United States Post Office

Sandusky Ohio 44870

2006 - 2011

Memoranda of Understanding Between

The United States Postal Service Sandusky Ohio

And

The National Association of Letter Carriers

Branch 100

  Sandusky Ohio

Listed below are those items of the 22 items referred to in Article 30-b, which were mutually agreed to by both parties.

Item 1.  Additional or longer wash up periods.

            A.  Additional or longer wash-up periods will be governed by Article 8, Section 9 of the     National Agreement.

Item 2.  The establishment of a regular work week of five days with either fixed or rotating days off.

            A.  All regular carriers shall work on a rotating work schedule.

Item 3.  Guidelines for curtailment or termination of postal operations to conform to orders of local authorities or as local conditions warrant because of emergency conditions.

A.     Whenever an emergency condition exists, i.e. --extreme weather conditions, hazardous driving, bomb threats, etc., the installation head will review, where possible, appropriate federal, state and local governmental recommendations and directives and make a determination as to whether curtailment or termination of delivery services is necessary.  In making such determination, the safety of a carrier, the protection of Postal Service property, and other relevant factors will be given appropriate consideration.

B.     Prior to making a determination, where practical, local management will make every reasonable effort to discuss the circumstances with the Union.

            C:  Procedures to be followed when the installation head has decided to curtail or       terminate delivery services after the carriers have left on routes:

1.       Management will make every reasonable attempt to contact local radio and television stations, requesting them to announce instructions to carriers, and            also requesting the public to convey the message to all  carriers.

2.       Management will not be responsible for erroneous unofficial information.

Item 4.  Formulation of local leave program.

     A.  Starting the first working day in January, management will begin the choice vacation period. Leave forms (3971) will be distributed and carriers will submit          their choice period selection(s). 48 hours will be allowed for the first selection.  The vacation list will be administered by a union designee.

     B.  Determination of the maximum number of employees who shall receive leave each            week during the choice vacation period.

            A.  11% of the total work force shall be allowed off during each week of the                    choice vacation period.

            B.  A fractional % shall crate another employee off.

            C.  Carriers who become ill while on annual leave during the choice period shall    be allowed to have another selection during the choice period.

            D.  All cancellations of annual leave will be 14 days in advance of scheduled        leave.  Such leave will be posted for 3 days, beginning with the carrier Junior to          the carrier canceling.  Partial cancellations re permitted for the first week.  Any      additional cancellations must be for the entire week with the same posting rules to             apply.

            E.  Exchange of annual leave periods will be permitted only after all carriers         between the exchanges have been offered said periods.  Exchanges must be            approved by the Postmaster and Union.

            F.  If requested, carriers must be granted the day off for any emergency operations          for members of his or her immediate family.

            G.  No carrier shall be called to work while on annual leave.

            H.  After all eligible employees have made their selection for the choice period,

            all remaining leave in the choice period will be chosen on a second round seniority basis.  24 hours will be allowed for this second selection.

            I.  After employees have completed their second selection, management shall       notify all carriers that they can turn in vacation slips for the remainder of their  

            leave.

            J.  Carrier requesting incidental annual leave (case and go home, etc.,) must         submit Form 3871 in duplicate by 0800.  Supervisors will indicate on the Form        3971 the date and the time it was submitted.  Management will reply by 0900.              Daily leave shall be granted on a seniority basis.  Leave in advance shall be          granted on a seniority basis. 

Item 5.  The duration of the choice vacation period.

A.     The prime or choice vacation period will start the second Monday in May for 24 consecutive weeks and include 7% off the last two weeks of December and the first week of' January.

Item 6.  the determination of the beginning day of an employee’s vacation period.

A.     Letter carriers will start their vacations on a Monday and return to work on    Monday.

Item 7.  Whether employees at their option may request two selections during the choice vacation period in units of either five or ten days.

A.     Letter carriers, at their option, may request one or two selections during the choice vacation period in units of either five or ten or fifteen days in the first round; total not to exceed ten or fifteen days in the first two rounds in accordance  with their leave category.

Item 8.  Whether jury duty and attendance at national or state conventions shall be charged to the choice vacation period.

A.     Letter carriers on jury duty during their choice vacation period shall be eligible for any period within the choice vacation period.

B.     More than one person going to a state or national convention will be charged to the choice vacation period.

Item 9.  Determination of the maximum number of employees who shall receive leave each week during the choice vacation period.

A.     11 % of the total work force shall be allowed off during each week of the choice vacation period.

B.     A fractional % shall create another employee off.

Item 10.  The issuance of official notices to each employee of the vacation schedule approved for him.

