Your COLA is here!

Today career USPS workers covered by the APWU-USPS contract are seeing a paycheck with more money today. Whether it’s your car payment, gas to get to work, or maybe extra food in the pantry - this bump is because members said “we need wages that respect our work.” 
 

We have to tell the story that this increase is thanks to members fighting at the bargaining table. By coming together in our union, we can collectively demand improvements that we wouldn’t win.
 

We can make changes if we come together. If you're not yet an APWU member join today.

 

If you are already a member, text 91990 to commit to ask a not-yet-union coworker to join our movement.

 

BUILD UNION POWER!›

There’s some exciting news for PSEs. Postal Support Employees are now eligible for the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). The program includes comprehensive dental and vision benefits for employees who choose self, self plus one, and self and family coverage. 

Enrollment is open now through September 24 – so don’t wait. After that, you’ll only be able to enroll during the annual “open season” or withing 60 days of a qualifying life event.

Premiums for FEDVIP are paid by the employee with no agency contributions. Several regional and national plans are available. Participating PSEs pay premiums post-tax.

You can learn more and enroll at www.benefeds.com or call 1-888-337-FEDS.

In accordance with the 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), career employees represented by the APWU will receive a $0.48 per hour cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), effective Aug. 26, 2023 (separate CBAs covering IT/AS and HRSSC provide COLAs but on a different cycle).

The COLA boosts pay by $998 annually for full-time, career workers. It will appear in paychecks dated Sept. 15, 2023 (Pay Period 20-2023).

The increase is the result of a rise in the July Consumer Price Index (CPI-W).

Because Postal Support Employees (PSEs) do not receive cost-of-living increases, they have received several additional increases beyond the annual general wage increases that all employees receive under the 2021 contract. However, when PSEs convert to career, the COLA increases are also included in their wages going forward.

Total cumulative COLAs under 2021 Contract equals $2.39 per hour, or $4,971 annually

The COLAs are separate from and additional to annual general wage increases and step increases. This is the fourth cost-of-living increase under the 2021 CBA.

The first COLA, effective in February 2022, amounted to $0.63 per hour or $1,310.00 annually. The second, effective in August 2022 was $1.18 per hour or $2,455.00 annually. The third, effective March 11, 2023, was $0.10 per hour, or $208.00 annually. The total cumulative amount received so far in COLAs during the 2021-2024 CBA is $2.39 per hour, or $4,971 annually.

“After two years of high inflation, our union-won COLA is more valuable to postal workers and our families than ever,” said APWU President, Mark Dimondstein. “Postal Workers are some of the few U.S. workers who receive these increases and no one should take these benefits for granted. Even in the postal world, the APWU is the only postal union that has maintained full COLA in our contracts.”

Updated paycharts will be available in the coming days. Check back for updates.

Now is the Time to Continue to Build our Union!

Having a full COLA is a big deal that benefits us all, and maintaining it is no small feat. Our COLA comes from our union negotiated contract, but the contract is only as strong as our membership. Next year (2024) the APWU will be in negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

We All Have a Role to Play!

Building union power makes us all stronger. Every new member of the APWU is a new postal worker’s voice speaking up for good jobs at the USPS, whether it be a voice for better pay, better benefits, better service or demanding a better work environment with respect. Our Strength is in our numbers!

By stepping up and committing to organizing for a strong APWU you are helping build a better tomorrow for us all.

What Can You Do to Build Our Union?

• You can talk to your non-union coworkers about why they should join the union – and sign them up!
• You can attend a union meeting and other union activities -- and encourage your co-workers to join with you.  
• Join a union committee within your local/state organization, or consider becoming a shop steward.

For more information visit www.apwu.org/join or scan the QR code below:

The 2023 APWU Leave Calendar and Leave Chart are now available on the APWU website under Frequently Requested Resources.  The Leave Calendar is a great resource identifying pay periods, pay days, and holidays. The Leave Chart can be used to track current balances of advanced annual, earned annual and sick leave, as well as what leave has been used. The files are in PDF for easy downloading and printing.

The official results [PDF – Members Only] of the APWU Election of National Officers have been tabulated and were certified by the American Arbitration Association on Oct. 7. A summary will be published in the November-December issue of The American Postal Worker. 

