Pre-Arb Settlements Protect Holiday Rights in Grand Rapids

Two grievances filed in Grand Rapids resulted in Pre-Arbitration settlements that will protect the rights of Full Time Regulars during Holiday weekends.

Grievance #0711-94 was filed because non-listers were being forced to work seven days during holiday schedules. The Union took the position that management was using holidays as an excuse to force as many mail handlers to work as possible, including forcing non-list full time regulars to work seven days. The Union cited Article 8 of the National Agreement, which
states that excluding the month of December, non-listers will only be required to work seven days during emergencies. This grievance was filed at Step 1 and appealed to Step 2 by Roger Moore. After I appealed the case to Step 3, it was denied. President Kister made a pre-arbitration settlement the will prevent the mandating of non-listers.

Grievance 0611-1453 involves working junior mail handlers as 204B's during the Holiday schedule. This was filed when management worked these 204B's so that supervisors could take the
Holidays off, in turn forcing senior mail handlers to work so the junior employees could act as 204B's to cover for the supervisors. This grievance was filed at Step 1 and appealed to Step 2 by Jerry Pollard. I appealed the case to Step 3. President Kister's pre-arbitration settlement provides that junior mail handlers be scheduled to work holidays, which will force supervisors to work the holidays and allow more senior mail handlers to have time off.

Respectfully,

Steve Patricelli, Vice President