Advanced Facer Canceller System

The APWU has reasserted its jurisdictional claim to work being performed on the Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS) machines, via an appeal to the National Dispute Resolution Committee dated June 27, 2005 [PDF].

The APWU maintains that the AFCS is involved in mail processing and/or distribution of mail, and is the work of the Clerk Craft.

The union first claimed jurisdiction over the work in November 1996, when the USPS assigned it to the Mail Handler Craft. The equipment was upgraded in 2004 and 2005 to an OCR configuration capable of identifying 5-digit destination zip codes. The upgrades enable the Postal Service to separate letter mail in the cancellation operation according to a local or out-of-town destination, and result in fewer handlings and quicker dispatches.

The upgrades replace work previously performed by Mail Processing Clerks, the union contends in its June 2005 appeal.

An APWU memo dated July 5, 2005 [PDF], outlines steps locals should take regarding disputes over the assignment of AFCS work.

A USPS letter dated Nov. 10, 2004, [PDF] provided information about equipment changes at numerous facilities throughout the country, affecting AFCS machines, Multi-Line OCRs, and Delivery Bar Code Sorters, as well as a list of affected facilities. Background material dated July 9, 2004, [PDF] described the changes that were to be made to the equipment.

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