section. The panel shall make recommendations to the Congress for changes in this title as it finds appropriate.

(h) For purposes of this section

(1) "supervisors' organization" means the organization recognized by the Postal Service under subsection (b) of this section as representing a majority of supervisors; and

(2) "members of the supervisors' organization" means employees of the Postal Service who are recognized under an agreement between the Postal Service and the supervisors' organization as represented by such organization.

§ 1005. Applicability of laws relating to Federal employees (a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the provisions of chapter 75 of title 5 shall apply to officers and employees of the Postal Service except to the extent of any inconsistency with

(A) the provisions of any collective-bargaining agreement negotiated on behalf of and applicable to them; or

(B) procedures established by the Postal Service and approved by the Civil Service Commission.

(2) The provisions of title 5 relating to a preference eligible (as that term is defined under section 2108(3) of such title) shall apply to an applicant for appointment and any officer or employee of the Postal Service in the same manner and under the same conditions as if the applicant, officer, or employee were subject to the competitive service under such title. The provisions of this paragraph shall not be modified by any program developed under section 1004_of this title or any collective-bargaining agreement entered into under chapter 12 of this title.

(3) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to those individuals appointed under sections 202, 204, and 1001(c) of this title.

(4)(A) Subchapter II of chapter 75 of title 5 shall apply

(i) to any preference eligible in the Postal Service who is an employee within the meaning of section 7511(a)(1)(B) of such title; and

(ii) to any other individual who

(I) is in the position of a supervisor or a management employee in the Postal Service, or is an employee of the Postal Service engaged in personnel work in other than a purely nonconfidential clerical capacity; and

(II) has completed 1 year of current continuous service in the same or similar positions.

(B)(i) The second sentence of paragraph (2) of this subsection applies with respect to the provisions of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, to the extent that such provisions relate to preference eligibles.

(ii) The provisions of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not, to the extent that such provisions relate to an individual under clause (ii) of such subparagraph, be modified by any program developed under section 1004 of this title.

(b) Section 5941 of title 5 shall apply to the Postal Service. For purposes of such section, the pay of officers and employees of the Postal Service shall be considered to be fixed by statute, and the

basic pay of an employee shall be the pay (but not any allowance or benefit) of that officer or employee established in accordance with the provisions of this title.

(c) Officers and employees of the Postal Service shall be covered by subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, relating to compensation for work injuries.

(d)(1) Officers and employees of the Postal Service (other than the Governors) shall be covered by chapters 83 and 84 of title 5. The Postal Service shall withhold from pay and shall pay into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund the amounts specified in or determined under such chapter 83 and subchapter II of such chapter 84, respectively. The Postal Service shall pay into the Federal Retirement Thrift Savings Fund the amounts specified in or determined under subchapters III and VII of such chapter 84.

(2) The provisions of subsection (g) of section 5532, subsections (i) and (1)(2) of section 8344, and subsections (f) and (i)(2) of section 8468 of title 5 shall apply with respect to the Postal Service. For purposes of so applying such provisions—

(A) any reference in such provisions to the head of an Executive agency shall be considered a reference to the Postmaster General; and

(B) any reference in such provisions to an employee shall be considered a reference to an officer or employee of the Postal Service.

(e) Sick and annual leave, and compensatory time of officers and employees of the Postal Service, whether accrued prior to or after commencement of operations of the Postal Service, shall be obligations of the Postal Service under the provisions of this chap

ter.

(f) Compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this section, whether provided by statute or by rules and regulations of the former Post Office Department or the executive branch of the Government of the United States, shall continue to apply to officers and employees of the Postal Service, until changed by the Postal Service in accordance with this chapter and chapter 12 of this title. Subject to the provisions of this chapter and chapter 12 of this title, the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 85 and chapters 87 and 89 of title 5 shall apply to officers and employees of the Postal Service, unless varied, added to, or substituted for, under this subsection. No variation, addition, or substitution with respect to fringe benefits shall result in a program of fringe benefits which on the whole is less favorable to the officers and employees than fringe benefits in effect on the effective date of this section, and as to officers and employees for whom there is a collective-bargaining representative, no such variation, addition, or substitution shall be made except by agreement between the collective-bargaining representative and the Postal Service.

