- November 20, 2021 wage increases of 1.3 percent
- Sixty-three cents/hour COLA, effective Feb 26, 2022
- Additional 1 percent pay raise for PSEs (who do not receive COLA) effective Nov. 20, 2021
- Fifty cents/hour increase for the PSEs effective April 9 2022
- New pay scale for Grade 11 effective September 25, 2021
- The large-scale payroll system changes must be made and placed into effect before the retroactive payments can be properly calculated and distributed.
- The above payroll changes were made effective June 4, 2022 with the exception of the extra fifty cents/hour due the PSEs. That management error has now been corrected.
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- As inflation started to dramatically rise in 2021, the union-negotiated COLA increases for that year amounted to $1.14/hour or $2,371 annually for fulltime career employees.
- The first COLA (March 2022) under the newly negotiated and ratified union contract was sixty-three cents/hour or $1,310 annually.
- The second COLA, due this August, currently stands at a whopping eighty-seven cents/hour or $1,809 annually. With two months left until the second COLA is set, (while the final allowance may fluctuate), we believe it could top $1.00/hour.
- At this point in time, the first two COLAs in the new contract amount to $3,120 annually.
- The 2021 and 2022 COLAs combined will exceed $5,500 annually. COLA becomes part of our regular wages and thus carries over year-after-year.
- In addition to COLA, the annual wage increases due each November under the new union contract amount to an average of $800/year for career employees. Those not yet at the top step of the pay scale continue to receive step increases of approximately $1,000 every thirty-six weeks, in addition to COLA.
- If prices decrease, with fuel for example, we still keep our COLA increases. Those gains are locked in and become part of our base salary going forward.
- While PSEs do not receive COLA, upon conversion they are slotted into the proper pay scale that includes all these COLA increases.
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The Battle for Retroactive Pay is On!
The Battle for Retroactive Pay is On!
July 29, 2022
The terms of the new 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union were ratified by the APWU members on February 28, 2022.
The new contract included a number of important changes to our wages and pay structure. The payroll changes are a two-fold process.
First Stage: All the new wage and pay changes need to be programmed, calculated.
These included, but were not limited to, the:
Second Stage: Calculate the retroactive pay back due to eligible employees and properly distribute to the employees.
The implementation of these changes was approximately 90 days after the new contract was ratified. This is in line with the time it has taken in the past following effective dates of new Collective Bargaining Agreements.
What is not acceptable is that management has not yet produced a firm date on when the retroactive pay will be distributed in our pay checks.
“We have made it crystal clear to management that this is money that has been earned by and belongs to the workers,” shared APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “We will not accept any management excuses and delays.”
“With no firm and reasonable date provided by management, every APWU member, from the national President to the newest hire, is prepared to secure what is owed to the workers,” said Industrial Relations Director Charlie Cash. “We have been in almost daily contact with management and, if this issue is not quickly resolved, the APWU is prepared to file all necessary grievances, demand interest, cash advances, explore legal remedies and invoke collective actions.”
Be assured that the lack of a firm date for when you will receive your retroactive pay lies squarely on the managers and executives of the US Postal Service.
It is the APWU’s position that the programming and payment of retroactive pay should be the number one programming priority -- And it must be all hands on deck until completed!
The APWU will continue to update everyone on the next steps we are taking and if a date for the retroactive pay has been established.
COLA and You
(This article first appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
Soaring inflation is hurting working people worldwide with rising prices on basic necessities including gasoline, food, transportation and housing. Inflation is largely being driven by an economy concentrated in the hands of a few powerful and greedy corporate monopolies that have the power to raise prices, with little fear of competition. In 2021 consumer prices rose 6.7 percent yet corporate profits rose 25 percent - a record high. In the first quarter of 2022, the five major oil companies tripled their profits to $35 billion. Monopoly power and price gouging may be good for corporate profits and Wall Street, but they are disastrous for workers. Clearly, over the long run we have to replace corporate domination and power with more workers’ power.
Rising inflation underscores just how important the continuation of our negotiated Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is in our outstanding new union contract. COLA is our best protection against inflation. We are some of the few U.S. workers who receive COLA increases. Even in the postal world, we are the only union that has maintained full COLA in our union contract. We should never take our union won gains for granted. Management puts COLA on the chopping block during every round of negotiations and we have to fight to preserve those hard-won provisions.
