Saying Goodbye to 2020 By: NBA Chuck Locke

By: National Business Agent “Chuck Locke”

Saying Goodbye to 2020

2020 has been one roller-coaster of a year but we made it! We have endured more in 2020 than most of us have seen in our lifetimes. We survived a worldwide pandemic with COVID-19, huge increase in package volumes with little to no increase in staffing, a new Postmaster General trying to sabotage the Postal Services mission, and we elected a new President of the United States. When historians look back at 2020, I believe it will be seen as one of our finest moments.

National Arbitration

National Arbitrator Joseph M. Sharnoff issued a decision confirming Clerk Craft jurisdiction over operation of the Small Parcel Sorting System (SPSS) machine. In Arbitrator Sharnoff’s National Arbitration award, he held that the Postal Service reasonably determined that singulating and facing duties on the SPSS “constituted significant aspects of the distribution function which historically and traditionally have been assigned to Clerks, as the Primary Craft. Arbitrator Sharnoff further ruled that the Postal Service properly awarded the sweeping duties to Clerks for rotational purposes. This is a magnificent award for the Clerk Craft in securing our work. Hats off to our Clerk Craft Director, Lamont Brooks.

COVID-19

Even though we now have a vaccine for COVID-19, it’s not over by a long shot. We are facing a historic number of reported cases and deaths around the country. This is not the time to let our guard down. You have the right to a safe workplace and that includes proper social distancing in operations at all times, having face masks and gloves available, all employees wearing a face mask, no large gatherings as well as the ability to wash your hands when needed. You need to stay strong and ensure this is happening in your office. If you see one of these violations, standup and protect yourself and your co-workers. Immediately report it to your supervisor. If the situation is not corrected, fill out a PS 1767 Safety Hazard Report and give it to your supervisor. I would also report the situation to your Union Steward. You are your best defense against getting COVID-19.

Lead Clerk

If you are a Lead Clerk, you should be performing all the timekeeping work in your office. This includes the timekeeping for mail handlers, maintenance, carriers and rural carriers. Timekeeping is clerk craft work that the Union has won back and we need to be doing it. If you are a Lead Clerk and you have not been provided the 8-hour training class on how to perform the timekeeping duties, see your steward and file a grievance. If you are a Lead Clerk and you have received the 8-hour training class but you are not doing the timekeeping work, ask to see your steward and file a grievance.
Your NBA’s have been successful in wining hundreds of thousands of dollars for these violations but we can only win if you file a grievance.

Thank you to all our members who put in endless hours to move our countries mail and showed up for work every day in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. We are Union Strong! I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season even though we couldn’t get together with friends and family as we did in the past.

Cheers to 2021, may it be the best year ever!