February 2025 Consultative

NAPS President Ivan D. Butts, Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore, Secretary/Treasurer Jimmy Warden and Executive Board Chair Chuck Lum attended the Feb. 4 Zoom consultative meeting. Representing the Postal Service were Bruce Nicholson and James Timmons, Labor Relations Policies & Programs. Also, Timothy Haney, director, Delivery Strategy & Policy; Tyrone Williams, director, Field Operations Support; and Jeff Conway, director, Field Labor Relations Support.

Agenda Item #1

NAPS asked the following questions regarding postal vehicles:

  • What is the status of scan tools for Mercedes vehicles?

Fleet Management continues to work with internal IT teams on getting diagnostic tools into the Postal Service’s IT structure. There are many regulations that must be followed to get approval.

  • How many NGDVs are coming off the assembly line by type monthly?

This number varies as Oshkosh ramps up its production schedule. We currently are on schedule and receiving around four vehicles per week. By the end of this year, we will be receiving around 420 vehicles per week.

  • How many Ford E-Transit vehicles are waiting to be deployed?

Currently, over 4,900 E-Transits are awaiting deployment to S&DCs.

  • NAPS previously had been informed the Postal Service would purchase wreckers/rollbacks for VMFs. What is the status of these vehicles?

Fleet Management did not inform anyone the Postal Service would purchase wreckers/rollbacks. Instead, it was putting together a business case to assess the potential of a purchase. The Postal Service does not have current plans to purchase wreckers and rollbacks.

Agenda Item #2

NAPS asked when FY25 NPA goals will be released. The Postal Service is five months into FY25 with no NPA goals. This is a disservice to EAS employees who will be held accountable for the failure of USPS leadership to adequately inform the field of the organization’s goals.

If senior leadership cannot inform its field managers, postmasters and supervisors of the goals five months into the fiscal year, how can the NPA/PFP process be relevant? How can EAS employees be accountable for any results when they are not aware of the targets for success?

The FY25 NPA indicators were mailed to NAPS on Jan. 23.

Agenda Item #3

NAPS Headquarters was informed of the establishment of a Safety Engagement Observation Team. What is the focus, intent or makeup of these teams? With the USPS still requiring field EAS employees to deliver mail, NAPS is concerned about the intent of this process and requested a briefing as soon as possible.

Tyrone Williams, director, Field Operations Support, and Tim Haney, director, Delivery Strategy & Policy, attended and provided this briefing:

The intent of this initiative is to assist local offices with high accident rates and districts in conducting safety observations to reinforce safe work and driving practices. The focus areas will include not wearing seatbelts, leaving vehicles running while unattended, excessive reversing over 50 feet, distracted driving/earbuds, as well as other unsafe findings.

The makeup of the teams are the Delivery Support and Retail & Post Office Support specialists. Safety observations, PS Form 4584, will be submitted to and discussed with local management, both positive and negative. Local management will then follow up with employees.

Agenda Item #4

NAPS asked if Postal Service Headquarters allows retired postmasters, managers and supervisors to attend its job fair presentations for supervisors. If so, how would a retired EAS employee and NAPS branch president without access to USPS Blue ask to attend?

The job fairs for supervisors are intended for current employees who are interested in applying to become supervisors. These job fairs are virtual and designed to educate potential candidates about the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) needed to be competitive in the hiring process. This includes how to apply for positions, how to address KSAs and develop effectively.

Agenda Item #5

NAPS Headquarters has been made aware that, in many districts, MPOOs are requiring selected postmasters to run reports, conduct Zoom meetings, provide training or attend meetings on their behalf. These postmasters do not always have time to perform these roles for their MPOOs.

NAPS is aware how administrative assistants currently are distributed to MPOOs. Based on current MPOO workloads, NAPS believes each MPOO should have an administrative assistant assigned to them.

MPOOs are allotted to have the support of a secretary P7-07 position. There is an expectation for MPOOs to share resources (secretaries) where geographically possible.

Agenda Item #6

NAPS Headquarters has been receiving information from the field that Joint Statement on Violence in the Workplace (JSOVW) grievances filed by the craft unions continue to increase. NAPS also is aware the Postal Service tracks grievances in the GATS system.

NAPS requested the Postal Service to provide NAPS the number of JSOVW grievances filed by craft unions in the 2023 and 2024 calendar years and the resolution of such grievances, i.e., carried forward to arbitration, settled, etc.

Jeff Conway, director, Field Labor Relations Support, attended the meeting and discussed NAPS’ concerns:

The Postal Service cannot differentiate who a case was against, therefore it cannot give NAPS the number of cases filed against EAS employees. A Labor Relations group at Postal Headquarters looks at every JSOVW case. When a member is informed of a JSOVW charge, they must contact their NAPS representative immediately, along with the local Labor Relations office. This rarely is the case.

When most cases are reviewed by the Labor Relations Group after the B Team makes a decision, there is not any statement or documentation from the person being charged. It must be ensured that every case is fully investigated and the file contains all documentation as early in the process as possible.