Let’s examine the “COLA Difference:” (The APWU has negotiated a number of union contracts/collective bargaining agreements. The figures below apply to the main agreement covering 200,000 postal workers.)
Over the years of contract negotiations, it has not been uncommon to lose COLA increases, either through an arbitration award or voluntarily absorbing an increase(s).
For example, the 1994 interest arbitration award eliminated two COLA increases. In 2010, the APWU voluntarily gave up two COLAs. Once we skip COLA increases, they are gone forever. Just think what would have happened if we went to interest arbitration and lost the first two COLAs of the new CBA! Postal workers would have lost over $3,000 a year or approximately $100,000 over a typical postal career.
I am proud that as your lead negotiator in the last three contract negotiations of 2015, 2018 and 2021, we maintained all our COLA increases. And you should be union proud as well -- every member is the strong foundation on which we build our union rights and build a better future for all postal workers and our families – including COLA!
Our Deepest Sympathy to the Family of APWU Member Thomas Johnson
Thomas Dudley Johnson, Sr., 66, of Hurricane, passed away on July 10, 2022. A service to Honor the Life of Thomas will be held at 10:00 am, Friday, July 22, 2022 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston. Interment will follow in Donell C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery, Dunbar, WV. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.
2022 National Officer Election Candidates' Online Statements Posted
2022 National Officer Election Candidates' Online Statements Posted
July 11, 2022
Candidates Nominated for APWU Election of National Officers
Candidates Nominated for APWU Election of National Officers
June 17, 2022
Each candidate in this unofficial listing has secured the necessary petitions required for nomination.
The official list will be announced after the drawing for ballot positions is held on June 27.
Incumbent officers are listed first and identified by (I) after their names. Where more than one non-incumbent has been certified, they are listed in alphabetical order. A list of uncontested national offices appears at the bottom.
Any candidate who wishes to withdraw from the ballot or whose name or local is misspelled or identified improperly, must notify APWU Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell immediately. Corrections and notifications must be received by her office in writing by 4 p.m. ET, Wednesday, June 22, 2022.
Download a printable copy of APWU News Service Bulletin with the list of nominations, here.
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
President
Mark Dimondstein (I), Greater Greensboro SCF Area Local (NC)
John L. Marcotte, Gaylord Local (MI)
Legislative/Political Director
Judy Beard (I), Detroit District Area Local (MI)
Thomas Benson, Lake Geauga Area Local (OH)
Human Relations Director
Daleo Freeman (I), William H. Burrus, Cleveland Area Local, #72 (OH)
Doris Simmons, Atlanta Metro Area Local (GA)
REGIONAL COORDINATORS
Southern Region
Yared Wonde, Dallas Area Local (TX)
Sam Wood, Southwest Florida Area Local (FL)
CLERK DIVISION
National Business Agents, Central Region,
Cincinnati Region, (A)
Michael D. Schmid (I), Columbus Area Local (OH)
Mark E. Graham, Springfield Local (OH)
National Business Agents, Central Region,
Minneapolis Region, (B)
Christopher Mark Hendrickson, St. Cloud Area Local (MN)
Gregory Becker, Milwaukee Area Local (WI)
National Business Agents, Northeast Region,
New England Region, (A)
Scott Adams, Portland Area Local (ME)
Bill Mazurowski, Hartford Local (CT)
Thomas S. Smith, Bangor Area Local (ME)
National Business Agents, Southern Region,
Atlanta Region, (C)
