2006-2010 Contract News

(11/28/07) “Dec. 1, 2007, will be a historic day for postal labor,” APWU President William Burrus declared this week. “It marks the elimination of part-time flexible employment for the Clerk Craft in large offices. “As the result of contract negotiations, Clerk Craft PTFs will disappear as a job category in every postal installation of 200 work-years or more,” Burrus noted. “This has been a long-standing objective of postal employees, and it has finally been achieved.” [read more]

Union Condemns USPS Invitation to ‘Ignore Agreements’

(10/31/07) APWU President William Burrus has criticized the outcome of a meeting of 700 USPS executives, at which participants were invited to identify the best opportunities for improving postal efficiency. According to a USPS News Link report dated Oct. 18, among the top vote-getters were managing sick leave and overtime, and maximizing the use of non-career employees. [read more]

Organizing Casuals

(08/14/07 — Response to "Ask the President") Given that our national union agreed to make casuals a permanent part of our workforce and this decision was ratified by those voted for the contract, when are we going to start pushing to make them members of the bargaining unit? I can see no other sensible reason for agreeing to this. I did not vote to support the contract for the sole reason that I felt that accepting non-bargaining unit employees as a permanent part of the workforce was a bad idea.
[President Burrus' response]

The Contract and the
APWU Health Plan's Consumer Driven Option

(08/14/07 — Response to "Ask the President") When I first read that the USPS will pay 95 percent of healthcare premiums for APWU-represented employees enrolled in the APWU Health Plan, I thought, “What a smart move.” … As I read further, I became disappointed to learn it was for only the APWU Consumer Driven Plan. I also thought this was in violation of the resolution we passed recently in Philadelphia…. So, why should we sign up for this plan? [President Burrus' response]

IT/ASC, Operating Services Contracts Signed

(08/03/07) In a ceremony Aug. 1, APWU President William Burrus and Postal Service Labor Relations Vice President Doug Tulino signed Collective Bargaining Agreements for USPS Information Technology/Accounting Service Centers and Operating Services employees represented by the union. Their signatures formalized the agreements. [read more]

The NALC Contract

(07/20/07 — Response to "Ask the President") How does the contract the National Association of Letter Carriers recently negotiated compare to the APWU Collective Bargaining Agreement?
[President Burrus' response]

2007 Joint Contract Interpretation Manual

(07/09/07) The 2007 Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM) is now available. Updated and agreed to by the USPS and APWU on June 29, 2007, the JCIM is intended to be a resource for the local administration of the National Agreement. [read more]

Operating Services Workers Ratify 4-Year Contract

(07/09/07) APWU members working in Operating Services ratified a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement on July 5 by a vote of 48 to 1. The APWU-negotiated agreement covers 90 employees at USPS Headquarters in Washington, DC, and at a facility in nearby Merrifield, VA. [read more]

APWU, USPS Reach Tentative Agreement
Covering Operating Services Workers
Ratification Vote Set for July 5

(07/02/07) The APWU and the USPS have reached a tentative agreement covering Operating Services workers, which is modeled on the Collective Bargaining Agreement for employees in the Clerk, Maintenance and Motor Vehicle Crafts. If ratified, the tentative agreement will cover 90 employees at USPS Headquarters in Washington, DC, and at a facility in nearby Merrifield, VA. [read more]

2006-2010 Contract Available

(06/21/07) The official 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the USPS and the APWU is being printed and will be ready for shipping shortly, the union has announced. Copies can be viewed and downloaded from the APWU Web site, and orders for printed copies may be placed online or by phone. [read more]

Casual Reports to Have a New Format

(05/22/07) New restrictions on the use of casuals, mandated by the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, will result in a new format for Casual Compliance Reports. These reports are provided to the national union on an accounting-period basis so that the APWU can monitor management’s adherence to Article 7.1.B. of the National Agreement, which restricts the percentage of casuals the Postal Service may employ. [read more]

The Contract and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs)

