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The time is now to get the Social Security Fairness Act over the finish line and we need your help! As many of you are aware, the APWU has long fought to pass the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82). This bill would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which are parts of Social Security law that unfairly reduce, or sometimes eliminate, Social Security benefits for millions of postal and federal annuitants. With immense bipartisan support in Congress, our next step is to back a discharge petition, which is a process to bring any bill sitting in committee to the House floor for a vote as long as at least 218 members of Congress sign the petition. We are asking every APWU member to call their representative on Monday, September 9 and tell them to sign, H. Res. 1410, which would bring the Social Security Fairness Act directly to the House floor for a vote. Can you pledge today to call the APWU Legislative Hotline at 844-402-1001 on Monday and make your voice heard? I SUPPORT SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS In Solidarity, APWU

Today our customers have received long awaited news, West Virginia's letter mail will continue to be processed at the South Charleston Processing and Distribution Center. The Postal Service heard the requests of residents, politicians and union members throughout the state. This decision could not have come at a more critical time, right before the holiday season. Although there will be slight changes, the members of APWU 133 are pleased and bargaining in good faith on Postmaster Dejoy's word. We are happy to have this cloud of uncertainty lifted from above our facility, allowing us to concentrate on getting mail processed and ready for delivery. President Brown and I want to personally thank everyone who has spent countless hours helping us in this fight. From Senators Manchin and Capito, Congresswoman Miller, Gov. Justice, WV State Senator Eric Nelson, WV Senate and House Chambers, Mayor Goodwin, Mayor Mullens, Wes Holden, WV AFL-CIO President Josh Sword and union leaders throughout the state. Without their diligence, we would not have prevailed in this fight. Congratulations West Virginia, WE WON!" Tim Holstein Vice Pres. WV State APWU Vice Pres. APWU Local 133 Charleston, WV 304-415-1761

ALL MEMBERS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND Sign up sheet will be up 9/10/24-9/22/24 Union members are free, $25.00 per additional guest. Diner will be served 6:00-7:30. More information in the next few days will be provided. https://www.facebook.com/events/897240162359195/?acontext={"event_action_history"%3A[{"extra_data"%3A""%2C"mechanism"%3A"surface"%2C"surface"%3A"edit_dialog"}%2C{"extra_data"%3A""%2C"mechanism"%3A"surface"%2C"surface"%3A"permalink"}%2C{"extra_data"%3A""%2C"mechanism"%3A"surface"%2C"surface"%3A"edit_dialog"}]%2C"ref_notif_type"%3Anull}

Members are receiving letters in the mail from the American Benefits Association (ABA) wanting to continue providing services to APWU members. Recently, the Charleston APWU Local 133 voted to get out of the ABA. Please fill out the form from the ABA whether you would or not like to continue their services. If you would like to continue, it will cost the member $1.47 per pay period

In accordance with the 2021-2024 Collective Bar­gaining Agreement, career employees represented by the APWU will receive a $0.47 per hour cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), effective September 27, 2024. “Our union-won COLAs prove invaluable to ourselves and our families. Few workers have any protection against rising prices, and today a full-time regular postal employee is making $6,300 more a year under our current contract thanks to our COLA,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “We will continue to fight to maintain full COLA provisions during contract negotiations.” The increase is the result of a rise in the Consum­er Price Index (CPI-W). It will appear in paychecks dated September 27, 2024 (Pay Period 20-2024). The value of the COLA for full-time employees in each step and grade will increase by $998.00 annually, and the hourly rates for part-time employ­ees will be adjusted accordingly. The COLAs are in addition to general wage increases. This is the sixth and final cost-of-living increase under the 2021 contract. The first increase, effective in February 2022, amounted to $0.63 per hour or $1,310.00 annually. The second, effective in August 2022 was $1.18 per hour or $2,455.00 annually. The third, effective in March 2023, was $0.10 per hour, or $208.00 annually. The fourth, effective in August 2023, was 0.48 per hour, or $998.00 annually. The fifth, effective March 9, 2024, was 0.17 per hour, or $354.00 annually. The total cumulative COLAs received during the 2021-2024 National Agreement is $3.03 per hour, or $6,302.00 annually. In light of the fact that Postal Support Employees (PSEs) do not receive cost-of-living increases, they have received several additional increases beyond the general wage increases for all employees in the APWU bargaining unit under the 2021 contract. COLAs are added to the base pay schedule, so PSEs will recoup these increases when they convert to career status. Rising inflation underscores the importance of our negotiated Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) within our union contract, made possible by the strength of our membership. In our 2021-2024 contract, we fought to keep twice-a-year COLAs, our best protection against inflation. Postal workers are some of the few U.S. workers who receive COLA increases. Even in the postal world, we are the only postal union that has maintained full COLA in our union contract. Go to apwu.org/pay-information to view the new pay scales that reflect the July 2024 COLA.

