Article 41

Bid Assignments

41.1.c.4 The successful bidder shall work the duty assignment as posted. Unanticipated circumstances may require a temporary change in assignment. This same rule shall apply to Carrier Technician assignments, unless the local agreement provides otherwise.
 

City Collections

Carrier Technician Assignments

The five routes on a Carrier Technician’s string or group which constitute a full-time duty assignment are normally carried in the posted sequence. In the absence of any Local Memorandum of Understanding provisions or binding past practice concerning this issue (Article 5), management has discretion to move a Carrier Technician off the assignment he or she is working in the regular rotation to another route on the Carrier Technician’s string. If a Carrier Technician is moved to another route on the string, that route becomes the carrier’s assignment on that day for the purposes of Article 41.1.C.4 and the application of the overtime provisions of Article 8.5.

If a Carrier Technician is moved to another route on the string with a different starting time, he/she still retains and is still entitled to be paid for the hours of his/her regular schedule. However, if appropriate advance notice of a schedule change is given, the carrier receives out-of-schedule pay instead. (See the explanation of out-of-schedule pay under Article 8.4.)

Management may not move the Carrier Technician off the string entirely, unless the Local Memorandum of Understanding so provides or “unanticipated circumstances” arise. It is not an “unanticipated circumstance” when the regular carrier, whose route the Carrier Technician is working, comes in and works his or her non-scheduled day.
 

Opting

Opting on temporary Vacancies. Article 41.2.B.3, 41.2.B.4 and 41.2.B.5 provide a special procedure for exercising seniority in filling temporary vacancies in full-time duty assignments. This procedure, called “opting,” allows carriers to “hold-down” vacant duty assignments of regular carriers who are on leave or otherwise unavailable to work for five or more days.

Full-time reserve, full-time flexibles and unassigned full-time letter carriers may opt on vacancies of fewer than five days where there is an established local past practice (Article 41.2.B.3). eligibility for opting. Full-time reserve letter carriers, full-time flexible schedule letter carriers, unassigned full-time carriers, part-time flexible carriers, and city carrier assistants may all opt for hold-down assignments.

Duty Assignments eligible for Opting. Vacancies in full-time Grade One assignments, including Reserve Regular assignments, are available for opting.

Duration of Hold-Down. Article 41.2.B.5 provides that once an available hold-down position is awarded, the opting employee “shall work that duty assignment for its duration.” An opt is not necessarily ended by the end of a service week. Rather, it is ended when the incumbent carrier returns, even if only to perform part of the duties—for example, to case but not carry mail.