Article 9 Salaries and Wages

ARTICLE 9 SALARIES AND WAGES

Section 9.1 Basic Annual Salary

Employees with career appointments before February 15, 2013 shall be paid and earn step increases according to the rates and waiting periods described in Section 9.2A and outlined in Table One. Employees with career appointments on or after February 15, 2013 shall be paid and earn step increases according to the rates and waiting periods de- scribed in Section 9.2B and outlined in Table Two. The basic annual salary schedule, with proportional application to hourly rate employees, for all grades and steps for those employees covered under the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be increased as follows: Effective November 23, 2019 – the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.1% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on September 20, 2019. Effective November 21, 2020 – the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.0% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on September 20, 2019. Effective November 20, 2021 – the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.0% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on September 20, 2019. [See Memo, page 149]

Section 9.2 Step Progression

1. Table One – Career Appointments Before February 15, 2013
The step progression for the Mail Handler Salary Schedule on Table One shall be as follows:

Table One Grades 4 & 5. Grades 4, 5 Waiting Period From Step To Step (in weeks) AA A 88 A B 88 B C 88 C D 44 D E 44 E F 44 F G 44 G H 44 H I 44 I J 44 J K 34 K L 34 L M 26 M N 26 N O 24 O P 24

Table One Grade 6. Grade 6 Waiting Period From Step To Step (in weeks) A B 96 B C 96 C D 44 D E 44 E F 44 F G 44 G H 44 H I 44 I J 44 J K 34 K L 34 L M 26 M N 26 N O 24 O P 24

2. Table Two – Career Appointments On or After the Effective Date of the Award, February 15, 2013
The step progression for the Mail Handler shall be as follows:

Salary Schedule on Table Two .

Grades 4, 5	Waiting Period
From Step	To Step	(in weeks)
BB	AA	52
AA	A	52
A	B	52
B	C	52
C	D	52
D	E	52
E	F	52
F	G	52
G	H	52
H	I	52
I	J	52
J	K	52
K	L	52
L	M	52
M	N	52
N	O	52
O	P	52

Section 9.3 Cost of Living Adjustment

1. Definitions;
   1. "Consumer Price Index" refers to the "National Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers," published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor (1967=100) and referred to herein as the "Index."
   2. "Consumer Price Index Base" refers to the Consumer Price Index for the month of July ‘’’2019’’’ and is referred to herein as the "Base Index."
2. Effective Dates of Adjustment; Each eligible employee covered by this Agreement shall receive cost-of-living adjustments, upward, in accordance with the formula in 4.C, below, effective on the following dates:

   - the second full pay period after the release of the January 2020 Index

   - the second full pay period after the release of the July 2020 Index

   - the second full pay period after the release of the January 2021 Index

   - the second full pay period after the release of the July 2021 Index

   - the second full pay period after the release of the January 2022 Index

   - the second full pay period after the release of the July 2022 Index

3. The basic salary schedule provided for in Table One and Step P of Table Two of this Agreement shall be increased 1 cent per hour for each full 0.4 of a point increase in the applicable Index above the Base Index. For example, if the increase in the Index from January 2020 to July 2020 is 1.2 points, pay scales for employees in Table One and Step P of Table Two of this Agreement will be increased by 3 cents per hour. In no event will a decline in the Index below the Base Index result in a decrease in the pay scales provided for in this Agreement. Steps BB through O in the basic salary schedules provided for in Table Two of this Agreement shall receive COLAs calculated using the formula in this paragraph, adjusted proportionally as reflected in Table Two.
4. In the event the appropriate Index is not published on or before the beginning of the effective payroll period, any adjustment required will be made effective at the beginning of the second payroll period after publication of the appropriate Index.
5. No adjustment, retroactive or otherwise, shall be made due to any revision which may later be made in the published figures for the Index for any month mentioned in 4.B., above.
6. If during the life of this Agreement, the BLS ceases to make available the CPI-W (1967=100), the parties agree to use the CPI-W (1982-84=100) at such time as BLS ceases to make available the CPI-W (1967=100). At the time of change to the CPI-W (1982- 84=100), the cost-of-living formula in Section 9.3C will be recalculated to provide the same cost-of-living adjustment that would have been granted under the formula using the CPI-W (1967=100).

Section 9.4 Application of Salary Rates

Except as provided in this Article, the Employer shall continue the current application of salary rates for the duration of this Agreement.