Q and A on Non-Traditional Full-Time Jobs that APWU Members Should Know Before Voting
“Here are a few key questions that I think the membership should be aware of before they vote on this proposed contract.” By Clint Burelson, APWU President of the Olympia [Washington] Local
NTFT [non-traditional full-time] Questions and Answers on the Contract
The NTFT jobs will significantly affect current workers at the Post Office in a negative manner. Based on my understanding of the proposed contract, I have created a few key questions and answers regarding the impact of NTFT jobs on current workers. Read more
More Videos From Guffey On Tentative Agreement
President Cliff Guffey Clears Up Confusion About the APWU Tentative Agreement: Excessing Over 50 Miles
President Cliff Guffey Clears Up Confusion About the APWU Tentative Agreement: Excessing Catagories
President Cliff Guffey Clears Up Confusion About the APWU Tentative Agreement: Overview: Opportunities
APWU: An Agreement For Our Times
Mike Morris, Director Industrial Relations
(This article was first published in the April-June 2011 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)
We have a tentative agreement!
Noah Webster defines “watershed” as “an important point of division or transition between two phases, conditions, etc.; a crucial deciding point, line or factor.”
Clearly, this is a watershed agreement. Read more
Video: The Truth About APWU MVS In Tentative Agreement
The truth for APWU MVS craft underneath the candy coating by Knoxville,Tennessee MVS
Updated: Highlights of New Tentative Contract Agreement
The APWU has updated its “Highlights of the New Collective Bargaining Agreement.”
Although this says a minimum of 800 positions will be created in the Clerk Craft to perform “administrative and technical duties” (like TACS) that are currently performed by EAS personnel, we were told in the APWU briefings that Lead clerks will replace lots of 204b’s and other supervisors in Function 1 and 4. We shall see! I wish we could get back the Personnel Clerk jobs that went to the HRSSC. APWU negotiators tried to get that, but were unsuccessful. One question I have is about 204b’s from the other crafts like letter carriers. Will those 204b’s be eliminated from supervising APWU employees, except as stated below? In associate offices 204b’s sometimes supervise more than one craft.
Jobs in the Clerk Craft
- No fewer than 1,100 Call Center jobs that had been contracted out will be returned to the APWU bargaining unit. The Call Center locations will become part of the installation of the nearest Processing & Distribution Center, so that APWU members can bid on these positions.
- A minimum of 800 positions will be created in the Clerk Craft to perform administrative and technical duties that are currently performed by EAS personnel.
- Lead Clerk, PS-7, positions will be created in mail processing and in retail to perform administrative duties.
At least one Lead Clerk position will be established in any office where there is no supervisor.
At least one Lead Clerk position will be established in any Customer Service office with five or more Clerk Craft employees.
Ratios for the establishment of Lead Clerk positions in mail processing will be as follows :
| # Clerks | # Lead Clerks |
| 5-49 | 1 |
| 50-99 | 2 |
| 100-199 | 3 |
| 200-499 | 4 |
| 500 or more | 5, plus one for each 100 clerks |
- 204Bs will be eliminated from offices with supervisors, except to fill absences of 14 days or more and vacant assignments of 14 days or more, not to exceed 90 days.
- The Part-Time Regular job title will be replaced with Non-Traditional Full-Time Employee. With this change will come expanded opportunities for these workers.
Opinion: APWU Members Before Voting No On Tentative Contract..
This is an opinion by Don Cheney on why APWU members should think carefully before voting NO on Tentative Agreement.
In the past when the national officers of a postal union agreed to a tentative contract and the membership voted it down, the consequences were BAD. Arbitrators view such behavior as bad faith bargaining and don’t reward it unless others try the same thing.
The last postal union to attempt this was the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association in 2002. They were clobbered with the help of the APWU’s Goldberg arbitration award the year before. Former President William Burrus wrote about the Goldberg award in a 2007. It was mentioned again at the congressional hearing on April 5, 2011. Expect the Goldberg award to come up at every interest arbitration. Ignore it at your peril. Read more
Will Ratification of the APWU Tentative Agreement Preserve Our Jobs and End Excessing?
