The American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative agreement for the Information Technology/Accounting Services (IT/AS) collective bargaining agreement, announced Support Services Director, and lead negotiator, Steve Brooks. The agreement will be a 36- month agreement which will end May 2025. It has been a while since this group has achieved a full-term contract so we will not have to turn around quickly and negotiate again. 

“The parties negotiated diligently over the past couple of months and worked well together to make changes to several areas of the CBA which will open opportunities for our members. The changes agreed to will provide our members the opportunity to advance their careers in higher level positions.” stated Director Brooks.

The parties came to an agreement on the work rules on Thursday May 19, 2022, but economic issues were still being discussed. Discussions on the economic issues intensified but were verbally finalized late in the evening.

“The economic discussions bogged down, and it did not look like we were going to get this done by May 20th. The negotiations got a little heated, but we knew that the proposals we put across were necessary to preserve and grow our bargaining unit.” Director Brooks said. He went on to say, “We knew that the offers we made were fair, reasonable, and actually would benefit the Postal Service as much as our membership.”

This agreement would not have been reached without the efforts of Industrial Relations Director, Charlie Cash. As a result of his patience, and tenacity we achieved much of what we had desired. The senior staff of the Industrial Relations Department also provided invaluable advice, support, and input throughout the negotiations process—especially in the final hours of discussions.

The new terms will be put together into contract format and sent to the membership for review and a ratification vote. Closer to the time the ratification packets are sent out, Virtual Town Hall meetings will be scheduled where members can participate, hear the details of the agreement, and ask questions.

Here is a summary of the terms.   

• There will be changes to the Functional Areas. Although the various work sections will remain as they are currently under both the IT and Accounting units the employees that perform those duties will not have to physically be in the Center that those duties are assigned. In other words, you can bid on a promotional opportunity in another facility and not have to physically move as a condition of accepting the position. The same will be true for lateral reassignments.
  • Implementation of this new process will require changes to Article 30 Local implementation, 37 Seniority, 38 Postings, 39 Transfers, and 40 Reassignments.  
• TACS duties will now be assigned to the bargaining unit on the IT side instead of management performing those duties.
• Career Development/reimbursement will remain in place with the dollar limitations increasing to $5000 on the IT side and $3000 on the Accounting side.
• We will retain our 10/4 work schedule opportunities.
• With Telework being possibly the most important item to IT/AS employees, there will be a pilot hybrid telework provision:
  • Employees will be able to telework 3 days per week for employees on an 8/5 schedule, and 2 days per week for employees on a 10/4 work schedule.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was reached to allow employees to continue teleworking under the COVID-19 Telework agreements during the ratification process.
• There will be 3 General increases over this contract period.
  • 1.3% January 2023   
  • 1.3% January 2024
  • 1% January 2025. There is a caveat that if the main APWU receives a GI higher than 1% our unit will receive the 1% plus the additional over 1%.
• Retain the “full” COLA with a March 2022 index base. The APWU is the only union still to receive “full” COLA. This is especially important during these times of high inflation.
• Our Health Benefits percentage will remain as is.
• The Postal Service will be required to post/fill 50 additional Programmer positions.
• There will be 5 additional Level 18 IT Service Desk positions.

As the ratification process moves forward, dates and times of the Virtual Town Hall Meetings will be posted on the website for members to register and attend. At these meetings members will be able hear further details of the terms of the tentative agreement and ask questions.

The APWU and the Postal Service verbally reached a tenative agremeent for the IT/AS bargaining unit on May 20, 2022. Further details of the tentative agreement will be released on Monday, May 23, 2022. With the agreement having been reached, the COVID-19 telework arrangements currently in place will continue while the tentative agreement goes through the APWU ratification process. 

On May 6, 2022, Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks and the Postal Service agreed to extend the MOU, Re: Bulk Mail and Mailing Requirement Clerk Position Qualification. The extension will continue through November 4, 2022. The parties had originally agreed to the MOU on April 3, 2020 in order to provide a virtual learning and OJT program for Bulk Mail Techs and Mailing Requirement Clerks (MRCs) “at the location where the Bulk Mail Tech or MRC position is located”.

