Computerized bidding is undoubtedly here to stay, but until recently, problems with the Postal Service’s Human Resources Shared Services Center (HRSSC) have thoroughly frustrated employees, local union representatives and national officers alike. Since the Shared Services Center opened five years ago, almost all personnel services have been centralized in the Greensboro NC office.
The computerization of personnel services through www.liteblue.usps.gov can be convenient for employees who are comfortable using computers, however when problems arise, too frequently the system breaks down.
Fortunately, at the national level we recently have made progress resolving some persistent problems associated with the Shared Services Center. But problems remain, so union members and local officers will have to continue to be vigilant in protecting bidding rights.
Posting and Bidding: HRSSC’s one-size-fits-all approach often makes compliance with local contracts or past practices difficult. Shared Services still has not explained occurrences around the country where senior bidders were deemed “eligible” but bypassed by the computer, which awarded duty assignments to junior bidders.
Management says instances of employees accessing other employee’s bids through liteblue (without the employee’s ID or password) in the Dakotas District have been remedied by a “local fix,” but HRSSC has been unable to explain what caused the problem or tell us whether it happened elsewhere.
HRSSC generally fails to keep track of the exceptions in Article 12.3.A of the Collective Bargaining Agreement on limits on the number of bids employees can exercise, resulting in employees being improperly deemed “ineligible” to bid. The system also incorrectly informs probationary fulltime regular employees that they are not permitted to bid.
A word to the wise: If you are denied the opportunity to bid through computerized bidding, see your local steward and find out why.
Retreat Rights: The 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement included a requirement that a written request for retreat rights by excessed Clerk Craft employees would serve as a bid for all vacancies within their level in the installation from which they were reassigned.
During 2010 negotiations, the APWU reminded the Postal Service that the HRSSC computer still had not been programmed to accommodate this requirement! The union initiated national-level disputes in 2006 and 2011 protesting management’s failure to adhere to the 2006 agreement.
As a result of the union’s actions, we have been assured the HRSSC computers will be re-programmed — but not until late 2012. Until then, local union officers will need to police this vigorously.
Uniform Allowance: HRSSC refuses to include uniform allowances on bids even though the previous bidding system (HRIS) did. As a result, when part-time flexibles and part-time regulars were converted to full-time regulars in August 2011, the computer improperly terminated the uniform allowances of thousands of Clerk Craft employees. HRSSC has acknowledged the error, but as we go to press, we are still awaiting confirmation that it has been corrected. If you are improperly denied a uniform allowance, contact your local steward.
Retirement: One member who requested paperwork for the Civil Service Retirement System was incorrectly sent a packet for the Federal Employees Retirement System. When he contacted Shared Services to request the correct material, he was told that the system “would not permit” HRSSC to send him a “second package.” Three separate phone calls, answered by three different technicians, resulted in the same absurd answer. Like many computerized systems, when the HRSSC system breaks down, it truly breaks down!
PSE Health Benefits Eligibility: The 2010-2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement grants eligibility for health benefits to Postal Support Employees after one year of service. For those electing coverage under the APWU Consumer Driven Plan, the USPS agreed to cover 75 percent of the premium cost.
In Wichita KS and Salt Lake City UT, Transitional Employees from the Remote Encoding Center (REC) sites with at least a year of service (and a break in service of not more than five days) who converted to PSE were immediately eligible for this benefit. Apparently, no one at HRSSC was notified. These brothers and sisters were incorrectly notified that they must pay full premiums and, worse yet, their paychecks reflected the same. What an unpleasant surprise.
Thankfully, this problem is now being addressed. However, the USPS has contracted out the reprogramming of PostalEASE software, and the fix is expected to take months. In the meantime, the Accounting Service Center must manually enter all the data for our members to enjoy this benefit. PSEs who become eligible for APWU Consumer Driven Health coverage are advised to see their shop steward if they experience such difficulties with the HRSSC.
