(September 22, 2014) NAPUS and the LEAGUE have received Steven Goldberg’s arbitration decision on POStPLan. Both organizations are deeply disappointed with the decision and are still working through the details of the arbitration document. Clearly this will have an impact on PMRs in 4-hour RMPOs, vacant 6-hour RMPOs and 6-hour Postmaster positions in the future. We can be thankful that incumbent 6-hour Postmasters (including those being RIF’d to 6-hour Postmaster positions), will keep their Postmaster position as long as they do not vacate the office. Once these offices are vacated, they too will be staffed by APWU employees.

Here is an overview of the arbitration:
• 2-hour RMPOs will stay staffed with PMRs
• 4-hour RMPOs will be staffed with APWU PSEs. The PMRs in these offices will have the opportunity to take the test and apply for the positions.
• 6-hour RMPOs will be staffed by NTFT employees or traditional employees. Those offices with incumbent Postmasters, including those accepting their own office as a RIF offer with a reduction to 6 hours, will stay in the jobs until vacated.
• PTPOs 6-hour offices will stay staffed with a Postmaster. These offices were not part of the arbitration decision since they still have all of the Postmaster administrative responsibilities.

When any RMPO or PTPO is evaluated and increases to a Level 18, the office will then be posted and filled by a non-bargaining employee and managed by a Postmaster.

All Level 18 offices will be staffed with PTFs instead of PSEs, ending the staffing issues for many Level 18 Postmasters.

Both Postmaster organizations continue to review the POStPlan Arbitration. Clearly the fact that Postmaster administrative duties were removed from the 6-hour Postmaster positions and the 4-hour RMPOs weighed heavily on the arbitrator’s decision.

We will keep you posted as to further developments regarding the arbitration as well as the timeline for conversion of the 4-hour RMPOs from PMR to PSE employees.

NAPUS.