            The MOU further states, “The parties at the National Level will review the in-person training program offered at the National Center for Employee Development (NCED), including the material content and schedule”. Both parties will not only be able to review the training program but will also compare the training with the actual duties performed in these jobs to ensure Bulk Mail Techs and MRCs are receiving the appropriate training commensurate with their position descriptions.

            The MOU also states, “This agreement is without prejudice to the positions of the parties on any issue and shall not be cited in any dispute resolution proceedings, except for the purpose of enforcing its terms”.

            Clerk Craft Director Brooks stated, “I want to thank Assistant Directors Lynn Pallas-Barber and Sam Lisenbe for their hard work on these important issues”.

The extension of the MOU is linked with this article for easier access.

On May 6, 2022, APWU Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks agreed to extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding Telework for Clerk Craft Employees at Customer Care Centers, Customer Retention Teams, and the Mailing Shipping Solution Center (MSSC, i.e., Mailing Requirements Clerks) until June 17, 2022. However, the Postal Service would not agree to extend Consumer Affairs employees (Claims & Inquiry Clerks and Complaints & Inquiry Clerks) for inclusion in this MOU. Their duties while working from home could not be tracked accurately by the USPS. Therefore, employees in these two categories will return to their duty stations, effective May 7, 2022.

During this approximate month and a half extension, the APWU and Postal Service will discuss and attempt to finalize a Telework Program Pilot Agreement for employees at Customer Care Centers, Customer Retention Teams, and Mailing Requirements Clerks. The MOU states, “Once the Telework Program Pilot Agreement is finalized, or no later than June 17, 2022, this MOU will expire, unless the parties at the national level agree to extend. If agreement on a teleworking pilot cannot be reached, the parties will work together on a transition plan to return the employees to their official duty stations as soon as reasonably possible”.

            “It is the Clerk Division’s intention, long term, to protect our work from contracting out while also protecting the rights and benefits of all employees,” Director Brooks explained, “while taking into consideration many employees’ desire to voluntarily work from home”. The extension of the MOU is linked with this article for easier access.

The implementation of the 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement is moving forward. With ratification of the agreement on February 28, the provisions of the agreement went into effect. The membership of the union has already seen the effect of some of those provisions. For example, work or pay guarantees the for Part-time Flexible (PTF) employees to include the four (4) hour daily work or pay guarantee and the 24-hour per pay period work or pay guarantee are in effect. The guaranteed one day off per week for PTFs is also in effect along with many other provisions of the agreement. 

As previously announced, the pay provisions of the agreement are being programmed and will begin to be paid in pay period 13 which starts on June 4, 2022 and show on the paychecks received on June 24, 2022. This would include the 1.3% due to career employees from November 2021, the 2.3% due to Postal Support Employees (PSEs) from November 2021, the $1310 per annum COLA due to career employees on February 26, 2022, extra pay for PTFs due to the Juneteenth holiday, and the additional 50 cents per hour for PSEs. Beginning pay period 14, starting on June 18, 2022, the slotting of the additional steps and elimination of steps for Grade 8 employees will begin as well. Of course, once that is all in place the Postal Service will be able to provide the date of the retro-active pay that will be owed the employees. It is important to note that the retroactive pay will take time to calculate and will be paid later in the year.  

One significant provision of the agreement goes into effect on April 23, 2022. PSEs who have reached 24 months of relative standing within their installation (Level 4 RMPOs excluded) will be converted to career employees. They will be converted to a PTF in Level 20 and below offices or to Full-time Flexible (FTF) in Level 21 and above offices. This is a significant step forward for the non-career workforce. Guaranteed Conversion!  

The Postal Service has provided approximately 1,200 names of PSEs who will be converted on April 23, 2022. During negotiations, it was estimated that the conversions under this provision would be closer to 2000, however, through the other conversion mechanisms of the Clerk Craft Residual MOU, conversion agreed to through national MOUs, and through the hard work of dedicated representatives in the grievance process, many of the PSEs estimated to be converted were converted prior to April 23, 2022. This proves that the contract is working well to get conversions prior to the 24-month provision that is a stop-gap to ensure PSEs are converted.  