Communication: Perhaps the most frustrating thing for our members and their local union representatives has been the inability to communicate directly with anyone at HRSSC when problems arose. If someone gave you an incorrect answer, it was virtually impossible to find someone with the authority to correct the error. When jobs get posted incorrectly, there is no way to determine who made the mistake or how to correct it for the future.
For years, we have experienced the same problem at the national level – our only recourse was to contact management’s national Labor Relations Department and then wait months for a response.
Finally, the good news: At long last, the union at the national level has been provided with a direct contact at the HRSSC. The better news: It actually works. In November and December 2011 we contacted HRSSC with problems and they were corrected. One case involved an employee who was unable to get the USPS to properly deduct health insurance premiums; the other case involved an employee who was repeatedly told (incorrectly) that she was ineligible for a local VERA offer.
In both cases, the errors were corrected within a few days. Members who experience difficulties dealing with Shared Services should report the problems to their local steward or officer. The local union may forward any problems with HRSSC which cannot be resolved locally to the Clerk Division at lkrueth@apwu.org. We will do our best to assist you.
Yes, but is any progress being made on the national contract?
Senate Vote on Postal Bill
Could Be Taken on Monday
APWU Web News Article 022-2012, March 23, 2012
An amended version the APWU supported postal bill (S. 1789) is tentatively scheduled for a vote during the week of March 26.
Details of the final bill are well known, however. The bill’s sponsors have been meeting to discuss possible amendments, but have not released information about their discussions, too many amendments will sink this bill.
The APWU is asking union members to be vigilant and to check the APWU Web site frequently for updates. “The situation could change very rapidly, so it is important that union members remain alert,” Reid said. “We may need to respond to an announcement quickly, in order to ensure our members get a lucrative Early Retirement Package.”
The APWU was sharply critical of the original bill, and supported amendments to set strict service standards; allow the USPS to recover over-payments the Postal Service made to its retiree pension funds; adequately address the requirement that forces the USPS to pre-fund future retiree health benefits, and establish new ways to generate revenue, among others. We ask all of our members to support this Bill S.1789, it is the only bill to offer these Early out incentives and ensure the USPS
1. 25,000 cash.
2. 2 years added on to your FERS retirement
3. 1 year added on to your CSRS retirement.
“This announcement makes it all the more important that APWU members reach out to their senators to let them know that S. 1789 as amended,” must be passed now said Guffey.
Call Your Senators:
202-224-3121
(Capitol Switchboard)
[Click here for direct #s]
Tell them you Support
S. 1789
Hey Raul & Joe Wanats
Take your crap somewhere else. We all know the union does not support this bill. You’re blowing this crap out your rear. Get a clue & then get a life.
Postal officials said that as a result of the consolidations, approximately 83,000 jobs will be eliminated in the crafts represented by the APWU, including more than 63,800 Clerks, close to 9,000 Maintenance Craft employees, and more than 1,800 Motor Vehicle Craft employees.
GOOGLE……….U.S. SENATE………Choose your “SENATOR HOME” State. Look for the area in which to write and send your comment.
I wrote ” I work for the U.S.P.S. and I do not oppose S1789 in it’s amended form”. This bill offers three types of incentives not to be combined.
1. 25,000 cash.
2. 2 years added on to your FERS retirement
3. 1 year added on to your CSRS retirement.
“This announcement makes it all the more important that APWU members reach out to their senators to let them know that S. 1789 as amended,” must be passed now said Guffey.
Call Your Senators:
202-224-3121
(Capitol Switchboard)
[Click here for direct #s]
Tell them you Support
S. 1789
The U.S. Senate soon will likely debate the 21st Century Postal Reform Act (S. 1789), bill designed to ‘save” the U.S. Postal Service by offering Early Retirement Incentives.
S. 1789 should be passed as amended, it will save America’s postal network. Instead of enacting shortsighted, destructive policies, Congress should approve this bill ,S.1789.
Fredric V. Rolando/
No Congress wants to be seen as giving the Federal/ Postal Employees a break, when you vote remember this.
