The Postal Service announced today the intention to consolidate the Springfield L&DC into the BMC, merging the two previously independent installations into one single installation.  The effective date of the planned consolidation is July 22, 2006.

Dateline June 23, 2006

NORTHEAST AREA ANNOUNCES CONSOLIDATION OF SPRINGFIELD L&DC WITH SPRINGFILED BMC
 
After canceling two previously scheduled meetings slated for May and June, respectively, the Northeast Area announced today that the Springfield, MA Logistical and Distribution Center would be discontinued as an independent Installation and would be consolidated with the Springfield Bulk Mail Center effective July 22, 2006.

The Branch Presidents of the Bulk Mail Center/GMF, Branch # 36 President Dan Hawk and L&DC Branch # 1 President Bill Boulanger were called into an office for a meeting with MA District Labor Relations Manager Mark Forgue and notified that 'sometime last night' a decision was made by Area Headquarters to merge the two independent installations into one consolidated installation that will all be considered by the Postal Service to be part of the Springfield Bulk Mail Center.

According to the Postal Service at this writing, it is the intent of the Postal Service to adhere to the tenets of Article 12.6C and merge the seniority lists of the two facilities.  All Mail Handlers from both facilities (once again, according to what was reported by the Postal Service) will maintain their current bid assignments. Following the consolidation of the two installations, employees will be able to bid on vacant duty assignments in all (GMF/BMC/L&DC/SCC and Stations) work locations that will comprise the Bulk Mail Center Installation. 

Currently, there are a limited number of Part Time Flexible Mail Handlers in the L&DC who are all slated to be converted to Full Time Regular (FTR) Mail Handler effective July 8, 2006.  Under a scenario offered by the Postal Service, those converted employees should have an opportunity to obtain duty assignments in the L&DC prior to the consolidation of the two facilities as they are currently comprised.

There are also a limited number of newly hired PTF's employed at the BMC in Springfield.  The Union and management are working on attempting to deal with issues surrounding the conversion of these employees but no guarantees were offered by management concerning these employees.  The Union continues to pursue hiring of additional Mail Handlers in the Springfield BMC and has been advised repeatedly that the Postal Service has been frustrated by numerous Article 12 withholdings throughout the Northeast Area and the East Coast in general.  This is the subject of numerous grievances pending the grievance-arbitration procedure.
 
One further note of concern is that Article 30 (30.3C) of the National Agreement allows for a new thirty-day window for Local Negotiations following the consolidation of two independent installations.  The Postal Service identified their intentions to open Local Negotiations to deal with the fact that there two Local Agreements in Branch # 36 and Branch # 1 are significantly different.  Some of the significant differences revolve around Prime Time Leave percentages, non-prime time leave percentages, as well as other work rules and sectional considerations.
 
The Union has requested an immediate Labor-Management meeting and provided the Postal Service with several potential meeting dates for next week (week of June 26-30, 2006).  We will provide further updates as soon as any information is available.