The attendeies at the 2024 National Convention who spoke and voted on many issues that effect all APWU 133 members.

POSTAL SERVICE HEALTH BENEFITS (PSHB): This is Kayla “Cuppy” Reynolds, your APWU Health Plan Representative and Tour 1 Steward, with some information about the changes coming to the health plans in 2025. Currently both the APWU Consumer Driven Option (CDO) and High Option (HO) have been conditionally approved based on benefits and rate negotiation over the summer. This negotiation normally takes place every summer and we should know what the rates and benefits will be in October of 2024. Rates and benefits change a little nearly every year. Normally the APWU Health Plan will have this information before the Open Season Seminar, which is occurring October 16 – 20, 2024. Current plan benefits and information are available at apwuhp.com All of the Health Plans currently available to Postal Service Employees will be going through this process, and the enrollment codes will be changing. Currently if you go to OPM.gov you can look at what plans should be available during open enrollment. To do this, you need to go to the “insurance” heading and select the “FEHB Plan Comparison Tool” and after inputting your zip code select “Federal & U. S. Postal Service (USPS) Employee “. Keep in mind that the rates you will see displayed are for the current year, NOT for 2025. Those rates are renegotiated every year, for all plans, not just the APWU health plans. Remember that the Union has currently negotiated for the USPS to pay 95% of the premium costs for the APWU CDO and that the premiums listed would be for non-union members, Postal Support Employees, or newly Career employees who have not had a Federal Employee Health Benefit plan for 1 year yet. This is the ONLY Health Plan that offers that type of reduction, and is one of your many benefits of being an APWU member. For instance, a career employee who paying for the Self Only APWU CDO plan pays only $15.36 in a premiums, whereas a non-member would pay $76.78. That is a difference of $61.42 each pay period, which over the course of the month, is nearly four times what they would pay in Union dues! Union dues for our local for a career employee are currently $34.11 per pay period. As a reminder, the USPS Health Benefit Plan for Postal Support Employees is NOT a Federal Employee Health Plan. PSEs are eligible to enroll in the APWU CDO after one year of employment with the Postal Service. In their first year of employment they are only eligible for the USPS plan, currently administrated by BlueCross BlueShield. Once they hit one year, they are only eligible for either that plan, or the APWU CDO plan. Once career, they no longer qualify for the USPS Health Benefit Plan and MUST choose one of the other Health Plansavailable to career employees, otherwise they will lose coverage 30 days after being converted. For Retirees or those with questions about Medicare, please check keepingposted.org for helpful links, articles and online recordings. You can also find contact information for retirees. Open Season will occur November 11 – December 9, 2024, and Health Nurse Kelley Moore has confirmed that local Health Fairs will be occurring November 4 – 8, 2024. As more information is made available to us, we will be sure to keep the membership updated!

