§ 12.6 NA2022

§ 12.6 Reassignments

A Basic Principles and Reassignments
When it is proposed to: A1 Discontinue an independent installation; A2 Consolidate an independent installation (i.e., discontinue the independent identity of an installation by making it part of another and continuing independent installation); A3 Transfer a classified station or classified branch to the ju- risdiction of another installation or make an independent installation; A4 Reassign within an installation employees excess to the needs of a section of that installation; A5 Reduce the number of regular work force employees of an installation other than by attrition; A6 Centralize mail processing and/or delivery installations; or A7 Reduce the number of part-time flexibles other than by at- trition; such actions shall be subject to the following prin- ciples and requirements. B Principles and Requirements B1 Dislocation and inconvenience to full-time employees and part-time flexible employees shall be kept to the minimum consistent with the needs of the service. B2 The Vice President, Area Operations shall give full consid- eration to withholding sufficient full-time employees and part-time flexible positions within the area for full-time employees and part-time flexible employees who may be involuntarily reassigned. When positions are withheld, the local union may request, on a quarterly basis, that local management review the continuing need for withholding such positions and management shall discuss with the un- ion the results of such review. If and when local manage- ment learns that an installation is released, in whole or in part, from withholding, it shall notify the Union. B3 Except as otherwise provided by this agreement, no em- ployee shall be allowed to displace, or "bump" another employee, properly holding a position or duty assignment. B4 Under Section 12.6A4, governing reassignments within an installation of the employees excess to the needs of a sec- tion, the Union at the local level shall be notified in ad- vance (as much as 30 days whenever possible). B5 Full-time employees and part-time flexible employees in- voluntarily detailed or reassigned from one installation to another shall be given not less than 60 days advance notice, if possible, and shall receive moving, mileage, per diem and reimbursement for movement of household goods, as appropriate, if legally payable, will be governed by the ap- plicable standardized Government travel regulations, cur- rently set forth in Handbook F-15, Travel and Relocation. B6 The Regional Director for the NPMHU will receive at least 30 days notice for excessing outside of the installation that does not involve employee relocation. Such notice shall include a list of potential vacancies for reassignments. The impacted employees will receive the same notice at least 30 days in advance. Where employee relocation benefits are applicable the Regional Director for the NPMHU will re- ceive at least 60 days notice for excessing outside of the in- stallation. Such notice shall include a list of potential va- cancies for reassignments. Impacted employees will re- ceive the same notice at least 60 days in advance. B7 Any employee volunteering to accept reassignment to an- other craft or occupational group, another branch of the Postal Service, or another installation shall start a new pe- riod of seniority beginning with such assignment, except as provided herein. B8 Whenever changes in mail handling patterns are undertaken in a geographic area including one or more postal installa- tions with resultant successive reassignments of Mail Han- dlers from those installations to one or more central instal- lations, the reassignment of Mail Handlers shall be treated as details for the first 120 days for purposes of bidding only in order to prevent inequities in the seniority lists at the gaining installations. The 120 days is computed from the date of the first detail of a Mail Handler to the central, con- solidated or new installation in that specific planning pro- gram. If a tie develops in establishing the merged seniority roster at the gaining installation, it shall be broken by total continuous service in the regular work force in the same craft. B9 Whenever in this Agreement provision is made for reas- signments, it is understood that any full-time employees or part-time flexible employees reassigned must meet the qualification requirements of the position to which reas- signed. B10 It is understood that any employee entitled hereunder to a specific placement may exercise entitlement only if no oth- er employee has a superior claim hereunder to the same po- sition. B10a Surplus U.S. Postal Service employees from non- mail processing and non mail delivery installations, area offices, the U.S. Postal Service Headquarters or from other Federal departments or agencies shall be placed at the foot of the part-time flexible roll and begin a new period of seniority effective the date of reassignment. 