11/02/2018 - (This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
By Western Regional Coordinator Omar Gonzalez
33,400+ employees are absent daily claims management, triggering their Attendance Control Employee Availability (AC/EA) crackdown while they impose so-called “Dynamic Scheduling.”
Leave rules in CBA Article 10 and the Employee & Labor Relations Manual (ELM) Chapter 510 have existed for 40 years. ACEA can’t change those rules. ELM 665.11 requires you to be regular in attendance. However, ELM 511.1 requires management to administer leave on an equitable basis for all employees considering a) the needs of the service b) the welfare of the individual employee.
Too often management imposes discipline using select rules and dictates, such as, three (3) absences in 90 days requires discipline. This dictate violates the contract. “It is the supervisor’s review of the attendance record in light of all relevant evidence, NOT any set number of absences that determines whether corrective action is warranted.” [Article 10.1; 10.2 JCIM].
11/02/2018 - (This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
By Maintenance Division Director Idowu Balogun
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
My name is Idowu Balogun, your New National Maintenance Division Director. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your letters, cards and emails of congratulations and condolences. Brother Raymer’s untimely departure left all of us stunned and without adequate words to describe our feelings.I am writing this open letter to you to share with you the state of the Maintenance Division within a 60-day time frame of the unexpected passing of our beloved Director Steven G. Raymer.
Visit PostalRelief.com or use the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), Charity Code 10268
10/04/2018 - (This article first appeared in the September/October 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
By Human Relations Director Sue Carney
Your donations are needed to sustain the Postal Employees’ Relief Fund (PERF). PERF is a nonprofit charitable organization.
When disaster strikes and all is lost, PERF provides tax-free relief grants to postal employees and retirees to help them reestablish a home and replace necessities. PERF has provided more than $19 million in assistance to postal families during its 28-year history, but meeting its mission has become increasingly difficult over the last decade.
10/02/2018 - (This article first appeared in the September/October 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
By Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell
It starts with the process for nominations. One of the ways to alleviate and hopefully prevent complaints, Local Election Committee (LEC) and National Election Appeals Committee (NEAC) appeals, and Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) investigations, is for local affiliates to ensure elections are conducted in accordance with Department of Labor (DOL) guidelines.
07/24/2018 - (This article first appeared in the July-August 2018 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)
By Maintenance Craft Directors
The Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM) is the mutually agreed upon explanation on how to apply our contract to filling vacant maintenance positions.
The May 2017 JCIM included the Order for Filling Vacant Maintenance Positions. The contractual definition is to duty assignments. Within the craft, we referto this as the “pecking order.”
The preamble paragraph is frequently overlooked: The appropriate PAR and PER must be exhausted before considering other hiring options. To be considered qualified an employee must either be eligible under the current in-craft process for the position in question or be a Maintenance Craft employee in the same level and occupational group as the vacancy.
07/23/2018 - (This article first appeared in the July-August 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
By By Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell
The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) has begun bargaining with the United States Postal Service (USPS) for a new contract, and members know this is our bread and butter. This is one of the primary reasons why we signed up to join our union. We are focused on getting the best deal possible for our members and their families while securing the future of the postal service.
Because our members have been united, in the past we’ve been successful. If we stay united, with a broad vision of social justice, I believe we will be successful now and into the future.
06/21/2018 - The White House proposal on restructuring the federal government released today, “Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century,” delivered nothing but misinformation and, if implemented, would end regular mail and package services at an affordable cost to 157 million addresses every day. Furthermore, the White House plan is an attack on many federal agencies and the public services they provide.
Eliminating the universal service obligation, as the plan suggests, would hurt business and individuals alike, and would be a dagger aimed at the heart of rural America and undermine e-commerce.
06/08/2018 - APWU met with the White House Task Force on the Postal Service on Tuesday, June 6 and presented a series of recommendations and supporting materials on how the USPS could improve services, become more financially stable, and continue to remain a treasured public institution offering universal service to all citizens, regardless of where they live or work.
06/04/2018 - Have you ever wanted to tell the Postmaster General a thing or two? Now you can.
The APWU Contract Campaign is asking members to submit short videos to the union telling the story of the work you and other union members perform daily serving the publicand why you need a new – and fair contract! Tell your story on an APWU video and your APWU bargaining team will carry your message on to the bargaining table.
05/02/2018 - Members of the APWU’s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee held their first meeting in Washington, DC, on April 24. The committee advises the union’s National Negotiations Committee on bargaining demands and must approve any tentative agreement reached before it can be sent to APWU members for a ratification vote.
