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NRLCA Special Edition Newsletter September 2004 (pdf)
USPS and NRLCA Reach Tentative Two-Year Contract Extension Agreement (PDF) (8/31/04)
 

Duration

Two years (expiration date: November 20, 2006).

General Wage Increases

November 27, 2004 – 1.3% increase of the basic annual salary for the step in

effect on November 20, 2004. A partial chart which shows 40-48 hours is printed at the

end of this article. The effect on 12-39 hour routes is not printed only to conserve

space. Hourly rate employees will receive proportional application.

           RCA/RCR-- Schedule 1 – increase 20˘ per hour ($15.42)

                            Schedule 2 – increase 24˘ per hour ($18.71)

           On February 5, 2005 the COLA earned during the 2000-2004 Agreement will roll

into RCA/RCR schedules as already provided for in the current Agreement. This will

result in an 82˘ per hour increase. Accordingly, Schedule 1 employees will be paid

$16.24 per hour and Schedule 2 employees will be paid $19.53 per hour.

           November 26, 2005 – 1.3% increase of the basic annual salary for the step in

effect on November 20, 2004. A partial chart which shows 40-48 hours is printed at the

end of this article. The effect on 12-39 hour routes is not printed only to conserve

space. Hourly rate employees will receive proportional application.

           RCA/RCR--Schedule 1-increase 21˘ ($16.45 per hour)

                          Schedule 2-increase 25˘ ($19.78 per hour)

Time Standards

          An eighteen minute per week time allowance for reloading/unloading for all

routes will be added by a base hour change, effective with the beginning of the 2005

guarantee year (October 30, 2004).

EMA

          Increase of three cents to the base, the second pay period after the

ratification of the 2004 Contract Extension. Example: If the EMA rate is 41.5˘ per

mile at the time of ratification, the new rate will increase to 44.5˘ per mile. This three

cent increase is the largest one-time upward adjustment to EMA since the

advent of collective bargaining in the Postal Service.

Mail Count

         2005 – The only routes that will be counted are vacant routes, auxiliary routes

and routes where either the regular carrier or employer opts for a count.

         Four weeks - February 18 – March 18 (includes a holiday).

        2006 – The only routes that will be counted are vacant routes, auxiliary routes

and routes where either the regular carrier or employer opts for a count.

Two weeks - February 24 – March 9.

COLA Continuation

           COLA will be retained and will be calculated and added to the basic annual salary

the second full pay period after the release of the CPI-W in:

           January 2005

           July 2005

           January 2006

           July 2006

RCA’s

         An amount equal to the COLA paid to full-time rural carriers on an hourly basis

will be rolled into RCA/RCR hourly rates two full pay periods after the release of the July

2006 Consumer Price Index. This is five months earlier than in any previous agreement.

RURAL CARRIER ASSOCIATE/RURAL CARRIER RELIEF SCHEDULES

                      STRAIGHT-TIME HOURLY WAGE RATES

 

Rural carrier associate/relief straight-time hourly rates listed at page 127 will be

revised as follows:

Effective Date                  Schedule 1*                Schedule 2**

7) 11/27/04                   $15.42                         $18.71

(This schedule reflects the 1.3% general wage increase)

 

8) 2/5/05                        $16.24                         $19.53

(This schedule reflects COLA roll-in from the 2000 Agreement)

 

9) 11/26/05                   $16.45                          $19.78

(This schedule reflects the 1.3% general wage increase)

 

An amount equal to the COLA paid to full-time rural carriers on an hourly basis

under the 2004 Contract Extension will be rolled into RCA/RCR hourly rates two

full pay periods after the release of the July 2006 consumer price index.

 

* Applies to rural carrier associates hired beginning August 24, 1991.

** Applies to rural carrier associates and rural carrier relief employees on the rolls prior

to August 24, 1991.

Health Insurance

        Employer contribution for bi-weekly premiums for health insurance continues as

is.

Future Developments

Provides for the formation of a Task Force to discuss future developments that

may impact the rural carrier craft, such as DPS flats and Delivery Point Packaging; to

address effectiveness, and minimize adverse impacts on the rural carrier craft, postal

customers and Postal Service.

Memorandums of Understanding

          All are to remain in force for this extension. Examples:

                    Joint Education Training Fund

                    Right-Hand Drive Incentive

                    Sick Leave for Dependent Care

                    Leave Sharing

As you can see, all of the items listed above are significant gains for the rural carrier

craft. There are no concessions or “givebacks” associated with any of these gains. The

NRLCA National Board believes that this contract extension is beneficial to the entire

rural craft and we strongly encourage each of you to vote yes, in favor of ratification.

 

The wage increase will be for all regular route evaluations from 12 hours to

48 hours. The partial chart printed below indicates the actual dollar amount

of the 1.3% increase for each general wage increase for 40-48 hours and

steps A-12. This is the amount that will be added to the basic salary schedule

on November 27, 2004 and again on November 26, 2005.

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