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City Delivery
Work methods
In November 2008, the NALC and the USPS signed a national memorandum of understanding on approved FSS work methods (M-01697). This MOU governs how letter carriers serving park-and-loop or foot deliveries in FSS offices handle additional bundles of mail. The MOU states:
- City letter carriers serving park-and-loop or foot deliveries will not be required to carry more than three bundles.
- In order to maintain three bundles on pre-sequenced mail days, letter carriers serving park-and-loop or foot deliveries may only be assigned to either:
- case residual mail, then collate with FSS mail while in the office (the pre-sequenced bundle must meet the definition of a third bundle under the Interpretive Step agreement for case Q98N-4Q-C 00189552) or,
- case residual mail, then collate with the pre-sequenced addressed mail during pull down while in the office.
- There is no change to current work methods for other types of deliveries.
- When a simplified mailing is carried as a third bundle by city letter carriers serving park-and-loop or foot deliveries, the simplified mailing will be placed on the bottom of the appropriate bundle. In order to maintain three bundles in this circumstance, residual mail and any pre-sequenced mail delivered that day will be collated with the FSS mail.
- City carrier case configurations will be consistent with requirements in methods handbooks M-39 and M-41. City carriers working in an FSS environment will be consulted before case configuration changes are implemented.
The MOU came as a result of reviewing the final report of the joint FSS task force (M-01691). The report also memorializes each party's FSS perspectives and recommendations, as well as the conclusion of what has been jointly agreed to regarding the FSS environment.
Implementation
In September 2007, the NALC and the USPS signed a national memorandum of understanding on the implementation of FSS (M-01643). This MOU established two things.
- Once FSS is fully implemented in a delivery unit, management will determine the methods to estimate impact in a delivery unit and make route adjustments accordingly.
- Sixty days after implementing route adjustments for FSS, the local parties will review the adjustments to ensure that routes are as near 8 hours as possible. This 60-day period will not count toward the special route inspection process (Section 271, Handbook M-39; Section 918, Handbook M-41). If either party determines that the route(s) is (are) not properly adjusted, then the route(s) will be adjusted In accordance with the provisions of Handbook M-39 or, if applicable, a locally agreed upon adjustment formula.
The terms of this memorandum were effective immediately and continue through all phases of Flats Sequencing System (FSS) implementation.
For a detailed explanation on your rights in and the procedures of adjusting routes in accordance with the provisions of Handbook M-39, see the NALC's Route Protection Program.
National dispute
In August 2011, a local grievance was filed alleging management violated the COR settlement (M-01661) in the way initial FSS route adjustments were made using the COR program. The USPS claimed this case interpretive because they believe M-01643 (see above) gives them the right to make initial FSS route adjustments in any way and does not require them to conform with the COR settlement or the Handbook M-39.
Any grievances concerning the 60-day review period contained in M-01643 should not be held for this interpretive dispute.
For an explanation of how the COR program works and can be used properly, used see A Guide for Using COR.
Phase 2
Currently, the USPS is testing a smaller machine for possible use in a second phase of FSS. This test is being conducted in Lancaster, PA. |