The APWU believes more than the 1,200 conversions should be taking place and we have provided a list of names to the Postal Service that have been identified in the data we have that should be converted. We are seeking clarification on those names and making sure that no one who should be converted is missed. Data review and conversations with the Postal Service are continuing to take place to make sure everyone due to be converted is converted.  

The 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement took a big step forward for the wages, hours, and working conditions for hundreds of thousands APWU members. It is a contract that can be built upon in the future and a contract that protect rights and benefits fought for over decades of collective bargaining. 

The Union victory today of Amazon workers in the Staten Island, NY warehouse is exciting and great news. In addition, the too-close-to-call election results at the Bessemer, Alabama Amazon warehouse is also encouraging news 

The 8,000 workers at the Amazon Warehouse in Staten Island NY voted “union yes” by joining a new independent union, the Amazon Labor Union (ALU). 

In an outstanding example of independent self-organization, workers prevailed against a massive, multi-millionaire dollar anti-union campaign of coercion, threats and intimidation.  

The Amazon workers, led by Christian Smalls, who was fired for leading a walk out over lack of COVID safety protocols two years ago, were not to be denied. They drew important lessons from the pandemic – workers must organize to have dignity, respect and safe working conditions.  They were undoubtedly encouraged by the wave of new worker militancy around the country as well as growing public support for unions. And they were rightfully fed up with a company raking in billions in profits while refusing to share the wealth created by the workers’ labor.  

The APWU welcomes this news - the first union beachhead in the battle for workers’ rights against a massive, anti-union company and their greedy billionaire executives. It is a powerful first step which will undoubtedly serve as an inspiration to the one million U.S. Amazon workers who need a union to win better wages, benefits, workplace safety and a true voice at work.   

The organized labor movement should unite and build a multi-union crusade to help organize Amazon workers throughout the country. We should help propel the movement forward, whether Amazon workers choose to join an established union such as the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) in Alabama, or others, or if they organize new independent initiatives such as the ALU in Staten Island.  

We salute the determination of the Amazon workers in Staten Island and Bessemer, AL in standing up to their bosses.  

Unionization at Amazon holds a special significance for postal workers who work in the same mail/package/delivery industry.  When one group of workers rises, we all rise. 

The APWU stands ready to assist the newly organized workers in Staten Island in any way we can in the coming and challenging battle to win a good first union contract and stands ready to work with all Amazon workers and all unions in building Amazon workers’ power at Amazon.

APWU President Mark Dimondstein has announced the winners of the union’s tentative agreement ratification participation contest. The challenge, intended to encourage participation in the ratification process, offered rewards to locals that were most successful in mobilizing APWU members to vote. 

The contest provided that the top three locals in several categories would be rewarded, with the categories based on the size of the local. The program stipulated that any local that achieved 100 percent participation would be rewarded, and to be eligible, locals must have reached voting levels of at least 50 percent. 

In the category of 1-49 members, four (4) active locals had 100% percent participation, and each will be awarded $200. They are: 

In the 500–999-member category, there was only one (1) local eligible for the $2,000 award:

Trenton Metropolitan Area Local 51.1%

Unfortunately, no other category qualifies for an incentive award.

Results can be found at this link in the Member’s Only section, and were provided by the American Arbitration Association, which conducted the balloting under the supervision of the Rank-and-File Bargaining Advisory Committee. 

On Wednesday, April 6, President Joe Biden signed the Postal Service Reform Act into law at a White House ceremony. President Mark Dimondstein and Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard were invited to witness the signing ceremony and represent the APWU.  

“This is a historic achievement for our union,” said President Dimondstein. “Congratulations to every postal worker who has organized for over a decade to ensure this long-needed postal reform legislation became law. The Postal Service Reform Act marks a tremendous victory for our union, for all postal workers, our families, and for the people of the country who depend on robust, reliable and sustainable universal postal services.”  