Opening Day Comments – National Negotiations -- June 25, 2024 By APWU President and Lead Negotiator Mark Dimondstein The American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO welcomes this opportunity to represent approximately 200,000 postal workers in these important negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between our union and the United States Postal Service. For generations postal workers were denied our right to negotiate over wages, benefits, and conditions of employment. Instead, workers were compelled to engage in what we called “collective begging” to Congress -- and our livelihoods were subject to the whims of politicians and political parties. That changed 54 years ago, when postal workers won true collective bargaining rights resulting from the Great Postal Strike of 1970. Since that historic strike, postal workers’ lives have vastly improved. Now representatives of our union sit across the bargaining table from management as equals – not because we have important titles – but because we have a union sustained and supported by our members. In that sense all our members are present today at the bargaining table today. Every round of negotiations takes place in the context of the times. Three years ago, we negotiated in the shadow of the pandemic. During that time, postal workers courageously stepped up to the challenge as front-line essential workers and, under severe stress, carried out our invaluable mission to the people with great dedication – at a time when the people needed us the most. Our dedication to the postal mission carries on day in and day out, whether in times of pandemics and natural disasters or more “normal” times, and postal workers have earned, and deserve, a good and improved union contract. Today, we are negotiating against a backdrop of both high inflation, with its profound negative impact on workers and our families, along with rising worker militancy throughout the country. Delivery, warehouse, auto, railroad, retail, hotel, manufacturing, grocery, healthcare and education workers have been rising up demanding more of their fair share from employers, all while galloping income inequality enriches the billionaire class. They are fighting, and often striking, to win substantial gains to overcome years of concessionary contracts and falling behind financially. Many of these battles have been focused on ending divisive two-tier wage and benefit systems and getting ahead of the rising cost of food, fuel and housing. In the 2010 collective bargaining agreement, the APWU and the USPS voluntarily reached a deeply concessionary contract for postal workers. Now any objective observer would see these significant concessions as a failure, for both the workers and the wellbeing of the Postal Service. The two-tier wage system which has many workers doing the same work but at significantly lower pay scales causes division, low morale and discriminates against newer and younger workers. Lower wage structures, including the non-career workforce, make it harder for the Postal Service to hire and retain needed positions, and undermines the stability of the workforce, once a mainstay of the Postal Service. There is a direct connection between these problems and the disturbing and deepening delays in mail service. We welcome the progress we have made in the last three rounds of bargaining in overcoming some of the deep concessions from the 2010 contract, including bridging some of the gaps in the tiered wage structure, a better path to career for non-career workers and creating an all-career workforce in the Maintenance Craft and essentially in Motor Vehicle Service craft. But there is more work to do. Obviously, this opening session is not the time to get into specific proposals we will make regarding the issues most important to the postal workers we represent. The “Main Table” will begin meeting today to begin that process. However, generally speaking, the APWU has clear and transparent goals: As postal workers pour our lifeblood into the institution and its mission, workers deserve good annual pay increases, stronger safety rights, an end to the unfair and divisive two-tier career pay scales, limits on subcontracting, a career workforce, and better work hour guarantees and rights for Part Time Flexibles. We advocate that all bargaining unit work in retail be returned to the Clerk Craft and that all the work bargained for in “Jobs Memos” of 2010 finally be returned to the workers as promised. In the light of the impact of profound and rapid technological changes on our jobs, it is high time for a shorter workweek with no loss of pay. And of course, the union strives to protect the hard-won gains and job security provisions secured over generations and for dignity and respect on the job. We will be putting forth proposals to address these and many other issues and concerns. While negotiations will undoubtedly be difficult and at times contentious, let me share a few examples where there should be much common ground: A toxic work environment permeates too many facilities - a long-standing problem in the culture of postal management that cries out for solutions. In good faith we negotiated the “Work Environment Task Force” Memo to address this issue, but it has proven to be a failure. It takes two to tango -- and the management side never looked at the task force as an opportunity to make needed change. Much of the answer depends on the highest levels of management holding managers fully accountable for abuse, whether it is sexual harassment, threats, or bullying, Management should desire to address the endless stream of grievances resulting from constant violations of the union contract. Repeat violators must be held accountable for their flagrant violations and the substantial and unnecessary costs they inflict on the Postal Service, as well as the hardship and anxiety visited upon our members. In addition, management should promote full compliance when issues are settled, whether at Step 1 of the grievance process or arbitration. Continuing battles over settled matters undermine the very intent of our contract to resolve issues at the lowest possible level and that settlements are finding and binding. Those who refuse to comply should no longer be in positions of authority. The union is deeply disturbed by the declining service to the postal patrons. Management ought to share that concern and should be open to considering the union’s