Keenan D. Anthony, Sr., Marietta Local (GA)
William G. Flanagan, Jr., Atlanta Metro Area Local (GA)
Sandra Munoz Hernandez, Broward County Area Local (FL)
National Business Agents, Southern Region,
Dallas Region, (C)
Diann Scurlark (I), Houston Area Local (TX)
Alejandro “Alex” Aleman, San Antonio Alamo Area Local (TX)
Ben Martinez, Fort Worth Area Local (TX)
National Business Agents, Western Region,
San Francisco Region, (A)
Sonia E. Canchola (I), California Area Local (CA)
Charquita Rainey, Greater Los Angeles Area Local (CA)
National Business Agents, Western Region,
San Francisco Region, (B)
Shirley J. Taylor (I), East Bay Area Local (CA)
Mike Hetticher, Eureka Local (CA)
National Business Agents, Western Region,
San Francisco Region, (C)
Eric A. Van Dyke (I), Greater Los Angeles Area Local (CA)
Fabiola Dominguez, California Area Local (CA)
Terry L. Hood, San Diego Area Local (CA)
MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE DIVISON
National Business Agents, Central Region
Dave Cook, St. Paul Area Local (MN)
Mark Krueger, Milwaukee Area Local (WI)
National Business Agents, Eastern Region
Garrett C. Langley (I), Lancaster Area Local (PA)
Raymond J. Scanlon, Baltimore Francis “Stu” Filbey Area Local (MD)
Brian R. McLaurin, Nation’s Capital Southern MD Area Local (MD)
National Business Agents, Northeast Region
Michael Cinelli, Greater Hicksville Mid-Island Area Local (NY)
Stephen D. Mohan, Greater Hicksville Mid-Island Area Local (NY)
Rick White, Boston Metro Area Local (MA)
SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION
Director
Arrion Brown, Nation’s Capital Southern MD Area Local (MD)
Robin “Robbie” Robertson, St. Louis Gateway District Area Local (MO)
Aaron T. Young, Twin Cities PDC Local (MN)
RETIREES DEPARTMENT
Director
Nancy E. Olumekor (I), Nation’s Capital Southern MD Area Local (MD)
Robert L. Jeffrey, Jr., Oakland Local (CA)
Retiree National Convention Delegates Southern Region
Patricia A. McGriff (I), Northeast Florida Retiree Chapter (FL)
Kim H. Guy, Greater Smokey Mountain Area Local (TN)
UNCONTESTED NATIONAL OFFICERS
General and Administrative Officers
Executive Vice President
Debby Szeredy (I), Mid-Hudson New York Area Local (NY)
Secretary-Treasurer
Elizabeth “Liz” Powell (I), Western Nassau New York Area
Local (NY)
Industrial Relations Director
Charles “Charlie” Cash (I), Buffalo Local (NY)
Organization Director
Anna Smith (I), Portland Oregon Area Local (OR)
Research and Education Director
Joyce B. Robinson (I), Richmond Area Local (VA)
Health Plan Director
Sarah Jane Rodriguez (I), Phoenix Metro Area Local (AZ)
Regional Coordinators
Central Region
Sharyn M. Stone (I), Indianapolis Area Local (IN)
Eastern Region
AJ Jones (I), Eastern Montgomery County PA Area Local (PA)
Northeast Region
Tiffany Foster (I), New York Metro Area Postal Union (NY)
Western Region
Omar M. Gonzalez (I), Greater Los Angeles Area Local (CA)
Clerk Division
Director
Lamont A. Brooks (I), The Northern Virginia Area Local (VA)
Assistant Director (A)
Sam Lisenbe (I), Fort Worth Area Local (TX)
Assistant Director, (B)
Lynn Pallas-Barber (I), 498-499 Area Local (MI)
National Business Agents, Central Region
Chicago Region, (A)
Linda Turney (I), Schaumburg Local (IL)
Chicago Region, (B)
Devendra Rathore “D” (I), Fox Valley Local (IL)
Chicago Region, (C)
James Stevenson (I), Detroit District Area Local (MI)
Cincinnati Region, (B)
Michael W. Funk, Jr. (I), Greater Cincinnati Ohio Area Local (OH)
Minneapolis Region, (A)
Todd M. Elkerton (I), Saint Paul Area Local (MN)
St. Louis Region, (A)
Robert D. Kessler (I), Greater Kansas City Metro Area Local (MO)
St. Louis Region, (B)
Daniel F. Skemp (I), Rapid Area Local (IA)
Wichita Region, (A)
Ashley D. Cargill (I), Norman Local (OK)
National Business Agents, Eastern Region
Philadelphia Region, (A)
