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(This article first appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) By Vice President Debby Szeredy Let’s talk about the facts. Here I am, a union postal worker. What will happen if I don’t step up and help mobilize my co-workers and my community to stop privatization? The free market plan is to privatize any and all areas that are vital to the American public. We have seen how privatization affects us. Examples of privatization include: our health care system, water and sewer services, bus and transit systems, parking meters, tolls, roads and bridges, prison systems, mortgage and pay day loans, student loans, deregulation of fossil fuels that pollute our planet, and the money in politics (dark money) that helps to fund candidates who will work hard to privatize public services. View the full article

Web News Article #: 3-2019 On January 10, APWU officers and members joined hundreds of furloughed federal government employees, labor leaders, congressional representatives and other allies on the steps of the “House of Labor,” the AFL-CIO, to demand an end to the government shut down and resulting “lockout” of 800,000 federal employees. American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President J. David Cox clarified, “I’d like to make sure that everyone knows that this effort and extortion is more of a lockout than a shutdown.” View the full article

Web News Article #: 03-2019 In a decision issued on Friday, January 4, 2019, Arbitrator Stephen B. Goldberg ruled that the Postal Service did not violate the National Agreement in 2011 when it decided to subcontract roof maintenance and repair work. The Union contended that the Employer had violated Article32.1.A by failing to give due consideration to the five factors it must consider before subcontracting; violated Article 32.1.B by failing to give the Union advance notice, and by failing to comply with the other requirements of 32.1.B; violated the MOU on Contracting or Insourcing of Contracted Services; and violated ASM Section 535.112. View the full article

Web News Article #: 2-2019 Message from President Dimondstein to the APWU membership. View the full article

Web News Article #: 1-2019 View the full article

Web News Article #: 121-2018 View the full article

Web News Article #: 120-2018 The Collective Bargaining Agreement (Union Contract) between the American Postal Workers Union and the United States Postal Service initially expired on September 20, 2018. Negotiations began in July with a big kick off and national day of action during which many of you participated as together we are “Fighting Today for a Better Tomorrow!” Since our contract expired there have been four extensions of negotiations in an effort to reach a voluntary agreement... View the full article

12/21/2018 For Immediate Release American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein says: “This gift delivered to Wall Street will be paid for by Main Street.” WASHINGTON – When the Trump Administration released its postal task force report earlier this month, the American Postal Workers Union said that, if implemented, it would result in “less services and higher prices.” Now, a new research study from the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) shows just how costly privatizing or even partially privatizing postal services would be. Entitled “Who Would Pay the Biggest Price for Postal Privatization,” IPS researchers demonstrate that the White House plan would lead to significantly higher prices and less service for 70 million Americans in rural areas, small towns and suburbs – and all those who mail and ship to those locations. View the full article

Web News Article #: 119-2018 The 2019 new leave year begins and ends as indicated below: Begins: PP 02-2019, Jan 5, 2019 Ends: PP 01-2020, Jan 3, 2020 Click here for the 2019 Pay & Holiday Calendar. Click here for the 2019 Leave Chart. View the full article

Web News Article #: 118-2018 As part of the remedy settlement for the Postal Service’s violations regarding the Sales Retention Team (SRT) Pilot Program, the Postal Service is expected to be mailing settlement payments to previously identified eligible individuals by the end of January 2019. In a December 8, 2016 decision, Arbitrator Stephen Goldberg ruled that the Postal Service violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) when they assigned injured workers to perform Clerk Craft work at Sales Retention Team sites without first assigning the work to the Clerk Craft and posting the duty assignments for bid. As part of the arbitrator’s ruling, the parties agreed to a $36 million remedy settlement on January 12, 2018. View the full article

Web News Article #: 117-2108 President Dimondstein went on National Public Radio's popular 1A show on Dec. 11 to discuss the importance of public postal services. To listen to the story click here. View the full article

Web News Article #: 116-2108 APWU President Mark Dimondstein reports that the national union leadership will make an announcement on Friday December 21, 2018 regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the APWU and the USPS. View the full article

Web News Article #: 115-2018 The updated APWU Constitution & Bylaws has been posted. The new constitution includes changes adopted by delegates to the union’s 24th National Convention in August 2018. View the full article

12/04/2018 For Immediate Release Initial press statement after release of White House USPS task force report: If the White House Task Force on the Postal Service’s report was assigned a ZIP Code it would be 00000. This poorly conceived report makes many of its recommendations based on myth and misinformation that instead of improving mail services, would deliver higher prices and less service for the public. View the full article

