Today, August 7, 2020, the Postal Service notified NAPS Headquarters that a new USPS business plan has been approved by the USPS Board of Governors (BOG). The first part of the new plan involves a realignment of the USPS area organizational structure to focus on three business lines, involving retail and delivery, logistics and processing and commerce. As reported in USPS announcements (attached), “ … [T]hese organizational changes do not initiate a reduction-in-force, and there are no immediate employee impacts.” Also attached is the new USPS organizational chart.
Over the past several weeks, NAPS Headquarters has closely monitored changes in Postal Service operational approaches and surrounding developments. At our last USPS-NAPS consultative session on July 27, 2020, USPS noted that these operational changes were not subject to USPS-NAPS consultation because they fell within the scope of existing policies and rules, even if outside the norm of past practice. That perspective may not necessarily apply to future practices, as NAPS receives additional information from USPS on the business plan and realignment consequences. NAPS intends to fully exercise all available consultation rights on all appropriate matters.
We will continue to keep our membership fully advised on these developments and to make available our resources and assistance to our members. For example, in the deployment of cost-cutting strategies, where EAS employees become subject to debt determination letters for the cost of extra trips or unauthorized overtime, the services of the NAPS Disciplinary Defense Fund (DDF) will be available for members subject to false charges of extra trip or overtime fees. Similarly, the DDF will remain available to represent members subject to disciplinary charges for following proper instructions leading to the delay of mail, missed deliveries, or other grounds.
As the USPS implements the new business plan, it is important that members follow all proper instructions, verbal or written. When NAPS members receive verbal instructions outside postal policies or guidelines, they should follow-up with an email to their manager or higher-level leadership to request clarification. Furthermore, if a member is unsure of an order, be sure to review ELM 665.15 Obedience to Orders, which states; If an employee has reason to question the propriety of a supervisor's order, the individual must nevertheless carry out the order and may immediately file a protest in writing to the official in charge of the installation or may appeal through official channels.
NAPS is committed to the success of the Postal Service. We are also committed to our members’ success and protecting their livelihoods and rights in the workplace. To that end, NAPS will consult in good faith with the USPS and provide postal leadership with input to achieve success for both parties.
As more information becomes available on the USPS business plan and its impact, NAPS will provide timely and relevant updates.
See here for more information.