Robert Romanowski (I), New Jersey Shore Area Local (NJ)
Philadelphia Region, (B)
John Louis Jackson, Jr. (I), Philadelphia BMC Local (PA)
Philadelphia Region, (C)
Vincent A. Tarducci (I), Philadelphia BMC Local (PA)
Washington DC Region, (A)
Rachel A. Walthall (I), Baltimore Francis "Stu" Filbey Area Local (MD)
Washington DC Region, (B)
Pamela R. Richardson (I), Lynchburg Area Local (VA)
National Business Agents, Northeast Region
New England Region, (B)
Scott M. Hoffman, Boston Metro Area Local (MA)
New England Region, (C)
Thomas “Tom” O'Brien (I), South Shore Area Local (MA)
New York Region, (A)
Peter “Pete” Coradi (I), Brooklyn Local (NY)
New York Region, (B)
Elizabeth “Liz” Swigert (I), Queens Area Local (NY)
New York Region, (C)
Bernard “Bernie” C. Timmerman (I), Central New York Area Local (NY)
National Business Agents, Southern Region
Atlanta Region, (A)
James “Jim” DeMauro (I), Tampa Area Local (FL)
Atlanta Region, (B)
Doris Orr-Richardson, Northeast Florida Area Local (FL)
Dallas Region, (A)
Jack Crawford (I), Houston Area Local (TX)
Dallas Region, (B)
Charles Tillman (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Memphis Region, (A)
Joe H. Jolley, Jr. (I), Nashville Area Local (TN)
Memphis Region, (B)
Pamela Smith (I), Birmingham Area Local (AL)
National Business Agents, Western Region
Denver Region, (A)
Lamont Green, Phoenix Metro Area Local (AZ)
Denver Region, (B)
Joseph M. Zamenick, Phoenix Metro Area Local (AZ)
Northwest Region, (A)
Brian Dunsmore (I), Portland Oregon Area Local (OR)
Northwest Region, (B)
Brian Dunn (I), Portland Oregon Area Local (OR)
San Francisco Region, (D)
Chuck Locke (I), Sacramento Area Local (CA)
Maintenance Division
Director
Idowu Balogun (I), Greater Los Angeles Area Local (CA)
Assistant Director, (A)
Terry B. Martinez (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Assistant Director, (B)
Jason Treier (I), Lancaster Area Local (PA)
National Business Agents, Maintenance Division
Central Region, (A)
Craig Fisher (I), Tri-County Ohio Area Local (OH)
Central Region, (B)
Jeffrey Scott Beaton (I), Greater Kansas City Area Local (MO)
Central Region, (C)
Curtis Walker (I), Flint Michigan Area Local (MI)
Eastern Region
Kenneth Lester (I), Philadelphia PA Local (PA)
Northeast Region
Dave Sarnacki (I), Springfield Mass Area Local (MA)
Southern Region, (A)
John Gearhard (I), Jacksonville BMC Local (FL)
Southern Region, (B)
Carlos Paz (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Western Region, (A)
Hector Baez (I), San Diego Area Local (CA)
Western Region, (B)
Louis M. Kingsley (I), California Area Local (CA)
Motor Vehicle Service Division
Director
Michael O. Foster (I), Detroit District Area Local (MI)
Assistant Director
Kenneth (Ken) Prinz (I), Philadelphia PA Area Local (PA)
National Business Agents, Motor Vehicle Service Division
Southern Region, Southeast Sub-Region
Bruce E. Amey (I), Atlanta Metro Area Local (GA)
Southern Region, Southwest Sub-Region
Dyrike Shaw (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Western Region
Jerome A. Pittman (I), San Francisco Local (CA)
All-Craft National Business Agents
Alaskan Area
James M. Patarini (I), Midnight Sun Area Local (AK)
Caribbean Area
Samuel A. Hernandez Algarin, Puerto Rico Area Local (PR)
Pacific Area
Rufina J. Pagaduan (I), Honolulu Local (HI)
Support Services Division
Support Services Division, National Business Agent
Orlando L. Anderson, St. Louis Gateway District Area Local (MO)
Retiree National Convention Delegates
Central Region
Paul Browning (I), Traverse City Area Local (MI)
Eastern Region
Cynthia Nesmith, Philadelphia Area Local Retiree Chapter (PA)
Northeast Region
Leona Draper (I), New York Metro Area Postal Union (NY)
Western Region
Patricia Ann Williams (I), Greater Los Angeles Area Local 64 Retiree Chapter (CA)