Apwu133

This week, as I zip around the state of West Virginia for Health Fairs, I wanted to take some time to share information with the membership about some benefits that their health plans provide that are lesser known. 

 

Some of these plans are included at no additional cost, and some have extra fees associated with them. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and truthfully, some can be a little difficult to find information on if you aren’t logged into your account with either the High or Consumer Driven Option.

 

Both High Option (HO) and Consumer Driven Options (CDO) include: 

 

 

Maven – World’s largest maternity virtual clinic. Available at no additional cost to members. 

 

You get your own Personal Care Advocate, who is a REAL PERSON that you keep for your whole journey. They also offer on demand classes and community forums.

 

21-month support track for both parents with about a 1-hour response time 24/7/365, and 48 hourturnaround for in person appointments. Unlimited video appointments with 35+ types of doctors. Go to Mavenclinic.com/join/overview for more information.

 

 

One Pass Select - This is a fitness and well-being basedsubscription-based network that provides access to over 16,000 gyms and studios. 

 

Members can use multiple locations during the same month and change locations at any time. It offers 5 different tiers and can be used nationwide. 

 

 

The first tier is digital and is $10, and they go up, with the most expensive being $159 a month. You can change tiers monthly, and each tier includes the one under it. onepassselect.com

 

Virtual Visits – These options allow you to connect with a doctor by phone or video. Doctors can treat a wide range of health conditions, including many of the same conditions as an Emergency Room visit or Urgent care, and may even be able to prescribe medications. Virtual visits are good for allergies, bronchitis, colds or flus, migraines, pink eye, rashes or sinus infections, behavioral health and many more. 

 

For High Option Members, the first two visits through Teladoc are free, and have a $10 copay after, per visit.

 

For Consumer Driven Option Members, you have access to Amwell, Teladoc, and Doctor on Demand at 15% of the plan allowance. In many cases Virtual visits are less expensive than an in-person office visit, and thereby can save you money in the long run. 

 

 

CDO only

 

Calm Health – Combines the sleep and mindfulness content of Calm with support for your mental and physical health and includes:

 

Mental health screenings to get personalized recommendations and track your journey,

 

Digital Programs to help you understand your mental health

 

Audio and video content and activities written by psychologists.

 

There is no additional cost, you can access it at any time, and anyone 16 years of age and older on the plan is eligible. To sign up, you need to log into your account with myuhc.com and click on the Coverage and Benefits link, and then go to the Mental Health Link. Around the middle of the page there is a link for Calm Health. If you try to download the app first you will run into issues. Ask me how I know. 

 

 

Carington Dental – This is a discount service, not a dental insurance. 

 

Find a participating dental office by calling theMember Services at

(800) 290-0523  or online at www.careington.com. Members get a fee schedule and fees stay locked for 4 – 5 years. The plan offers 20%-50% savings on most dental procedures. 

 

*** A word about Dental/ Vision Coverage and the APWU Health plans. The CDO does not provide any Dental or Visionbenefits, although you can submit for reimbursement for dentaland vision claims out of your Personal Care Account.  The Self plan is limited to $400 per plan year, and Self + One or Self and Family is limited to $800. The HO has benefits for Preventative dental benefits and will pay 70% of the allowed amount, and does include fillings and simple extractions. There are NO benefits for Major dental work (crowns, root canals, etc), and no vision benefits. To look at available dental and vision plans, visit benefeds.gov or visit the APWU Health Plan website for more information on their stand-alone dental plan. There is also a discount vision plan available to Union members via the Voluntary Benefits Plan.***

 

 

As a reminder, Open Season starts November 11th 2024, and goes through December 9th, 2024. While that may seem like a lot of time, it will go by quickly! You don’t want to be trying to fax in paperwork at 11pm on December 9th.  

 

Check back next week for some basic Medicare information!

 

Kayla Reynolds

update address.docx

ATTENTION MEMBERS november.docx

election notice.docx

In my time as the Health Plan Coordinator, I have had a number of people tell me that insurance terms and insurance in general is very confusing. I don’t disagree with this. The last job I worked before coming to the Post Office in 2013 was Wells Fargo TPS (now HealthSmart). We provided customer service for the State of Alaska Employee insurance. We spent 6 weeks in training before they ever let us pay a claim or take a customer service phone call. Understanding insurance and how it works is VERY important. I can’t tell you the number of heartbreaking phone calls I received from recent widows and widowers who didn’t have any idea what they were doing because their partner had taken care of all of it. Below I have defined some common insurance terms that should apply to most insurances, not just the APWU Health Plan offerings, to help clear up confusion. Check back next week for some plan highlights on the High and Consumer Driven Options! 

 

Premium – this is the amount you pay to participate in an insurance plan. This is the amount that comes out of your check each pay period.

 

Deductible (DED) – this is the amount you need to spend out of your own pocket before the insurance benefits kick in. Generally speaking, the lower the deductible, the better. 

