Today, President Joe Biden announced two new nominees to the Postal Service Board of Governors to replace outgoing governors. The President nominated Dan Tangherlini, who served as Administrator of the General Services Administration in the Obama Administration and has worked in various roles in the District of Columbia government. He also nominated Derek Kan, who worked in the Trump Administration’s Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Transportation. 

Their appointments are to fill the spots on the Board being vacated by Governors Ron Bloom and John Barger. Bloom’s term expired last year; he was finishing a holdover year which ends on December 8. Barger’s term expires the same day, but he will stay on the Board until a replacement is confirmed by the Senate. 

The APWU looks forward to meeting with the nominees, sharing our views on matters affecting postal workers and learning where they stand on the future of the public United States Postal Service. 

The Postal Service reported out its Fiscal Year 2021 financial and operational results at the public meeting of the Board of Governors on November 10, 2021. Despite an increase of revenue of $3.9 billion, the Postal Service posted a net loss of $4.9 billion for 2021.

While the losses continue to create headlines, two things have been made abundantly clear from the latest results. First is that the public continues to rely on the universal network of the Postal Service to meet their needs to conduct business, send correspondence, vote and shop. The pandemic has underscored the vital role of postal workers in our communities and we continue to step up for the public.

Second is the urgent need for Congress and the Biden Administration to address longstanding issues effecting the Postal Service’s balance sheet. Passing the bi-partisan supported Postal Service Reform Act (as currently written), combined with Administrative action correcting faulty pension accounting, would eliminate nearly all of the Postal Service’s losses. Together, these would alleviate the tremendous pressure placed on service, on postal workers and on the public and move the Postal Service closer to financial health.

Postal workers continue to take great pride in the essential service we provide to the public each and every day. We’ve done our part to secure the Postal Service’s central role in the life of the country. Now, lawmakers and the Administration must act to ensure the long-term viability of our great national treasure.

In September, President Biden issued a directive to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring all employers with 100+ employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19.  Today, OSHA released the highly anticipated ETS. This ETS does apply to the Postal Service.  

In 1998, when the Postal Employees Safety Enhancement Act was passed, the Postal Service became subject to Public Law Number 91-596; which in turn made the Postal Service and its employees subject to all Safety Standards—whether temporary or permanent—implemented and enforced by OSHA.  

At this time the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, (APWU) is reviewing the ETS to determine how to proceed as the ETS is applied by the Postal Service. After our review and determination of the next steps to take, more information will be released. 

The APWU encourages all postal employees to practice the things that have been shown to slow the spread of COVID-19. These include social distancing, wearing face coverings, frequent hand washing, and staying home from work when sick. The APWU also encourages all postal employees who are able to get vaccinated do so with one of the vaccines currently authorized for use today.  

https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/osha_and_the_postal_service.pdf

https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/ets_covid-19_vaccination_and_testing.pdf

On October 1, 2021, Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks signed another extension with the Postal Service of the original April 3, 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Re: Bulk Mail Tech and Mailing Requirements Clerk (MRC) Position Qualification. This MOU was agreed to by the parties in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to ensure that employees pending qualification for Bulk Mail Technician or Mailing Requirements Clerk duty assignments would be provided a realistic opportunity to pass the required training.

This additional extension is through December 31, 2021, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.

RESOURCES

https://apwu.org/contracts/april-3-2020-mou-bmt-and-mrc-qual-mou-re-bulk-mail-tech-and-mailing-requirement-clerk?_ga=2.53560175.632252601.1634020030-2133977413.1629048474

https://apwu.org/contracts/bmt-and-mrc-position-qualification-extension-until123121-oct-1-20201?_ga=2.53560175.632252601.1634020030-2133977413.1629048474