| OSHA Strategic Partnerships Program > USPS/APWU AFL-CIO/NPMHU > VPP Agreement | |||
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Patrick R. Donahoe Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President |
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July 13, 2004 VICE PRESIDENTS, AREA OPERATIONS MANAGER, CAPITAL METRO OPERATIONS SUBJECT: Voluntary Protection Programs Agreement Attached you will find an agreement with the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), AFL-CIO, agreeing that jointly promoting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) will enhance worker safety and health. The VPP process will be implemented through the national, area, and local joint labor-management safety committees. The parties agree that the decision to enter into the VPP process is a joint decision made between the APWU and the U.S. Postal Service at the local level. The VPP process is designed to accomplish the following goals at participating worksites:
Please work with your APWU counterparts to identify worksites for participation In VPP and notify Robert Brant via email of interested sites. We will be providing national joint training for the new sites. If you have any questions, please contact Sam Pulcrano, Manager, Safety Performance Management, at (202) 268-2067. Patrick R. Donahoe Attachments (2) cc: Managers, Human Resources (Area) District Managers Plant Managers 475 L’Enfant Plaza Washington, DC 20260-0080 www.usps.com
I. BACKGROUND It is the responsibility of United States Postal Service (USPS) management to provide safe-working conditions in all present and future installations and to develop a safe working force, and of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) to cooperate with and assist management to live up to this responsibility. The USPS and the APWU recognize the benefit of establishing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) at postal worksites. The parties agree that the decision to enter the VPP process is a joint decision made between the APWU and the USPS at the local level. The parties agree that jointly promoting OSHA VPP at worksites will enhance worker safety and health. II. GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES The USPS and APWU will cooperate at all levels (National, Area, and Local) to identify and prepare worksites for participation in OSHA VPP. This will require meaningful involvement and participation in the process of both parties. All participating worksites will implement and comply with the Correction of Unsafe Conditions Memorandum dated June 8,1999. A. USPSIAPWU National Joint Labor-Management Safety Committee will evaluate and make recommendations on all aspects of the VPP process to include program adequacy, field implementation, training, and unsafe conditions.
The National Joint Labor-Management Safety Committee will develop and Implement appropriate procedures to measure the progress of the VPP process. At a minimum, baseline data will be developed and the following will be evaluated:
IV. VERIFICATION Verification of VPP implementation by the participants will be effected through both off-site and on-site methods. The National Joint Labor-Management Safety committee may decide to conduct onsite visits. Area Joint Labor-Management Safety Committees may request approval from the National Joint Labor-Management Committee to conduct onsite visits. Such visits may be a combination of National and Area Joint Labor-Management Safety Committee representatives. V. EMPLOYEE RIGHTS Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to preclude bargaining unit employees from exercising any right provided under the OSH Act, nor does It eliminate their responsibility to comply with any provision of the Act, or any standard or regulation promulgated pursuant to the Act. This VPP agreement does not supersede or modify the parties’ collective bargaining agreement (National Agreement) or supplements thereto. VI. TERM OF AGREEMENT This agreement will be in effect for a period of three (3) years from the date of signing. The agreement may be renewed by mutual agreement of the parties at the National Level. VII. TERMINATION Either National level party to this agreement may, with 30-day written notice to the other party at the National level, withdraw from this agreement.
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