FEBRUARY 2006

             I would like to welcome you to our new DVD web site. I hope to provide you with another avenue of information so that you can stay updated on the current activities within this facility and the Postal Service in general. I will be updating this page when the union is made aware of new information concerning both your job and all union activities.

            The major issue facing us today is the dismantling of the SPBS, 1 and 2. This has been an on-going issue for the last two years but it does seem that it is coming to an end. Management has informed the union that these two machines will be dismantled in early 2006. The APPS machine will replace them in April of this year. What this means is that all clerks that still own a bid in pay locations; 112, 211, 212, 311, and 312 must bid or you will become an unassigned regular. SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE

            The second issue that I would like to discuss is the FSM 100. The union has been made aware that a new attachment will be added to the FSM 100 that will perform the sweeping operation. This will at one point eliminate one clerk position per machine. The Postal Service does have a machine that also loads the FSM 100 but at this time the union has been informed that DVD is not scheduled to get this machine. I have not been given a date for the machine but when I am informed of a date I will make it available to you. SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE

            There will be some movement of equipment. The FSM 100 is scheduled to be relocated to an area in front of the MDOs office. The DBCS machines that occupy this area now will be moved over to where the OCRs are now located. These OCRs will be removed and the manual letter section may be relocated. These relocations will not affect any bid jobs. The clerks in these areas will be moved with their respective area. SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE

            There have been discussions about clerks being excessed into DVD. At this time the union has been notified that twelve clerks from Newark NJ, will be excessed into the BMEU office. These clerks will retain their seniority, as per Article 12 of the National Agreement. There are several postal facilities both here in NJ and other states that are scheduled to close and be combined. The good news as of now is that DVD will be one of the facilities that will be accepting the excessed workers from other facilities.

********************************** UPDATES **********************************

DEAR MEMBERS:

FSM

The Union was informed this week of the new plans for the FSM 1000, due to the lack of production of the machine, not the performance of the Keyers, management has made the decision to remove the FSM 1000. I had in the past reported that this machine was to be moved over to the area just west of the MDO office, that was what the union was told at the time. Management stated that since the last meeting they have done research and it was not cost effective to move the FSM due to (1) lack of production and (2) the cost of moving the machine and maintenance of the machine. This removal should occur in late March or early April of 2006.

Due to the removal of the FSM 1000 I am in the process of negotiating for new manual flat positions in both the Pref and bulk mail areas. I will also be sitting down with management to see when and how management is planning to assign the FSM 1000 employee’s. This issue will be resolved prior to the FSM 1000 being removed.

Starting the week of February 4, 2006, the FSM 100s will have the new automatic sweeper attached to the machine. This will be done 1 machine per week until all 5 machines are done. This sweeper will eliminate 1 employee per machine.

DBCS

In the next couple of months the remaining OCRs will be removed and will be replaced by DBCS machines, the machines will have the PARS attachment; this will take the place of the CFC units. What the PARS does is to redirect forwarding mail at this point, right now the mail is directed to the address on the envelope and then the carrier has to attach the forwarding address.

SPBS

SPBS #1 and # 2 will be removed starting the first week of March; the APPS machine will be installed starting the week of March 27th. The APPS will not be running until early June of this year. The mail that is run on SPBS #1 and #2 will be worked either on #3 and #4 or in manual areas. The clerks’ positions in these two areas will be abolished and the clerks will be come unassigned, therefore I am urging them to bid.

ELECTIONS

Nominations for Officer and trustee positions will take place at the February union meeting; all members are encouraged to attend. I have posted the rules for the Campaign on all of the union bulletin boards; I ask that you take the time to read them.

 

LOCAL MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

ITEM # 4  FORMULATION OF LOCAL LEAVE PROGRAM

  1. On the first Monday of Pay Period No. 3, management will provide for all employees a choice vacation period selection form.
  2. Employees will return their selections by the second Monday of Pay Period # 4 (3 weeks)
  3. Management will compile the results and post by the second Monday of Pay Period No. 5, as provided in ITEM 10.
  4. Employees may them make second selections (as provided in ITEM No. 7) by the second Monday of Pay Period No. 6.
  5. Management will post the final schedule for the choice vacation by the second Monday of Pay Period No. 7.

********************************** UPDATES **********************************

DEAR MEMBERS:

 

FSM UPDATE

Management has decided not to use the FSM 1000 for the near future; I have been told the reason is to actually see the manual mail volume. This study will be used in determining the amount of new manual flat bids. The FSM 1000 is not schedule to come out until early April, as we all know this can change but that is the time schedule that management has given to the Union.

SPBS UPDATE

Starting Friday, March 3, 2006, management will stop running SPBS # 2, the other three SPBS machines will be run for the full 8 hour shift. This will mean that the three remaining SPBSs will go to lunch 1 at a time with a relieve team keying during break and lunches. I have requested a break and lunch schedule from the tour MDOs, I requested that the affected employees be given the schedule prior to putting the new schedule into action.

JOB ABOLISHMENT

At this time no jobs are being abolished, what this means is that even though we are using the position, you will still keep your bid. This will ensure that you will keep your time schedule and rest days. This will not guarantee that your job will never be abolished but it does give you a very reasonable chance to get another bid of your choice.

Had management abolished your job, then you would have been resigned to another job that could have been on another tour with different rest days. I urge you to do your best to bid on a job that you will be comfortable in.

FEBRUARY 10, 2006 - UPDATE

On March 10th in the OCR area a powder was found, the employees that discovered this power reported to the supervisor who then reported to MDO Mr. Aponte. Mr. Aponte had the area roped off and reported the power to the Postal Inspectors response team. While this team was in the process of testing the power, another area reported the same power. At this time the FBI, Kearny Police, the NJ Health Department and the Hudson County Hazmat team was notified, I was also notified by Shop Steward, Scott Jefferson.

Mr. Jefferson continued to give me updated reports of the situation during the course of the night. At one point during the early hours of March 11~, Shop Steward Diane Jerido called me to inform me of a problem on tour 1 concerning tour 1. At that time I came in to DVD, I met with the Safety Officer and Management and was given an update of the situation.

The results of the testing were the power was of some kind of food product, such as a power drink. The affected areas remained roped off until the NJ State Health Department gave management the okay to open up the areas.

After reviewing management’s response to the situation and discussing their actions, it was agreed that for the most part management, Mr. Aponte did follow the regulations. As with all incidents when you go over the actions taken during the situation you do find things that could and maybe should have been done differently. At the Safety and Health meeting of March I6”~ the union questioned some of management’s actions and has of now awaiting answers to some of our concerns. When Mr. Aponte contacted the Postal Inspectors and the other agencies, these agencies actually take control of the situation. The decision of letting tour 1 into the building and then detailing tour 3 employees from leaving was the NJ Health Department’s decision.

ELECTIONS

Voting for the NY State Convention is going to be held on March 15, 2006 from 11am to 3pm, nominations for the National Convention will also be made at the meeting. At the end of March Ballots for the election of Officers for NY Metro Area Postal Union will be mailed to all members. I urge all members to vote, the right to vote is one of your most valued rights as a union member, don’t give it up.