 

***These two definitions can be the MOST important things to look at. What the insurance plan covers may not matter if your Deductible is so high that you never reach a point where insurance will kick in.***

 

 

I also like to point out to people the big picture. Getting an idea of what you have to spend out of your own pocket before Insurance actually kicks in can be a real eye opener. I nearly switched to the High Option for the better Prescription coverage before I did the math and figured outI’d still have to spend nearly $2,000 more over the course of the year. 

 

Self Only	High Option (HO)	Consumer Driven Option(CDO)
Yearly Premium Total	$2746.50	$403
Deductible	$500	$1000 (after PCA)
Total before Insurance kicks in	$3,246.50	$1,403

This chart assumes you meet the qualifications for the CDO discount, meaning you have had a Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan (the USPS BCBS plan for PSEs is NOT a FEHB/PSHB plan) for one year, are a career employee, and are full dues paying member of the APWU. Retirees do not receive the discounted price. Non-members can still have either insurance plan, but they pay full price and must pay a yearly Associate Fee of $35, which is billed separately in April of each year. 

 

 

If you want to apply this math to another plan, take your bi-weekly premium x 25 (There are 25 pay periods in 2025) and then add your deductible to that number. 

 

 

Please keep in mind that while these numbers are important, they are NOT the only thing to look at when making a choice on what insurance to carry. Think of what your needs may be in the next year. Do you have small children, need diabetes coverage, have behavioral health concerns, or a chronic health condition? Are you generally healthy and just looking to avoid a large emergency bill? Those make a big difference in what kind of plan you want. 

 

 

***An aside. The lower your Deductible, the higher a Premium you will pay, typically. If you are paying both a high Premium AND a high Deductible, you may want to reevaluate your insurance.***

 

***Health Insurance plans cover a lot of “Wellness checkups” at 100%. This means your yearly checkup for both adults and children and most immunizations can be at no cost to you. This can also include preventative care and screenings, as well as maternity care and contraception. ***

 

In-Network – Providers and facilities that participate in the Insurance network. 

 

Out-of-Network  - Providers and facilities that do not participate in the Insurance network. While these claims may still be covered, they will be covered at a higher cost to the member. 

 

Out-of-Pocket (OOP) – this is a running total of all the money you have spent on insurance claims throughout the year.  This amount includes your deductible, and if you are on the CDO plan, includes spent monies from the Personal Care Account (PCA). Plans usually have a separate total for In-Network OOP and Out-of-Network OOP. 

 

Out-of-Pocket Maximum/Catastrophic Maximum – once you reach this limit, the plan will pay 100% of covered claims.  

 

**High Option and the Consumer Driven Option both have a Self In-Network OOP Maximum of $6,500 and Out-of-Network of $12,000. On Self + One or Self + Family, the In Network OOP Maximum is $13,000 and Out-of-Network is $24,000. That is a huge difference. United Healthcare (the carrier for both plans) is the largest in the nation, with over 1.7 Million providers nationwide participating in the network.

 

Plan allowance/Allowed Amount/Reasonable and Customary – these terms limit how much a provider can charge for a particular service. These amounts can vary based on where you live. 

 

Patient Responsibility – This is the amount you are responsible for. Please always double check your claims and make sure they are being paid properly by the insurance and that your doctor’soffice is billing you correctly. Doctors’ offices are dealing with dozens of different insurances that all do things a little differently. Do not assume that they are perfect at their jobs.

 

Co-insurance – a percentage that the member is responsible for after insurance pays. (e.g. your patient responsibility for most covered costs on the CDO is 15%)

 

Co-pay – a set amount due at the time of service. Can vary based on provider type. (e.g. an office visit has a $25 dollar co-pay for an office visit)

 

Personal Care Account/ Health Savings Account – In the CDO, this is money placed into the members account annually for covered health claims by the insurance plan. In other health plans, this money is typically the members money that they invest themselves. 

 

**Because the insurance provides this money, not you, you are still eligible for a Flex Savings Account (FSA)if you wish to have one.**

 

 

Explanation of Benefits (EOB) – This is the paper you get in the mail from Insurance that states “This is not a bill.” Typicallyit will list the charge, what was allowed or not allowed, any discount given, what the provider was paid, and what your patient responsibility MAY be. It is a breakdown of how your claim was handled by the insurance. Again, I always recommend taking time to look over these and make sure you understand what is going on. Providers mess up, and the people at insurance paying the claims mess up. We are all human. This is your money and your health. Make sure it is working for you! In the same vein, NEVER just pay the bill your provider sends you. Compare it to the EOB that your insurance sent you. Make sure they are not charging you for something your insurance paid out of your PCA/HRA (which can happen quite a bit on the CDO plan). I personally have had to call my doctor’s office and help them “find” the payment my insurance already sent. 

 

That covers the basics. If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to me! 

