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Air Mail Centers & Facilities

USPS Agrees to Cancel Hallmark Retail Program

CRAFT JURISDICTION ON THE AUTOMATED PACKAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM (APPS)

CRAFT JURISDICTION AT THE PMPCs THAT ARE CONVERTED TO L&DCS

To Whom It May Concern,

(posted 11/9/05)

For over 30 years there has been a USPS presence at Logan International Airport.  Between 12/11/05 & 12/31/05 there will no longer be an Air Mail Center.  There will be trailers set up for stamp purchases, package mailing & post office boxes.

Initially, Washington D.C. decided to close all the Air Mail Facilities & Air Mail Centers (AMFs & AMCs) across the United States & incorporate the work into other facilities.  Due to some union issues, it was determined that proper protocol was not followed & grievances were subsequently filed.  The AMCs & AMFs would remain open until the matter was settled between the union & Postal Management.  However, Boston's AMC is still closing.

One reason given to the once 200 employees working during the 24/7 operations is that our building lease with MassPort will expire on 12/31/05.   To extend the lease, the rental amount would be prohibitive.  Supposedly
there is no property within the airport, or close-by, that could accommodate us at a reasonable rent.

Instead of the postal workers, Worldwide Flight Services will be handling the mail.  The contract award is over 3 million dollars.

Is it because of a new runway plan, Runway 14/32?  Or is it because the Postal Service is claiming that a decision to subcontract our work was declared due to the inability to find another location for the AMC?

A solicitation went out for bid on 9/23/05.  See below :

A 'phase-in' of operations began this month.  All mailhandlers' operations have been subcontracted.  First Class Mail will be handled by Worldwide Flight Services.  Is this a portent of things to come?  Now the Boston AMC, the nation's AMCs & AMFs later?

Our union assures us that through the grievance/arbitration process our work at the AMC Boston will be restored.  See the attachment at:

http://www.npmhul301.org/article.php?scid=30&did=184&PHPSESSID=764c948aa66dc4

Sincerely,

The Mailhandlers & Clerks of the Boston AMC.


'U.S. Postal Service: The Service's Strategy for Realigning Its Mail Processing Infrastructure Lacks Clarity, Criteria, and
Accountability'
which was released on May 9, 2005.

Number of plans and annexes as of Sept. 2004


Boston Terminal Handling Services of US Mail

Notice Date
9/23/2005
 
Notice Type
Solicitation Notice
 
NAICS
491110 — Postal Service
 
Contracting Office
United States Postal Service, Transportation Purchasing, National Mail Transportation Purchasing (HQ), 475 LEnfant Plaza SW Room 4900, Washington, DC, 20260-6210
 
ZIP Code
20260-6210
 
Solicitation Number
5AAIMT-05-A-3008
 
Response Due
10/6/2005
 
Description
Sources sought Notice Air Transportation CMC Washington, DC Terminal Handling Services at Boston Logan Airport (BOS) The US Postal Service currently tenders mail received from its processing and distribution plants to air carriers at BOS for subsequent air transportation service. It also receives mail from air carriers at BOS for transfer to surface transportation to receiving postal plants. These functions are currently performed at a Postal Service facility called the Boston AMC. The USPS will be vacating the Boston AMC soon. A Postal Service operated replacement facility is not anticipated, therefore, USPS is seeking to quickly form a Terminal Handling Services agreement to insure the continued flow of the US Mail into and out of Boston Logan Airport. The Postal Service is opening discussions that may lead to the formation of an agreement with firms who are known to either currently perform such work at Boston, or who have affirmatively expressed interest in the recent past. The supplier will have to provide an air cargo oriented terminal facility at or very close to Logan Airport of sufficient size to accommodate mail transfer operations. Facility must also have truck docks. Bar Code scanning, specific physical security requirements, and personnel screening are also important requirements. Services must be fully operational not later than December 31, 2005, including a phase in of operations beginning in November, 2005. The Postal Service believes that its market research has already identified a sufficient number of firms to provide for adequate competition; however, if you are currently performing air cargo terminal service at BOS, you must, within 3 days of posting of this notice, request a copy of Solicitation Number 5AAIMT-05-A-3008,

 

Air Mail Centers & Facilities Operations to Be Relocated

posted Feb. 25, 2005

In a notice dated Nov. 10, 2004, the USPS advised the APWU that in conjunction with a nationwide review of Air Mail Facilities and Air Mail Centers, operations at AMFs, AMCs, and Airfield Transfer Offices will be standardized.

