From: Omar Gonzalez ogonzalez@apwu.org
Date: August 4, 2014 11:49:59 AM PDT
Subject: REGIONAL ALERT REGIONAL ALERT PLEASE FORWARD

THE PMG IS MOVING FORWARD

The PMG has taken action on the Federal Register to move forward with changing the Delivery Standards. For those who may think the PMG is only bluffing about the consolidation (AMP) of 82 more Plants this should serve as notice that THIS IS NO BLUFF!   IT WILL HAPPEN IN 5 MONTHS!
In the Western Area , as have other parts of the country, management has begun issuing Notices of Withholding and AMP impacts. WE MUST COUNTER!

DO OR DIE
Congress is in recess for the remainder of the summer.  NOW is the time to mobilize your officers and stewards to hit those work floors and postal installation entrances to get our members to ACT NOW!

Upon returning from recess the Senate will take up the Appropriations Bill in order to fund the government and pay USA’s bills.  There is a letter being developed that will be sent to the Appropriations Committee to include language or attach a continuing resolution that WILL KEEP OUR CURRENT STANDARDS at the current level and STOP CONSOLIDATIONS for one year (it’s a start).

WE NEED YOU AND YOUR MEMBERS to contact their US Senators to support this effort and to sign on to the letter.  AUGUST 6th is the deadline for the letter. Brother Marcotte our Legislative & Political Director has sent out an eTeam Alert last Friday.  PLEASE TAKE ACTION!

BUT THAT ONLY GIVES US TWO DAYS!!!
While our priority at the moment is to GET EVERY SENATOR TO SIGN THE LETTER if for whatever reason you haven’t been able to or cannot mobilize, THE GROUND GAME will still be critical to help us STOP THE PMG AND AMP and the further erosion of postal services.
So please take the time to GET ACTIVE, TAKE ACTION mobilize your members:  Not only will this help our nationwide effort to STOP THE PMG but the mobilization can also:

• Help with your Organization Drive
• Help build solidarity within your Local and State
• Help involve those members who never file grievances
• Help your internal support building

Plan visits and phone calls to the US Senators and Congressmen while they are in their Districts and Field Offices!

MY OFFICE IS NOT IMPACTED
If you believe that because your Installation is not currently affected by so called “Postal Rationalization” your members are safe  you are mistaken!  USPS is impacting offices with as little as 2 employees. Management is not just using AMPs – they are using Function 4, Customer Service Variance, Function 1 Mail Processing, Function 3 and just about any kind of process they can to eliminate the 11,000 jobs they have targeted BY OCTOBER 1, 2014!

If you are a gaining office you will have realignments that will cause disruptions in your facilities. AND YOU WILL BE BLAMED!  If the PMG gets away with gutting the current SERVICE STANDARDS your facilities will soon be “Over Capacity” and your employees will be affected.

PLEASE DO NOT STAND BY AND LET THIS HAPPEN! Mobilize Today!

THEY HAVE TO FIND US A JOB v LAY OFF
There are few vacancies available in our crafts. Most are in the carrier craft. Our members involuntarily reassigned to the carrier craft enter an entirely different postal world. Do not let recent so called arbitral victories fool you.  The NOLAN AWARD is being undermined by USPS by abolishing NTFT assignments and then giving the impacted employee a full-time schedule thus exposing him/her to reassignment into the carrier craft. THERE HAS BEEN NO NATIONAL UNION challenge to this tactic.

Our craft employees must be qualified to be reassigned to carrier craft is another recent arbitral win. DO NOT BELIEVE THAT MANAGEMENT hasn’t plotted and planned how to get around this loop hole.  Management is a master of deceit and determination.  Management is hiring a Reduction In Force Administrator. There are some among our ranks that believe this is simply a tactic. DO NOT BUY INTO THIS THOUGHT PROCESS.  Read Article 6:

Article 6(3) : ….the Employer shall have the right to effect layoffs for lack of work OR FOR OTHER legitimate reasons. This may be exercised IN LIEU OF REASSIGNING EMPLOYEES under the provisions of Article 12, except as such right may be modified by agreement.

Currently there are thousands of postal workers who are exposed to lay off. ALL of our recently converted PSEs; any new hires since November 2010, those excessed into the carrier craft from our crafts who have not yet have earned lay-off protection. AND CONSIDER THAT OUR CURRENT LAY OFF PROTECTION can be voided if legislation passes that relaxes the Private Express Statutes (see MOU page 307 CBA)

NOTE: Our current Lay Off Protection EXPIRES in 8 MONTHS

INTERNAL PREPARATIONS
I have asked for the assistance of our NBAs to help develop an internal process for dealing with the impacts of the AMPs and Rationalization via contractual appeals (at press time only 3 have thus far submitted data). The Region will issue the updated guidelines as soon as they are fully developed. We also will conduct teleconferences with locals and states and work together on dealing with management’s mess!

BUT WE CAN NOT GRIEVE OURSELVES OUT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL’S SINISTER QUEST TO THE POSTAL SERVICE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES!
WE NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION AND MOBILIZATION IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED AND SURVIVE!

I have attached a Tool Kit issued by our HQ. Please print it and read it.  If you need any more info on the Legislative Front call John Marcotte at (202) 842-4211 or GrassRoots Organizer Phil Warlick at (626) 585-1404.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL,
Omar
Omar M. Gonzalez
Regional Coordinator
PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR INTERNAL CONTACTS AS YOU DEEM PROPER!!
Thank you!