A.     Approved selected vacation periods will be posted to the master chart showing           all approved carrier vacations. Employees will submit in duplicate Form 3971 for all vacations. Duplicate 3971 to be returned in 48 hours.

Item 11.  Determination of the date and means to notifying employees of the beginning of the new leave year.

            A.  As soon as management received official notification of the beginning of the   new leave year, it shall be placed on the order book.  This must be no later than          November 1st.

Item 12.  The procedure for submission of applications for annual leave during other than the choice vacation period.

A.     All requests for annual leave outside prime time will be granted by seniority on day received by management. Requests of one to four days to be submitted no more than 30 days in advance. All employees will select enough time to get down to the permissible 440 hour carryover and this will be posted on the vacation chart.  A minimum of four (4) employees will be allowed off during other than the choice period on a daily basis. These requests must be submitted at least one week in advance.

B.     No extra annual leave will be granted during the choice period for such things as taking children to college or attendance at weddings, etc.; unless an emergency situation arises.  These things should be taken into consideration before selecting the vacation.

C.     Starting December 1^st , Letter Carriers may submit Form 3971 for all annual leave outside of the choice vacation period, full weeks only.

Item 13.  The method of selecting employees to work on a holiday.

A.     A list or lists will be compiled to determine whether any employee wishes to work on a holiday or day designated as such.  Employees will be selected as

                  follows:

1.       All T.E. and flex-schedule employees to the maximum extent even if overtime is required.

2.       Full-time regular employees who have volunteered to work on their holidays, by seniority.

3.       Full-time regular employees who have volunteered to work on their regularly scheduled off day where that day is the holiday or designated holiday for some other employee, by seniority.

4.       Full-time regulars who have not volunteered to work on their regularly scheduled off day, by juniority.

5.       Full-time regulars who have not volunteered to work on their holiday, by juniority.

Item 14.  Whether “Overtime Desired” list in Article 8 shall be by section and/or tour.

A.     The "Overtime Desired" list will be on an office-wide basis.

Item 17.  The identification of assignments that are to be considered light duty within each craft represented in the office.

A.     It is agreed that light duty assignments within the Sandusky, Ohio office for letter carriers may include but not be limited to:

                        1. Casing mail.

                        2. Re-labeling carrier cases.

3.       Rewriting carrier route books.

4.       Coverage of suitable collection routes.

5.       Labeling inside of apartment boxes (NDCBU).

6.       Training new employees.

Item 21.  Those other items which are subject to local negotiations as provided in the craft provisions of this agreement. 

            A.  When a letter carrier route or full-time duty, assignment, other than the  letter             carriers route(s) or full-time assignment(s) of the junior employee(s) is abolished         at a delivery unit as a result of, but not limited to, route adjustments, highway and      housing projects, all routes and full-time duty assignments at that unit held by        letter carriers who are junior to the carrier(s) whose route(s) for full-time duty             assignment(s) was abolished, shall be posted for bid in accordance with the            posting procedures in this article.

B.     All carriers at Sandusky Ohio will take both breaks on street time.

C.     No letter carrier shall be required to enter the premises or perform any duty which he believes might result in bodily harm; e.g. vicious dogs, picket lines, un-repaired sidewalks, icy steps, etc.

Item 22.  Local implementation of this agreement relating to seniority, reassignments and posting.

            A.  A letter route shall not be posted for bid when there is a change of more      than one hour in starting time. 

            B.  A new or reassigned carrier shall be trained on a route by the regularly         assigned carrier of the route if possible. If not, then by the utility carrier            assigned to the route.

D.     Posting procedures will conform to Article 41.  Assignments will be             posted for ten (10) days.

            D.  Opting.

                        1. Carriers eligible to opt shall submit PS form 1717 twenty-four hours                             before the schedule is posted.

                        2. Any assignments that become available after the schedule is posted                             must be made available to all carriers eligible to opt.

            E.  Temporary assignment change for T -6 assignments.

                        1.  A full-time regular carrier called in to work on a non-scheduled                                   day shall work his or her full-time duty assignment provided there is                             a open or opted route on the string to which the T-6 carrier may be                                     assigned.  Otherwise the carrier working on a non-scheduled day will                               be assigned where needed.  A carrier ordered in on a non-scheduled                                    day shall work their bid assignment.

This memorandum of understanding is entered on ______________, 2007 between the representatives of the United States Postal Service and the of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 100, pursuant to the local implementation provision of the

2006-2011 National Agreement.

For the United States Postal Service:

_____________________________              Date:_______________

David Griffith, Postmaster

U.S.P.S.

For the National Association of Letter Carriers:

_____________________________              Date:_______________

Larry E. Ramsey, President

N.A.L.C. Branch 100