(05/03/07 — Response to "Ask the President") While extolling the virtues of our new contract with a fellow union member, a question was brought up: Are we keeping up with the cost of living? My co-worker believes we are going nowhere or losing money when we get raises because of other “give backs” (such as the recent requirement that we pay a larger share of our healthcare premiums, or past reductions in night differential). What is your opinion? Does the recent contract take back more than we get during the life of the contract? Where do we stand relative to real wages and benefits compared to 10 years ago? [President Burrus' response]

Explaining the Contract Gives Us Resolve

(05/01/07) In a two-month period beginning in mid-February, the APWU held joint training programs on the new contract in each of the regions, with management and our National Business Agents taking part. The series of discussions helped us resolve 45 “Questions & Answers” on the new contract. [read more]

Casuals and the Contract

(04/30/07 — Response to "Ask the President") I can’t believe anyone would vote for this new contract. If management can hire casuals 365 days per year, they will never hire career employees again. Therefore, our union will go to pot. We aren’t going to live forever, and most of us plan to retire when we are eligible. Who is going to keep the union going if casuals are the largest percentage of employees? [President Burrus' response]

TEs in Remote Encoding Centers

(04/12/07 — Response to "Ask the President") The contract states that there will be an 11 percent cap on casual employees in the Clerk Craft for offices of 200 man-years or more. Are casuals and Transitional Employees (TEs) being classified as the same in the new contract? If so, does that mean the Remote Encoding Centers that are 200 man-year installations will only be allowed to employ 11 percent non-career Clerk Craft employees (i.e., TEs) as of Dec. 1, 2007? It looks like casuals and TEs are one and the same with regard to the length of their appointment, overtime provisions, etc. I am a TE and I would really like to become a career employee.
[President Burrus' response]

IT/ASC Workers Ratify 4-Year Contract

(04/09/07) APWU members have ratified a four-year contract covering more than 1,200 employees at Postal Service IT/ASC facilities. The Information Technology/Accounting Service Centers facilities are in Eagan (MN), San Mateo (CA), St. Louis, and Wilkes-Barre (PA). The APWU and USPS in late March reached a tentative agreement, and voting was conducted at each site, with a final count showing 81 percent (508 to 119) in favor of ratification.
[read more]

PTF Transfer Opportunities

(04/09/07 — Response to "Ask the President") I have heard that PTFs in Associate Offices will be given the opportunity to transfer to larger offices to become regular before those offices can hire more people. What do you know about this? Will the 18-month rule still be in effect for those who wish to transfer?
[President Burrus' response]

It’s Official: APWU Contract Signed

APWU President William Burrus and Postmaster General John E. Potter sign the union’s 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the USPS.

(03/29/07) In a ceremony March 29, APWU President William Burrus and Postmaster General John E. Potter signed the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Their signatures formalized the agreement, which was ratified by union members in January. The specific provisions of the agreement have been agreed to, and a permanent printed version is currently being proofread and finalized for printing. The union will post a notice when copies are available.
[read more]

Arbitrator’s 2001 Analysis Deserves Consideration

(03/28/07) “In our continuing effort to educate ourselves about the collective bargaining process, the analyses of the arbitrators who decide the terms of the APWU-USPS contracts when negotiations end in ‘interest arbitration’ can be very instructive,” APWU President William Burrus notes in an update to union members. “The union posts the arbitrators’ explanations of their awards on our Web site along with the contracts, but they are rarely read in their entirety.” [read more]

APWU, USPS Reach
Tentative Agreement on IT/ASC Contract

(03/26/07) The APWU and the USPS have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract that covers more than 1,200 employees at the IT/ASC (Information Technology/
Accounting Service Centers) facilities in Eagan (MN), San Mateo (CA), St. Louis, and Wilkes-Barre (PA). [read more]

The New Contract and Limits on Part-Time Regulars

(03/22/07 — Response to "Ask the President") The language in the literature being distributed about the new Collective Bargaining Agreement regarding limits on part-time regulars is somewhat confusing. If an office has more the 2.5 percent PTRs, will some be converted to FTR, and who would that be? What seniority would be applied? Does this apply only to 200 man-year offices? [President Burrus' response]

