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September Updates: 2019 National Officer Election Candidates’ Online Statements
Per the rules and regulations governing the 2019 APWU National Election, candidates’ statements have been updated to include any new information and/or new submissions submitted by the September 1, 2019 deadline.
Statements by candidates for national union office are posted on www.apwu.org in accordance with Article 11.3.c.2 of the APWU Constitution. To view the statements click here and follow the log-in instructions for the Members Only section.
APWU National Elections and Ballots
Big Changes Coming to TSP Withdrawal Options
On September 15, big changes are coming to your Thrift Savings Plan withdrawal options. You’ll be gaining options of how and when you can access money from your TSP account. TSP breaks it down here:
| Flexible Withdrawals Begin September 2019 | Current Rules |
| You can customize your installment payments and change your payment frequency at any time as your needs change. You can choose among monthly, quarterly, and annual installment options. | Requests to change monthly installment amounts can only be made once each year during a designated open season. |
| You never have to make a full withdrawal election. When you need to make IRS-mandated required minimum distributions (RMDs) at age 70 and after, we'll automatically send you the right amount if you don't withdraw enough during the year. | A full withdrawal election is require-d the year you are separated and 70 years older, or your account becomes abandoned. |
| You'll request withdrawals easily using fast and secure online tools by logging into My Account on tsp.gov. | Paper forms must be submitted by mail or fax to make or change a withdrawal election. |
| You can choose to withdraw traditional money only, Roth money only, or a proportional amount of both. | All withdrawals include both traditional and Roth funds as a pro rata (i.e., proportional) distribution. |
| Any in-service withdrawals you make have no effect on the number of post-separation partial withdrawals you can make. You can make partial withdrawals even if you receive installment payments. | Only one age-based in-service withdrawal or one post-separation partial withdrawal allowed in a lifetime. Then a full withdrawal election is required. |
Now is a great time to review your TSP account and ensure your information and contribution is current and accurate, visit TSP.gov or LiteBlue. Click here for TSP’s downloadable Questions and Answers about Changes to TSP Withdrawal Options.
New MS-1 Settlement and Implementation
On Aug. 8, the Maintenance Craft reached a settlement with the USPS regarding Handbook MS-1, TL-5 and TL-6 Revisions and Related Maintenance Management Orders, originally grieved by current Maintenance Division Director Idowu Balogun.
On Sept. 13, 2017, Arbitrator Goldberg remanded the MS-1 revisions case nos. Q10T-4Q-C-14171644/ Q10T-4Q-C-16481407 back to the APWU and USPS for resolution, directing the Postal Service to provide the APWU with all data and data analysis collected by the Postal Review Team.
The new settlement designates that maintenance work in stations and branches transitioning to Field Maintenance Operations (FMO) as a result of MS-1/TL-6 will continue to performed by the employees currently performing those duties.
It also stipulates that:
When attrition at the installation results in a staffing level below the authorized complement, management may determine the occupational group of the employee(s) that will continue to perform the work in the stations and branches… due to the transferring of maintenance work of stations and branches from plant maintenance to FMO, the FMO authorized staffing may increase in order to provide maintenance for the stations and branches. For FMO staffing increases that exceed the available plant LDC 37…those positions shall be posted and filled under the FMO in accordance with Article 38 and the Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM).
The Postal Service will publish the final versions of MS-1 TL 6 and MMOs on Aug. 8, 2019.
Click here to see the full settlement on Q10T-4Q-C-14171644/ Q10T-4Q-C-16481407.
Register today for MS 1 TL5/TL 6 Settlement and Implementations on Monday Aug 19, 2019 2:00 PM EDT. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
APWU Health Plan
We have been engaged in an effort to assist our locals and states with organizing by using the APWU Health Plan as an organizing tool.
Our PSEs are eligible for the wonderful union-negotiated benefit of being able to be enrolled in the highly-rated APWUHP Consumer Driven Option (CDO). This plan is chosen by tens of thousands of career federal and postal employees and the improvement in benefits for our members and their families when choosing the APWUHP is dramatic.
The APWU Health Plan sends a letter from the director to every PSE as they become eligible for APWUHP CDO (PSEs become eligible when they are reappointed after a 360-day appointment with no more than a five day break). If they are a union member, I congratulate and inform them that this benefit is yet another benefit of their union membership. If they are not a union member, I inform them of this wonderful union-negotiated benefit and ask them to join the APWU so they can receive it and include a 1187. This letter is signed by myself and the Organization Director.
After we complete the monthly mailing, we have the mailing list placed under the “Members Only” section of the website. The list can be accessed by your local President or Secretary-Treasurer with their dues check-off list information.
To get a brief idea of how much better the APWUHP CDO is than the USPS Health Insurance Plan please see the information below.
To answer your questions on Federal Employee Health Benefits program, come to the 2019 APWUHP Open Season Seminar. It will be held this year in beautiful downtown Portland, Oregon! This informative, motivating seminar will be from October 26-28 and all meals are provided. Together Better Health!
