{"id":11769,"date":"2015-07-23T11:50:31","date_gmt":"2015-07-23T16:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/?p=11769"},"modified":"2015-07-23T11:50:31","modified_gmt":"2015-07-23T16:50:31","slug":"opt-or-higher-level-carrier-tech-position","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/2015\/07\/23\/opt-or-higher-level-carrier-tech-position\/","title":{"rendered":"OPT OR HIGHER LEVEL? Carrier Tech Position"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is submitted by Denny Belden of PEN’s The Belden Factor<\/a>. Denny is now retired from USPS.<\/p>\n

July 23, 2015<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Hello Brothers and Sisters!\u00a0 I haven\u2019t submitted an article in a while so I thought I\u2019d submit some information for the Carrier Tech position.<\/p>\n

When a vacant Carrier Tech. position becomes vacant, does it become an opt or is it assigned to the senior volunteer?<\/p>\n

Opting, Hold down, and Mini-bids are all terms used to describe a vacant position that unassigned regulars and CCAs may bid on, with the senior carrier being awarded the opt. These opting provisions can be found in Article 41 of the National Agreement (NA).<\/p>\n

Now, when a vacant Carrier Tech. (T-6) position becomes available does the position get filled by the opting provisions of Article 41, or does it become assigned to the senior carrier requesting the vacant position, under Article 25?<\/p>\n

The vacant T-6 position is filled by Article 25 of the NA.\u00a0 This language is clear at bottom of page 41.12 of the Joint Contract Administration Manual (JCAM).<\/p>\n

Temporarily Vacant Carrier Technician Assignments. Temporarily vacant Carrier Technician assignments are not filled under the opting provisions of Article 41.2.B.3 & 41.2.B.4. Rather, they are higher level assignments filled under the provisions of Article 25 (Step 4, H8N-3P-C 25550, May 6, 1981, M-00276).<\/em><\/p>\n

If you do not have a copy of the National Agreement, or the JCAM (which is the National Agreement with agreed to language by the Union and Mgmt.), they can both be found at the National website, NALC.org.\u00a0 \u00a0Also, the referenced Step 4 decision (the M – #) is found under the Materials Reference System at the website.\u00a0 You can input the M# and read the Step 4 decision for yourself.<\/p>\n

One item that must be filled out when a carrier is assigned to a higher level is the PS Form 1723.\u00a0 This is a written order stating the starting and end date of the detail.\u00a0 A copy of this form must be given to the Union Representative, usually the Shop Steward, PRIOR to the start of the detail.\u00a0 This of course is subject to the Steward being available.<\/p>\n

If a higher level detail, such as a 204B, is suddenly needed to fill the floor supervisor\u2019s job, the PS 1723 should be given to the Steward as soon as practicable.\u00a0 The Steward would then forward that form to the Union Hall so the officers can be aware where and when carriers are taken off the floor.<\/p>\n

Here is something most carriers DO NOT know.\u00a0 Article 25 allows part-time and FULL-TIME regular carriers to volunteer for the T-6 position.\u00a0 So any regular carrier that has his own route, or an unassigned regular, may volunteer his name to the vacant T-6 position.\u00a0 If he is the senior, qualified, and available employee, they will be selected to fill the vacant T-6 position.\u00a0 This is only applicable within the same station.\u00a0 This is not an installation wide assignment, just within your own station.<\/p>\n

Why is this important for a regular carrier to be able to bid to a T-6 position?\u00a0 A regular carrier may want to try the T-6 swing to see if he wants to bid the swing\u2026he may just want a change of scenery for a while\u2026or just different lunch spots!<\/p>\n

This information is found on page 25-1 in the JCAM.<\/p>\n

25.4 Section 4. Higher Level Details<\/em><\/p>\n

Detailing of employees to higher level bargaining unit work in each craft shall be from those eligible, qualified and available employees in each craft in the immediate work area in which the temporarily vacant higher level position exists. However, for details of an anticipated duration of one week (five working days within seven calendar days) or longer to those higher level craft positions enumerated in the craft Article of this Agreement as being permanently filled on the basis of promotion of the senior qualified employee, the senior, qualified, eligible, available employee in the immediate work area in which the temporarily vacant higher level position exists shall be selected. (Emphasis added)<\/em><\/p>\n

So, it is clear that the position of a vacant T-6 may only be assigned under Article 25, and not by the opting provisions of Article 41. \u00a0Also, regular carriers, as well as CCAs may volunteer for a vacant T-6 position.\u00a0 Of course, any regular\u2019s route that is vacant while assigned to the vacant T-6 position, would be available for an opt while he is on detail.<\/p>\n

Also, if a carrier is on an opt, and then goes on higher detail as a 204b, they will only hold onto the opt while it is posted for other carriers to opt, as long as there is at least 5 days or more left on the opt.\u00a0 The 204b loses his opt once he goes to higher level.<\/p>\n

The 204b cannot put in for an opt while detailed on higher level.\u00a0 So he\/she must go back to carrying mail prior to putting their name in for an opt.\u00a0 CCAs should be aware of this and monitor the sign up list for opts in your station.<\/p>\n

The Steward should know when the 204b will go back to carrying mail by the requirement for mgmt. to provide the PS 1723 to the Union.\u00a0 This should have already been listed on the form received by the Steward at the beginning of the detail, or should be provided a PS 1723 immediately when the 204b comes down prior to the date on the already supplied form.<\/p>\n

So, I hope some of this clears up some questions on opting and higher level details.\u00a0 For more detailed information, please read Article 41 in the JCAM.\u00a0 The explanations in the JCAM will help you understand the contractual language of the National Agreement and what management has already agreed to.<\/p>\n

Remember: \u00a0Be Informed, Be Professional, Be Union!<\/p>\n

Denny Belden
\nRetired-Fat & Happy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This article is submitted by Denny Belden of PEN’s The Belden Factor. Denny is now retired from USPS. July 23, 2015 Hello Brothers and Sisters!\u00a0 I haven\u2019t submitted an article in a while so I thought I\u2019d submit some information for the Carrier Tech position. When a vacant Carrier Tech. position becomes vacant, does it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking","last_archivepost"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11769"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11771,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11769\/revisions\/11771"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}