The Postal Service Reform Act (PSRA) contains many key elements that have long been a priority for the APWU. First is the elimination of the congressional mandate that USPS prefund future retiree health benefits. This mandate required the Postal Service to set billions of dollars aside each year to prefund retiree health benefits 75 years into the future. The prefunding mandate alone is responsible for 84% of USPS’s losses since 2007. Lifting of the mandate is expected to save the USPS roughly $27 billion over the next 10 years and immediately eliminates $53 billion of past due prepayments on the USPS books.  

Three important service-related features are included in the new law. The PSRA increases transparency of USPS management, allowing the public, Congress and regulators better insight into USPS service issues. It also mandates that USPS continue to provide a six-day-per-week, integrated delivery network – packages and letter mail moving together – long into the future. Finally, the PSRA allows USPS to enter into agreements with State, local and tribal governments to provide a whole range of new products and services. 

Another major element of the bill is in the integration of future postal retirees into the Medicare system. While USPS and postal employees have contributed to Medicare for decades, roughly a quarter of retirees do not fully enroll in Medicare. Starting in 2025, all postal retirees will have Medicare as their primary payer and a postal-only FEHBP plan as a secondary payer. These changes are expected to save postal retirees money by eliminating out-of-pocket medical expenses and by mitigating future premium increases, while saving USPS $22 billion over the next ten years.  

The PSRA passed both chambers of Congress earlier this year after more than a decade of debate and consensus-building among the postal unions, congressional leaders, mailers and postal management. It garnered broad, bipartisan support, passing the House in February by a vote of 342-92 and passing the Senate in March with a vote of 79-19. 

“APWU applauds every member of Congress who has worked alongside our union to achieve this critical legislation,” said Legislative and Political Director Beard. “We especially recognize the leadership of Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer in the House and Chairman Peters and Ranking Member Portman in the Senate for their steadfast, bipartisan resolve in crafting this bill. Postal workers fought hard for this bill and Congress heard our voices loud and clear.”  

“The path to winning this legislation was long and hard-fought,” said Dimondstein. “We should all take heart in this tremendous victory and remember that together, our union is a force to be reckoned with. Now, the struggle continues to defend the public Postal Service, to protect good jobs, and to win improved and expanded postal services and justice for all workers.”

By now the fate of the contract is decided. You either exercised the power of your membership or let it go to waste.

If you voted, thanks, because for over 180 years postal workers had very little, if any, say in their employment. The Post Office Department was all powerful. Now the PO’s power is subject not just to the law (such as it is), but also to the contract. Our years of struggle to get and pursue collective bargaining is rich with lessons learned.

Modest start & struggles

President Kennedy’s 1962 Executive Order gave us limited negotiation rights over promotions, transfers, RIFs and some working conditions. A government- imposed union election in 1962 determined postal unions recognition. It took another eight years and a nationwide wildcat strike to produce real negotiations.

The 1971 contract was negotiated (by 7 unions no less) before the law establishing USPS was signed. Nixon’s promised pay increase was blocked by his wage freeze. But the AFL-CIO’s helped force that first pay increase and APWU was born!

Real Bargaining, more struggles

Postmaster General DeJoy is not the first corporate boss we’ve negotiated with. In 1975 PMG Benjamin Franklin (kid you not) Bailar and the Unions, negotiating together, settled for a 12% pay increase with the strike fresh on everyone’s mind.

The 1978 negotiations were bitter! Management called us overpaid and underworked. Facing debt and volume de- creases, wage cuts were demanded. Negotiations stalled. no contract-no Work was the call of the day. The PMG’s threats to fire all strikers didn’t stop Bulk Centers in New Jersey & California from walking out.

A deal was struck for a 2% pay increase and capped COLA. The Rank & File Committee rejected the pact which was sent out for a vote anyway. The National Convention and 94,400 members voted to reject the CBA. The PMG refused to reopen negotiations ending with an arbitrated 9% pay increase but weakened lay-off protections.

