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On June 21st, the American Postal Workers Union and postal management signed a major new agreement to address longstanding understaffing issues in mail processing functions at the Postal Service. Under the terms of the new agreement the “Function” 1 mail processing staffing will be increased with 3,741 new career positions. The agreement also establishes the additional conversion of at least 3,641 PSEs to career. In total the agreement will result in the 7,400 PSE conversions. These conversions will take place no later than August 14, 2021 and will be applied to 245 installations throughout the country as determined by management. As part of this agreement, and in an effort to improve service provided to the public during the holidays, the APWU has agreed to extend by two pay periods (four weeks) the 2021 “Holiday Peak Season” in Function 1. “This agreement is another milestone in our priorities of securing career positions for postal workers and providing top-class service to the public,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “We’ve been relentless in urging management to address staffing issues. This agreement is another big step in the right direction and will undoubtedly better the lives of thousands of PSEs and help us better serve the people of the country.” This new agreement is the third in a series that increased total clerk craft career staffing by approximately 10,000 jobs and created the conversion of 14,000 PSEs to career. The Union remains committed to addressing similar ongoing staffing issues in Function 4 (retail) and will continue to press management to address the problems of understaffing.

President Dimondstein was joined by Secretary-Treasurer Powell for June's Livestream. They covered the upcoming kick off of our contract campaign, the new bipartisan postal reform legislation, and more on the 10 year plan and our fight to stop the delays. They took questions from members on organizing non-members in the USPS, EFEL leave, proposals for retiree health care under the Postal Service Reform Act and the threat to small post offices.

PSEs to See Pay Raise On Saturday, May 22, 2021, Postal Support Employees (PSEs) will receive a pay increase of 20 cents per hour. The additional pay will be reflected in pay checks dated June 11, 2021. The new hourly rates for PSEs can be found here. This is will be the fifth and final pay increase PSEs will receive under the 2018-2021 National Agreement. The five pay increases the PSEs receive included three general increases of 2.3%, 2.1%, 2.0%, and two additional increases of 20 cents each (PSEs do not receive COLA). Overall, a Level 6 PSE received a total of $2.07 per hour during the current contract. Any future pay increases will be based on the next contract. Contract negotiations are set to begin on June 22, 2021.

Contract negotiations open in less than one month. Our next APWU Live with President Dimondstein is coming up on June 1 and we hope to see you there. Sign up here to get a reminder and to ask your question. There is a lot happening for postal workers right now and we have a packed livestream this month. This is your chance to get updates on postal workers’ campaign to restore speedy mail service and stop management’s attempt to permanently delay the mail. We will discuss management’s plans for plant closures and consolidations. And we’ll address the new bipartisan legislation that will finally get rid of the unfair prefunding mandate that has drained USPS finances. We will also let you know how you can get involved in our fight for a fair contract. Because our strength at the bargaining table comes from our members standing together and mobilizing, to get a Good Contract Now, we need you to make it happen. Together with answers for your questions, the June 1 live is a key opportunity for you find out what is going on and to get involved. Sign up for the July 1 APWU Live here. In union solidarity, The American Postal Workers Union 1300 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 | www.apwu.org

House Committee on Oversight and Reform Introduces Bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act May 12, 2021 On May 11th, Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Ranking Member James Comer (R-KY) of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform introduced the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act. The new bill is scheduled to be marked up on Thursday, May 13th, 2021. The bipartisan bill is an important step on the road to saving our public Postal Service. The bill will place USPS on the path toward financial stability by taking the critical step of repealing the unfair prefunding mandate, adding much-needed transparency to the Postal Service, and enacting prospective Medicare integration. The prefunding mandate requires USPS to fully prefund retirement health benefits for future postal workers who have not even been born yet. This burden—which no other organization is forced to bear—is responsible for 84 percent of the Postal Service’s net losses since 2007. “I applaud Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer for their leadership and for coming together on a bipartisan basis to help to preserve America’s Postal Service,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “Their efforts reflect the broad support across the country – regardless of party affiliation – for the essential and dependable public postal services the people rely upon. We look forward to continuing to work with the committee to build support for this bill and ensure that USPS is better able to serve the American public.”

