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.