New Contract Provisions Offer
Additional Protection Against Excessing

(03/15/07) The union’s new contract permits full-time employees who the Postal Service identifies as “excess” to remain in the craft and installation as part-time regulars, reports APWU President William Burrus in a recent update for union members. New provisions of the union’s 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Burrus wrote, “provide an additional option to full-time employees in installations of 200 man-years or more who are excessed from their craft or installation.” He added, “Enforcing these provisions will be important as management implements its decision to assign Mail Handler Craft employees to Automatic Induction (AI) areas on Flat Sorter Machines.” [read more]

Retroactive Pay to Be Issued May 18;
National Union to Waive Back Dues

(03/06/07) The USPS has notified the APWU that it expects to disburse back pay for the period from Nov. 25, 2006, through Feb. 2, 2007, in paychecks dated May 18 (Pay Period 10-2007). The retroactive pay will reflect a 1.3 percent raise for five pay periods (Pay Period 25-2006 through 03-2007). The 1.3 percent raise was negotiated for all APWU-represented employees as part of the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement. [read more]

PTF Conversions, the Contract and Excessing

(03/05/07 — Response to "Ask the President") I am a PTF in a 200 man-year office. A Function 4 audit is planned for the office very soon. What if they decide to excess the PTFs from my office? [President Burrus' response]

Union, Management Sign Off
On Contract Questions & Answers

(03/02/07) The APWU and USPS signed off on a set of Questions and Answers regarding the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, which outline the specific application of provisions involving the conversion of part-time flexibles and the supplemental workforce. “These joint interpretations clarify the parties’ intent about how to implement the new contract,” said APWU President William Burrus. [read more]

Ratification Sets the Stage for Local Negotiations

(03/01/07) Now that national contract negotiations have been successfully concluded with the ratification of a new National Agreement, locals across the country are preparing for local contract negotiations. Under Article 30 of the National Agreement, negotiations for a local agreement must occur within a 30-consecutive -day period that will take place during a 60-day period beginning April 2, 2007. While the contract provides for only one 30-consecutive day negotiation period for each local agreement, a local that is negotiating more than one agreement may begin negotiations on each local agreement at different times within the 60-day timeframe. The local can negotiate under different 30-day intervals. [read more]

Good News in What’s New in CBA

(03/01/07) The new Collective Bargaining Agreement is filled with good news. I am most excited by the conversion to regular of thousands of part-time flexible employees. I suspect that all of the APWU members who will be directly affected share my enthusiasm. [read more]

APWU Members Ratify Contract
Approximately 9 in 10 Vote ‘Yes’ on Four-Year National Agreement

(03/01/07) APWU members ratified a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement by a vote of 84,486 to 12,016, in balloting that concluded Jan. 12. The new National Agreement, approved by 88 percent of the voters, is retroactive to Nov. 21, 2006, and will expire Nov. 20, 2010. “I consider this contract to be among our union’s strongest achievements,” APWU President William Burrus said after the vote count was announced. “Wage increases, upgrades, and Cost-of-Living Adjustments were secured, and ‘no-layoff’ protection and other benefits were continued.” [read more] | [Ratification Voter Participation Contest Winners]

Union to Hold ‘Round Robin’ Contract Conferences

(02/21/07) The national APWU will host a series of discussions about the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement with local and state officers in locations around the country, union President William Burrus has announced. “These meetings present an important opportunity for local leaders — who work in the trenches enforcing the contract — to confer with negotiators and other national officers about the terms of the new agreement,” he said.
[read more]

Raises Implemented Feb. 3

(02/20/07) The union has been informed that new pay rates for APWU-represented employees were implemented in Pay Period 04-2007 and will appear in checks dated Feb. 23, two pay periods ahead of the date initially promised by the Postal Service.
[read more]

Casuals and Tour 2

(02/15/07 — Response to "Ask the President") With the new restrictions on the use of casuals during Tour 2 hours, will a set time-frame be established for Tour 2 — such as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. — or will the definition of Tour 2 be based on what is established in local agreements? [President Burrus' response]

Bereavement Leave

(02/07/07 — Response to "Ask the President") With the new contract, upon a death in the family, we may use annual leave, sick leave, or LWOP. If we choose to use sick leave, do we have to bring in medical evidence? Will the absence be considered scheduled or unscheduled? Can management use this against us?
[President Burrus' response]