The results have now been separated by local and posted to the Members Only section. Uncontested offices are not shown in the web posting, but will be listed in the magazine.

Ballots for the 2022 Election of APWU National Officers will be mailed to members’ homes, along with the election magazine, on Wednesday, Sept. 14. All members in good standing as of June 17, 2022, will receive a ballot.

To be counted, ballots must be returned to and received in the designated post office box in Washington, DC, by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

Union members are encouraged to follow the balloting instructions carefully. To protect the privacy of your vote, place your ballot in the secret ballot envelope, and insert it into the mailing envelope. Information on the mailing envelope must be completed to identify legitimate voters, but mailing envelopes will be separated from secret ballot envelopes before votes are counted.

Members in good standing who have not received their ballots by Monday, Sept. 19, should notify their local or contact the American Arbitration Association between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m (Eastern Time) at 800-529-5218 to request a duplicate. Ballots may also be requested by visiting: www.electionsaaa.org/ballotrequest/apwu

All requests for duplicate ballots must include the member’s name, address, email address, employee ID number (or retiree ID number), the last four digits of the Social Security number, division (craft), local, and the reasons for the request.

The APWU National Election Committee will take custody of the ballots from the designated post office box at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5. Votes will be tallied at the Hyatt Regency Washington, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001.

Unofficial election results will be posted on the union’s website, www.apwu.org, as soon as they are available, and will be updated frequently. Official results will be posted as soon as they are available, as well. For more information, visit www.apwu.org.

Attend a virtual health fair

As we get ready for Postal Service Employee conversions, APWU Health Plan is here to help. Becoming a career employee is a life-changing and exciting time for a PSE. We want to educate new career employees on Health Plan benefits. As you know, we have two great plans that offer strong benefits for APWU members and their families.

Thursday, September 8, 1 pm–3 pm ET, Register Now

Thursday, September 22, 1 pm–3 pm ET, Register Now

Once registered, you will get an email confirmation with a GoToWebinar link and dial-in information. On the day before the virtual health fair date you selected, we will email you a reminder and include the dial-in information with instructions.

In accordance with the 2021-2024 Collective Bar­gaining Agreement, career employees represented by the APWU will receive a $1.18 per hour cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), effective August 27, 2022.

The increase is the result of a rise in the Consum­er Price Index (CPI-W). It will appear in paychecks dated September 16, 2022 (Pay Period 19-2022). The value of the COLA for full-time employees in each step and grade will increase by $2,455.00 annually, and the hourly rates for part-time employ­ees will be adjusted accordingly.

The COLAs are in addition to general wage increases. This is the second cost-of-living increase under the 2021 contract. The first, effective in February, amounted to $0.63 per hour or $1,310 annually. The COLAs received so far during the 2021-2024 National Agreement total $3,765.00 this year.

In light of the fact that Postal Support Employees (PSEs) do not receive cost-of-living increases, they have received several additional increases beyond the general wage increases for all employees in the APWU bargaining unit under the 2021 contract.

Rising inflation underscores just how important the continuation of our negotiated Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is in our outstanding new union contract. The COLA is our best protection against inflation. Postal Workers are some of the few U.S. workers who receive COLA increases. Even in the postal world, we are the only postal union that has maintained full COLA in our union contract.

“At times of high inflation, our union-won COLA is invaluable to ourselves and our families,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “It pays to be union! It’s always a struggle to keep these COLA provisions and every postal worker should be proud we fought hard and prevailed to keep full COLA in our latest contract.”

Go to apwu.org/pay-information to view pay scales.

Last week we announced the APWU was preparing collective actions in response to the unacceptable delay in retroactive payments won in the 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Today, after concerted struggles with postal management, management has finally provided the union with firm dates the payments will be received by postal workers in APWU-represented crafts.

The retroactive payments will be processed on October 11, 2022. They will appear as a pay adjustment on paychecks received October 28, 2022.

“Those in management responsible for overseeing these payroll changes had so little respect for postal workers that they apparently thought a May 2023 date for the retroactive payments would somehow be acceptable. This was outrageous,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “Postal workers earned this pay, we deserve it, and we’re not in the business of giving management interest-free loans on the back of our labor. While we’re still unsatisfied with the delay, we sent a message and have gotten firm dates months in advance of management’s plan.”

