Maintenance Division Files Suit to Enforce eWHEP Staffing Award

The APWU filed a complaint in federal court on Dec. 11 seeking enforcement of a national arbitration award on staffing at Bulk Mail Centers (BMC), Maintenance Craft Director Steve Raymer has announced.

The complaint asks the court to direct the Postal Service to comply with a ruling issued by Arbitrator Ira F. Jaffe on Oct. 19.

In the October ruling, Arbitrator Jaffe ordered the Postal Service to “cease and desist” from using Maintenance Management Order 112-10 (eWHEP) and to return to using MMO 022-04 (BMC Gold), to prepare Maintenance staffing packages for BMCs, (also known as Network Distribution Centers or NDCs).

“Enough is enough,” Raymer said.  “We have all had to deal with the Postal Service’s refusal and failure to comply with arbitration awards. Now, management blatantly refuses to implement the arbitrator’s decision. We are not going to allow them to ignore this clear ruling and just continue their assault on our livelihood.”

The Postal Service responded to an APWU request to comply with the ruling by writing,

“Managers have been advised not to prepare any new staffing packages for NDCs using MM0-112-10 (eWHEP) ... There is no requirement in the award to change or update existing staffing packages and as such it is the intent of the Postal Service to maintain existing staffing packages until such time as a new staffing package is required.”

Director Raymer is requesting that BMC locals provide status updates to his office regarding any grievances that have been filed locally on staffing. Any other questions should be directed to the Maintenance Division officers at APWU’s national office.