected by these changes, with a specific focus on moving Mechanics from Level 7 to Level 9 positions. The Director emphasized that while cross-occupational work is occurring, employees should focus on seeking higher level pay rather than filing grievances about job responsibilities and noted that the union has not agreed to these changes but is currently negotiating with the Postal Service.
Task Thresholds and Compensation Concerns: Director Balogun addressed concerns about Task 7 and 19 thresholds being doubled, assuring participants that all issues are being reviewed and advising attendees to file complaints when workers are assigned higher-level tasks without appropriate compensation. An attendee raised questions about eCBM task combinations, and Director Balogun advised contacting Maintenance National Business Agents for guidance, particularly regarding combined Level 7 and 9 tasks. Another attendee from an RPDC discussed staffing challenges and being assigned Area Assurance duties beyond his Level 7 role, with Director Balogun recommending he request Level 9 pay. The meeting, with 681 registered participants at its peak, concluded with Director Balogun encouraging attendees to contact their business agents with additional questions and promising to post updates on the APWU website.
Special thanks goes to our National Business Agents (Jeff Beaton, Stephanie Logan, and Kyle Popek) for monitoring and responding to live Chats Question and Answers during the presentation.