First 399 Clerk Craft PSEs to be Converted to Career Status

In response to demands from the APWU, the Postal Service agreed on Aug. 14 to convert 399 Clerk Craft Postal Support Employees (PSEs) to career status. The conversions will be the first in mail processing.

The conversions will occur primarily in districts where the number of PSEs exceeds the 20 percent district-wide cap outlined in the 2010-2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement, and will take place within 60 days of the signing of the agreement. For a list of locations, click here. [PDF]

“This is an important breakthrough in our fight to enforce the contract and ensure that PSEs have a genuine path to career employment,” said President Cliff Guffey. “After months of meetings, discussions, arguments and grievances, we have made progress.

“But this is just a first step,” Clerk Craft Director Rob Strunk said. “Discussions will continue on several outstanding PSE issues, which we believe will result in many additional conversions.”

The settlement agreement also stipulates that the union and management will explore ways to prevent the hiring of PSEs in excess of contractual limits.

In the meantime, Strunk notes that numerous installations are in violation of the installation-wide limits on the number of PSEs involved in retail and customer service operations.

Those violations must be monitored and addressed at the local level, he pointed out. “Locals should be diligent in reviewing PSE Compliance Reports and filing grievances where necessary,” Strunk said.

More than 575 Motor Vehicle Service Craft PSEs have already become career employees.

Discussions are continuing on the conversion of PSEs in the Maintenance Craft and on additional conversions in the Motor Vehicle Service Craft.