The struggles continued

In 1981, the PMG, trying to force a government election to recognize only one union, refused to negotiate. A media blitz threatened another postal strike. A deal was reached only to have the bosses re-write what had been agreed to. Eventually we went from a $1,850 pay boost to a $300 annual increase, and some “cash” payments. Even so the CBA was ratified.

In 1984, the Board of Governors openly meddled in negotiations calling us overpaid. Talks stalled with bosses unilaterally imposing a 23% lower entry wage resulting in court and congressional action. The battle over postal economics resulted in an arbitrated 2.7% pay increase and lower starting pay with longer step increase periods.

Three PMGs came and went but in 1987 PMG Tish promised to negotiate an agreement resulting in a 2% pay increase, followed by $300 and $200 increases.

We’ve negotiated through wars, oil embargos, wage controls, the PATCO strike and other seemingly insurmountable hysteria. We have had contract extensions, more arbitrations, and rejected CBAs.

Space doesn’t permit more history. My point is to express how much goes into getting a contract that makes your career and living standards worthwhile. Now through a worldwide pestilence altering our lives, economy, education and prices, a negotiated contract was produced and your precious right to vote on your destiny was preserved.

More Power in Your hands

Exercising your Union vote wields real power. As bromidic as it sounds, YOU ARE THE UNION! Two upcoming critical events, the national convention and the national Union elections, will let you flex your union power again.

Your vote determines Convention delegates who set union policy. Your vote elects officers that administer that policy and representation. Again, destiny is in your hands. Coordinators Stone, Beasley, Foster, Jones and I urge you – DON’T WASTE YOUR POWER! 

Wow! Just months into 2022 and great news on two fronts:

First: Our Collective Bargaining Agreement covering the wages, benefits, and working conditions of 200,000 postal workers has been overwhelmingly ratified with a 94% “Yes” vote by those who cast ballots. The success of this round of bargaining reflects the power of unity and solidarity, beginning with you the member, the very foundation of our union.

Second: The Postal Service Reform Act passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The vote in the House was a strong bi-partisan vote of 342-92! It passed the Senate with 79 votes, enough bi-partisan support to overcome the undemocratic 60 vote filibuster rules. You, along with many friends and allies, made thousands of calls to your Senators urging support and bringing this vital legislation over the finish line!

Congratulations to one and all on these outstanding accomplishments!

Of course, many more challenges and opportunities lie ahead. These include:

Implementation of the new union contract: Dates must be determined for when the new pay scales will be reflected in your paychecks, the dates of the retroactive pay raise from November 20, 2021, and the March COLA; and other timing issues related to PSE conversions and PTF transfer opportunities.

Health & safety: The COVID pandemic is ongoing and still lethal. We have negotiated with management the continuation of the COVID safety memoranda and liberal leave policy until April 8th. It is also a major goal to force management to address the harassment and hos- tile work environment inflicted on far too many postal workers. The struggle for the safest possible workplace will aggressively continue.

Expanded services: Our future largely depends on ex- panded Postal Services. The COVID test kits packaged and sent through the mail are a good example. It is likely that the paycheck cashing “pilot” will soon be expanded. The APWU will be working to make this pilot a success.

Postal reform will open up new opportunities to provide local and state government services.

Organizing the Unorganized: About 20% of the work- force represented by the APWU are non-members – far too many. With the solid new contract, it a great time to organize. In the Spring, the APWU will launch a nation- wide organizing campaign. The key to success will be members signing up non-members. Furthermore, the APWU is expanding our organizing efforts in the private sector mail industry, whether Amazon, fulfillment cen- ters, transportation or pre-sort houses.

National convention: The 2022 National Convention is scheduled for mid-August. The convention, as the highest authority of the union, acts on many resolutions and sets the overall direction for the union. Every member cannot be one of the 2,000 expected delegates, but everyone can have a voice by promoting local and state resolutions to be considered by the convention.

National officer elections: In September the national officer election will be conducted. Unlike most unions, we elect with a “one-person, one vote” mail ballot. This union democracy is part of what makes us union strong!