Priority Scheduling and the Overtime Desired List

(02/07/07 — Response to "Ask the President") The new contract says that full-time regular clerks on the Overtime Desired List will be given priority scheduling for overtime work over casuals doing overtime work. Is this on a day-by-day basis? How will we monitor the overtime that casuals work? How will it work for penalty pay? [President Burrus' response]

Revised: Raises Take Effect March 3; Other Changes Feb. 3

(02/05/07) As originally printed on Feb. 2, APWU News Bulletin #03-2007 omitted the full application of the recently negotiated limitations on the use of casuals. Clarifications are marked in bold. [read more]

Raises Take Effect March 3; Contract Changes Feb. 3

(Revised NSB #03-2007, 02/05/07) New pay rates established in the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement will be implemented on March 3, 2007, and will appear in paychecks dated March 23, APWU President William Burrus has announced. Increases in wages and uniform allowances will be paid retroactively. Checks for the back-pay period (from Nov. 25, 2006 ) will be disbursed at a later date, which the union will publicize as soon as the date is known. [read more]

Burrus: Raises Add Up

(01/31/07) If a typical APWU-represented employee had set aside all the additional income from raises and Cost-of-Living-Adjustments he or she received from Nov. 21, 2000, through Nov. 20, 2006, how much would the employee have accumulated? “The answer is an astonishing amount: $19,421,” APWU President William Burrus wrote in a recent update for union members. [read more]

Union Receives ‘200 Man-Year’ List

(01/30/07) The Postal Service has provided the APWU with a list showing facilities that qualify as “200 man-year” offices. In accordance with the recently ratified 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, all Clerk Craft part-time flexible employees at facilities of 200 man-years or more will be converted to full time, no later than Dec. 1, 2007. The APWU has a limited period of time to challenge any improper designations, so local officers are urged to review the list promptly and immediately notify the national office of any discrepancies.
[read more]

A Brief Conversation Rekindles the Commitment

(01/29/07) At a recent seminar in Huntsville, AL, an APWU member expressed thanks for her upcoming conversion to full-time after 12½ years as a part-time flexible, President William Burrus notes in an update for union members. “I am pleased that this part-time flexible union member and 10,000 others in similar circumstances will have the opportunity to become full-time,” he said. “Realizing that the results of our efforts will have such an impact on the lives of individual members makes the job truly rewarding.” [read more]

An Accurate Comparison

(01/26/07) "Postal employees often compare our negotiated wage increases with those of workers in other industries and conclude that postal raises don’t measure up," APWU President William Burrus notes in an update for union members. These comparisons "are flawed," he points out, "because they fail to take into account that the raises provided in the APWU contract consist of general wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments." [read more]

And the Winners Are...

(01/19/07) Drum roll, please! APWU President William Burrus has announced the winners of the union’s Ratification Voter Participation Contest. The challenge, intended to encourage union members to get involved in the ratification process, offered rewards to locals that were most successful in mobilizing APWU members to vote. [full story]

Official Local-by-Local Ratification Vote Totals

(01/18/07) The official results of the APWU contract ratification vote are now available, including a local-by-local tally. Results were certified by the American Arbitration Association, which conducted the balloting under the supervision of the Rank-and-File Bargaining Advisory Committee. [full story]

Membership Ratifies Four-Year Contract

(01/12/07) APWU members ratified a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement by a vote of 84,486 to 12,016, in balloting that concluded Jan. 12. The new National Agreement, which is retroactive to Nov. 21, 2006, will expire Nov. 20, 2010. “I consider this contract to be among our union’s strongest achievements,” said APWU President William Burrus. “Wage increases, upgrades, and Cost-of-Living Adjustments were secured, and ‘no-layoff’ protection and other benefits were continued.” [full story]

Burrus Update:
An Open Letter to The Union Membership

(01/12/07) The membership of the American Postal Workers Union has decided the outcome of the 2006 contract negotiations and has resoundingly approved the tentative agreement. A total of 96,502 votes were cast by the members, which included 727 postal employees who joined the APWU to participate in the referendum voting. [full story]

