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(This article first appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Human Relations Director Sue Carney

On Dec. 27, the United States Postal Service awarded a contract to New Directions Behavioral Health to provide Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services to USPS employees and their eligible family and household members. Founded in 1995, the company reports it is one of the fastest growing behavioral health care companies in the industry; providing assistance programs and consulting services to private and public health plans, student organizations, Fortune 100 companies, large and medium employers and labor groups – more than doubling its membership to 16 million members in the last five years.

(This article first appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Research & Education Department Director Joyce B. Robinson

Because women earn less than men, they must work longer for the same amount of pay. In 1996, The National Committee on Pay Equity originated Equal Pay Day to illustrate the gap between men’s and women’s wages and create a symbolic day when women’s earnings “catch up” to men’s earnings from the previous year. This year, Equal Pay Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

(This article first appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine) 

Last month, the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 finally went into effect after having been signed into law on Aug. 23, 2017. It is said to represent one of the most significant statutory changes expected to benefit veterans in decades.

Reform has been a long-time goal of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and its stakeholders; so much so that the VA sponsored an Appeals Summit three years ago, in Mar. 2016. The VA, Congress, veteran service organizations and advocates worked together during the event to design a new appeals system. The law is intended to deliver reform to veterans on the legacy appeals system.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of many, veterans now have a choice in how unfavorable decisions will be reviewed. Veterans should also realize more timely resolutions of appealed decisions through the new streamlined process.

(This article first appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Organization Director Anna Smith

With contract negotiations going into interest arbitration, staying united and strong is essential at every level. Reminding not only ourselves but our non-member co-workers that the need to stand together is essential to preserve the rights and benefits we currently enjoy.

Below are some examples of what APWU members can and have achieved by working together.

(This article first appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Legislative & Political Department Director Judy Beard

House representatives in the 116th Congress wasted no time displaying their opposition to the White House plan to privatize the Postal Service. On Jan. 9, Representative Stephen Lynch (D-MA-8), along with 12 original, bi-partisan co-sponsors, re-introduced the resolution to ensure the USPS is not subject to privatization. This resolution (H. Res 33) already had 205 co-sponsors as this issue went to press, reaffirming strong support for the public Postal Service. The companion Senate resolution, S. Res. 99, was introduced by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) on March 7, and has 30 co-sponsors.

This article first appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

Coalition of Unions and Activists Boot Amazon from NYC

On Apr. 15, postal workers are letting the public know that the Postal Service operates with NO tax dollars. Contact your local or state officers to find out how you can participate!

If there isn’t a Tax Day event in your area, do a digital action by sharing a social media post by the APWU or the US Mail Not for Sale campaign!

Go to usmailnotforsale.org or call 844.402.1001 to tell your member of Congress that you support the PUBLIC Postal Service!

The White House released its plans for the fiscal year 2020 budget this month. It once again attacks workers, calling for deep cuts to salaries, retirement and health benefits. It also echoes parts of the Postal Task Force December 2018 report that calls for the elimination of union negotiated collective bargaining rights over pay, creating a postal employee pay system similar to what is seen in the federal workforce.

Further mirroring the Postal Task Force report, the budget calls for privatization of the Postal Service in part, including outsourcing processing and sortation to private companies, and providing access to mailboxes to third parties.

“The cuts in the current White House budget proposal clearly come at the expense of postal employees, retirees, and the American people,” President Mark Dimondstein said. “Similar attacks on postal workers and universal postal service were also seen in the June 2018 report from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in which the White House proposes to sell the Postal Service to the highest corporate bidder.”

Share this Handout on Tax Day!

Today, we remember when, in 1970, postal workers hit the streets and won the right to collectively bargain for wages and benefits. #1U

On March 7, 2019, the APWU and United States Postal Service negotiators exchanged their final economic proposals as both sides continue their preparation for interest arbitration.

The APWU put forward proposals that reward postal workers for our hard work. The Union’s proposals include:

On March 7, 2019, the APWU and United States Postal Service negotiators exchanged their final economic proposals as both sides continue their preparation for interest arbitration...

