All Sections ------------------------------- News & Events Pay & Benefits Departments & Divisions Members Only

Advanced Search

---

---

Ask President Burrus

Question:

Brother Burris [sic], what is the reason for limiting the number of Part-Time Regulars (PTRs) to 2.5 percent? (Item #12 in the Supplemental Conversion Memo) That appears to apply across all crafts across the country. How will the locals be able to monitor that number at the local level?

Joe, 480-481 Area Local

President Burrus:

Hi Joe. Thank you for submitting your question to Ask the President. After knowing each other for many years I am surprised that you do not know the correct spelling of my name, but I have been called worse.

The 2.5 percent of Part-Time Regulars will be applied nationwide, and will be monitored at the national level. The national union will be provided Accounting Period reports reflecting the number of casuals within all offices of 200 work-years or more, within each installation and district, as well as nationwide. We will post this information on the APWU Web site so that local and state union officials can confirm that the reports accurately reflect the number of casuals employed.

Violations of the contractual limits will be challenged at the national level, and remedies will be disbursed to the affected locals or states for distribution. Compensation for violations will be paid at Grade 6, Step A, as opposed to what our members have received in the past — pennies on the dollar. Any disputes will be initiated at the national level.

The reason for limiting the number of PTRs is that the negotiated agreement was intended to maximize the number of full-time employees. In exchange for converting all Part-Time Flexibles to full time in 200 work-year offices, the union agreed to permit the hiring of casuals within limits without applying the “in lieu of” restrictions. The agreement to continue the use of PTRs was not intended to significantly erode the basic intent of an all-regular work force.

Some offices use PTRs in excess of the 2.5 percent, so if we had agreed to an installation limitation those offices would have been required to convert PTRs to full time, even though the local parties have generally accepted the positions as a part of the complement. An installation application also would have encouraged each office to staff with 2.5 percent PTRs.

The current agreement strikes a balance by counting every PTR position against the national limit, including those in the Maintenance and MVS Crafts. Presently, the number of PTRs is 1.9 percent, so if the agreement is ratified, management will be permitted to hire an additional .06 percent or 1,632 additional PTRs nationwide. These additional positions will be spread among approximately 490 offices of 200 work-years or more and 27,000 offices nationwide. Spread evenly, although not required, an office complement would be 97.5 percent full time and 2.5 percent PTR, compared to the current staffing requirement of 80 percent full time and 20 percent part time, including PTFs and PTRs.

As you know, the current casual limitations are 5.9 percent nationwide and 15 percent per district (for the APWU), subject to the “in lieu of” restrictions. The tentative agreement establishes for the first time an installation limitation (11 percent of Clerk Craft or approximately 8 percent of APWU), increases the nationwide restriction from 5.9 percent to 6 percent (APWU) and decreases the 15 percent district limitation (APWU) to 6 percent (APWU). In exchange for these limitations and the conversion of PTFs, the “in lieu of” restrictions were eliminated.

Jan. 11, 2007

[more questions]

[back to top]