Limiting the Number of Part-Time Regulars

(01/11/07— Response to "Ask the President") What is the reason for limiting the number of Part-Time Regulars (PTRs) to 2.5 percent? (Item #12 in the Supplemental Conversion Memo) That appears to apply across all crafts across the country. How will the locals be able to monitor that number at the local level? [President Burrus' response]

The Proposed Contract and
The Impact of Year-Round Casuals

(01/08/07— Response to "Ask the President") I support the union and all the good that comes from it. However, I strongly disagree with the provision of the tentative agreement that would allow casuals to work year-round. Not to mention that we lose our right to protest the use of casuals in lieu of career employees. Please help me understand why our union would consider allowing this to be part of our contract. [President Burrus' response]

Contract Ratification Balloting Extended to Jan. 12

(01/05/07) Balloting in the ratification of the tentative agreement will be extended until Jan. 12, the Rank-and-File Bargaining Committee has announced. “We want to ensure that every interested APWU member has an opportunity to participate,” said Princella Vogel, the committee chairperson. “The three-day break in mail delivery that resulted from the New Year’s holiday and the Day of Mourning disrupted the flow of ballots to the American Arbitration Association,” which will count the votes, she said. “In addition, snowstorms in Colorado and other parts of the country have delayed mail. [read more]

Achieving Progress Through Bargaining

(01/01/07 - President's Viewpoint article from the January/February 2007 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.) My job is done. Now it’s your turn. Over the past year, I have been preparing for contract negotiations and participating in the bargaining process. Now I have completed the task of securing a National Agreement with postal management and have submitted it for your consideration. I consider the tentative agreement to be among the boldest efforts our union has ever made; clearly we have learned much from the past and have moved well into the future. [read more]

Tentative 2006-2110 Collective Bargaining Agreement Highlights

(01/01/07 - feature from the January/February 2007 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.) As we go to press, APWU members are voting on the tentative 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, a copy of which was included in the referendum mailing. The following are many of the significant new features of the proposed contract…
[read more - PDF]

Locals Encouraged to Get Out the Vote

(12/28/06) Noting that participation in past contract ratification balloting has hovered in the range of only 33 percent, APWU President William Burrus is urging local and state presidents to “take all appropriate steps” to encourage members to vote. To promote participation, the national union will reward locals with the greatest percent of membership involvement.
[read more]

If You Didn’t Get a Ballot…

(12/28/06) Ballots for the contract ratification vote must be received in the New York office of the American Arbitration Association by 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2007. If you have not received a ballot, contact the American Arbitration Association by phone or by email to request a duplicate. [read more]

What Will You Do?

(12/22/06) APWU President William Burrus poses a simple question to APWU-represented employees: What will you do? [read more]

Don't Neglect Your Ballot

(12/22/06) Ballots for the referendum on a tentative four-year National Agreement have been mailed to APWU members; the vote count will be held Friday, Jan. 12. The locals that are the most successful in mobilizing their members to vote will receive compensation to be used for a membership appreciation party. [read more]
"Ballot Letter" to members [PDF]
"Ballot Letter" to non-members [PDF]

Healthcare Premiums and the
Tentative 2006-2010 Contract Agreement

(12/21/06 — Response to "Ask the President") Under the tentative agreement, I will have to pay 1 percent more for my BlueCross BlueShield healthcare premium. The premium for the basic plan is $40.17 per pay period. Does the one percent increase mean that my premium will increase by roughly 41 cents per pay period, or is there another way to figure it out? [President Burrus' response]

Upgrades, Saved Grade, and the Tentative 2006-2010 Contract Agreement

(12/21/06 — Response to "Ask the President" - updated attachement May 4, 2007)
Will the upgrades in the tentative agreement apply to people who are in a saved-grade status? [President Burrus' response]

