New Maintenance Division Appointments

(This article first appeared in the September/October 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Maintenance Division Director Idowu Balogun

In accordance with Article 21 of the American Postal Workers Union Constitution & Bylaws, Idowu Balogun has assumed the position of the Maintenance Division Director, which became effective after the untimely passing of Director Raymer on June 16th.

Director Idowu Balogun 

Brother Balogun has been an activist of the Maintenance Division for more than a decade, serving as Assistant Director A for five years and ten years as National Representative At-Large. Prior to coming to Washington, D.C., he represented the Western Region as a maintenance national business agent covering some thirteen states for seven years. He is a member of the Greater Los Angeles Area Local and worked for the Postal Service as an electronic technician in Los Angeles.

Assistant Director Jimmie Waldon

Western Region Maintenance National Business Agent (NBA) Jimmie Waldon was appointed by Brother Balogun with unanimous consent of the Maintenance Council to fill the position of Assistant Director A, effective July 16. Jimmie was one of two Western Region national business agents representing Maintenance for the past eleven years. He is from the Sacramento Area Local where he served as vice president.

Western Region NBA Hector Baez

Hector Baez was appointed by Brother Balogun to serve as Western Region Maintenance Division National Business Agent A, located in Mesa, Arizona, effective July 16. Brother Baez is from the San Diego Area Local where he served as maintenance director.

Eastern Region NBA Jason Treier

Jason Treier was selected by Brother Balogun to serve as Eastern Region Maintenance Division National Business Agent and received unanimous concurrence from the Maintenance Council. He started serving in the new position, located in Sicklerville, NJ, on Sept. 3. Brother Treier served as director of industrial relations for the Lancaster Area Local, a position he still holds. ■

Filling Maintenance Vacancies — Part II

This is Part II of an article started by our late brother, former Maintenance Division Director Steve Raymer, in the July-August edition of The American Postal Worker. We are sharing how to fill vacant maintenance positions under terms of our contract, known within our craft as the “pecking order.” The previous article covered through Step 4 of the process; we pick up here with Step 5.

5. Select the ranking employee on the appropriate promotion eligibility register (PER).

6. Activate retreat rights for excessing which occurred under 12.5.C.5.

7. Consider Maintenance Craft employees requesting transfer before or after in-service procedures (“after in service” is only in the event a within installation Maintenance employee is on the in-service register) in the following order:

a. When Maintenance Craft employees who have requested a transfer are considered first:

(1) Consider Maintenance Craft employees who are already qualified for the position in question.

(2) Consider Maintenance Craft employees who are not qualified for the position in question but have been afforded an opportunity to qualify under the provisions for qualifying for transfer (see EL-304, Qualifying for Transfer).

b. If in-service procedures are considered first:

(1) Give priority consideration to career Maintenance Craft employees using in-service register in score order.

(2) Give consideration to remaining APWU-represented craft employees.

(3) Consider other career bargaining unit postal employees, regardless of craft or position, on the in-service register in score order.

8. Consider current career employees for return to Maintenance Craft to a position previously held or to any position of equal or lower level for which he/she holds an eligibility rating. Employee must meet time and eligibility criteria.

9. Consider former career postal employees for return to Maintenance Craft to a position previously held or to any position of equal of lower level for which he/she holds an eligibility rating. Applicants must meet reinstatement requirements and time and eligibility criteria.

10. Consider entrance register eligible in score order.