Major Impact Hits Western Region
AND SO IT BEGINS
DENVER CO- For the first time in months the USPS WestPac Area office
has notified the Region of withholding assignments and anticipated involuntary re-assignments (excessing) of more than a hundred clerks.
The Denver P&DC is being converted into a Regional P&DC (RPDC) which is
part of former PMG DeJoy’s Deliver For America 10 Year plan. The current
PMG has indicated he has no plans to stop that disastrous plan that has
slowed mail delivery nationwide.
Management claims that Denver PDC is over maximum capacity causing
delays in mail service. The conversion of the plant will entail major
structural changes within the facility as well. Management also notified the
Local Union that much of the structural work will be outsourced impacting
the Maintenance Craft adversely.
Staffing Impact
The WestPac notice outlines what management intends to do regarding the
operational changes to equipment:
AND SIPS+
replace with greater bins
Transportation.
The impact to employees is that 120 Level 6 and 8 Level 7 clerks will be
affected and subject to involuntary reassignment from the clerk craft to
other crafts and/or involuntary reassignment from the Denver Installation
(which includes retail stations/branches) to residual vacancies within a 50
mile radius.
The target date for implementation of the RPDC and the involuntary reassignment of employees is September 19, 2026. Pursuant to the Union Contract management is required to give the Union six (6) months advance notice. Regional Coordinator Omar Gonzalez was notified on March 3, 2026.
The infrastructure changes to the building, HVAC and break rooms, however, were decided last year in September 2025, months before notification to the Regional Union. These structural operational changes are being contracted out.
The Local Union received Article 32 (Subcontracting) notification which is being addressed by the Maintenance National Business Agent.
Clerk Impact
Management is required to withhold residual vacancies within a 50-mile radius. The act of withholding is the reservation of vacancies that were not bidded on and have not been reverted. So, for this impact management has to withhold 128 assignments in the clerk, carrier, mail handler and other crafts in Denver and surrounding cities such as Bolder, Ft Collins, Golden, Lakewood, Littleton, Aurora etc.
Local management is required to inform the Local Unions representing those cities of what assignments are
being withheld.
Lessening the Impact
According to the National Union Agreement (Contract) following notification the Regional/Area parties meet
to discuss the excessing event. This includes discussion over the principles and requirements to keep
dislocation and inconvenience to full-time and part-time flexibles to a minimum such as:
-
Allow clerks in the losing facility to transfer via Priority eReassignment and take their seniority but with no retreat rights.
-
Solicit senior clerks to volunteer to be reassigned to the gaining facilities withheld assignments and if the assignment is to the clerk craft retain their seniority.
The phycological impacts of these involuntary reassignments is real causing stress and anxiety. The Union Contract provides for protections against Lay-Off and restricts such forced reassignment to a radius of 50 miles. The Regional Union, NBAs and Local Union
Officers will meet with management to ensure the Principles of Seniority and Reassignment under Article 12 of the CBA are met.
Who Is Targeted?
It is the most junior employees, no matter where in the Installation
they are assigned to, that are to be involuntarily reassigned. However, more senior clerks may elect to be reassigned in lieu of the juniors. Management is required to solicit all clerks and identify the withheld assignments so that employees can see if any are closer to their home or schools or other favorable locations.
After the solicitation of volunteers and the application of the special transfer Priority eReassignment opportunity if there are still impacted employees’ “Attrition”, which is to count the number of employees who have retired, transfers, passed away or been taken off the rolls, is applied.
Then before excessing is to take place, to the extent possible, Postal Support Employees are separated. This can be devastating to PSEs however unless and until these employees are converted, they are support and not career. All non-clerks working in clerk assignments must return to their crafts.
How Are Reassignments Made?
After volunteers are solicited, transfers are made, PSEs are reduced and non-clerks sent back the remaining impacted employees are reassigned by juniority. If it is to another craft within the installation the clerks are given a preference sheet to select from the available assignments. These kinds of assignments can happen within 30 days or less.
If the reassignments are to outside installations the clerk is given a 60-day notice, then granted a 10-day period to select from the available assignments in order of seniority and then issued a 30-day notice identifying the assignment, location, schedule. Clerks can submit written requests to RETREAT back to the craft and installation.
CAN THIS BE STOPPED?
There is nothing in the contract that permits the Union to stop reassignments. If there is, the Union would of course put a dead cold stop to this process. What the Contract protects is seniority, protects against Lay-Off and provides a process to lessen the impact.
But, planned excessing sometimes is canceled such as the recent plans in Phoenix. Employees who transfer out need to know the restrictions especially the fact that if the plans are cancelled there are no retreat rights. “What we have to be alert for, is that there is likely going to be more impact and it behooves the locals and union to educate and mobilize our members,” said Coordinator Gonzalez.
Note: This article is a simplified explanation of the Article 12 process check with your Union Rep as necessary.