 

 

Kayla Reynolds

Health fair dates,

Monday, 11/4/24, 8-9:00 PM- Charleston P & D C, 1000 Centre Way, South Charleston 25309 (In the hallway close to the employee lunchroom)

Tuesday, 11/5/24, 8:9:30 AM- Charleston Post Office, 1002 Lee Street, East, 25301 (District Commons Area for ALL employees in the area- carriers, clerks, custodians, district staff, etc.)

Tuesday, 11/5/24, 10:30 AM-Noon- Charleston P & D C (In the hallway close to the employee lunchroom)

This is Kayla Reynolds, your friendly neighborhood APWU Health Plan Rep, reporting back from Baltimore and the 39thAnnual Open Season Seminar! As always, there was ton of information and I’ll attempt to sum up what I felt were the biggest points of interest below. In the coming weeks, I’ll highlight some benefits of the High and Consumer Driven options (both old and new) that I believe are underutilized by the membership. Please note that I only represent the APWU health plans. I’m happy to help anyone with questions, but I am only familiar with what our own plans offer. While I can’t speak to specific coverage under other providers, I would be more than happy to point anyone in the right direction. 

 

 

Postal Employee Health Benefits (PSHB)

All Postal Employees are being moved over to PSHB. Make sure your address is correct with the USPS, as Crosswalk letters  with OPM letterhead will be sent out starting October 28, 2024. It will show you what plan you currently have under FEHB (Federal Employee Health Benefits) and which is the most comparable under PSHB. Both the High Option and Consumer Driven Option from the APWU Health Plan will be available under PSHB. If you want to stay in the plan, you do not have to do anything and you should be automatically moved over. If you do want to switch your plan, you can do so over Open Season, which starts November 11, and goes through December 9, 2024. 

 

ID Cards

Another reason to be sure your address is correct is that everyone will be getting new ID cards, these cards will have a new group number and the new address of the Health Plan, which moved its location last month. 

 

Effective dates

Rather than starting the first full pay period of the new year, as has been the case in the past, these new plans will be effective January 1, 2025, and the premiums will be prorated. This change is occurring because of the requirements in the Postal Reform Act.

 

 

Still waiting OPM for finalized Postal Benefits

Most if not all insurance plans are still waiting on OPM to be able to release full Postal Employee benefits. More information will be coming out on November 1, 2024. While this is understandably frustrating, all the information should be available in time for Open Season. The information on the various sites I’ve linked should be updated on November 1st as well. 

 

Medicare/Retirement Questions

Because everyone’s situation is different, anyone with questions about  Retirement and/or changes in Medicare requirements is encouraged to visit keepingposted.org, call 833-712-7742, or email retirementbenefits@usps.gov. Keepingposted.org has recorded seminars and will still have some live seminars scheduled before the end of Open Season (December 9, 2024).

 

While we all hope this shift will be seamless, it would be reasonable for there to be bumps in the road. Please be vigilant and keep an eye on your deductions to be sure your information is correct. 

 

Dental and Vision benefits

The Dental and Vision benefits website has been movedfrom benefeds.com to benefeds.gov. You should be automatically redirected if you type in the old website, and your current login information should work. The High Option has some dental coverage (preventative and minor), while the Consumer Driven does not have specific dental coverage. You can submit to the PCA for reimbursement, and there will be a new discount dental program called Careington Dental Discount Network for CDO members in 2025. You must use a participating dentist, and can look for one nearby by using the website. The APWU does have its own dental plan through the Voluntary Benefits Plan and plan details can be found at the APWU HP website. This is not considered a federal plan. If you elect to sign up for this dental plan and don’t cancel your federal plan you will end up paying for two dental plans. 

 

Flex Spending Accounts

The Flex Spending Account servicer will be changed from FSAFEDS to Inspira Financial. Any money that is in your current FSA account is use or lose. Eligible expenses for your current FSA must have a claim service date no later than December 31, 2024. All claims must have been submitted by April 30, 2025. Any funds not claimed by then will be forfeit. Inspira Financial was the FSA servicer in the past, and has the benefit of also having a debit card. You can either use the debit card for eligible expenses directly, or submit to the plan for reimbursement. The FSA is separate from your health insurance. If you did not put forth the effort to sign up for an FSA on FSAFEDS.gov, then this is not something you need to worry about.

 

 

Remember! Plan details for all PSHB can/will be able to be found at OPM.gov. If you scroll to the “Enrollment and Open Season” heading you will find links for auto-enroll information, and plan premiums. Please keep in mind that the premiums displayed by OPM do not include contractually bargained discounts for the APWU CDO plan. Cost sharing for most insurance plans is 72%, whereas the Post Office covers 95% of the premium for qualifying APWU members on the CDO plan.

https://apwu.org/news/usps-policies-programs/updates-usps-eagle-clean-e4776-pilot-program-maintenance-craft

REMINDER, 

This Saturday 10/12 5-9PM is the union function at the Mardi Gras casino! Come out and have a good time with your local members!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/67EKSBnNjDNaYC7y/?mibextid=WC7FNe

 

 

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

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