“This delay in retroactive payments was unacceptable to everyone in our union,” said APWU Director of Industrial Relations Charlie Cash. “While we’re glad to have dates to look forward to, we will still file a national-level grievance seeking an appropriate remedy for all affected postal employees.”

The CBA included the following pay adjustments:

• Effective November 20, 2021: General wage increases of 1.3 percent
• Effective Nov. 20, 2021: Additional 1 percent pay raise for PSEs (who do not receive COLA)
• Effective September 25, 2021: New pay scale for Grade 11
• Effective Feb 26, 2022: Sixty-three cents/hour COLA, for career employees
• Effective April 9, 2022: Fifty cents/hour increase for the PSEs effective

Each of the above adjustments were programmed and included in our wages on June 4, 2022, with the exception of the 50 cents/hour due to the PSEs. That management error was corrected and included in pay from July 30, 2022.

The retroactive payments due to workers consists of the above adjustments on hours worked from June 4, 2022 going back to their respective effective dates, and between April 9 and July 30 for the PSE fifty-cent increase.

We will keep members updated on the grievance process regarding this unacceptable delay. 

The official and final version of the 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement  has been completed. The linked PDF is being made available for immediate use. The file is fully searchable and bookmarked.

Files have been sent over to the printer and the printing has begun on the hard-copy version of the contract. Once printing has been completed each local will receive a limited number of copies for their use. Additional copies will be made available for pre-purchase on the APWU Store in the coming days.

We, the WVPWU Executive Board, are pleased to announce the final details for the 2022 WV Convention and Spring Seminar. This year, we’re excited to announce a special one-day beginners steward training. It’s our goal to help Local’s with the challenges we all face. We often forget that we’re not born with the knowledge and skills needed to be a successful steward in today’s post office. The WVPWU is offering this to any member of your local with no charge for supplies. An attendee does not have to be a delegate to attend.

Tentative Itinerary:

Wednesday, April 27^th

8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Steward Training provided by the WVPWU. Lunch will also be provided by the WVPWU.

Thursday, April 28^th

8:00 am – Registration

8:30 am – Convention Called to Order

9:00 am – Training provided by each craft Business Agent

11:30 am – Lunch

12:30 pm – Training provided by the Eastern Area Coordinator

Friday, April 29^th

9: 00 am – Convention reconvenes, guest speakers, committees

6:00 pm - Banquet

Saturday, April 30^th

9:00 am – Convention reconvenes

Location:

Hotel Website

1 304-345-6500

Directions

The State Convention will be held at the Charleston Marriott Town Center.  The room rate is $109.00 per night. A block of rooms are reserved under American Postal Workers Union. APRIL 6^TH IS THE FINAL DAY TO REGISTER FOR A ROOM AT THIS RATE!!!  This year, to offset the cost of inflation, the Registration fee is set at $75.00 per delegate.

Hospitality will be provided Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings. Breakfast will be setup outside the conference room Thursday – Saturday. If you’re hungry for more breakfast, they do provide a buffet for 14.99. Thanks to the efforts of the Charleston Area Local, parking at the hotel with 24-hour security has been negotiated at $7/day.

All delegate registration forms must be received no later than March 29^th at either reneesteele@wvpwu or to WVPWU PO Box 9054 Huntington, WV 25704. For the sake of the host local, we encourage you to have these returned ASAP. They’re planning on providing T-Shirts which require early ordering.

We’re very excited to be meeting in person again after the last two years. We encourage everyone to practice social distancing, adhere to local guidelines for facemasks, and if possible, test negative prior to attendance. If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to the WVPWU President.

In solidarity,

The American Postal Workers Union and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) announced APWU President and Lead Negotiator Mark Dimondstein. The following is a summary of that tentative agreement. The APWU is preparing the complete Tentative Agreement to be sent to members with their ratification ballot. Detailed information on the ratification vote will be announced in the near future.

