National Postal Mail Handler Union, Local 316
A Division of LIUNA-AFL-CIO
Don Sneesby
Don Sneesby, Western Region Vice President and Local 316 President Local 316’s headquarters is located in Seattle, Washington. The Local has 11 branch offices serving Mail Handlers in the states of Washington and Alaska. Our mission is to provide prompt, professional representation while protecting our member’s rights.
NORTHWEST PASSAGES
THE OFFICIAL NPMHU LOCAL 316 NEWSLETTER FOR MAIL HANDLERS OF ALASKA AND WASHINGTON
MAY 2024
May 2024
Official Call for Bargaining Proposals
With preparations underway for negotiations over the terms of the 2025 National Agreement between the NPMHU and the Postal Service, the National Office is issuing its official call for bargaining proposals from all members and Local Unions.
To be fully considered prior to the onset of negotiations, proposals must be submitted by January 31, 2025. Although formal bargaining is not scheduled to begin until June, the Union’s Field Negotiating Committee will be meeting for a full week in February 2025 to review all submitted proposals and outline the changes in the National Agreement that should be proposed by the NPMHU.
To be sure, planning for collective bargaining is a continuous process at the National Office, as the National Officers and representatives working in the Contract Administration Department routinely identify and collect proposals for improving the language currently found in the 2022 National Agreement. But an equally important aspect of preparing for bargaining is the collection and review of proposals generated by mail handlers across the country.
Thus, National President Paul Hogrogian has issued this official call for bargaining proposals from the membership, the Local Unions, and other subordinate bodies of the NPMHU. If you have any proposals that you would like to have considered for the upcoming round of bargaining, now is the time to submit them to the National Office.
Every proposal submitted will be fully analyzed by the NPMHU’s Field Negotiating Committee and the National Negotiations Team while the Union develops its opening bargaining proposals. All proposals should set forth the Article, Section, Paragraph, and/or Page of the National Agreement that you are suggesting should be changed; the specific language you would like to see added to, or deleted from, the current National Agreement; and your specific reasons for suggesting the change.
If you have supporting evidence or documentation that you believe would support the change that you propose, please submit those materials to the National Office along with your proposals. The National Office is asking that all proposals be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than January 31, 2025. The National Office also has issued a form that can be used to submit proposals.
Once again, proposals from any member (or group of members) and any Local Unions or other subordinate body should be submitted to the National Office by January 31, 2025, by faxing to 202-833-0008 or by using the following address:
National Postal Mail Handlers Union
ATTN: 2025 Negotiations
815 16th Street, NW, Suite 5100
Washington, DC 20006
2025 Union Plus Scolarship Program
Union Plus Scholarships help union families with the cost of college.
Application Deadline: January 31, 2025.
The new L 2070 Fund
Like all Lifecycle Funds (L Funds), the L 2070 offers simplicity and diversity and is designed to grow with you over time.
2024 PAC
You too can become a NPMHU political activist. Your contributions help preserve and save job.
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) set at $978
Effective September 7, 2024 (Pay Period 20-2024), all career Mail Handler craft employees are scheduled to receive a cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment. This is the fourth of six possible COLA increases under the terms of the current agreement. Consumer Price Index (CPI) following release of the July 2024 Index, using the July 2022 CPI index as a base. The resulting calculation provides an annual increase of $978 for all Steps in Table 1 and for Step P of Table 2.
The remaining Steps in Table 2 will receive the proportional COLA increase percentages as outlined in Article 9.3 of the National Agreement.
Mail Handler Wage Rates — Effective September 7, 2024 (PP 20-2024)
New Annual Leave Carryover for Leave Year 2024 and Annual Leave Exchange Option for Leave Year 2025
The first MOU allows for additional Annual Leave Carryover for the 2025 Leave Year. In the 2022 National Agreement, the MOU on Annual Leave Carryover allows regular work force employees to carryover 440 hours of accumulated annual leave. The new MOU on Annual Leave Carryover for Leave Year 2025 expands that limit and allows regular work force employees to carryover 520 hours of accumulated leave from leave year 2024 to leave year 2025.
The second MOU deals with the Annual Leave Exchange Option for the 2025 Leave Year. The Annual Leave Exchange Option MOU for Leave Year 2024 will allow career employees to sell back a maximum of 80 hours of annual leave prior to the beginning of the leave year provided the following criteria is met: 1) The employee must be at the maximum leave carryover ceiling (440 hours) at the start of the leave year and 2) the employee must have used fewer than 75 sick leave hours in the 2024 leave year.
Mail Handlers to Receive Night Shift Differential Increase
May 10, 2024– As provided for in Article 8.7 of the NPMHU 2022 National Agreement, effective May 18, 2024 (PP12-24); the flat dollar amount at Steps A through P at each pay grade for night shift differential in Tables Three and Four shall be increased by 1.5%, the flat dollar amount at Steps A of Table 3 and Steps BB and AA for Table Four through P at each pay grade for night shift differential in Tables Three and Four shall be increased by 2.0%. All increases will be applied to the most recent night shift differential table preceding the increase. The increase is applicable for time worked between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. This is the second of three Night Shift Differential increases negotiated in the 2022 National Agreement.
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) set at $353
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) set at $353
Effective March 9, 2024 (Pay Period 07-2024), all career Mail Handler craft employees are scheduled to receive a cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment as outlined in Article 9.3 of the 2022 National Agreement. This is the third of six possible COLA increases under the terms of the current agreement.
https://www.npmhu.org/resources/body/Wage-Chart-11-18-2023.pdf
Combined Federal Campaign / Postal Employees’ Relief Fund
Overseen by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the official workplace giving campaign for Federal, Postal, Military employees and retirees. Since its inception, the CFC has raised more than $8.5 billion for charities and people in need.
The CFC 2023 contribution solicitation period runs from September 1, 2023 through January 15, 2024.
USPS Issues Craft Determination, High Output Parcel Sorter (HOPS)
As set forth in the attached letter, the Postal Service has determined that all jurisdictional assignments on the HOPS will be awarded to the Mail Handler craft except for the function of Keying or Facing on the Reject Lane.
RE: Craft Determination, High Output Parcel Sorter (HOPS) PDF
Members Resource
Uniform and Work Clothes Annual Allowance Carry Over
Re: Uniform and Work Clothes Annual Allowance Carry Over (pdf)
Unused portions of an eligible employee’s annual allowance for uniform and work clothing will be carried over and available for use beginning twelve (12) months after the end of each anniversary year. An eligible employee’s uniform and work clothing allowance balance may not exceed the sum of two (2) years of the employee’s annual allowance entitlement. This uniform and work clothing program adjustment will be implemented no later than twelve (12) months from the ratification date of the 2022 Agreement.
MOU: Sorting and Delivery Centers (S&DC) Staffing
RE: MOU: Sorting and Delivery Centers (S&DC) Staffing (pdf)
Enclosed is a copy of a recently signed MOU on the Staffing of the Sorting and Delivery Centers (S&DCs) between the USPS and the NPMHU. The S&DCs are a new facility from the Deliver for America Plan that will create large carrier stations by consolidating smaller offices.
As set forth in the MOU the parties agree to allow management to exceed the MHA and/or PTF cap for a period of 120 days from the activation of an S&DC. During this period a jurisdictional inventory per the RI-399 process should be completed. At the end of the 120 days the USPS and NPMHU will discuss the staffing of the S&DC.
Introduction to the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB)
"What you need to know"
Learn and Lunch Series
Open Season Novemeber 11 , 2024
Decemeber 9, 2024
