Workplace issues
Contract Administration Unit
James Henry
Vice President
President Rolando appointed James Henry of Garden Grove, CA Branch 1100 as NALC vice president to fill the vacancy created when Lew Drass stepped down from the position on April 30, 2022. Full bio
NALC’s Contract Administration Unit oversees contract enforcement efforts at the highest level. The group of several NALC officers and staffers, headed by Vice President Lew Drass:
- Oversees the grievance arbitration system
- Files, discusses and attempts to resolve Interpretive Step grievances involving issues of contract interpretation
- Offers advice and support to the national business agent offices in NALC's 15 regions
- Compiles and publishes information resources for NALC contract enforcers at all levels of the union.
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Wounded Warriors Leave
PS Form 5980, “Treatment Verification for ‘Wounded Warriors’ Leave”
“Advanced Formal A and Beyond”
“Advanced Formal A and Beyond” is for NALC activists who have some experience at Formal Step A. The focus of this program is to teach participants to look at every Formal Step A case file from an arbitration advocate’s point of view. This training also sharpens the skills needed for enforcing the National Agreement at Formal Step A and provides an experience of what it’s like to serve as a Step B representative.
There is a lot of emphasis placed on handling situations where management fails to follow the grievance procedure as required by the National Agreement.
NALC Shop Steward’s Guide & Tool Kit
The shop steward’s job is difficult and demanding. The NALC Shop Steward’s Guide is a resource for the front-line steward that goes beyond the language of the National Agreement and Joint Contract Administration Manual (JCAM) by providing more in-depth information on grievance handling and how to effectively handle the day-to-day situations shop stewards encounter.
The NALC Shop Steward’s Guide is written for every steward/activist who handles grievances at the Informal Step A and/or Formal Step A of the grievance procedure. It has a step-by-step guide for what to do and what happens before, during and after each step of the grievance procedure from Informal Step A all the way to arbitration. This includes advice on how to handle matters when management fails/refuses to participate in the grievance procedure as required by our contract with the USPS. There also are individual sections on topics such as time limits for grievances, investigative interviews, information requests, remedies, tips for writing statements, grievance-handling forms and more. The samples in the grievance-handling forms section can be tailored for branch use.
The NALC 2014 Shop Steward’s Tool Kit is a DVD designed to put everything a steward may need for grievance handling in an electronic format that is user-friendly. It contains updated versions of the NALC Shop Steward’s Guide, JCAM, Materials Reference System (MRS), many of the USPS handbooks and manuals, an updated “Grievance Starters” section and more.
The hard copy of the NALC Shop Steward’s Guide comes three-hole punched with a cover and a spine so that stewards can put it in a small binder. This will allow NALC to make future supplemental additions. A copy of the DVD will be included with each guide.
For branches that need additional copies of the NALC Shop Steward’s Guide and the NALC 2014 Shop Steward’s Tool Kit, these materials are available from the Supply Department for $5 per set. Call 202-393-4695, ext. 874.
News and Updates
Customer Connect has been upgraded
In July, city letter carriers were able to begin entering their own customer connect leads and receiving feedback on their submitted leads through the Mobile Delivery Device (MDD), when they are on street mode under option “U”.
Eight additional installations to convert CCAs to career status and directly hire career letter carriers
On Aug. 31, NALC and USPS signed another memorandum of agreement which provides for an additional eight installations in which the Postal Service will convert all city carrier assistants to part-time flexible (PTF) career status.
NALC and USPS agree to moratorium on the time limits for the processing of all grievances due to NALC's 72nd National Convention
The NALC and the USPS have agreed to a moratorium on the time limits for the processing of all grievances at the local, regional, and national levels due to the NALC’s 72nd National Convention to be held in Chicago the week of Aug. 8.
NALC and USPS agree to MOUs to convert CCAs to career status and directly hire career letter carriers in select locations
These MOUs adjust staffing, maintain compliance with the contractual caps on CCA employment in several districts, and move to an all-career model in a number of installations across the country.
Vice President Lew Drass steps down; James Henry appointed
NALC Vice President Lew Drass stepped down from the office of vice president on April 30. President Rolando appointed James Henry of Garden Grove, CA Branch 1100 to fill the vacancy.
NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to an alternate route evaluation and adjustment process
NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to establish an alternate route evaluation and adjustment process for the remainder of 2022 and all of 2023.
PTF Step AA Interpretive Dispute Settled
The settlement upholds NALC’s position.
Maximum Annual Leave Carryover Amount of 520 Hours Extended into Leave Year 2023
The NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (M-01979) that increases the maximum allowable annual leave carryover amounts outlined in the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM).
Several COVID-19 Related MOUs Extended
By joint agreement (M-01976), several COVID-19 related memorandums of understanding have been further extended through May 6, 2022.
27 pay periods in 2022 leave year and its effect on annual leave earning
Each year, the leave year begins with the first day of the first complete pay period in a calendar year and ends on the day before the first day of the first complete pay period in the following calendar year.
Interpretive dispute filed over PTF Step AA
NALC has filed an interpretive dispute over the Postal Service’s method of calculating overtime pay, Sunday premium pay, general wage increases, and cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for part-time flexible employees in Step AA.
Several COVID-19 related MOUs extended until February 2022
By joint agreement (M-01969), several COVID-19 related memorandums of understanding have been further extended through Feb. 11, 2022.
Four National-Level Grievances Settled
A settlement (M-01954) has been reached between NALC and USPS.
Emergency Federal Employee Leave update
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Postal Service have issued guidance implementing the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which was signed into law on March 11, 2021.
2019-2023 NALC-USPS National Agreement
The 2019-2023 NALC-USPS National Agreement is now available online.
Emergency Federal Employee Leave
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 signed into law on March 11, 2021, provides an important new leave benefit for letter carriers affected by COVID-19.
Settlement Reached on Grievance Concerning Video Technology Testing in Vehicles
A settlement has been reached between NALC and USPS regarding national-level grievance Q16N-4Q-C 19378670 concerning whether the testing of video technology in city delivery vehicles violates the National Agreement.
NALC files national-level grievance regarding Post Office Sortation Equipment Reconciliation
NALC initiated a national-level grievance regarding the Postal Service's unilateral implementation of the delivery initiative called Post Office Sortation Equipment Reconciliation (SER).
NALC files national-level grievance regarding USPS delivery initiative
NALC initiated a national-level grievance regarding the Postal Service's unilateral implementation of the delivery initiative test
Consolidated Casing Grievance Settled
NALC and the Postal Service have settled a national-level grievance regarding the Postal Service’s unilateral testing of Consolidated Casing.
Statement from NALC President Fredric V. Rolando on the COVID-19 pandemic
President Fredric V. Rolando has issued a statement to letter carriers covering many issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NALC and USPS agree to two new MOUs on leave during the COVID-19 pandemic
Today, NALC and USPS agreed to two new MOUs expanding leave for letter carriers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NALC and USPS have mutually agreed to postpone a national-level grievance
A national-level grievance regarding the delay in implementing Arbitrator Goldberg’s Award in Case No. Q15C-4Q-C 17697250 will be postponed
In all offices, CCAs who have at least 30 months of relative standing on February 15th to be converted to career status
NALC and USPS have settled a national-level grievance regarding non-compliance with the contractual caps on the employment of CCAs.
Update on Contract Negotiations
Update on the 2019 contract negotiations