Maintenance Upgrades and the Contract Proposal

(12/20/06 — Response to "Ask the President") The memo read that all APWU employees would get one level upgrade. If you do the math, the ETs and MPEs are not getting a full level upgrade by today’s pay scales, while everyone else is getting more than a full upgrade by today’s pay scales. This is very deceptive and disappointing and deserves an explanation... The projected pay Tables 2 and 3 seem to indicate a lower level-assignment for Levels 11 and 12. Why are the technically skilled levels being minimized in the negotiated benefits of this contract? [President Burrus' response]

PTF Conversion and the Contract Proposal

(12/20/06 — Response to "Ask the President") Why was the conversion of PTFs in the new contract limited to a certain group? As an employee in a 125 man-year office, I feel it would have been a greater benefit to have all PTFs converted.
[President Burrus' Response]

Non-Members to Receive Ballot Mailing

(12/15/06) As part of an unprecedented organizing campaign, the APWU will send a “ratification packet” to workers represented by the union who are not members. The mailing will include a summary of new contractual provisions and invite the non-members to vote. There’s a catch, of course. The vote will only be counted if the non-member completes a union sign-up card, which will also be enclosed. [read more]

APWU Leads The Way in Bargaining

(12/15/06) "The APWU position in the 2006 contract negotiations was that we stand on the product that we produce in the negotiations process, without regard to what may or may not be achieved with the other postal unions," said APWU President William Burrus in a recent update for union members. "Unfortunately, some other postal unions do not adhere to these principles and routinely wait for the results of APWU bargaining to determine whether they can include in their contract those improvements we have achieved." [read more]

The Tentative Contract Agreement and Healthcare

(12/15/06 — Response to "Ask the President") The healthcare provisions of the new contract seem to be trying to force everyone to buy a certain policy — the APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan. I realize we still have a choice, but you will have to pay considerably more for a different plan. I’ve had BlueCross BlueShield for 12 years, but now the cost may be too much and I will be forced to change. That doesn’t seem right to me. [President Burrus' response]

Part-Time Flexibles, MVS Employees,
And the Tentative Contract Agreement

(12/15/06) Many Motor Vehicle Craft employees have asked why the provision in the tentative contract agreement between the APWU and USPS that would convert part-time flexibles in the Clerk Craft to regular status does not apply to them. MVS Director Robert Pritchard and Assistant Director Mike Foster explain that applying this provision to MVS employees would encourage Postal Service management to contract out more work. [read more]

Contract Questions and Answers

(12/13/06 — Response to "Ask the President") Most often the real intent of the language and the proposals get lost in translation. We, for the most part, understand the National Agreement. However, would it be possible to develop a set of Questions and Answers to go along with the new changes? Could it be posted on the Web site?
[President Burrus' Response]

APWU Members to Vote
On Tentative 4-Year Agreement
Mailing Starts Dec. 18; Vote Count, Results on Jan. 9

(12/12/06) With a mailing set to begin on Dec. 18, the referendum process concerning the tentative 2006-2010 APWU-USPS contract has begun. The single-question ballot offers a choice of ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on a tentative agreement that would run from Nov. 21, 2006, to Nov. 20, 2010. Completed ballots must be received by Tuesday, Jan. 9, when the vote count will take place. [read more]

Teleconference Set on Tentative Agreement

(12/08/06) APWU President William Burrus will discuss provisions of the tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement with APWU members via teleconference on Dec. 14, beginning at 11 a.m. EST. Burrus and other members of the union’s negotiating team will provide a summary of the terms of the agreement and entertain questions. [read more]

Rank-and-File Committee
Approves Tentative Contract Agreement
Union Members to Vote on Ratification

(12/07/06) The APWU Rank-and-File Bargaining Advisory Committee voted unanimously to approve the union’s tentative 2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement on Dec. 7 at a meeting in Washington DC. The agreement will be sent to union members for a ratification vote, which the committee will supervise. Princella Vogel, chairperson of the Rank-and-File Committee, said, “We are making history with some of the innovations in this agreement.” [read more]

APWU, USPS Reach Tentative Agreement
Rank-and-File Bargaining Committee to Review Contract Proposal

