While the Arbitrator did not completely fix the multiple bundle delivery method for letter carriers, she did award other language that will help to address the issue of overburdening on letter carrier routes.
Mail Volume Updates
One of the biggest challenges with the assessed values for letter carrier routes is that the Personal Contact Items (PCI) volume data is not up to date when a restructure is implemented and is completely out dated by the time of the following restructure. We now have a process to update the volumes of lettermail and PCIs on letter carrier routes once each year.
The updates will be done using the Mail Volume Index (MVI) and the PCI index for the previous year. Routes will only be adjusted if the assessed time increases. If this update causes your route to become over-assessed, you will receive over-assessed pay until your route is adjusted to less than 485 minutes.
Percentage of Coverage and MVI Study
We have known for a long time that the percentage of coverage formula, which determines how many points of call you get credited for each day, is no longer accurate. A joint committee will be established to review all aspects of the percentage of coverage formula and attempt to achieve the following objective, as indicated in the Arbitrator’s decision.
“The objective is to update the existing formula or establish a new percentage of coverage formula that determines more accurately the number of points of call that a letter carrier delivers to on an average day.”
“The project shall also analyze and review the calculation of the Mail Volume Index for machine-sequenced and manual mail. The objective is to determine a method to apply the MVI separately for machine-sequenced and manual mail.”
Once this project is completed, the objective is for the parties to arrive at an updated or a new percentage of coverage formula and MVI application for machine-sequenced and manual mail.
The assessed value of letter carrier routes should have an “evaluated workload that reflects the work performed”.
One Bundle Delivery Method
While it appears that the Arbitrator understands that there is an increased health and safety risk for letter carriers using the two-bundle delivery method, she did not recognize that allowing letter carriers to combine or merge their manual and sequenced mail in their vehicles is also a health and safety risk. She did impose an MOA in her decision that “would formalize the current practice that letter carriers will not be disciplined if they chose to integrate their sequenced and manual mail prior to commencing the delivery portion of their route.” The language provided by the Arbitrator clearly stated that the mail would be combined in the letter carrier’s vehicle.
The combining of manual and sequenced mail in your vehicle may not, in every circumstance, be a risk to your health and safety. However, letter carriers must be aware that they have the right to refuse unsafe work in Article 33 of the Urban collective agreement. This is an individual right and, can only be utilized if you believe the circumstances in which you are performing the work is unsafe and you have reasonable grounds to believe that the performance of this work will endanger your health and safety.
We must continue to fight for letter carriers to have the right to combine manual and sequenced mail at a sortation case.
Study on the Weight and Volume of Mail in Letter Carrier’s Satchels
The parties agreed that over-burdening for letter carriers is not just a weight issue, therefore there will be an Appendix “AA” project to study the weight and volume of mail in letter carrier’s satchels. The purpose of this project is to ensure that letter carriers are not carrying excessive weight or volumes of mail in their satchels. This includes all product types; lettermail, neighbourhood mail and packets. The project is to be completed within one year of the date of the Arbitrator’s decision.
Health and Safety Still Needs to Be Addressed
When you look at all the above changes and then also consider the other improvements (which will be discussed in future bulletins); access to information for letter carrier restructures, the suspension of compulsory overtime on other routes and the improvements to Appendix “LL”, we have succeeded in getting changes that will hopefully improve the health and safety of letter carriers. The changes imposed on us by the Arbitrator take some steps towards improving the over-burdening on letter carrier routes, but there is still a long way to go to improve health and safety measures.
In Solidarity,