The Maintenance Division and the Article 12 Notification Process

With the Postal Service’s restructuring plan moving forward, it is inevitable that Article 12 proposed notices of excessing will appear and may affect multiple occupational groups, ranging from Electronic Technicians, Mail Processing Equipment Mechanics, Maintenance Mechanics, Maintenance Support Clerks, etc. The unfortunate reality is that the Postal Service plans to involuntarily reassign some employees outside of their craft and/ or installation. Below are a few of the required steps that our contract requires prior to excessing:

Area/Regional Notification

The union at the area/regional level will be given notice when technological, mechanization, or operational changes impact the bargaining unit no less than 90 days in advance, and six months in advance whenever possible.

This notice shall be in the form of an Impact/Work Hour Report. Involuntary reassignment of bargaining unit employees outside their craft or installation requires an area/ regional labor-management meeting. It is in the interest of both parties to meet as soon as practicable and to develop an ongoing flow of communications to ensure that the principles of Article 12 (reassignment) are met. The first area/regional labor-management meeting must be held no less than 90 days prior to the involuntary reassignment.

Maintenance Craft Discussions Per Article 38.3.K (Excessing)

Field managers and/or supervisors should not discuss with bargaining unit employees proposed excessing outside the craft or installation until the area/regional parties have held their discussions. This should prevent employees from receiving erroneous information from management or the union and control the appropriate flow of information.

If your office receives an Article 12 proposed notification, you must be ready to challenge the validity of the new Staffing Package by requesting supporting data, emails, rationale, submitted packages, denied submitted packages, approved packages, etc. If you need any help, do not hesitate to contact your Maintenance National Business Agent and Coordinator. We are all working together. The Maintenance Division is offering the workshops below at the National Convention in July 2024.

Maintenance Article 12 Excessing Guide Workshop:

Addresses how to challenge Maintenance Article 12 Excessing Notifications; Understanding Article 12.5.C.4 and 12.5.C.5, which outlines reassignment within and outside of the Installation, and the applicable Requests for Information (RFIs). (2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.) This workshop will be led by NBA Hector Baez.

Preserving Maintenance Jobs!

In this environment of the Postal Service continuing to revert, or fail to fill, vacant duty assignments, this class will provide a comprehensive look at fighting job reversions, proper remedy requests, and what information to request. This class will also cover sub-contracting of custodial MOU guidelines and the Two-Hour Memo. (10a.m.- 1 p.m.) This workshop will be led by NBA Dave Sarnacki.

2024 Maintenance Negotiation Team:

The preparations for national collective bargaining began in January 2024. I am proud to announce the members of our Maintenance Negotiation Team:

• Idowu Balogun, Maintenance Division Director
• Terry B. Martinez, Assistant Director A, Maintenance Division
• Jason Treier, Assistant Director B, Maintenance Division
• Curtis Walker, National Business Agent, Central Region
• Dave Sarnacki, National Business Agent, Northeast Region
• Hector Baez, National Business Agent, Western Region

I am honored to select Brother Dana Coletti, president of the Manchester Area Local, as a representative of the Maintenance Division on the Rank-and-File Committee. We welcome your suggestions and comments for the upcoming negotiations. You can contact our team via email Maint2024@apwu.org.