The issue in this grievance concerns rural carriers utilizing the load truck feature on the MDD when loading an Employer provided vehicle. After reviewing this matter, we mutually agree that no national interpretive issue is fairly presented in this case.
Handbook PO-603, section 223.23, is instructive regarding how rural carriers handle parcels that do not fit in the case separations. Specifically, a letter may be reversed or some other method may be used to alert carriers there is a parcel that cannot be cased for that address.
The parties agree that management may require rural craft employees who are being compensated hourly to use the load truck feature. This would include Leave Replacements who have already exceeded 40 hours in the week.
Also attached are two other documents pertaining to this issue. The parties have agreed that both of these documents and the instructions contained within remain in effect. First is the letter sent to the field by the Vice-President of Delivery Operations clarifying that rural carriers are governed by the PO-603 language. (It also contains some useful language on acceptance scans.) The second document is signed by the Manager of Labor Relations Policies and Programs at USPS HQ and establishes that rural carriers may voluntarily utilize the MDD Load Function during the mail count. The time would be included in Loading, but there would be no additional time for the individual scans.
Click here to view the Step 4 settlement letter.
Step 4 Settlement – (Q15R-4Q-C 18112722) MDD Loading Initiative