proposals to fix the service problems, including the need for proper staffing. Declining service jeopardizes our bond with the people of the country, drives away needed revenue and opens the gates for those who want to privatize the Postal Service. These are just some examples of where the parties, with common ground, should work to resolve problems. The APWU approaches these negotiations as an opportunity to promote our vision for a vibrant public Postal Service and expanded postal services for the people of the country. Our members and our union are passionate about the crucial mission of the public Postal Service, as outlined in the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act: “To provide postal services to bind the Nation together,” to “provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas,” and to “render postal services to all communities.” This mission remains in jeopardy, by those on Wall Street who would like to get their hands on the Postal Service’s $78 billion plus in annual revenue, and by ideologues who oppose the very concept of the public good. Yes, we have welcomed opportunities of cooperation with Postmaster General DeJoy as we sought and secured vital postal reform legislation, to expand postal services, return of subcontracted work and in addressing short staffing in mail processing. Yet, there are far too many management practices, some inherited, which have led to severely degraded services, delayed mail, the driving away of customers and revenue. Moving the goalposts on service standards, long-distance consolidation of mail processing and the implementation of network changes are causing havoc and failing to meet the needs of the postal public In addition to some of the general goals I have outlined, the APWU will put forth proposals for improving and expanding financial and other services, from improving certain delivery standards, reactivating Express Mail Services, expanding the network and hours of service, proper staffing, keeping local mail local. We are keenly aware that the Postal Service is still facing serious challenges, including the impact of technology and the internet on the communication habits of the people of the country and the profound and permanent changes to the mail mix - letters are down while packages are up. Such changes create both hardships and hope. While we recognize some of the financial challenges, the finances of the USPS are no longer weighed down by the draconian prefunding mandate from 2006, now eliminated by the 2022 PSRA. In addition, some PRC relief on the price cap has uplifted the finances and the soon to be implemented “Medicare integration” will help the “bottom line” of both employees and the USPS. Management should never forget APWU-represented postal workers voluntarily agreed to over $4 billion of deep wage and benefit concessions in the 2010-2015 contract, resulting in significant and ongoing cost reductions for the Postal Service that carry forward to this day, As we look to the future there are competing visions for the Postal Service. One professes that, in the day of the internet, the Postal Service is a relic of the past. Those who want to destroy us, often funded by the likes of UPS, use these changes to advocate for the breaking up and privatizing of the Postal Service, as did the previous White House administration. Postal workers’ and the APWU’s vision are for a robust and vibrant postal service for generations to come. Those in postal management who believe in the public Postal Service, and I know many of you do, should not be afraid of creative thinking and bold action as we discuss various ways to enhance and expand postal services, rather than play into the hands of those who would like to destroy us on the altar of private profit. This is the fourth round of bargaining in which I am privileged to be the union’s lead negotiator. Each time I have been reminded that former PMG Donohoe shamefully advocated that young workers don’t deserve traditional defined-benefit retirement plans, job security and stable employment and called on Congress to use the Postal Service as “an incubator” for destroying decent jobs. These harmful views found their way into the December 2018 White House “Postal Task Force” recommendations. And much of this thinking led to the formation of the non-career workforce. We vehemently oppose this “race to the bottom.” We believe that the Postal Service should indeed be an incubator, but as it has been for decades, an incubator of good, living-wage union jobs for workers from all walks of life, with equal pay for equal work for women and minorities and solid job opportunities for veterans and an incubator of great public service to every community including new and expanded services for the people of the country. The key to the Postal Service’s successful and bright future remains the hard work and dedication of hundreds of thousands of postal workers – from those who sell postage and accept packages, to those who sort medicine and catalogues, to those who transport the mail and repair the vehicles, to those who maintain the equipment and facilities, to those who deliver the mail. These negotiations are an opportunity for management to reward our dedication and hard work. We recognize and appreciate that in the 2021 round of bargaining, management approached the negotiations in good faith, as did the APWU. The bargaining was hard, but we reached a fair, voluntary agreement, without concessions, that reflected those good faith efforts. We certainly hope that management will approach this round of bargaining with the same spirit. For our part, we will approach these negotiations with a passion for the workers we represent and the public we serve. We will forthrightly share our proposals and be honest in our dealings. We will work hard to achieve a negotiated collective bargaining agreement, subject to approval by our Rank & File Bargaining Advisory Committee and the ratification of our members. We enter these negotiations as part of a movement of friends and allies to protect and enhance a vital and wonderful national treasure that remains a cornerstone in every community. As we meet here on opening day, thousands of APWU members around the country are taking up our mantra, “Good Contract Now! Union Proud, Say It Loud!” as we work to advance the well-being of current and future postal workers, our families and our communities. The APWU is ready to get to work!