Dear HPR's, The conversion of 5,500 PSE’s began as of March 13. Becoming career employees will be a life changing and exciting time for the PSE’s and the Health Plan is here to help. We want to educate the new career employees on the APWU Health Plan benefits. As you know, we have two great plans that offer strong benefits for the APWU members and their families. Please note, the new career employees will only have 60 calendar days to select their health plan. The new career employees that were on the USPS plan as a PSE will be automatically disenrolled. The PSE’s currently on the Consumer Driven Option can remain on this plan to keep those benefits. No further action will be needed. In order to pay the negotiated APWU Career rate for the Consumer Driven Option the employee must be enrolled in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plans for one full year as a career employee. The time spent on the Consumer Driven Option as a PSE doesn’t count toward the one year in FEHB. As the coronavirus continues to impact families nationwide, the Health Plan will continue to be sensitive to the COVID-19 risks related to work, travel, and social distancing. We want to allow the new career employees an opportunity to meet with APWU Health Plan staff virtually. The APWU Health Plan will conduct Virtual Health Fairs, exclusively for this conversion. The Member Education department will brief employees on the benefit highlights for both the High Option and Consumer Driven Option plans. Most importantly, there will be a Q&A period to ask the Health Plan staff questions concerning benefits. Below is the schedule for the Virtual Health Fairs. Please circulate this information to the PSE’s that are being converted. Click the link to register and attend. Once registered, you will get an email confirmation with a GoToWebinar link and dial-in information. On the day before the virtual health fair date you selected, we will email you a reminder and include the dial-in information with instructions. If you have questions, please contact our Director's office at (410) 242-1503 or by email at director@apwuhp.com. Our Virtual Health Fairs Dates April 14 - 2pm-4pm EST Register Now April 30 - 11am-1pm EST Register Now May 7 - 1pm-3pm EST Register Now You can also visit www.apwuhp.com/events to register for a health fair.

View Our Products Group Legal Plan Open Enrollment begins NOW... so don't wait! APWU Members only! Group Legal Plan is Currently Open for Enrollment 4/1/2021- 4/30/2021. ENROLL NOW!!! Voluntary Benefits Plan P.O. Box 12009 Cheshire, CT 06410 1-800-422-4492 Contact Us

Union Contract Survey - Let Your Voice Be Heard! Tell us your bargaining priorities for the upcoming Contract Negotiations Fill out your survey

Postal Management and the American Postal Workers Union signed a major Memorandum of Understanding to help address the chronic understaffing at mail processing facilities throughout much of the country. Under the terms of the new agreement, over 5,500 new career positions will be created at 192 installations. The number of career positions will vary by installation based on management’s determination. 5,524 PSEs will be converted to career status as soon as possible, but no later than March 13, 2021. As a transition to the creation of the new career positions and PSE conversions, combined with the severe backlog of mail and packages, the APWU has agreed to extend the period where management can retain “peak season” PSEs above the PSE cap. “This is a major breakthrough and a great way to bring in the New Year, said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “The Union has consistently been raising staffing shortage problems. Postal management has finally gotten the message and we appreciate that this agreement will take pressure off the current “Function 1” workforce, better the lives of over 5,500 PSEs and enable postal workers to better serve postal customers.” Full Article

Longtime APWU Retiree, Byron Denton, age 92, was a postal worker. As an old timer, he has experienced some tough times, but nothing compared to the hardships faced by today's postal workers. They have delivered through an unprecedented global pandemic and they deserve support. Show you will stand with postal workers and a public US Postal Service: sign the petition to #SaveThePostOffice www.apwu.org/petition

The APWU Health Plan has been serving America’s postal and federal workers and retirees for more than 60 years. See APWU Health Plan 2021 Benefits. Open Season runs from the Monday of the second full work week in November 9 through the Monday December 14. All federal and postal employees and retirees who are eligible to enroll in the FEHB Program may become members of APWU Health Plan. See 2021 Benefits

View Our Products A Better Fit for APWU Members MetLife Auto & Home provides insurance coverage tailored to your needs. Get a quote today. Voluntary Benefits Plan P.O. Box 12009 Cheshire, CT 06410 1-800-422-4492 Contact Us

A Free New Benefit for APWU Members We are excited to announce that The Voluntary Benefits Plan will now be offering all APWU members discounts through The LifeBalance Program. This new program is available to all Active, PSE, Retiree and Associate APWU members. With LifeBalance, you and your household family members can save on the activities and purchases that leave you feeling fit, happy, and fulfilled. There are thousands of savings waiting for you on all kinds of fun and healthy purchases on the LifeBalance platform! Read on to learn how to access the program, and to check out popular savings and savings categories.  How to Access LifeBalance Program Discounts Getting started with LifeBalance is easy! Simply: · Visit LifeBalanceProgram.com and enter your email address (work or home email will do) · Enter your name, a password, and your zip code And you'll be all set! You can now log in to LifeBalanceProgram.com any time to utilize program discounts. This benefit is available to your household family members, as well, so don't hesitate to encourage them to follow the steps above to create their FREE accounts. Popular Program Savings Below are a few examples of savings that are currently popular with LifeBalance members! APWU members can now take advantage of these and thousands of additional program discounts! Clicking on the links below will take you to set up your free account, after which you can redeem these savings online. Get healthy meals delivered to your door! Save $60 on your first four orders from Freshly. Download or stream over 1,700 online yoga, meditation, Pilates, barre and fitness classes with YogaDownload! Members save 50% on annual memberships. Stay motivated and active with FitBit! Members receive exclusive savings on trackers that monitor activity, exercise, food, weight, and sleep. Shop in-store or online at wholesale prices! Save up to 40% on a Sam's Club membership that you can use from anywhere -- even if there are no Sam's Club locations near you. From coffee cups that keep coffee steaming hot, to tumblers that keep wine chilled, Hydro Flask has some amazing gifts on sale! Save 25% on sale items. Enjoy comfortable, durable, long-lasting footwear when you shop with KEEN! Members save 20% on purchases of $100 or more. Take a deep breath! Calm's award-winning app will help you improve sleep and manage stress. Save over 50% on annual memberships. Need meds for your furry family members? Save 15% on your purchase from 1-800-PetMeds.

