USPS – NPMHU Contract Interpretation Manual
The period for counting bids under the 2006 National Agreement began on November 21, 2006, the day after expiration of the 2000 National Agreement. This provision provides that bargaining unit employees can be designated successful bidder no more than seven (7) times during the life of this contract. However, there are three (3) exceptions and the exceptions apply beginning with the first successful bid. For example, if the employee’s second successful bid during the life of the Agreement was necessitated due to their assignment being reposted due to a schedule change, that bid would not count against the seven (7) successful bid limit and the employee would still be entitled to at least six (6) more successful bids during the life of the Agreement. Source: Step 4 Grievance H1C-3P-C 36488, dated April 3, 1986. With regard to telephone bids, even when an employee has reached his or her successful bid limit, the telephone bidding system will allow bids to be entered. Those bids are flagged by the system as “ineligible.” As noted in the new contract language, it is the responsibility of the employee bidding to notify management that the employee is bidding “closer to home.” Management then will change the bid(s) to “eligible.” If the bidder is successful, the bidder will get his/her additional successful bid. Management will routinely review job bidding reports prior to awarding the duty assignment to a successful bidder. Part of this process is to investigate the ineligible bids. There are other situations (e.g., when an employee’s job is abolished) where the bid count also must be manually adjusted to make the bids eligible. Source: Letter Re. Implementation of Telephone Bidding System. B In the Mail Handler Craft, Vacant Craft Duty Assignments Will Be Posted for Bid as Follows: B1
Full-time and part-time fixed schedule employees will only bid for vacant assignments within their own category.
Only full-time employees may bid for full-time assignments and only part-time regular employees may bid for part-time regular assignments. B2
Full-time employees may apply for residual vacancies in the part-time fixed schedule category, and selection from such applicants shall be based on senior employee meeting the qualification standards.
Version 3 – March 20114
Article 12 Page 16