sack sorters, and parcel sorters, as well as automatic elevators and some of the largest and most modern air-conditioning systems in the United States. Exhibit A shows the cities for which contracts were awarded on or before June 30, 1966, for the installation of the various types of new equipment being installed in the new mechanization and modernization program of the Post Office Department. Exhibit A, Mr. Chairman, is the first large item of mechanization which the Postmaster General announced on May 19, 1966, which was the awarding of contracts for $60 million worth of equipment. That exhibit shows the cities and the types of equipment to be in those cities. Exhibit B is a list of the cities for which mechanization contracts will be awarded by July 1, 1967, for mechanization for new buildings, alterations, and modification to present buildings, and new equipment. This program was announced by the Postmaster General on March 8 of this year, and it has a price tag of $23 million, which is in addition to the other $60 million. Mr. Chairman, we would like to comment on the reclassification proposals as related to the salary increase bills, both of which are currently under consideration by different subcommittees of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee. It is our belief that the subject of pay and position classification, although closely related, are actually separate and distinct problems. Salary increases are required to keep the schedules of the existing pay structure comparable to those being paid for similar or like positions with which they are ranked in the private sector of our economy. The lag in comparability and the overriding necessity of increasing Federal and postal pay in an effort to permit Government workers to catch up is clearly established. The pay issue is under consideration before the Subcommittee on Compensation, and our organization will appear before that committee and testify relative to the salary bills under consideration. Position reclassification, as proposed in H.R. 7, H.R. 4897, and related bills, is an overhaul of the system of job structure to more properly classify position ranking in a fair and related manner to cope with the changes over the years which indicate the desirability of upgrading positions. Public Law 68, of the 84th Congress, which contains the key positions for the postal field service, has not been amended or thoroughly reviewed for amendments, to the best of our knowledge, until just recently. Many changes in the basic functions, duties, and responsibilities of the employees have been made since the enactment of Public Law 68, approved June 10, 1955. Mr. Chairman, this association endorses the principle in the provisions of H.R. 7. However, we would recommend that consideration be given to H.R. 4897 which would provide equity for the many maintenance service employees who are presently in steps 11 and 12. The provisions of H.R. 4897 would assure the senior maintenance service employees in steps 11 and 12 the identical salary increase as provided for those in step 10. With the construction of many new postal facilities, the alteration of and modernization of present postal facilities, and the installation of all of the new mechanized equipment, it is becoming more difficult for the Department to secure qualified personnel to work on the parcel-sorting machines, sack-sorting machines, letter sorters, edger stackers, facer cancelers, culling and facing conveyors, closed-circuit television systems, audio systems, automatic elevators, and air-conditioning equipment. All of this new equipment which is being installed is very technical and requires considerable training and study on the part of the mechanics, in order to properly maintain the equipment and keep it in operating condition at all times. An equipment breakdown during the peak mailing period may cause a serious delay in the mail, as well as a costly loss of man-hours to the Department. The mechanics working on this equipment, to a large extent, are in PFS-5. It has been our contention for a number of years that this work should be at least PFS-6. The Department has taken the position that in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 68, 84th Congress, PFS-5 is the proper allocation for the mail processing equipment mechanic, standard position 6-63. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 4897 would remedy this situation by placing the mail processing equipment mechanic, PFS-5, along with other skilled mechanics in the maintenance service in PFS-6. The mechanical work in post offices is not limited to skilled mechanics in PFS-5. In the post office maintenance service, there are a number of employees in PFS-2, PFS-3 and PFS-4 who are required to perform mechanical work not requiring the skill of a PFS-5 mechanic. In many of the smaller and medium-sized, first-class post offices, employees in PFS-2 and PFS-3 are required to make mechanical repairs to the building and its equipment, including air-conditioning and heating equipment, to canceling machines, tying machines, and conveyors. In many of the medium-sized and larger post offices, employees in PFS-4 are required to work side-by-side with PFS-5 mechanics and in a number of instances do the same work. However, these PFS-4 mechanics cannot be promoted to PFS-5 mechanic positions because they cannot qualify on the examination required by the Post Office Department for promotion to PFS-5 positions. Many of these PFS-4 mechanics have been in this position for quite a few years and have instructed many of the PFS-5 mechanics who were appointed from other crafts, after qualifying on the Department's examinations. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 4897 would not assist these PFS-4 mechanics in qualifying on the Department's written examination, but it would boost their morale by placing them in PFS-5. This association strongly endorses the provisions of H.R. 4897, to upgrade positions in PFS-1 through PFS-5 to PFS-2 through PFS-6. This association also represents many of the approximately 1,400 maintenance service supervisors. Supervisory positions in the maintenance service start at PFS-4, with the highest supervisor being in PFS-15. It is rather difficult to understand the logic of the Post Office Department in placing supervisors in level 4, which is the same level occupied by a large number of nonsupervisory employees in the maintenance service and is the same level as clerks and carriers. The Department originally placed some of these supervisors in PFS-3. However, through the efforts of this association, they were elevated to PFS-4. The provisions of H.R. 4897 would also benefit maintenance service supervisory employees in PFS-4 and PFS-5. It is our belief that all supervisory positions in the maintenance service should be upgraded at least one level and that no supervisory position in the maintenance service should be lower than PFS-6. The supervisors in the maintenance service, particularly those in cities with the new automated equipment, have very great responsibilities in seeing that this new automated equipment is operational at all times for the expeditious handling of the mail. It is our sincere hope that this subcommittee will take favorable action on H.R. 4897, to upgrade the postal field service positions in PFS-1 through PFS-5 to PFS-2 through PFS-6, and that the subcommittee will amend the bill to include at least a one-level upgrading for all maintenance service supervisory positions. (Exhibits A and B are as follows:) EXHIBIT A Post Office Department accelerated mechanization and modernization program, May 19, 1966 [Contracts awarded for all equipment listed below except facer-canceler and closed-circuit TV systems which will be let by June 30] |