Legislation & Mid-term elections: More legislative issues on the horizon include improving service standards and securing funding for an electric postal fleet and charging stations. The November elections provide opportunity for political involvement in relation to electing pro-union, pro-postal candidates but also for organizing on issues that affect workers such as living wages, health care for all, a clean environment and voting rights.

Voting rights/Vote-By-Mail: The “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was stolen has become the basis for a rash of voter suppression laws largely aimed at limiting mail ballots, which are a proven, secure way for tens of millions of people to vote. No matter our individual political views, we should be unified in defending and expanding voting rights.

Let’s take the same spirit of unity and solidarity that led to the achievement of our new contract and Postal Reform into the battles of 2022 and beyond! 

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the Postal Service confirmed to the APWU important dates for implementation of the pay provisions of the 2021-2024 National Agreement. There were significant changes to the pay and leave provisions for this national agreement.

Below you will see “effective” and “scheduled implementation” dates for the various pay provisions of the agreement. The effective date is the date the pay changes will be paid from. The “scheduled implementation” date is the date the Postal Service has informed the APWU that the payrate will actual begin being paid. We have also included the pay check date the pay changes are scheduled to show up in pay checks/direct deposits.

• 1.3% General Increases for all employees
  o Effective: November 20, 2021
  o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022) o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022

• 1.0% Additional for Postal Support Employees (PSEs)
  o Effective: November 20, 2021
  o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022) o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022

• $1310 Cost of Living Allowance (Career Employees) o Effective: February 26, 2022

  o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022)

  o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022

• PSEs’ Additional 50 cents per hour

  o Effective: April 9, 2022
  o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022) o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022

• New pay rates for Grade 11 Employees
  o Effective: September 21, 2021
  o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022) o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022

• Changes to the Grade 8 steps and slotting into new steps o Effective: June 18, 2022

  o Scheduled Implementation: June 18, 2022 (Pay Period 14-2022)

  o Pay Check Date July 8, 2022

• Additional Pay for PTFs due to the Juneteenth Holiday

  o Effective: January 1, 2022
  o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022) o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022

  Employees will receive retroactive payments for the difference in pay for the period between the “effective” date and the “scheduled implementation” date. The date of the retroactive payments has not been finalized and cannot be finalized until the programming is complete. Once programming is completed, we will meet with the Postal Service and get a definitive date for the retroactive payments. Once the definitive date is known, it will then be released

  Significant programming of the payroll systems is needed to implement these pay changes. Upon ratification of the agreement, our Union Family members who work in the Information Technology/Accounting Services units began working on the changes. We want to recognize and thank the IT/AS employees for their hard work on these important provisions and doing all they can to get the programming changes completed so that all those affected receive the pay rates required by the National Agreement.

  As a reminder, other provisions that do not have specific effective dates listed (e.g., the “repromotion rule”) went into effect on February 28, 2022, per Article 43 of the 2021-2024 National Agreement.

In accordance with the MOU, Re: PTF One-Time Voluntary Reassignment Opportunity, the Postal Service provided a list of available residual duty assignments for PTF clerks to choose from, within their own district. Attached is the list of 594 residual duty assignments which are available to the eligible PTF clerks to select from in the regular March 2022 eReassign posting. These assignments are from installations with 100 or more Clerk Craft employees. The attached residual duty assignment(s) are listed by District. 

These residual duty assignments are currently posted in eReassign and this list should be used as a cross reference to assist PTFs within the listed Districts to make their selections.  PTFs need to understand that Districts may have increased greatly in geographical size due to the USPS reorganization. The APWU Clerk Craft has filed a national dispute on the reorganization. If PTFs do not want to relocate, they need to make their selections carefully. Any relocation costs are the responsibility of the PTF. MapQuest is a good tool to assist them if they are not familiar with their entire District and the amount of driving miles as it relates to relocation. 

