Executive Board District 5
Percy Smith, Jr.
1818 Heartland Dr.
Ft. Walton Bch. Fl. 32547
Cell 850-803-1154
percyjr@cox.net
Click here for District 5 contacts
EMERALD COAST LETTER CARRIERS
Recently our branch received a decision from the Dispute Resolution Team concerning a grievance that has been brought back and forth to them. It involved failing to comply with 100 grievances, It had been sent back to the office to attempt to settlement. We even attempted to settle these cases at the local level for penny on the dollar with no results. The former Postmaster General John Potter even put out guidance which states in part: Arbitration awards and grievance settlements are final and binding. Compliance is not an option, but a requirement. One of the few acceptable reasons for non- compliance with an arbitration award is if the Postal Service is seeking to have the award vacated in a federal court, which is very rare. No manager or supervisor has the authority to override an arbitrator’s award or a signed grievance settlement. Now to me this is plain and simple, if the Step B team renders a decision management must comply with the decision, right? Can anyone tell why management can seem to get this right? If the union loses a decision, I will bet you that management will hold us to the level of the law on the decision. Instead, they want to point fingers and claim that they had nothing to do with the grievance. Accept responsibility for your actions, something so simple has turned out to be an ENORMOUS settlement that no one wants to touch, It is like the old Midas commercial “Pay me now, or pay me later”, but you will pay. I want to thank the branch for allowing delegates and I to attend the national conventions. It was really an experience. Thank you.
Percy Smith, Jr
Branch 4559
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