(This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine) 

Wave of Hotel Strikes

Hotel workers represented by Unite Here locals across the country rose up in September in a wave of worker militancy that led to work stoppages in eight major cities.

More than 11,000 hotel workers in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and in Hawaii were on strike in September. The strikes in Chicago affected hotels across the city. As of press time, all but one hotel strike in Chicago has been resolved, but strikes in Marriott hotels continue in the other cities.

(This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Industrial Relations Director Vance Zimmerman

Recently our sisters and brothers who work for other federal agencies had their collective bargaining rights attacked. In a series of Executive Orders, President Trump forced agencies to re-write collective bargaining agreements under new guidelines. 

(This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Health Plan Director John Marcotte

This year’s Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season is Nov. 12–Dec. 10. Now is the time to take advantage of a union-owned health plan, staffed by union employees, whose singular focus is serving you, the member.

At the APWU Health Plan we are driven to provide comprehensive health insurance at an affordable price. Now is the time to compare your current yearly out of pocket costs and the coverage your family needs with what the APWU Health Plan has to offer. Whether you desire proactive wellness coverage, are managing current heath care conditions, or looking for peace of mind and financial security if an illness or injury strikes, the APWU Health Plan (APWUHP) is here for you.

(This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

By Retirees Department Director Nancy Olumekor

There is still work we must do to protect our federal pension, benefits and the Postal Service on behalf of retirees. The Social Security Fairness Act (HR.1205 and S.915), along with the Social Security Expansion Act (S.427) are needed legislation. There are still millions of Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuitants watching and waiting for Congress to pass legislation to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WPO) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) in order to provide us with a fair return on our investment in the Social Security system.

(This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine) 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans recently ruled that pain alone, without an underlying disability, may entitle veterans to compensation benefits. This decision could affect both veterans seeking service connection and those seeking increased ratings for conditions that are already considered service connected. Prior to this decision, the federal circuit held veterans had to have a diagnosed disability that rationalized the source of their pain in order to receive Veterans Administration (VA) disability benefits.