The MOU contains certain requirements: PTFs must work in installations with less than 100 career Clerk Craft employees, must have been on the rolls on September 21, 2021, and they must have completed their probationary period. In addition, the MOU states: 

“A PTF Clerk Craft employee seeking to voluntarily reassign pursuant to this Agreement must have an acceptable work, attendance, and safety record and meet the minimum qualifications for all Clerk Craft residual vacancies to which they request voluntary reassignment. A PTF Clerk Craft employee must qualify in his/her current installation prior to being reassigned pursuant to this Agreement. A PTF Clerk Craft employee who fails to qualify will remain in his/her current installation as a PTF Clerk Craft employee.” 

The MOU concludes by stating, “District Human Resources will complete the placement no later than the first day of the third pay period following selection of the employee”. 

PTFs who wish to take advantage of this opportunity must do so no later than March 21, 2022 by submitting their preference(s) from among the residual vacancies within their district through eReassign. Any PTF without computer access has the right to use the computer at their post office to submit their reassignment requests. Any changes or corrections to the PTF selection should be done by the close of the posting – March 21, 2022 – 11:00 p.m. CST.

In a historic moment, the Senate passed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 on March 8 with a vote of 79-19. The House passed the bill last month with a vote of 342-92. The legislation will now go to President Biden’s desk, where he will sign it into law. The enactment of Postal Reform marks a turning point in the fight to protect and strengthen the people’s public Postal Service.

“It is not an exaggeration to say that this bill is one of the most critical pieces of postal legislation in modern history — the struggle to win Postal Reform has been 15 years in the making,” said Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard.

“The passage of this legislation, on a strong bipartisan basis, is a monumental victory for postal workers, the wider postal community, and the communities we are proud to serve,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “This legislation strengthens the public Postal Service, a national treasure that has connected us for over 250 years.”

The Postal Reform bill will place the United States Postal Service on the path toward financial stability by repealing the onerous and financially debilitating pre-funding mandate, ensuring six-day delivery, adding much-needed transparency to postal operations, and maximizing participation in Medicare — a program which the Postal Service and its employees have contributed over $34 billion toward — by enacting prospective Medicare integration. Postal Reform is fair to active and retired postal workers and is a crucial development in the fight to preserve and strengthen the peoples’ Postal Service.

“Thanks to the efforts carried out by postal workers, our sister unions, allied organizations, and the American public, comprehensive postal reform is now a reality,” said Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard. “The APWU applauds every member of Congress who played a role in crafting and passing this monumental legislation.”

Please read our Postal Reform Q&A for more information about the legislation.

The main Collective Bargaining Agreement (union contract) between the APWU and the USPS has been overwhelmingly ratified by the members. The contract was signed by APWU President Mark Dimondstein and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on February 28, 2022.  

Ninety-Four percent (94%) of the members who voted, voted “Yes!” in favor of ratification. The vote tally was 36,632 votes for ratification and 2,290 against. 

“I am ecstatic that the membership recognized the solid gains that this Agreement provides to the 165,000 APWU members from all crafts,” President and lead negotiator Mark Dimondstein stated. “Every member should be very proud of this huge accomplishment. Our power at the bargaining table begins with each of you, the foundation of our union.”   

Director of Industrial Relations and chief spokesperson, Vance Zimmerman said, “I am proud of this Agreement and am happy that the membership recognized the hard work of the National Negotiating Committee, the other officers who helped with the negotiations, and the diligent work of our support staff to make this contract a reality.” He continued, “Now the work of implementation begins in earnest.” 

In addition to the lead negotiator and chief spokesperson, the NCC consisted of Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks, Motor Vehicle Director Mike Foster, Maintenance Director Idowu Balogun, Support Services Director Steve Brooks, Executive Vice President Debby Szeredy and Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth “Liz” Powell. 

The tentative contract agreement was reached on December 9, 2021 with unanimous approval of the National Negotiating Committee. It was then unanimously approved by the Rank & File Bargaining Advisory Committee to be sent to the members for a ratification vote. The vote ratification process was  coordinated by APWU Secretary-Treasurer Powell and administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA.)  A sub-committee of the Rank & File Bargaining Advisory Committee consisting of Peggy Whitney, Sandra Munoz, Scott Hoffman, Nicole Burnett and Stacy Brown was on site monitoring the entire vote count, which took place from February 23 – February 28.  