Welcome to Our 2020 APWU Health Plan Virtual Open Season Health Fairs! As the coronavirus continues to impact families nationwide, the Health Plan wants to be sensitive to the COVID-19 risks related to work, travel, and social distancing. While in person health fairs are being canceled, we wanted to give your employees an opportunity to meet with APWU Health Plan staff virtually. Postal, Federal, and Retirees who are eligible for the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program can access and attend our virtual health fairs safely online. During Open Season, every Tuesday and Thursday, from 12-2pm EST a Health Plan staff employee will be online to answer questions and discuss plan features. Please forward this email to your employees so that they can participate. Click on the register now to confirm your attendance. Once registered you will get an email confirmation with a GoToMeeting link and dial-in information. On the Monday before the virtual health fair date you selected, we will email you a reminder and include the dial-in information with instructions. Register Now! for any of our Virtual Health Fairs. Tuesday, November 10 - 12pm-2pm EST Tuesday, November 17 - 12pm-2pm EST Tuesday, November 24 - 12pm-2pm EST Tuesday, December 1 - 12pm-2pm EST Tuesday, December 8 - 12pm-2pm EST Thursday, November 12 - 12pm-2pm EST Thursday, November 19 - 12pm-2pm EST Thursday, December 3 - 12pm-2pm EST

With the election nearing and many parts of the U.S. in the grips of COVID-19, mail-in ballots have become a prominent issue. But President Trump has disparaged both the U.S. Postal Service and the integrity of voting by mail. What effect could his criticism have? William Brangham talks to Mark Dimondstein of the American Postal Workers Union and then Spencer Cox, lieutenant governor of Utah.

Our movement is growing. Together we can save the Post Office and convince lawmakers to do their jobs! Multiple bills have been introduced in the House and the Senate that would provide $25 billion in COVID-19 related relief for the Postal Service. But the clock is ticking and we mustn't run out of time. The Senate will return from recess soon. We need to push even harder to get them to vote to end this crisis. We are planning to put in 10,000 calls to Congress on July 23. Will you join us on this critical call-in day of action?? Sign Up!

Take time to thank your local postal worker. Encourage others to get the word out and to focus on making every postal worker’s day just a little bit better. #NationalPostalWorkerDay

TSP loan options for COVID-19-affected participants now available TSP participants affected by COVID-19 (as defined by the CARES Act, P.L. 116-136) may now apply for a TSP general purpose loan with an increased maximum loan amount. These participants may also temporarily suspend payments on TSP loans they currently have and on loans taken between now and November 30, 2020. The deadline for applying for a loan with an increased maximum is September 18, 2020. The deadline for requesting suspension of loan payments is November 30, 2020. Loan payment suspensions will last for the rest of calendar year 2020. Learn more about these temporary loan options for COVID-19-affected participants. You are subscribed to TSP Plan News for Thrift Savings Plan. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.

