South Jersey Area Local 526 APWU

APWU Discourages Members from Participating In ‘Align Networks’
(01/26/12) The APWU “strongly discourages” union members from participating in physical therapy through Align Networks, Human Relations Director Sue Carney says. “As a contract provider, Align Networks can share information with the Postal Service that would otherwise be protected by doctor-patient confidentiality, including information that is unrelated to workplace injuries,” she warned.

BEWARE OF CARRIER POSITIONS BEING OFFERED

The Postal Service is going to initiate an awareness campaign regarding bargaining unit reassignment opportunities to the city letter carrier craft. This program is intended to provide career clerk, mail handler, maintenance, and motor vehicle craft employees with information on volunteer reassignment opportunities to the city carrier craft.

As an APWU craft employee if you voluntarily transfer to the carrier craft you start a new period of seniority, generally as a PTF carrier. If you are currently full time and you are excessed into the carrier craft you would remain full time.

With the proposal to go from 6 day to 5 day delivery currently being considered by Congress, I would discourage our members from volunteering to become carriers. The USPS says if they get 5 day delivery they can eliminate all their Q-2 positions and reduce the number of letter carriers significantly. This will lead to the junior carriers being excessed or perhaps laid off, if the USPS reduces or eliminates the layoff protection in their current round of bargaining with the NALC.

You should be extremely cautious about voluntarily transferring to the carrier craft.

Bill Boyle