President Mark Dimondstein said, “There are clearly two sides in this fight and the battle lines have been drawn in our efforts to obtain a contract that honors and respects postal workers.  The USPS proposals reek of contempt for the workforce.  APWU members will fight for what we deserve in the interest arbitration process as we continue ‘Fighting Today for a Better Tomorrow.’”

Click "Read More" for the details.

International Working Women's Day: Here's to strong women: may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them! APWU Women are Keeping Up the Fight! 

As previously reported, in 2018 the APWU, the National Postal Mail Handlers’ Union (NPMHU), and the USPS reached a tripartite agreement updating the RI-399 work jurisdiction process. As part of the agreement on the update to the RI-399 process, all pending RI-399 grievances filed prior to September 1, 2017, were administratively closed with some limited exceptions.

The APWU Arbitration Advocacy Training program will be Sunday, June 2 - Sunday, June 9. It is designed to provide an in-depth knowledge of the techniques needed to effectively prepare a case for arbitration. Students must be present for the entire training and must participate in a mock arbitration case on Saturday, June 8. Participants should plan to arrive at the hotel, Maritime Institute Hotel located at 692 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights, Maryland 21090, on Sunday, June 2 because classes start promptly at 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning. A graduation dinner will be held on Saturday evening. No classes will be held on Sunday, June 9.

As previously reported, in 2018 the APWU, the National Postal Mail Handlers’ Union (NPMHU), and the USPS reached a tripartite agreement updating the RI-399 work jurisdiction process. As part of the agreement on the update to the RI-399 process, all pending RI-399 grievances filed prior to September 1, 2017, were administratively closed with some limited exceptions...

After consultation, much discussion, and agreement with the Clerk Craft Director, the APWU has decided that the money will be distributed in equal amounts to clerk craft employees who fall into two categories (click below to read more).

On Friday, March 1 the APWU National Executive Board unanimously passed the following statement:

Alex Acosta is unfit to serve as Secretary of Labor...

There are a few ways in which a local union or state organization can update members’ addresses. 

No one wants to pay double dues when they transfer to one of the crafts represented by the APWU and join our union.

Local and state presidents can pull and print  a list of members or non-members for their organization by logging into the Members Only section of the website. 

A copy of the list can also be e-mailed to a local or state president by requesting one from the Per Capita Department.  Requests should be directed to Anna Smith, Director, Organization Department in writing at organization@apwu.org or American Postal Workers Union, Attn: Organization Department, 1300 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.  All requests will be sent in Excel (.xlsx) or PDF.

On Feb. 19, almost a year after walking out of school and beginning a national movement of teacher and education workers strikes across the country, West Virginia workers struck again. This time teachers and school personnel walked out explicitly in protest against a potential bill that would begin a process to privatize the state’s education system. Schools in 54 of the state’s 55 counties were closed for the day, and the House of Delegates voted 53-45 to kill the bill only hours after the walk out.

On Feb. 13, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced S. 478, the “Expand Social Security Act,” legislation that would expand benefits and add almost 50 years of solvency to the program. Social Security, in its current form, is paying out more money to recipients than it takes in, and will no longer be able to pay out full benefits by 2034.  A companion bill, H.R. 1170 was introduced in the House on the same day by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR-4).

On Feb. 15, 2019, the APWU National Executive Board adopted a proclamation honoring women of the APWU throughout March, in celebration of Women's History Month.

The proclamation read:

On Monday, Feb. 11, over two thousand educators from the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) walked out of school, launching the first teachers’ strike in the city in over 25 years. The walkout follows 15 months of negotiations. The strike vote passed in January with over 93 percent of the workers in favor of the walkout.

The APWU National encourages members who are able to join the picket lines or show their support via social media with the hashtag #DCTAstrong. You can also donate to the strike fund.

Consistent with the requirements of the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015, the Postal Service allows veteran employees who meet the eligibility requirements to take Wounded Warrior Leave. This is a specific type of leave, which provides veteran employees with no loss in pay, for undergoing medical treatment for a service-related disability rated at 30% or more.