Clerk Craft Prepares For National Arbitrations in December on Two Important Issues

The Clerk Craft has been preparing for arbitration hearings in December that will cover two issues – 1) the Postmaster End of Day (PMEOD) button remedy case, and 2) an RI-399 issue regarding the craft jurisdiction for the Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS) machine. The PMEOD button remedy hearings are scheduled for December 3 & 4, while the AFCS case will be heard on December 8 & 9.

PMEOD Button Remedy Case

Regarding the PMEOD issue, in Case #Q10C-4Q-C-16050516, national-level Arbitrator Shyam Das decided on December 8, 2017, “Unilateral deployment and use of the Postmaster End of Day button is not consistent with the parties’ agreement in Paragraph 2.A of the December 5, 2014 Global Settlement Remedy Agreement”. Arbitrator Das stated further, “The issue of back pay remedy for the violations that have occurred is returned to the parties to determine an appropriate remedy that is fair and reasonable taking into account all relevant factors”.

The APWU and USPS have not been able to reach a settlement regarding the issue of back pay. As a result, the hearing is set for December 3 and 4 and will focus on the parties’ positions concerning an appropriate remedy for the PMEOD button violation.

RI-399 AFCS/AFCS 200 Case

In the Updated RI-399 MOU, the parties agreed to combine three (3) appeals on the AFCS/AFCS 200 into one hearing that is now scheduled for December 8-9:

• APWU appeal Q94C-4Q-J-97028616 – 11/27/96
• APWU appeal Q94C-4Q-J-97028616 – 6/27/05 – Upgrade to the AFCS
• Change in jurisdiction with the AFCS 200 – NPMHU appeal Q06M-4Q-J-13009562 – 10/16/12.

The Postal Service had originally awarded craft jurisdiction on the “legacy” AFCS to the Mail Handlers Craft. However, by letter dated September 28, 2012, the Postal Service notified both unions that the new AFCS 200 had been created and that, due to “significant additional capabilities” on the 200, concerning the “jurisdictional craft determination for operation of the Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS 200)”, it was determined that the primary craft would be the Clerk Craft.

The Mail Handlers Union filed a dispute concerning the September 28, 2012 awarding of primary craft jurisdiction to the Clerk Craft for the AFCS 200. This issue will be heard on December 8 and 9 before Arbitrator Joseph Sharnoff through the RI-399 tripartite procedure, which includes the APWU, Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), and the Postal Service.