§ 1006. Right of transfer

Officers and employees in the postal career service of the Postal Service shall be eligible for promotion or transfer to any other position in the Postal Service or the executive branch of the Government of the United States for which they are qualified. The au

thority given by this section shall be used to provide a maximum degree of career promotion opportunities for officers and employees and to insure continued improvement of postal services.

§ 1007. Seniority for employees in rural service

Subject to agreements made under chapter 12 of this title, the seniority of an employee of the Postal Service occupying a position whose regular duty involves the collection and delivery of mail on a rural route shall be preserved. Seniority for such employee shall commence on the first day of his service in such a position, or, in the event such an employee transfers to another such position, on the day he enters duty in the other position. Upon initial assignment, such an employee shall be assigned to the least desirable route and shall attain assignment to more desirable routes by seniority. Promotions and assignments for such an employee in such position shall be based on seniority and ability. If ability be sufficient, seniority shall govern.

§ 1008. Temporary employees or carriers

(a) A person temporarily employed to deliver mail is deemed an employee of the Postal Service and is subject to the provisions of chapter 83 of title 18 to the same extent as other employees of the Postal Service.

(b) Any person, when engaged in carrying mail under contract with the Postal Service, or employed by the Postal Service, is deemed a carrier or person entrusted with the mail and having custody thereof, within the meaning of sections 1701, 1708, and 2114 of title 18.

§ 1009. Personnel not to receive fees

An officer or employee of the Postal Service may not receive any fee or perquisite from a patron of the Postal Service on account of the duties performed by virtue of his appointment, except as authorized by law.

§ 1010. Administration of oaths related to postal inspection matters

Officers and employees of the Postal Service performing duties related to the inspection of postal matters may administer oaths required or authorized by law or regulation with respect to any matter coming before them in the performance of their official duties. § 1011. Oath of office

Before entering upon their duties and before receiving any salary, all officers and employees of the Postal Service shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation:

“I, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter."

A person authorized to administer oaths by the laws of the United States, including section 2903 of title 5, or of a State or territory, or an officer, civil or military, holding a commission under the United States, or any officer or employee of the Postal Service designated by the Board may administer and certify the oath or affirmation.

CHAPTER 12-EMPLOYEE-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS

Sec.

1201. Definition.

1202. Bargaining units.

1203. Recognition of labor organizations.

1204. Elections.

1205. Deductions of dues.

1206. Collective-bargaining agreements.

1207. Labor disputes.

1208. Suits.

1209. Applicability of Federal labor laws.

§ 1201. Definition

As used in this chapter, "guards" means

(1) maintenance guards who, on the effective date of this chapter, are in key position KP-5 under the provisions of former section 3514 of title 39; and

(2) security guards, who may be employed in the Postal Service and whose primary duties shall include the exercise of authority to enforce rules to protect the safety of property, mail, or persons on the premises.

§ 1202. Bargaining units

The National Labor Relations Board shall decide in each case the unit appropriate for collective bargaining in the Postal Service. The National Labor Relations Board shall not include in any bargaining unit

(1) any management official or supervisor;

(2) any employee engaged in personnel work in other than a purely nonconfidential clerical capacity;

(3) both professional employees and employees who are not professional employees unless a majority of such professional employees vote for inclusion in such unit; or

(4) together with other employees, any individual employed as a security guard to enforce against employees and other persons, rules to protect property of the Postal Service or to protect the safety of property, mail, or persons on the premises of the Postal Service; but no labor organization shall be certified as the representative of employees in a bargaining unit of security guards if such organization admits to membership, or is affiliated directly or indirectly with an organization which admits to membership, employees other than guards.

§ 1203. Recognition of labor organizations

(a) The Postal Service shall accord exclusive recognition to a labor organization when the organization has been selected by a majority of the employees in an appropriate unit as their representative.