FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

We have been advised by the Service that the $2,700.00 payments pursuant to the MS-47 remedy settlement have been issued for this payday, February 22, 2008.
However, in the attempt to expedite the payments, the Service was only able to process about half of the total payments. The remainder of the employees being paid will be accomplished for the next pay day, March 7, 2008 (pay period 05-08).
The remedy settlement required payment no later than the pay day for pay period 08-08. Please ensure all Maintenance offices in your area are made aware immediately that half of the nationwide total will receive the $2,700 this pay day and the other half next payday.


Gary Kloepfer
Assistant Director
Maintenance Division

Custodial Staffing 2008

In another recent national-level award, Arbitrator Shyam Das sustained the union's challenge to management's revisions to the custodial staffing handbook (MS-47) and ordered the Postal Service to rescind the 2001 MS-47 Handbook, reinstate the previous (1983) MS-47 Handbook, and reinstate or prepare staffing packages as soon as practicable.

While the arbitrator sustained the national level dispute in favor of the APWU challenges still exist in Anchorage for proper staffing levels.

The local recently (December 2007) received revised staffing packages for our offices from the service that we believe do not correctly reflect the staffing levels required by the MS-47.

The local has filed yet another grievance (January 2008) to force the service to abide by the arbitrators award and the MS-47 and to staff at the required levels.