Non-Members Contract

By Debbie Atwell, VARLCA

For those of you who are not members of our UNION, I want you to read what the USPS offered as their last and best economic proposal before our UNION told them NO.

Here is the outline of the USPS proposal:

**The term of the Agreement shall be 4 years (Nov. 21, 2000 - Nov. 20, 2004)

 

**SALARIES AND WAGES

**In Nov. 2000, each non-probationary career employee covered by this agreement  will receive a one-time lump-sum cash payment of $500.

**In Nov. 2001, ditto.

**In Nov. 2002, ditto again.

**In Nov. 2003, ditto again.

There shall be NO cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) provided during the term of this agreement.

**ANNUAL LEAVE FOR NEW HIRE EMPLOYEES

**Annual leave for new hire employees shall be earned at the following rates:

Less than 5 years 3 hours per pay period 10 days per year
5 years but less than 10 4 hours per pay period 13 days per year
10 years but less than 20 5 hours per pay period 16 days per year
20 years and above 6 hours per pay period 20 days per year

**SICK LEAVE FOR NEW HIRE EMPLOYEES

**Sick leave for new hire employees shall be earned at the rate of 2 hours per pay period (6 1/2 days per year).

**EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE

**There shall be no change to the EMA.

 

There you have it! The best offer from the USPS. For those of you who don't know, here is what we would bve giving up, IF IT WERE NOT FOR OUR UNION!

COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS

We got these twice a year, a base salary increase based on the Consumer Price Index. A salary increase is a permanent thing, it continues being a part of your salary year after year.A one-time lump-sum payment of $500 amounts to about $350 after taxes. Over the term of a 4-year contract, that would put about $1400 in your pocket, BUT it would NOT increase your salary on a permanent basis. These lump-sum payments were for CAREER employees only, once again leaving the RCAs out. BUT OUT UNION SAID NO.

Now let's look at ANNUAL LEAVE. For those who don't know, our annual leave schedule worked like this:

Less than 3 years 4 hours per pay period 13 days per year
3 years but less than 15 years 6 hours per pay period 20 days per year
15 years and over 8 hours per pay period 26 days per year

Compare this to what the USPS proposed. Again, RCAs would be the big losers here. BUT OUR UNION SAID NO.

Let's compare SICK LEAVE. We currently earn 4 hours per pay period for a total of 13 days annually. The Postal Service wants to cut this in half. Once again, RCAs would be the big losers here! BUT OUR UNION SAID NO.

So for all you non-members, you have here in black and white what the USPS thinks of you. They want to cut your wages and benefits. We all need to support the UNION. It is the only defense we have against wage cuts and loss of benefits.

And I can guarantee you it will be an ongoing battle and an uphill fight to keep what we have now and improve our circumstances, All rural craft employees need to be united in this quest! We need your help. You, the non-members, are bound by law to abide by the same labor agreement  as union members are. Wouldn't you like to have a say in your future? Join us today and help fight for your tomorrow!