President Dimondstein signed extensions on the COVID MOUs late last night (September 30), through December 31, 2021. The liberal leave policy has also been extended (see letter below). 

https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/mou_-_extension_of_memoranda_of_understanding_apwu_12.31.21_signed.pdf

https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/liberal_leave_policy_extension_9-30-2021.pdf

The United States Postal Service is implementing changes starting Friday October 1 that will slow down mail delivery for tens of millions of people and affect billions of pieces of mail. That date marks the first day of the new service standards for First Class Mail and Periodicals which USPS management is implementing as part of their 10-year plan. The changes lengthen the delivery target from the previous two and three-day standard to as many as five days for many pieces of mail, depending on distance of travel.

This is a step backward for the Postal Service and for millions across the country who rely on speedy mail service. The union remains convinced that the service standard changes will only drive away mail volume and much-needed postal revenue. The APWU opposes these service standard changes and will continue our fight to ensure the people receive the fast and reliable service that they’ve come to expect and that they deserve.

Earlier this year, the APWU led an effort with organizations across A Grand Alliance to Save our Public Postal Service in opposing the service standard changes when they were under review by the Postal Regulatory Commission. Collectively the union and allies organized over 130,000 comments from the public which were submitted to the PRC and the Postal Service. While the PRC was critical of USPS’ proposals, postal management ultimately decided to pursue the service standard changes nonetheless. 

APWU has long campaigned not only in defense of the existing standards, but for a restoration of speedier service standards which were in place before July 1, 2012. At that time, overnight First Class Mail within cities and towns was still in place, along with the two and three-day standard coast-to-coast. 

“The people deserve the prompt, reliable and efficient mail service promised under the law,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “Postal workers are proud to serve our communities every single day. We believe management’s response to months of poor performance should be to improve service and regain the public’s trust, instead of this focus on moving the goalposts and slowing service standards. We’ll stay united with the public until the service standards and postal performance reflect the needs of the public for quality and fast service.”

On December 8, 2017, Arbitrator Shyam Das found that the Postal Service was in violation of the parties’ Article 1.6.B Global Settlement Remedy Agreement (GSRA) in Level 18 offices when it created the Postmaster End of Day (PMEOD) button in the Retail System Software (RSS). The PMEOD button allowed postmasters to enter and exit RSS without completely closing out of the window. The button allowed postmasters to give false accounts of the amount of bargaining unit work they performed, which is limited to 15 hours each week in Level 18 offices.

In his December 8, 2017 award, Arbitrator Das remanded the remedy to the parties; however, after three years, the Postal Service had failed to provide the Union with an acceptable analysis of the amount of back pay entitlement and the parties returned to the arbitrator for a decision on a proper remedy. After the initial hearing dates in August 2020 were postponed, the remedy hearings were held on December 3-4, 2020. Das issued his decision dated September 16, 2021, awarding $20.5 million to be distributed: “(1) to affected bargaining unit employees as determined by the union; or if that option is declined by the union, (2) to clerks who worked in offices where the PMEOD function was enabled based on the relative number of days they worked during the period that function was enabled” (Page 2 of his award).

“I congratulate Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks, the Clerk Craft Officers involved and APWU attorneys and staff for the job well done,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “This is another step forward in the ongoing and important fight in defending the work of our members.”

APWU Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks stated: “This is just one more step in the battle to return work rightfully belonging to the Clerk Craft. While the Postal Service continues to put up obstacles, your union will not be deterred. We will continue to fight. This award should bring about a little vindication for the clerks in Level 18 post offices.”

Brooks continued, “The Clerk Division at the national level filed the dispute after the Postal Service unilaterally changed the RSS logon start time on the PS Form 1412, in an effort to reduce their financial liability. Rest assured, the battle is not over. Stay tuned. We will not stop until all the work that is rightfully ours is given to us. On behalf of the Clerk Division, which includes Assistant Directors Lynn Pallas-Barber and Sam Lisenbe, we would be remiss if we did not thank Memphis Region Clerk Division NBA Pamel Smith, who secured 1412 data during the Thanksgiving holiday for me to present as rebuttal evidence at the arbitration hearing and Michael Barrett of the Buffalo Area Local, who compiled the numerous excel spreadsheets in support of the data.” 

Clerk Craft officers will meet and discuss the two options offered by Arbitrator Das in his award regarding the remedy to determine the best possible manner in which to compensate those clerks affected by this violation.