Maybe. The minuscule pay increases; the back-loaded, waived and deferred COLAs; the lower starting salaries for future employees; the increases in employees’ share of contributions toward healthcare coverage; the retention of the no layoff clause and the return of many jobs to APWU employees could save the USPS billions of dollars in operations costs, which could possibly preserve APWU craft employees jobs for years. The new Non-Traditional Full-Time duty assignments and the new Postal Support Employee work force would give the USPS more flexibility in adopting employees’ work schedules that would fit their business needs.
All APWU members will be mailed a copy of the Tentative Agreement and a ratification ballot to vote yes or no on April 8, 2011. The ballot must be returned to APWU Headquarters by May 10, 2011. The Choice is Yours!
Show US the Money-If You Want US To Go!
So far, although rumors are saying the opposite, there has been no official announcement indicating that bargaining unit employees will receive retirement incentives.
Fredric Jacobs
President
APWU Oakland Local #78
PostalReporter.com note:A reliable source provided the following info..
At the briefing I attended, two national officers told me privately that a VERA for APWU members was certain if this contract passes. They didn’t know what incentive the USPS would offer. It seems to me that a VERA following approval of this contract should be made public. A lot more senior employees would vote Yes on this contract if they knew.
Readers must keep in mind there has been no official announcement of any VER offer to craft employees. But if you are thinking about retiring soon be prepared to take it.
Court Rejects Postal Workers Lawsuit To Delay Voting On APWU Tentative Agreement
The following is court information sent to PostalReporter.com regarding a lawsuit filed by three Postal Workers in an attempt to delay voting on the APWU Tentative Agreement.
“A Motion filed by co-plaintiffs Rich Shelley, James Ozanian and Lance Coles in a Case Vs. the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) has been Denied and Dismissed by Judge Beryl Howell. This was an attempt from these individuals to stop the Tentative Contract Agreement voting process…..”
Excerpts from the court record:
United States District Court For the District of Columbia
Rich Shelley, et al., vs. American Postal Workers Union
Three union members, who are appearing as pro se plaintiffs in this case, have significant concerns with a tentative collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) negotiated on their behalf by their union representatives, and seek additional time before the ratification vote in order to communicate those concerns to fellow union members. On April 6, 2011, the plaintiffs Rich Shelley, James Ozanian and Lance Coles, who are members of the American Postal Workers Union (“APWU”), AFL-CIO, filed motions for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to enjoin the defendant APWU from mailing ballots on April 8, 2011, to its members in connection with the ratification of the new CBA between the APWU and the United States Postal Service (“USPS”). The plaintiffs claim the APWU violated the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (“LMRDA”), 29 U.S.C. § 401 et seq, by conducting the ratification vote of the CBA in a way that deprives the plaintiffs of a “meaningful and informed vote.” Read more
APWU Ballots Mailed, Due Back May 10-Vote on Tentative Contract
The mailing of ballots for ratification of the tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement began April 8 and will be completed April 11, the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee has announced. Ballots are due in the return post office box in New York by 9 a.m. on May 10, and will be counted on May 11.
“We achieved our primary goals: to safeguard jobs and limit the hardships caused by excessing,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “We retained our protection against layoffs and we reclaimed work. In additon, we negotiated restrictions on excessing.
“Our members also will earn wage increases of 3.5 percent, as well as seven uncapped Cost-of-Living Adjustments.” The first raise will be in November 2012. Read more
APWU Members Against Ratification of Tentative Agreement
Randy Zelnick has created a page on 21st Century Postal Worker for APWU Members against Ratification of the APWU Tentative Contract Agreement.
FACTS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE
This page will attempt to provide FULL Disclosure with regard to the proposed language in the Tentative Agreement. There will be little spin and mostly concise language right from the contract with minimal interpretation. The decision on how each of you vote will be left up to the Democratic process and hopefully common sense. Over the next few days we will add information to this page outlining our beliefs on the negative affects to the Membership if this Tentative Agreement is passed.
The contract is still being developed and language could still be added after you vote as per, Number 8 under the First Memorandum of Understanding on page 167 which states, “The parties have reached agreements and agreements in principle on additional contract provisions and new MOU’s as well as understandings on various changes in contract language. Those additions and changes are attached as part of this tentative agreement or are currently being finalized by the parties.” Does this mean, if you vote yes we will later tell you what you voted yes on?
Video: APWU Red Bank, NJ Local President Joe Shrevlin
Massachusetts APWU Local Urges NO Vote On Tentative Agreement