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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
Pathogen Reduction/HACCP & HACCP Implementation
May 19, 1999
1. The number of plants actively participating in the Pilot Models Phase shall be 25, except additional plants up to 30 may be added to make up a minimum number for each species to initiate rule-making (15 young chicken, 5 swine, 5 turkey).
2. The pilot starts when a plant enters the models phase. The pilot ends when a plant fails to maintain baseline standards, or when a final rule is published. The project for each species ends when a final rule is published for that species.
3. The staffing configuration, including grade levels, for the Pilot Models phase for the first 16 plants is attached (Slaughter Models Staffing Profile dated 5/19/99). [Not attached.] All remaining plants in the Pilot Models phase will be staffed consistent with the configurations outlined for the 16 plants.
4. All frequencies established for oversight and verification are minimum scheduled frequencies. Flexibility and judgment should be used to modify frequencies as necessary based on plant performance.
5. The parties agree to initiate a work measurement/work assignment process for the Pilot Models. This process will be initiated jointly as identified in the National Basic Agreement and will commence upon initiation of the Pilot Models Phase. This process will cover both the Slaughter and In-Distribution pilots.
6. Relief breaks shall be in accordance with the National Basic Agreement.
7. Issues regarding rotation shall be in accordance with the National Basic Agreement and Transition MOU #4, Parallel Levels of Dealing.
8. Employees not selected to participate in the Pilot Models phase will be utilized in vacant positions within the commuting area, and will only be detailed outside the commuting area when there are no existing vacancies within the commuting area.
* There will be no permanent redeployment of non-selected participants at the beginning of the models phase. At such time as the Agency determines that redeployment may be necessary, the Agency will consult and/or negotiate with the National Joint Council.
9. The grade level of Bargaining Unit position shall be as identified in the attached staffing configurations. [Not attached.] The classification series of Bargaining Unit positions shall remain as Food Inspector, GS-1863, until reclassification occurs as part of the separate action to reclassify jobs performing HACCP into the Consumer Safety Inspector, GS-1862 series. If the reclassification action has already occurred by the time the Pilot Models phase starts, the Bargaining Unit positions will be immediately classified as Consumer Safety Inspector, GS-1862.
10. The HACCP training for the Pilot Models phase shall be the 8-day program, until such time as the parties have reached agreement on the alternative 5-day training program.
* All employees in the Pilot Models plant will receive both oversight and verification inspection training.
* FAIM Lite training when it becomes available will be provided to all participants who have not already received FAIM training.
* The National Joint Council Presidents will be allowed to attend the formal HACCP training if they have not already attended formal HACCP training. The Local Presidents and Plant Representatives with jurisdiction may attend the formal HACCP training if they have not already attended formal HACCP training.
* The Local Presidents and the Plant Representatives with jurisdiction will be allowed to participate in the HIMP oversight and verification inspection procedures training session within their jurisdiction. The National Joint Council Presidents will be allowed to attend both a Poultry HIMP training session and a Swine HIMP session.
11. Announcements for GS-8 oversight/verification positions will be advertised as temporary, but may be extended or made permanent without further competition.
* The area of consideration will be established as the local commuting area only, in each of the locations where the models will be implemented. The announcement will be annotated to show that applications from outside of the area of consideration will not be accepted.
* Announcements will be open for a four - (4) week period.
* Announcements will be mailed to the home addresses of all the GS-7's in the commuting area, in addition to the headquarters plants, along with a transmittal letter that explains the purpose of the announcements.
* The announcement will indicate that positions are be filled on multiple shifts. Applicable local practices will govern assignments to shifts and rotations.
* Employees outside of a Models plant but in the commuting area must compete through the merit promotion system. The voluntary reassignment system will not be used because the positions are being filled temporarily, from within the local commuting area only.
12. Team Coordinator (Bargaining Unit) positions at the GS-9 level will be established and filled on each shift of each Models Plant and will be filled on an incumbency basis, where appropriate. These positions will be advertised on a temporary basis, but may be extended or made permanent without further competition. If there are more GS-8 employees in the commuting area than Team Coordinator positions being filled, the new positions will be advertised competitively through the Merit Promotion System. If there are insufficient number of GS-8 applicants for the GS-9 Team Coordinator positions within the commuting area, the jobs will then be advertised at the GS-8/9 grade levels in the local commuting area.
13. Volunteer plants in the HACCP-Based Inspection Models Project must address Food Safety Hazards in accordance with 9 CFR 417.2, as at least one of the Food Safety related diseases and conditions is reasonably likely to occur at the ante-mortem or post-mortem in all slaughter production facilities.
14. Joint committees with equal numbers from the Agency and the Union will be established at each Local level to resolve day-to-day issues for individual plants on a consensus basis. The Joint committee will be comprised of the IIC, the Plant Representative, the Circuit Supervisor, and Local President. In order to resolve issues quickly, telephone contact can be used. If consensus cannot be reached, the matter will be referred to the National Joint Council President with jurisdiction and the designated Field Operation's representative consistent with parallel levels of dealings. Regular reports on the project and the committees work will be provided at each consultation. Decisions of the committees will not affect National Joint Council statutory rights.
15. Consistent with HACCP procedures, existing authorities of inspectors to stop the line and take control of adulterated or misbranded products are not changed.
16. Performance Standards and Performance Elements will be provided to the National Joint Council for comment as they are developed.
17. The In-Distribution pilot will run on a parallel track in the geographic vicinity where the first five (5) slaughter plants are located, (e.g., 4 locations with 11 positions). The parties will periodically consult on the work to be performed and how it is structured and accomplished. The parties agree to revisit this issue within one (1) year or less or as otherwise mutually agreed to by the parties. The National Joint Council will be afforded all statutory rights regarding any impact that is identified.
18. All National Joint Council Presidents, or their designees, will be allowed to participate in the In-Distribution training program, to include the orientation session and the formal training.
Additionally, Local Presidents with jurisdiction in the locations of the In-Distribution Pilots will be allowed to participate.
* The OJT training for the In-Distribution Pilots will be two weeks. The length of the formal training session is targeted to be one week. The orientation session is three days.
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For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Constituent Affairs Program
Phone: (202) 720-8594
Fax: (202) 720-5704
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