APWU Health Plan COVID-19 Coverage Enhancements As we work together to slow down the spread of COVID 19, our lives continue to evolve and change in ways we could have never expected. The APWU Health Plan will continue to evaluate coverage enhancements as a result of COVID-19. Because the spread of the virus has slowed down considerably, we are removing the inpatient prior authorization wavier. Initially, the Health Plan wanted to remove this administrative burden as hospitals were overwhelmed. As we get back to the new “normal,” authorizations should be obtained. For the most up-to-date information visit our website at www.apwuhp.com/coronavirus-outbreak-update/ The Health Plan will: Cover telehealth (medical and mental health) visits at no cost* to the member when visits are performed through the Health Plan’s telehealth providers: High Option: Medical visits through Amwell are available at www.amwell.com and mental health visits through MDlive are available at www.mdlive/apwu at no cost* to the member Consumer Driven Option: Virtual visits through AmWell, Teladoc, and Doc on Demand are available at www.myuhc.com at no cost* to the member Cover telehealth visits to network providers at no cost* to the member when related to COVID-19 Cover COVID-19 testing at no cost* to the member when testing is prescribed by a clinical professional including antibody testing once it becomes widely available Cover health care provider office visits, urgent care center visits and emergency room visits that result in an order for or administration of a diagnostic test for COVID-19 at no cost* to the member** Cover in-network inpatient and outpatient care for COVID-19 treatment at no cost* to the member Reminder: Members are encouraged to use mail order form maintenance medications which provides a 90-day refill and the delivery is free *All deductible, coinsurance and copays will be waived **Your provider should be aware of this Families First Coronavirus Response Act and CDC guideline. If you are charged a copay or coinsurance at the time of your visit, you will be reimbursed

Update on CARES Act temporary loan and withdrawal options The CARES Act allows us to offer temporary loan and withdrawal options to TSP participants affected by COVID-19. We are working as quickly as possible to add these options to our system so you can count on efficient processing of these requests. You can check this webpage for updates about these options and when they will be available to you. We will post the next update by May 15, 2020.

Our number one priority during the Coronavirus pandemic is keeping members safe. It’s clear that the White House is withholding the funding that the USPS needs for safe and sustainable operations during this crisis. It’s so clear that the crisis at the Postal Service has now hit the headlines. Congress needs to hear from you! The White House refused relief for the Postal Service in the last stimulus and Congress left us out of the bill. Without immediate relief, the Postal Service could run out of cash by summer. Our jobs, our pensions and the vital service we provide is at risk. Big corporations are lobbying against the Postal Service because they want to boost their profits. We need to make sure that Congress hears us instead. That’s why you need to send a message to Congress. Congress needs to provide urgent funding in the next stimulus for the Postal Service to keep the country moving through the crisis. Everything is on the line and your voice can make the difference. Send them a message today: Tell them to provide the resources we need! In solidarity, American Postal Workers Union

The APWU Health Plan will continue to evaluate benefit enhancements as a result of COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information visit our website at www.apwuhp.com/coronavirus-outbreak-update/ The Health Plan will: New! Cover health care provider office visits, urgent care center visits and emergency room visits that result in an order for or administration of a diagnostic test for COVID-19 at no cost* to the member** Cover COVID-19 testing at no cost* to the member when testing is prescribed by a clinical professional Cover telehealth visits at no cost* to member when visits are performed through the Health Plan’s telehealth providers: High Option: Visits through Amwell are available at www.amwell.com at no cost* to the member Consumer Driven Option: Virtual visits through AmWell, Teladoc, and Doc on Demand are available at www.myuhc.com at no cost* to the member Cover telehealth visits to network providers at no cost* to member when related to COVID-19 Waive inpatient prior authorization requirements related to COVID-19 Reminder: Members are encouraged to use mail order for maintenance medications which provides a 90-day refill and the delivery is free *All deductible, coinsurance and copays will be waived **Your provider should be aware of this Families First Coronavirus Response Act and CDC guideline. If you are charged a copay or coinsurance at the time of your visit, you will be reimbursed by the Health Plan

The Postal Service has informed the APWU of the date that Postal Support Employees (PSEs) who have been employed in 125 workyear or larger offices for more than 2.5 years (30 months) will be converted to career status. Over 2,500 current PSEs will be converted on May 9, 2020, the beginning of pay period 11. These conversions are consistent with the Interest Arbitration panel’s award issued on March 10, 2020. Conversions of PSEs was one of the demands your negotiators made from the very start of negotiations. “Being able to achieve career status for PSEs was an important goal for us,” President Mark Dimondstein said. “These newly converted employees will see an immediate pay increase, an increase in benefits paid for by the Postal Service, guaranteed work hours, and in most cases fixed schedules.” As a reminder, as newly converted career employees, these PSEs will have sixty-days (60) from May 9, 2020 (July 8, 2020), to make benefit decisions. New career employees may choose new health insurance plans, enroll in the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) plan, choose how much to contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), where to allocate TSP funds, and other benefits decisions. The Postal Service is supposed to send each newly converted employee a “benefits” book with all the necessary forms and instructions for making these extremely important decisions. The sixty-day limit is a hard limit and cannot be extended. Employees are encouraged to begin looking at their new benefits and not wait until the very end of the 60 days to decide. “The importance of these conversions cannot be overstated,” Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks said. “This isn’t the end of our battle for more career employees. We are proud that the APWU did not see an increase in the allowable usage of non-career employees in our new contract and we will continue to fight for what is right — an all-career workforce.”