12/03/2018 - President Donald Trump proclaimed Dec. 5 as a national day of mourning upon the death of President George H. W. Bush. The Postal Service announced today “Out of respect for President Bush, the nation’s 41st commander in chief, and to honor his vast contributions to the United States during his lifetime, and consistent with the presidential proclamation, the Postal Service will observe the national day of mourning.” The Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery and retail service on December 5. However, some delivery, sortation and transportation operations will continue December 5 so the “the Postal Service network remains fluid” and to “prepare for the resumption of regular activities Thursday, Dec. 6.” Career employees in APWU bargaining units will receive Administrative Leave in accordance with 519.4 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual and the May 4, 2000 Memorandum Re Clarification of Regulations for National Day of Observance. Attachments 519.4 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (416.32 KB) May 4, 2000 Memorandum Re Clarification of Regulations for National Day of Observance (348.32 KB)

Web News Article #: 113-2018 For 37 days, members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) engaged in militant rotating strikes in the struggle for a new union contract. Canadian postal workers were forced into strike action by the refusal of Canada Post to address the just and urgent demands of the workers, including addressing dangerous work conditions and high injury rates, unequal pay for rural workers, and massive hours of forced overtime. Yesterday, Nov. 27, the Canadian government, through legislative action, forced Canadian postal workers back to work and into binding mediation and arbitration. As the struggle continues, the CUPW is keeping all options open, including switching to a campaign of non-violent civil disobedience and other tactics to press their contract demands. “‘An Injury to One is an Injury to All.’ Their fight is our fight,” said President Mark Dimondstein. “The APWU salutes the unity and determination of our Canadian sisters and brothers and we have full confidence that the workers, led by the CUPW, will overcome these new obstacles and prevail in their just struggle. We stand in unbreakable union solidarity with Canada’s postal workers.” View the full article

Web News Article #: 112-2018 View the full article

Web News Article #: 111-2018 Our current Collective Bargaining Agreement (union contract) initially expired on September 20, 2018. The APWU and the U.S. Postal Service agreed to extend negotiations until October 20th after which the parties again extended negotiations until November 20th. During that period the APWU and the Postal Service engaged in a series of negotiating sessions. The APWU believes recent negotiations have been fruitful and we have made progress towards a framework of an agreement. In that light, the APWU and the USPS have agreed to continue our negotiating efforts until December 7th. View the full article

Web News Article #: 113-2018 This opinion editorial (op-ed) by President Mark Dimondstein was published in the Miami-Herald on November 20th. "We are all postal customers and undoubtedly appreciate the outstanding efforts of dedicated postal workers in the face of these recent crimes. But our appreciation is not enough to defeat the efforts of those who would destroy the Postal Service and loot the public good for private gain. Join the effort to guarantee that the postal service remains owned by, and in the service of, the people." View the full article

News Service Bulletin #: 10 We’re ramping up our campaign to stop the White House’s proposal to sell the USPS to private corporations — and we’re asking every APWU member to join the fight. We partnered with the National Association of Letter Carriers to produce a new ad to spread the word about the consequences of a postal corporate takeover. Will you watch it and share it with your friends to help us tell the White House that the U.S. Mail is Not For Sale? Click here to watch the ad! View the full article

Web News Article #: 109-2018 Watch the new advertisement below produced by the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers against the White House's proposal to sell the postal service to private corporations. View the full article

Web News Article #: 108-2018 An official transcript of the proceedings from the APWU’s 24th Biennial National Convention is now available to union members on www.apwu.org. The convention is the highest governing body of the APWU. The 1,520-page document provides a full transcript of the business undertaken during the assembly, which took place Aug. 20-23 in Pittsburgh. Union members can click here to log in and view or download the convention proceedings. View the full article

Web News Article #: 108 Reminder, in accordance with Article 8, sections 4 and 5, of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, penalty overtime rules are not applicable for a consecutive four-week period each year during December. This year, the December period begins December 1, 2018 (Pay Period 25-18- Week 2) and ends December 28, 2018 (Pay Period 01-19- Week 1). View the full article

Web News Article #: 107-2018 Today we join in honoring our veterans, including the tens of thousands of APWU members, both active and retired, who are currently or have proudly served. One important way to honor our them is to ensure they have access to the good jobs, opportunities and services they need View the full article

Web News Article #: 106-2018 On Nov. 14, at 11 a.m. EST and 7 p.m. EST the Legislative & Political Department will host a call updating the membership on the US Mail Not for Sale campaign. Register today to join the call! Click here for a downloadable flyer to spread the word! As we move into the Congressional Lame Duck Session - the period after the mid-term elections, but before newly-elected representatives take office for the 116th Congress - our fight to stop postal privatization cannot not slow down. We must continue to advocate for a public Postal Ser­vice and keep it from being sold off to the highest bidder. Click here to join the call, hear what’s next and take action. View the full article