59 Article 12.6 B10b Former full-time post office Mail Handlers who were reassigned to mail bag repair centers and de- positories on or before July 1, 1956, and who since B10b1 When such an employee is declared excess and is returned to the Mail Handler craft in the same installation from which the em- ployee was reassigned, seniority shall be the same as for continuous service in the craft and installation. B10b2 Should such an employee who is not ex- cess volunteer to be returned to the instal- lation in place of a junior excess employee, seniority in the Mail Handler craft and in- stallation will be that of the junior excess employee. B10b3 If such an employee voluntarily transfers to the employee's former installation he/she shall begin a new period of seniori- ty. C Special Provisions on Reassignments In addition to the general principles and requirements above specified, the following specific provisions are applicable: C1 Discontinuance of an Independent Installation C1a When an independent installation is discontinued, all full-time employees and part-time flexible employees shall, to the maximum extent possible, be involuntari- ly reassigned to continuing postal positions in accord- ance with the following: C1b Involuntary reassignment of full-time employees with their seniority for duty assignments to vacancies in the same, higher, or lower level in the same craft or occu- pational group in installations within 50 miles of the discontinued installation, or if necessary within 100 miles of the discontinued installation, or in more dis- tant installations, if after consultation with the Union, such reassignment have been continuously employed in the same center or depository and subse-quent to March 31, 1965: or from other Federal departments or agencies shall be placed at the foot of the part-time flexible roll and begin a new period of seniority effective the date of reassignment. it is determined that it is necessary. The Postal Ser- vice will designate such installations for the reassign- ment of excess full-time employees. When two or more such vacancies are simultaneously available, first choice of duty assignment shall go to the senior employee entitled by displacement from a discontin- ued installation to such placement. C1c Involuntary reassignment of full-time employees for whom consultation did not provide for placement un- der 12.6C1b above, in other crafts or occupational groups in which they meet minimum qualifications at the same or lower level. C1d Involuntary reassignment of part-time flexible em- ployees with seniority in any part-time flexible vacan- cy in the same craft or occupational group at any in- stallation within 50 miles of the discontinued installa- tion, or if necessary within 100 miles of the discontin- ued installation, or in more distant installations, if after consultation with the Union it is determined that it is necessary, the Postal Service will designate such in- stallations for the reassignment of the part-time flexi- ble employees. C1e Involuntary reassignment of part-time flexible em- ployees for whom consultation did not provide for placement under 12.6C1d, above in other crafts or oc- cupational groups in which they meet minimum quali- fication at the same or lower level at the foot of exist- ing part-time flexible roster at the receiving installa- tion and begin a new period of seniority. C1f Full-time employees for whom no full-time vacancies are available by the time the installation is discontin- ued shall be changed to part-time flexible employees in the same craft and placed as such, if such status is available in the installation, but shall for six months retain placement rights to full-time vacancies develop- ing within that time within any installation within 50 miles of the discontinued installation, or if necessary within 100 miles of the discontinued installation, or in more distant installations, if after consultation with the Union it is necessary, U.S. Postal Service will desig- nate such installations for the reassignment of excess full-time employees on the same basis as if they had remained full-time. C1g Employees, full-time employees or part-time flexible, involuntarily reassigned as above provided shall upon the reestablishment of the discontinued installation be entitled to reassignment with full seniority to the first 61 Article 12.6 C2 Consolidation of an Independent Installation C2a When an independent postal installation is consolidat- ed with another postal installation, each full-time em- ployee or part-time flexible employee shall be invol- untarily reassigned to the continuing installation with- out loss of seniority in the employee's craft or occupa- tional group. C2b Where reassignments under 12.6C2a preceding, result in an excess of employees in the continuing installa- tion, identification and placement of excess employees shall be accomplished by the continuing installation in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement covering such situations. C2c If the consolidated installation again becomes an inde- pendent installation, each full-time employee and part- time flexible employee whose reassignment was ne- cessitated by the previous consolidation shall be enti- tled to the first vacancy in the reestablished installa- tion in the level and craft or occupational group held at the time the installation was discontinued. C3 Transfer of a Classified Station, Classified Branch or other Facility to the Jurisdiction of Another Installation or Made an Independent Installation C3a When a classified station, classified branch or other facility is transferred to the jurisdiction of another in- stallation or made an independent installation, all full- time employees shall at their option remain with the classified station, classified branch or other facility without loss of seniority, or remain with the installa- tion from which the classified station, classified branch or other facility is being transferred. vacancy in the reestablished installation in the level, craft or occupational group from which reassigned. C1g Employees, full-time employees or part-time flexible, involuntarily reassigned as above provided shall upon the reestablishment of the discontinued installation be entitled to reassignment with full seniority to the first