Now that we have a new contract, one of the first items to be dealt with are the pay raises due to employees. These include the first general wage increase of 1.3% for career employees (2.3% for PSEs), effective November 21, 2021; the $1,310 per year COLA increase due to career employees, effective February 26, 2022; and the additional 50 cents per hour increase for PSEs effective on April 9, 2022.  

APWU-represented bargaining unit employees in the IT/AS sector will soon begin programming the payroll system that is required to make these pay changes. Once programming is completed, retroactive payments will be made to the affected employees, with the dates of these payments to be announced. Please check apwu.org for updated information on retroactive payments 

Additionally, the parties are in the process of finalizing a print version of the Collective Bargaining Agreement as well as updating the Joint Contract Interpretation Manual.   

“I congratulate the members on this agreement which will provide wage increases, COLAs, job security, improved PTF rights and even more career opportunities for the non-career workforce,” Director Zimmerman said.  

President Dimondstein concluded by saying, “We should never forget that our Collective Bargaining rights were won through the courage of our forefathers and foremothers in the historic 1970 wildcat strike. The lives of literally millions of postal workers and our families have been changed for the better over the last fifty years.”  

On January 31, 2021, Arbitrator Sharnoff issued a lengthy award on the APWU-NPMHU jurisdictional disputes over the AFCS and AFCS 200. The APWU successfully prevailed in protecting Clerk Work when Arbitrator Sharnoff affirmed that Clerks should be assigned to work the Operator position on the AFCS 200.   
 
As part of the historic 2018 APWU-USPS-NPMHU RI-399 update agreement, the unions and the Postal Service agreed to arbitrate the unions’ cross-disputes on the AFCS and the AFCS 200.  The APWU defended the Postal Service’s assignment of the AFCS 200 Operator position to clerks, an assignment the APWU felt was properly assigned to the APWU.  The Arbitrator agreed with the APWU keeping the Operator position on the AFCS 200 assigned to Clerks. 
 
Arbitrator Sharnoff confirmed that there is a high bar for overturning the Postal Service’s jurisdictional determinations – based on the information available to the Postal Service at the time it makes its decision, the Postal Service’s decision cannot be arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable, based on improper considerations, or otherwise constitute “an abuse of the USPS’s discretion to make such determinations under the RI-399 Guidelines.”  The NPMHU failed to get over this bar with its claims that the Operator position on the significantly redesigned AFCS 200 should be assigned to Mail Handlers.  Given the changes to the Operator position and the distribution functions of the AFCS 200, Arbitrator Sharnoff confirmed that the Postal Service’s jurisdictional grant to Clerks was proper.   
 
Arbitrator Sharnoff’s Award means that Clerks must be assigned to the Operator position on the AFCS 200.  Any pending RI-399 disputes at the local level should be settled in accordance with this Award. Contact Lynn Pallas-Barber with any questions that may arise in implementing Arbitrator Sharnoff’s Award at the local level.  
 
This was the second of four jurisdictional arbitrations presented to Arbitrator Sharnoff under the updated RI-399 process for protecting Clerk Craft work.  In the first two cases, the APWU has successfully in defended Clerks continuing to work on the SPSS and the AFCS 200. Many thanks to the efforts of the APWU’s RI-399 national representatives Lynn Pallas-Barber, Assistant Clerk Craft Director, and National RI-399 Representative Ron Suslak, (President Queens Area Local); their guidance along with the expertise and involvement of APWU locals and employees, supported the APWU in once again keeping mail distribution work with Clerks.  

Clerk Division Director Lamont Brooks said, “This is another victory in fight to ensure that Clerk Craft employees are performing all the work that rightfully belongs to them. The battle is not over as we still await two other awards, but rest assured the Clerk Division officers will continue doing all we can to keep our work and add new or additional work to the Clerk Craft—the struggle continues.”