The LifeBalance Program's 2024 Summer Guide All APWU members and their families have free access to the LifeBalance Program courtesy of the Voluntary Benefits Plan! Sunshine, warm weather, and exciting adventures are on the horizon! Whether you're looking for great deals on attraction admission, rental cars, hotel stays, kids' activities, camping gear, or warm-weather apparel, the LifeBalance Program's 2024 Summer Guide has you covered. Check out the featured deals below, and explore the guide for more! Explore the Guide Universal Orlando Resort Play 4 Days from $65.50 Per Day at Universal Orlando Resort. Priceline Save up to 60% on hotel stays across the US and around the world. Cabela's Stock up on camping and fishing gear, coolers, chairs, outdoor apparel, and more. Save up to $45. Oakley Look sharp and see sharper with Oakley's Prizm polarized lenses. The perfect companion for fun in the sun. Save 15%. Enterprise Need wheels for your summer adventures? From full-size SUVs to sports cars to compact cruisers, get exclusive pricing on rentals. MEL Science Spark a love for science in your kids with monthly hands‑on kits and educational digital experiences. Get 60% off for your first month. View More Deals

https://apwu.org/news/mou/industrial-relations-director-charlie-cash-announces-2025-annual-leave-exchange

With the Postal Service’s restructuring plan moving forward, it is inevitable that Article 12 proposed notices of excessing will appear and may affect multiple occupational groups, ranging from Electronic Technicians, Mail Processing Equipment Mechanics, Maintenance Mechanics, Maintenance Support Clerks, etc. The unfortunate reality is that the Postal Service plans to involuntarily reassign some employees outside of their craft and/ or installation. Below are a few of the required steps that our contract requires prior to excessing: Area/Regional Notification The union at the area/regional level will be given notice when technological, mechanization, or operational changes impact the bargaining unit no less than 90 days in advance, and six months in advance whenever possible. This notice shall be in the form of an Impact/Work Hour Report. Involuntary reassignment of bargaining unit employees outside their craft or installation requires an area/ regional labor-management meeting. It is in the interest of both parties to meet as soon as practicable and to develop an ongoing flow of communications to ensure that the principles of Article 12 (reassignment) are met. The first area/regional labor-management meeting must be held no less than 90 days prior to the involuntary reassignment. Maintenance Craft Discussions Per Article 38.3.K (Excessing) Field managers and/or supervisors should not discuss with bargaining unit employees proposed excessing outside the craft or installation until the area/regional parties have held their discussions. This should prevent employees from receiving erroneous information from management or the union and control the appropriate flow of information. If your office receives an Article 12 proposed notification, you must be ready to challenge the validity of the new Staffing Package by requesting supporting data, emails, rationale, submitted packages, denied submitted packages, approved packages, etc. If you need any help, do not hesitate to contact your Maintenance National Business Agent and Coordinator. We are all working together. The Maintenance Division is offering the workshops below at the National Convention in July 2024. Maintenance Article 12 Excessing Guide Workshop: Addresses how to challenge Maintenance Article 12 Excessing Notifications; Understanding Article 12.5.C.4 and 12.5.C.5, which outlines reassignment within and outside of the Installation, and the applicable Requests for Information (RFIs). (2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.) This workshop will be led by NBA Hector Baez. Preserving Maintenance Jobs! In this environment of the Postal Service continuing to revert, or fail to fill, vacant duty assignments, this class will provide a comprehensive look at fighting job reversions, proper remedy requests, and what information to request. This class will also cover sub-contracting of custodial MOU guidelines and the Two-Hour Memo. (10a.m.- 1 p.m.) This workshop will be led by NBA Dave Sarnacki. 2024 Maintenance Negotiation Team: The preparations for national collective bargaining began in January 2024. I am proud to announce the members of our Maintenance Negotiation Team: Idowu Balogun, Maintenance Division Director Terry B. Martinez, Assistant Director A, Maintenance Division Jason Treier, Assistant Director B, Maintenance Division Curtis Walker, National Business Agent, Central Region Dave Sarnacki, National Business Agent, Northeast Region Hector Baez, National Business Agent, Western Region I am honored to select Brother Dana Coletti, president of the Manchester Area Local, as a representative of the Maintenance Division on the Rank-and-File Committee. We welcome your suggestions and comments for the upcoming negotiations. You can contact our team via email Maint2024@apwu.org.

https://wvmetronews.com/2024/05/19/postmaster-halts-changes-to-usps-facilities-including-charleston-center-till-next-year/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1g20JgIZ0eGk6h1FmZpMpjad9RVzN2OG5F7EDWWwIC6YzUKMmCzq7nq6Y_aem_ARpy0DB8d-RIsovHQwpcjdWNwALNw70JuBWfuz_JLplbO5T65qNlUYG4nsTmScvSOPDU9xo4yekCJWaahn1ZidLd

VP Holstein starts his interview at the 2 minute mark. https://wvmetronews.com/podcast/talkline/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2GYHBIOdXPZVvyz-JMHPx087heKr6xx6wG5PXw_SV8accolcj2oPovXyM_aem_ARqoELHwmr0l7BUWHU9JRfJVn0gQ4mE_ciJzM5tIj525k56ha63TXne4Wiyb6PXil3rw59xB8Y48JloR1tnDytOo