APWU, USPS Settle Custodial Subcontracting Dispute

The APWU and Postal Service have reached an agreement that prohibits management from subcontracting cleaning services based on an employee’s voluntarily transfer from an office where USPS custodians are employed. The Oct. 27 agreement settles a Step 4 dispute.

The union and management agreed that voluntary transfers are not considered “voluntary attrition,” which must occur before the Postal Service may subcontract the custodial work in offices where USPS custodians are employed. “Voluntary attrition” occurs when an employee bids out, is promoted, quits, retires, or dies. If voluntary attrition occurs, the USPS may apply the 18K Square Footage Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which permits management to subcontract custodial duties for offices of less than 18,000 square feet.

“With the changes Maintenance Craft officers negotiated in the 2010-2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the only opportunity to apply the MOU would be in small Associate Offices – most likely those with just one facility as the Post Office and no other facilities (such as a carrier annex) attached to it,” said Maintenance Craft Director Steve Raymer.

“The recent POStPlan settlement also plays into this somewhat,” he added. “Our position is that the square footage of all the new RMPOs (Remotely Managed Post Offices) must be added together along with the new APO (Administrative Post Office) to determine if the 18K square foot requirement is met. Once the 18K square-foot threshold is reached, management is prohibited from subcontracting the work.