Maybe , maybe not as per S.1789, tied up in crap debates, then both houses announce deadlock, so PMG and the hordes know this, the VERA packets will go out anyway incentives or not.
Smoke screen by the APWU, VERA’s are last on the APWU list, Cliff Guffey the Union President should be handed over to the Taliban with the PMG
1789 is going no where. Reid knows it. Usps has ruined morale with all this crap.
People will continue to slow down and take thier retirement one working day at a time. USPS officers are really smart!….Not. What next.
Mismanagement and over funding, and the dues hungry Unions = downfall of USPS, lies and more lies, the USPS already uses the Inspectors and OIG, Office of Inspector General to set up craft employees, two sets of rules, just like the IRS, a Gestapo mentality, offering a decent early retirement/ Incentives would be one way to escape the deteriorating work places in the USPS, the work environment has always been about management inflating numbers, lying about getting mail out when it is stacked somewhere or sent back to be reprocessed, and using threats (OIG, Inspection Service, intimidation, following craft workers off the job etc.) and abusive tactics for managers to get their bonuses, always a daily fight for us workers to survive, yes it is a daily war to get you the customer your mail, end this monopoly now !
The Bill was amended, but the unions APWU and no balls Guffey and NALC Fred the Cuban Clown Rolando, want to push so many of their personal agenda items that the bill when it goes to be compromised witht the House, there will be a prolonged battle with Issa and Ross, that wait attitude is for more of your dues, APWU has put pit alerts, if they do not like anything, they will threaten the Democrats and the bill will be killed. Scumbag APWU has not uttered a word about VERA, they want to save your job so you can go Postal and die or retire due to mental illness.
The Unions do not want S.1789 in any way ,shape, or form, amended is never going to be good enough.
i agree. call/ write/email your senators TODAY !!!
PASS s-1789 THATS ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY. VOTE YES ON S-1789
EARLY OUTS WORTH $25K.. SAVE YOUR JOB.
The days of the APWU being associated with progress is a distant memory.
USPS Plans to Implement Consolidations As Soon As Moratorium Ends
Top-level postal managers were unable – or unwilling – to specify which mail processing centers would be closed immediately. Decisions will be made at the end of February, they said.
Postal officials said that as a result of the consolidations, approximately 83,000 jobs will be eliminated in the crafts represented by the APWU, including more than 63,800 Clerks, close to 9,000 Maintenance Craft employees, and more than 1,800 Motor Vehicle Craft employees.
GOOGLE……….U.S. SENATE………Choose your “SENATOR HOME” State. Look for the area in which to write and send your comment.
I wrote ” I work for the U.S.P.S. and I do not oppose S1789 in it’s amended form”. This bill offers three types of incentives not to be combined.
1. 25,000 cash.
2. 2 years added on to your FERS retirement
3. 1 year added on to your CSRS retirement.
“This announcement makes it all the more important that APWU members reach out to their senators to let them know that S. 1789 as amended,” must be passed now said Guffey.
Call Your Senators:
202-224-3121
(Capitol Switchboard)
[Click here for direct #s]
Tell them you Support
S. 1789
The U.S. Senate soon will likely debate the 21st Century Postal Reform Act (S. 1789), bill designed to ‘save” the U.S. Postal Service by offering Early Retirement Incentives.
As president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, I understand the budgetary and market challenges facing the USPS.
S. 1789 should be passed as amended, it will save America’s postal network. Instead of enacting shortsighted, destructive policies, Congress should approve this bill ,S.1789.
Fredric V. Rolando is the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers
NAPUS will continue to work with Senate allies to pass S. 1789, and ensure that the measure will garner the requisite votes for passage.
Here’s what I’m thinking. Every time we either centralize or contract out one of our departments or services, we create more problems than we’ve had previously and also create ever so many more backlogs that it seems that we’re standing still as an organization. Let’s reverse this all by decentralizing and keeping all our work we perform in house. On second thought, what was I thinking? Never happen!