Contract Interpretation Manual

Section 36.1A, B

Question: What are the Postal Service’s obligations with regard to providing space for credit unions in Federal buildings?

Answer: If space is available, the Postal Service will authorize a suitable location (other than workroom floor space) for credit unions in postal buildings. If the area is accessible through the workroom only, membership in the credit union is restricted to USPS employees (active and retired). Other federal employees in the same building may not join unless the credit union is situated so that it is unnecessary to enter the postal workroom. Credit union business cannot be conducted from any post office service window.

Source: Employee and Labor Relations Manual Section 613.2.

Question: Are employees entitled to USPS compensation for performing credit union duties?

Answer: No. Postal employees who are employees, officers, officials, or board members of employee credit unions are not entitled to USPS compensation for credit union duties. Such employees have the option of using annual leave or leave without pay for up to 8 hours per day to perform credit union activities, provided that they can be spared from their regular duties.

Sections 36.2A, B

CIM Section 36.2B

Section 36.2C

When mail handlers remain overnight on travel for job-related training, their travel time will be considered work hours for compensation purposes. Travel time is the time spent by a mail handler moving from one location to another during which no productive work is performed. It includes time spent traveling between his/her residence, airports, training facilities and hotels (portal to portal). Management must provide prior approval for overnight travel.

Section 37.1

The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, in Sections 1201 and 1202 of Title 39 of the United States Code, excludes “any individual employed as a security guard” from the production and maintenance bargaining units of the Postal Service. Mail handler watchmen positions have been eliminated, first through attrition and then through the procedures required by Article 12.

As stated in this section, former watchmen previously represented by the NPMHU, whose positions have been abolished, shall continue to be treated in accordance with the seniority, posting, and reassignment provisions of the National Agreement.

Section 37.2

For any inspection of an employee’s locker that is not based on reasonable cause to suspect criminal activity, or any general inspection of lockers where employees have not had prior notification of at least a week, either a steward or the employee(s) affected shall be given the opportunity to be present at the inspection.

Sections 37.3, .4, .5

The Postal Service at the local level is required to establish a policy, subject to sound business judgment and practices, for the use of telephones by designated Union representatives for legitimate business related to the administration of the National Agreement.

Section 37.6

Additional provisions regarding meetings of the local Joint Labor-Management Safety and Health Committee are found in Article 14 (Sections 14.7 and 14.8).

Section 37.7

See further Article 4 (Section 4.4) and Article 9 (Section 9.6B).

Section 38.1

This article establishes labor-management committees at the national, regional/area and local levels. The purpose of these committees is to discuss matters of mutual concern, subject to the understanding that neither party to these discussions shall attempt to modify the terms of the National Agreement.

These labor-management committees are specifically mentioned in several other provisions of the National Agreement. Various subjects are deemed to be proper for discussion at labor-management meetings, including the following: under Article 2 (Section 2.2), non-discrimination and civil rights, at the national, regional/area and local levels; under Article 8 (Section 8.4D), sustained and excessive overtime where it is being worked by non-volunteers, at the regional/area and local levels; under Article 20 (Section 20.5), the parking program, at the national level; under Article 32 (Section 32.3), subcontracting, at the national level; and under Article 37 (Section 37.4), the problems and proposed solutions associated with an energy crisis or any serious widespread energy shortage, at the national level.

Section 38.2C

With the exception of meetings dealing with the Christmas operation, the compensation provisions apply only for local Labor-Management Committee meetings.

Section 38.2F

Meeting frequency is determined by the complement of bargaining unit employees, including MHAs, in each office. Additionally, it is important that the time requirements for exchange of agenda items be adhered to so that full consideration can be given to submitted items. If agenda items do not warrant a regularly scheduled meeting, the parties can mutually agree to discuss issues of concern.

Question: As a general rule, should management respond to all issues discussed at meetings of the labor-management committees?

Answer: Yes. To maintain good labor-management relations, it is necessary for management to make every effort to respond to all issues discussed at labor- management committee meetings in as short a time as it practical.

Source: Step 4 Grievance NC-S-11532, dated October 24, 1978.

Section 39.1

If any part or provision of the National Agreement is rendered invalid due to legislation or court order, the remainder of the National Agreement will remain in full force and effect.

Section 39.2

Except for certain provisions that were specifically designated as retroactive to September 21, 2019 or to other dates set forth in the National Agreement, the terms of the 2019 National Agreement were effective on April 25, 2020.

The 2019 National Agreement is effective until 12 midnight on September 20, 2022 unless neither party indicates its desire to terminate or modify it, in which case the National Agreement is automatically renewed for successive annual periods. If either party notifies the other in writing, within the prescribed time limits, of its desire to terminate or modify the National Agreement, then the National Agreement is subject to re-negotiation in accordance with the terms of the Postal Reorganization Act.