On November 4, 2022, the parties agreed to extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Re: Bulk Mail Tech and Mailing Requirements Clerk Position Qualification. This MOU originated during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been extended on several occasions, leading to the latest agreement to continue it for one year from the signing of the agreement. The MOU establishes the required training for employees bidding to Bulk Mail Tech and Mailing Requirements Clerk duty assignments, including the number of hours for classroom training and on-the-job training.

For the first time, this MOU adds an agreement to jointly review the following positions for the purpose of identifying the work performed by each position and if work currently being performed by Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) employees should instead be performed by clerk bargaining unit employees:

• Bulk Mail Technician
• Mailing Requirements Clerk
• Supervisor, Mail & Shipping Solutions Center
• Mailing Standards Specialist
• Supervisor, Mail Entry

The joint review will be conducted by six (6) Bulk Mail Techs and six (6) Mailing Requirements Clerks, as chosen by the APWU, and EAS employees as determined by the Postal Service. The Bulk Mail Techs and Mailing Requirements Clerks who are selected will be released from their regular duties as necessary to “fully participate in the activities associated with the joint position review process”. In addition, any training and/or travel expenses will be paid if needed for the joint review.

“The addition of the position review to this MOU is yet another reflection of the Clerk Craft’s commitment to capture as much work for our craft as possible,” explained APWU Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks. “We believe that many of the duties currently performed by EAS employees belong to the bargaining unit” Brooks added, “and the review will also hopefully help to more clearly identify the dividing line between Bulk Mail Tech duties and Mailing Requirements Clerk duties.”

The position review will begin no later than January 27, 2023 and conclude no later than May 5, 2023. A copy of the MOU is linked to this article.

APWU-represented employees who fall under the 2021-2024 National Agreement received the retro-active payments owed on them in their paychecks dated October 28, 2022. Employees will see the retro-active payments listed on their paychecks as multiple “adjustments”.

In order to fully understand the retro-active payments, each person should download their full paystub that is available to them through the USPS employee website. Pay stubs could be over 10 pages long. An explanation on how to read the pay stubs and understand the adjustment is found here (Retropay Explanation and Example Paystub). Each employee’s retro-active payment is based on the individual hours they were paid (work and/or paid leave). Thus, no retroactive payment will be the same.

APWU-represented bargaining unit employees will receive retro-active pay adjustments as follows:

• Pay Period 21-2021 through Pay Period 12-2022
  • New rates for Grade 11 Employees
• Pay Period 25-2021 through Pay Period 12-2022
  • 1.3% General Increase for all employees
  • 1.0% additional increase for Postal Support Employees (PSEs)
• Pay Period 06-2022 through Pay Period 12-2022
  • $0.63 per hour COLA for Career Employees
• Pay Period 09-2022 through Pay Period 16-2022
  • Extra $0.50 per hour for PSEs

The pay rates that required a retro-active payment (with the exception of the extra $0.50 per hour for PSEs) went into effect on June 4, 2022, the start of Pay Period 13-2022. If questions arise in regards to the retroactive payments, employees must take their full pay stub to their state or local union officials for review and discussion. If there are still questions or concerns after this review, State and Local Presidents may submit these questions to the Industrial Relations Department.

These retro-active payments are another example of the importance of having a strong collective bargaining agreement. Under the 2021-2024 employees have received the following increases:

• 1.3% General Increase effective November 20, 2021
• 1.0% additional increase for PSEs effective November 20, 2021
• $0.63 per hour Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) effective February 26, 2022, for career employees
• $0.50 per hour extra for PSEs effective April 9, 2022
• $1.18 per hour COLA effective August 27, 2022

Employees will also receive two more general pay increases of 1.3% on November 19, 2022 and November 18, 2023, respectively, with PSEs receiving an additional 1.0% increase at the same time. Career employees will also receive four more COLA increases based on the movement of the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W (1967=100)) during the remaining term of the national agreement. Additionally, employees who have not reached top step of their respective pay grade, will continue to receive step increases.

An official transcript of the proceedings from the APWU’s 26th Biennial National Convention is now available to union members on www.apwu.org. The convention is the highest governing body of the APWU.

The 1,798-page document provides a full transcript of the business undertaken during the assembly, which took place Aug. 15-18 in National Harbor, MD.

Union members can click here to log in and view or download the convention proceedings. 

The convention was attended by 2,047 delegates representing 297 locals from 43 states, Saipan, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and by 69 national officers and four Retirees convention delegates.

After meeting with the Postal Service again and scheduling an NCED site visit, we can announce that the implementation date of the per diem MOU is November 7, 2022 and will be piloted for three years for all Crafts.

The current GSA rates control the per diem amount, currently at $59.00 per day. Students whose training starts prior to Nov. 7 and ends after Nov. 7 will receive per diem for all days beginning November 7, 2022 and beyond.

If you have any related questions, please contact Maintenance Division Director Balogun; (202) 842 4213 or email maintwebinar@apwu.org. 

Three locals and one retiree chapter will be rewarded for generating participation in the recent election of national union officers, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell has announced.

To be eligible for rewards, locals and chapters must have achieved participation of at least 50 percent. The winnings are to be used at the discretion of the locals and retiree chapters on behalf of the membership.

Three locals will receive $200.00 each for achieving at least 50 percent participation:

• Vincennes (IN) Local
• Lewistown (MT) Local
• Chatsworth (CA) Local

No other locals qualified in any of the other categories.

Retiree Chapters

The Philadelphia BMC Local Retiree Chapter will receive $50. No other chapters qualified in any of the other categories.

“Congratulations to the locals and retiree chapters that achieved a high level of participation,” Powell said. “Unfortunately, voter turnout overall was extremely low, so we must redouble our efforts to encourage members to participate in union activities.”

The official results [PDF – Members Only] of the APWU Election of National Officers were certified by the American Arbitration Association on Oct. 7.