(12/06/06) Negotiators for the APWU and U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative four-year contract agreement, union President William Burrus has announced. Calling it “an outstanding agreement,” Burrus said that the new contract will be presented to the Rank-and-File Bargaining Committee on Dec. 7. Upon the committee’s approval, specific terms of the agreement will be announced. The committee must approve a tentative agreement before it can be sent to union members for a ratification vote. [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
‘Substantial Progress’ Made in Contract Talks

(12/04/06) APWU President William Burrus has told union members that contract negotiations continued throughout the weekend and “substantial progress” was made. Specific details remain to be finalized, however. In a telephone message to union members on Dec. 4, Burrus said the Rank-and-File Bargaining Advisory Committee would return to Washington on Dec. 6 to review the progress of negotiations. The APWU National Executive Board also will meet that day. [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
Talks Continue, But Union
Instructs Lawyers to Prepare for Arbitration

(11/29/06) Although a voluntary agreement is still possible, APWU President William Burrus has instructed the union’s attorneys to make initial preparations for arbitration. In a telephone message to union members on Nov. 29, the union president said, “We must move forward to achieve a new contract.” [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
Contract Talks to Resume After Thanksgiving Weekend

(11/21/06 - 5 p.m.) APWU has proposed bold steps to address important issues for postal employees, union President William Burrus told APWU members in a telephone message. “Because we are attempting to break new ground, the final pieces of an agreement pose difficult chanllenges,” he said. “Despite intense discussions today, agreement on all of the issues is still beyond our grasp.” Contract talks will resume after the Thanksgiving weekend. [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
As Deadline Passes, Parties Agree to Continue Talks

(11/21/06 - 1 a.m.) APWU President William Burrus has told union members that progress toward an agreement had been made, but that ‘“important issues remain that have not been finalized.” The parties will continue discussions on Nov. 21. “The terms of the new contract are too important to rush agreement because of an artificial deadline,” he said. [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
Burrus: Contract Agreement ‘Possible’

(11/19/06) In a telephone message on the eve of the expiration of the contract, APWU President William Burrus told union members that although final agreement is beyond reach at this time, “I am convinced that agreement is possible.” Negotiations are continuing, he said, with health benefits and wages dominating the discussions. [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
Contract Deadline Looms

(11/17/06) Although he characterized the pace of talks as “agonizingly slow,” APWU President William Burrus noted in a Nov. 17 telephone message that negotiations over a national agreement have almost always gone to the final hours. “I continue my commitment to a contract that is worthy of the contribution of APWU members,” he said, “and stand by the APWU commitment to ‘reach agreement if we can, but arbitrate if we must.’” [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
Talks Continue at Discouraging Pace

(11/15/06) In a telephone message Nov. 15, APWU President William Burrus told union members that wages and health benefit premiums continue to dominate contract talks. “Overall,” he said, negotiations are “continuing at a pace that is not conducive to reaching an acceptable agreement on or before midnight, Nov. 20.” Burrus reported that some progress is being made on non-economic issues, however. [read more]

Negotiations Hotline
Burrus: Little Progress Made on Union’s Priorities

(11/13/06) APWU President William Burrus updated union members about the status of contract negotiations in a recorded telephone message Nov. 13, telling them little progress has been made on the union’s priorities. The union is fully prepared for any eventuality he said, either by negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement or proceeding to arbitration. The current agreement expires Nov. 20, 2006. [read more]

Union Announces Negotiations Hotline

(11/13/06) The APWU has established a Negotiations Hotline, which will help union members stay abreast of late-breaking developments regarding bargaining. The toll-free number is 800-992-APWU (or 800-992-2798).

Union President William Burrus recorded a message Nov. 13. Updates will be made as events warrant. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires Nov. 20.

