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Ask President Burrus

Question:

If there are no residual vacancies in my installation, can a person requesting to voluntarily come to the installation under the Katrina Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be assigned as an unencumbered employee?

Also, will there be a waiting period (180 days) for an employee who transfers to an installation under the Katrina MOU before he/she may bid on a vacant or newly established duty assignment?

Art, Rockford Area Local

President Burrus:

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the assignment of employees impacted by Hurricane Katrina. My response will be of interest to many locals throughout the country.

As referenced in the Memorandum of Understanding and the Questions and Answers that were agreed to by the USPS and the APWU, impacted employees may volunteer only for residual vacancies. If there are no residual vacancies within your installation, employees impacted by Hurricane Katrina cannot be assigned through their request for voluntary transfers.

At the conclusion of the voluntary-transfer period, Article 12.5.C.1 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement provides for the involuntary assignment of employees whose installation has been “discontinued.” Such assignments will be made to any residual vacancies that exist after the voluntary period. Following that, employees will be involuntarily placed where residual vacancies do not exist and converted to full-time flexible status.

The placement of full-time flexible employees does not require the existence of residual vacancies. Many of the employees converted to full-time flexible status will probably remain in the office to which they were temporarily assigned, so that the Postal Service can avoid the cost of relocation.

The intent of the Memorandum of Understanding is that affected employees will have the opportunity to select the location to which they are assigned and, if sufficient vacancies do not exist, they will not suffer the conversion to part-time status that Article 12.5.C.1 would otherwise require.

Upon assignment, the affected employees will have full seniority for contractual bidding rights, as provided for in the contractual craft provisions.

The 180-day waiting period for exercising seniority in the bidding process is referenced in Article 12.5.C.6, “Centralized Mail, Processing and/or Delivery Installation,” and is not applicable to the placement of employees affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Nov. 8, 2005

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