All piece distribution, mail assignment, and opening activities will be relocated to the appropriate processing and distribution center or other postal facility, the notice says, and air mail facilities will be returned to their core processes. Any impact to staffing will be addressed at the district and area level, within the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

A list of AMCs slated for review is attached.

A letter dated Feb. 8, 2005, from Clerk Craft Director Jim McCarthy provides additional information. Activities that should remain at the AMFs, AMCs, and ATOs are:

  • Tender and receipt of mail;

  • Ramp activities;

  • Retail (where applicable);

  • Remaining Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) runs.

Whether the operation is a facility or stand-alone installation will determine the application of Article 12, should excessing and/or reassignments become necessary.


November 10, 2004

Mr. William Burrus
President
American Postal Workers
Union, AFL-CIO
1300 L Street, NW
Washington,DC 20005-4304

Dear Bill:,

This is to advise you that in association with the review of Air Mail Facilities (AMF and Air Mail Centers (AMC) nationwide, operations at AMC/AMF/ATO’s will be standardized.

All piece distribution, mail assignment, and opening unit activities will be relocated to the appropriate processing and distribution center or other postal ’facility off airport. The AMC/AMF/ATO’s will be returned to their core processes. ,

Any Impacts to staffing will be addressed at the district and area levels and will be handled within the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

We will provide additional Information as it becomes available.

Should you have any questions related to this matter, you may contact Pam Molloy at

202-268-7488.

notice dated Nov. 10, 2004, [PDF]


From the Office of JAMES P. McCARTHY

February 8, 2005


TO: Local Presidents

National Business Agents
Regional Coordinators
SUBJECT: RE: AMC/AMF/ATOs

Attached for your information is a notice to the APWU regarding changes af the AMC/AMF/AIOs.

Also enclosed is a list of the AMCs that are being reviewed at this time.

As the letter to President Burrus states, the intent of the service is to remove all mail processing functions from the AMCs and return them to the P&Ds.

Whether this will happen in every site and if so when, is yet to be determined.

What should remain are the:

1. tender and receipt of mail

2. ramp activities

3. retail (where applicable)

4. remaining PVS shuttle runs

Depending on the status of the AMC, for contract administration purpose, whether it’s a facility or stand-alone installation, will determine the application of Article 12 if necessary.

Above and beyond the movement of mail processing back to the plants, there may be some Article 32 issues that may develop as well as impact on other crafts.

If you should have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact your NBA and/or Coordinator.

 letter dated Feb. 8, 2005, [PDF]

 

Burrus Update #14-2004
Sept. 10, 2004

USPS Agrees to Cancel Hallmark Program

As I announced at the APWU national convention, the Postal Service has agreed to end a pilot program with Hallmark that permitted the card and gift store corporation to perform retail postal services. In a Sept. 10, 2004, letter the USPS vice president for Labor Relations formally notified the APWU that it would end the pilot and would not proceed with the Hallmark Gold Crown initiative at this time.

This is a significant accomplishment for the APWU. Hallmark and the USPS had announced an arrangement under which 972 Hallmark Gold Crown Stores would sell stamps and accept mail.

On May 10, 2004, I wrote to Hallmark’s chief executive officer, Donald J. Hall Jr., expressing the union’s concerns about the pilot program, and asked that he reconsider the company’s decision to participate. I told him about the pride postal workers take in the service they provide to the American people, and of the extensive training retail clerks receive. I also reminded him that when Sears embarked on a similar plan in 1989, the APWU responded with calls for a boycott, and the program was discontinued.

