Editing Questions You Didn't Know to Ask (section)

== Union ==
=== Labor Posters ===
The Postal Service is a federal government agency and is not subject to state labor jurisdiction. The craft employment within the USPS is union contract, federal minimum wage labor posters do not apply. The lowest contractual wage is many times higher than the 2009 $7.25/hr minimum wage.

=== Breaks ===
Is an employee required to take fifteen minute breaks or lunch? There is no federal labor law requiring breaks or lunch. Labor laws of this nature fall under state jurisdiction and since the USPS is part of the federal government it is not subject to state labor law. The employer however is still legally required to offer breaks and lunch per the regulation of OSHA or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a federal agency. Technically you are not required to take lunch or breaks, however, you are required to follow the instructions of your supervisor. OSHA can penalize the employer for an employee's failure to take an off-the-clock lunch.

=== Mail Handler Cross Crafting ===
If a supervisor instructs an employee to do work which does not belong to the member's craft can the member grieve the instructions of the supervisor. The craft member can write an observation on themselves and report that observation to a steward of the craft of which the Mail Handler is cross crafting, but the Mail Handler will not receive grievance funds and the Mail Handler cannot refuse to do the instructed work. Failure to comply with instructions of a supervisor is a serious offense and can result in discipline. If the Mail Handler is a Mail Handler Assistant failure to follow instructions can disqualify the employee from achieving career status. Failure to follow instructions is a walk-out-able offense. Management has the right to give an employee instructions that are contrary to the craft's work. The unions have the right to hold management accountable to their respective contracts and local agreements through the grievance procedure. 

=== Displacement and Backfill ===
Displacement is when a bid job employee is moved out of their bid job to work elsewhere in the facility. Backfill is when persons are placed in that bid job who are junior in seniority, are on overtime, or are of another craft doing the work of the displaced bid employee. Displacement and Backfill are grievable. Cross crafting and/or bargaining work is also grievable. Bargaining work is cross crafting of management. It is important that the displaced individual clock-into the operation of the assigned area to provide the union with evidence of the displacement.

=== Observing Cross Crafting or Bargaining Work ===
An employee may record an observation of cross crafting or bargaining work. The observation can be completed on a form 13 (a blank sheet of paper) or on a pre-formatted observation sheet. The observation needs to have the 
:craft being observed 
:what work is being performed 
:the duration of the cross crafting or bargaining work
:the location of the work being observed
:the date of the observation
:how many individuals of said craft are performing the work
:it is helpful but not necessary if the observed are named
:was the work being performed by more than one craft and was management also performing the work
:who made the observation

An example

:July 20, 2022
:5 PSE and 2 204B
:Column H11, AFSM prep stations
:Flats prepping
:PSEs from 13:00-16:00
:204B Linda 15:15-16:15
:204B Mike 16:30-16:45
:Observer - sign and date