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APWU Officers and Structure
APWU's highest governing body is its biennial national convention. Between conventions, a 12-person National Executive Board sets union policy. Members of the NEB include the President, Executive Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer and Director of Industrial Relations; the directors of the Clerk, Maintenance and Motor Vehicle Crafts, and five Regional Coordinators. The union's national officers, including 59 National Business Agents, are each directly elected by the membership every three years through a mail ballot referendum. The next election of officers will be in October 2007. (Click here for a full directory of national officers.)
The APWU President is the union's chief executive officer and official spokesperson on all contractual, legislative, and political matters. In addition to overseeing the union's strategic planning and day-to-day operations, the President is responsible for negotiating the APWU's Collective Bargaining Agreement with the U.S. Postal Service and for directing the activities of all national officers and staff. The president is also the editor of The American Postal Worker magazine and other union publications.
The Executive Vice President assists the President in many important business matters, focusing on the enforcement of the union's contract and internal administrative issues.
The Secretary-Treasurer oversees the union's financial matters and maintains its official records. Among other duties specified in the union's National Constitution and Bylaws, The Secretary-Treasurer's office handles: inquiries about local and state affiliates' constitutions and bylaws and fiduciary responsibilities; compliance with Labor Department and IRS regulations; union elections and appeals; dues terminations relating to transfers from one union/craft to another, and APWU scholarship programs.
In addition, The Secretary-Treasurer's office coordinates the APWU National Convention and other national meetings, special programs and conferences. It also acts as liaison for the APWU Auxiliary and the APWU Deaf/Hard of Hearing Task Force, and it represents the APWU on the APWU/USPS Dependent Child Care Subcommittee.
The Industrial Relations Department plays a major role in our organization’s ongoing struggle for better wages and improved working conditions and benefits. The Director of Industrial Relations is responsible for national contract negotiations, and the administration, interpretation and enforcement of the collective bargaining agreement between the APWU and the USPS. The Director of Industrial Relations is also responsible for labor-management issues, safety and health, national-level grievance-arbitration, mechanization issues, and the administration of the APWU grievance-arbitration process. Other responsibilities include enforcement of grievance settlements/arbitration awards, unfair labor practice charges, and legal issues such as the Privacy Act, Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) law and procedure, Veterans Preference Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and related issues.
The union's Division Directors and Assistant Directors are responsible for handling inquiries about various articles in the Union's Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Postal Service, as well as interpreting various USPS handbooks and manuals. (Click here for a complete list of these article and handbook assignments.)
Clerk Craft The Clerk Division is the largest division of the American Postal Workers Union and represents the interests of the largest craft in the U.S. Postal Service. Clerks occupy more than 170 different position descriptions as diverse as Post Office Clerk, Level-3 - found in the smallest post offices - and Translator Correspondence Clerk, Level-7 - which exists only in very large offices.
Maintenance Craft The Maintenance Division is comprised of approximately 45,000 employees, covering more than 50 different position descriptions. It covers a wide variety of duties, including general office work, custodial services, machine service and repair, and carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and painting work.
Motor Vehicle Craft The Motor Vehicle Service Division is composed of APWU members who transport mail between postal facilities and maintain postal vehicles. Two out of three MVS members are motor vehicle operators; one in five are mechanics. The Craft also includes MVS Clerks, who work in Vehicle Maintenance Facilities and in Transportation Departments in mail processing plants.
Support Services The Support Services Division represents bargaining unit members at USPS Information Systems/Accounting Service Centers, Mail Equipment Shops, Material Distribution Centers, Operating Services facilities, Mail Haul Terminals and Mail Transport Equipment Service Centers. Support Service Craft members work in many specializations and job classifications, including computer operations, telecommunications, accounting, and payroll processing.
The Research & Education Department sponsors educational training, seminars and conferences for APWU members and officers on a wide range of topics.
The Legislative Department represents the union's interests in governmental affairs.
The Human Relations Department addresses inquiries related to community activities, civil rights, employee assistance, equal opportunity employment, workplace violence and workplace injury compensation.
The APWU Retirees Department keeps retired members informed on various issues and coordinates efforts with local and state affiliates to establish retiree chapters.
The Organization Department is responsible for reaching out to non-members and encouraging them to join APWU.
The APWU Health Plan provides a variety of health insurance services to members who choose to participate in it through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.