Although postage stamps have been available in drug stores, contract stations, and numerous other commercial establishments for many years, accepting letters and parcels over the counter is a different matter. The Hallmark program would have expanded private postal services to a new level.

In a May 27, 2004, response to my letter, Hallmark’s CEO expressed surprise at our concerns, and said he had contacted postal officials to address them.

Today’s letter from the USPS confirms that the program will not move forward.

 William Burrus
President


TO:               NATIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION COMMITTEE 

FROM:         JIM MCCARTHY, CLERK CRAFT DIRECTOR, APWU

DATE:            JUNE 18, 2004

 

SUBJECT: CRAFT JURISDICTION ON THE AUTOMATED PACKAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM (APPS)

 

The American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, submits the following dispute to the National Dispute Resolution Committee.

 

By letter dated 6/2/04 the Postal Service has advised the APWU, it is assigning the craft jurisdiction of the work to be performed on the Automated Package Processing System (APPS) to the mailhandler craft.

The APWU believes the issue is: Is the USPS’s decision to assign the work performed on the APPS machine in violation of the National Agreement, RI-399 and the historical application of jurisdictional rules of the parties? Is so, what is the remedy?

The APWU maintains the APPS is involved in mail processing and/or the distribution of mail and is the work of the clerk craft. All mail processing and/or distribution of mail on automated equipment is the work of the clerk craft.

 

In addition, the wage level of the position assigned to operate this machine (whether an existing position description or one which is newly created under Article 1, Section 5) is not a proper issue for resolution by the NDRC.

 

 

 

Mail Handlers Named as Primary Craft for Automated Package Processing System (PDF

Jurisdiction Over APPS Awarded to Mail Handlers


TO:               NATIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION COMMITTEE

FROM:            JIM MCCARTHY, CLERK CRAFT DIRECTOR, APWU

DATE:           JUNE 18, 2004

SUBJECT:    CRAFT JURISDICTION AT THE PMPCs THAT ARE CONVERTED TO L&DCS

 

The American Postal Workers Union, AFL CIO, submits the following dispute to the National Dispute Resolution Committee.

By letter dated October 10, 2003, Clerk Division Director James P. McCarthy sent an inquiry to Pat Heath of the Postal Service concerning the Postal Service’s position on craft assignments when former Priority Mail Processing Centers (“PMPCs”) were converted to Logistics and Distribution ( L&DCs ). A copy of that letter is attached. By letter April 12, 2004 (received by the Clerk Division on April 22, 2004), the Postal Service’s Manager of Contract Administration, John W. Dockins, replied that the Postal Service disagreed with the APWU’s position that a new inventory in accordance with the April 16, 1992, memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) was required at the L&DCs. According to the Postal Service, the creation of“an L&DC does not trigger the ‘new and consolidated facility’ section of the MOU” because the creation of an L&DC is not “an operational change which would trigger such an inventory under the MOU.” A copy of that letter is also attached.

The APWU believes the issue is: Can the USPS retain craft jurisdictional assignments at the L&DCs as they were established at the PMPCs based on the PMPC Memorandum of Understanding? If not, what is the remedy?

In addition to the position taken by the APWU on October 10, 2003, the APWU makes the following points. It is obvious that L&DCs constitute a merger of the former PMPCs with work done at other postal facilities, the craft assignments of which are covered by RI-399. Craft assignments at the PMPCs were not directly covered by RI-399, but rather, in accordance with a unique memorandum of understanding, were governed by “the principles ofP1-399.” A review of the award of Arbitrator Benn makes it clear that the outcome would have been different had the craft assignments at the PMPCs been governed directly by RI-399 rather than “the principles of RI-399.”

Like all other postal facilities other than the PMPCs, craft assignments at the L&DC’s are governed by RI-399. Because L&DCs are not PMPCs any longer but rather new or consolidated facilities, inventories need to be taken and craft assignments made in accordance with RI-399.

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