Union Presents Economic Proposals;
Burrus Assails ‘Lack of Progress’ in Talks

(11/06/06) After offering a blunt assessment of the first two months of negotiations, APWU President William Burrus presented the USPS with economic proposals, calling for raises and upgrades that are commensurate with union members’ performance over the six years of the contract that expires Nov. 20. [read more]

Contract Talks Take a Discouraging Turn

(11/03/06) APWU President William Burrus has told union members that hopes for a negotiated settlement were dealt a serious blow at the Oct. 31 bargaining session when management presented a series of proposals that, “if adopted, would drastically demean postal employment.” The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the APWU and USPS expires Nov. 20. [read more]

APWU Presses for Improved Conditions

(10/30/06) Negotiations between the APWU and the USPS continue for a successor Collective Bargaining Agreement. “The union has submitted a variety of proposals that are intended to improve the conditions of postal employees, and the Postal Service has submitted proposals that would erode employee rights and benefits,” APWU President William Burrus said in an update to union members. [read more]

Contract Talks Update

(10/18/06) Contract negotiations continued Oct. 18, with the USPS asking questions about the APWU’s non-economic proposals. Discussion focused on employee reassignments, jurisdictional disputes, and the rights of employees in small offices. Bargaining is scheduled to resume on Oct. 23, with additional questions from the USPS about union proposals. Discussion of economic issues will take place in future sessions.

Open Negotiations

(10/10/06— Submitted to "Ask the President") The one thing above all others that should be changed is to open up the bargaining sessions to the membership. I have paid dues for many years, and have never been privy to the discussions at the bargaining table. How can we judge the effectiveness of the negotiating team if we are kept in the dark?
[President Burrus' response]

Negotiations Update

(10/04/06) Management representatives painted a bleak picture of USPS finances during contract talks held Oct. 3, and, to no one’s surprise, concluded that “cost containment is the only answer.” Labor expenses are the “key drivers of costs,” management asserted, in a presentation clearly intended to convey that labor costs must be restricted. [read more]

Negotiations Update

(09/22/06) Contract talks between the USPS and the APWU continued Sept. 14, 15, 21, and 22, with the union presenting non-economic issues for discussion. Topics included protecting craft work, safety and health concerns, travel issues, and matters affecting deaf and hard-of-hearing employees. [read more]

Negotiations Update

(09/08/06) Negotiations between the USPS and the APWU over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement resumed Sept. 7 and 8, with preliminary discussions of non-economic issues. Discussion of economic issues, including upgrades, will take place later in the negotiation process. [read more]

National Negotiations Begin
Union Seeks 'Fair and Rewarding' Agreement

(08/29/06) Negotiations for a new national agreement between the Postal Service and the APWU are an opportunity “to restore some semblance of stability and predictability” to the lives of union members, APWU President William Burrus said during the first day of contract talks with the Postal Service. Both sides said they hoped to have a signed agreement by Nov. 20, the expiration date of the 2000-2006 agreement. [read more]

Collective Bargaining Set to Begin Aug. 29

(08/23/06) Negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the APWU and the USPS are scheduled to begin Aug. 29, 2006, union President William Burrus has announced. Management and union officials are expected to present opening statements and establish a schedule for future meetings. The current contract expires Nov. 20. [read more]

Burrus Outlines Union’s Contract Goals
For Rank and File Bargaining Committee

(06/29/06) In a meeting with the union’s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee, APWU President William Burrus identified three paramount issues for contract negotiations: securing adequate wage increases, protecting workers’ healthcare benefits, and revising the process by which craft jurisdictional issues are decided. [read more]

Rank and File Bargaining
Advisory Committee Members Named

(04/05/06) APWU President William Burrus has announced the names of members who will serve on the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee. In accordance with Article 13.9 of the APWU Constitution, each member of the National Executive Board names one person to the committee; a 13th member, appointed by the president, is a representative from the APWU Deaf/Hard of Hearing Task Force. [read more]

History Holds Lessons
As We Prepare for Negotiations

(03/01/06) As the union turns its attention to national contract negotiations scheduled to begin in August, this is an appropriate time to reflect on the current status of labor relations in our country and throughout the world. While the APWU-USPS contract negotiations are governed by the provisions of law that cover our right to bargain, external forces inevitably play a role in the process. [read more]

Next Round of Bargaining

(01/01/06) An important aspect of preparation for contract negotiations involves input from our members. At our national convention (also in August), the Labor-Management Committee is responsible for identifying problems or concerns that have been communicated by the membership through their respective convention delegates. Resolutions approved by the convention are included with other issues considered for contract negotiations. [read more]

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