November 28, 2015 USPS to Pay Oakland Maintenance Postal Employees Nearly $2 million over Staffing

In 2010, APWU Oakland (CA) Local #78 filed a grievance over USPS failing to staff or work all of required workhours at the Oakland P & DC and Vehicle Maintenance Facility (VMF) as required by the MS-47 Handbook. USPS is required to maintain staffing levels as determined by the MS-47 handbook and per National Arbitration decision (Arbitrator Gamser Award).

USPS Labor Relations and APWU Maintenance National Business Agent Jimmy Waldon settled the case by signing a pre-arbitration agreement.

The Agreement calls for USPS to pay a total of $1.9 million. The monetary award will be divided among employees identified by the APWU Oakland Local. The APWU Oakland Local will submit employee names, Employee Identification Numbers (EINs) and the amount to be paid to each employee to USPS. It was agreed the total payout will not exceed (nor will it be less) than $1.9 million dollars .

There will be an initial distribution payment of $1.5 million. Then “no earlier than six months from the initial distribution, to ensure all employees have been properly identified and paid, the remaining funds will be distributed to the employees identified by the union.”

In addition, the settlement “resolves all issues including but not limited to lost work hours, overtime, bypassed routes, work scheduling and/or custodial staffing levels up to July 9,2014 for the installation identified above. This settlement does not void any grievances that have already been filed challenging the most recent staffing package nor does it prohibit the union from challenging any future custodial staffing packages.”