To learn more about the Tentative Agreement, sign up to attend a virtual town hall webinar at apwu.org/townhall

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Contract Time Period

• Three-year contract: September 21, 2021 through September 20, 2024 

General Annual Wage Increases and Cost of Living Allowances (COLA)  

• 1.3% November 20, 2021 (Will be Retroactive) 

• 1.3% November 19, 2022 

• 1.3% November 18, 2023 

• Six (6) Cost of Living Allowances (COLA) for career employees (March and September of each year) with no change to the current formula based on the July 2021 CPI-W. (After the fourth month of the six-month measuring period, the COLA increase is at $0.39 per hour and will be based on the January 2022 CPI-W Index) 

• PSEs receive the general wage increases and an additional 1% increase each year in lieu of COLA (i.e. 2.3% each November)  

• $0.50/hour additional increase for PSEs effective the first pay period of the second full month after the Agreement is ratified 

Job Security 

• No Lay-off protections for career employees with six years of service remain in full-force and effect. 

• Any current career employee on the rolls as of September 20, 2021, with less than six years of service will be included in the no lay-off protections for the life of the National Agreement, providing an additional 72,000 career employees protection from lay-offs. 

• 50-mile limit on excessing of employees 

• The current moratorium on subcontracting of Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) work will continue in its present form during life of the Agreement

Holiday Pay 

• Juneteenth added to the holidays for career employees for a total of 11 paid holidays per year 

• PTF pay rate will be increased to reflect a total of 11 holidays each year, increase will be effective on January 1, 2022 

Health Insurance 

• No change to the Postal Service contribution to premiums for those participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.  

• 95% Postal Service contribution to premiums of the APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP) 

• PSEs converted to career will receive credit for time they were enrolled in a FEHBP plan towards the 1-year qualifying period for the 95% Postal Service contribution to CDHP premiums 

Enhanced Level 8 & 11 Pay Scales 

• Grade 8 Pay Scale:  

• Bottom Steps FF-AA eliminated with Step A becoming the first Step. 

• New top Step P added  

• Employees currently in Grade 8 will move into new steps while retaining all credit toward next step 

  • Steps FF-BB moved to Step A

  • Step AA moved to Step B

  • Steps B-O moved up one Step 

• Grade 11 Pay Scale increased by an average of 2.3% prior to any general increases or COLAs 

Part-Time Flexible (PTF) Work Rules 

• Schedule guarantee of 24-hour per pay period, increased from 2 hours a pay period 

• Guaranteed at least four hours of work or pay when scheduled 

• Forty (40) hours of annual leave will be advanced at the start of each leave year for immediate use 

• Guaranteed a minimum of one (1) non-scheduled day each service week except during the peak season exception period with notice Wednesday the week prior  

• Within 90-days of ratification a One-time Voluntary Transfer Opportunity to residual full time regular vacancies in larger offices within a district. 

Automatic Conversion of PSEs in Level 20 offices and above 

• PSEs will be converted to career status upon reaching 24-months of relative standing 

  • Clerk PSEs assigned to offices Grade 21 or higher will be converted to Full-Time Flexible with such assignments made in accordance with the Clerk Craft provisions of Art. 37.4

  • Clerk PSEs assigned to Grade 20 offices will be converted to Part-Time Flexible

  • MVS PSEs assigned in any size office will be converted to Part-Time Flexible

  • PSEs converted under this provision start at a new Step GG in Grades 5-7 and Step A in Grade 8. 

  • Automatic Conversion does not apply to PSEs assigned to Grade-4 RMPOs 

• Conversions will still occur prior to the 24-months 

  • The “Filling of Residual Vacancy MOU” and Article 37.5.D remains in full force and effect 

  •  MVS Craft Conversions will be made in accordance with Article 39.2.A.11 

  • Conversion occurring earlier to 24-months start at Step FF for Grades 5-7 and Step-A for Grade 8 

Other PSE Provisions 

• Forty (40) hours of advanced annual leave upon completion of an initial 360-day PSE appointment in Level 20 offices and above. 

• PSEs assigned to Level 4 RMPOs receive an additional one (1) hour of paid annual leave per pay period upon completion of two (2) 360-day appointments 

• PSEs assigned to Level 4 RMPOs upon completion of two 360-day appointments will receive 40 hours of advance leave. 

• PSEs will be offered one (1) non-scheduled day each service week except during peak season with notice the Wednesday the week prior.  

PSE Staffing 

• The 12 PSEs per District assigned to Level 4 RMPOs will no longer count against the 20% District cap  

• 10 PSEs in the 46 Package Support Annexes (PSAs) will not count against the District cap (for a total maximum of 460 PSEs) and will be allowed to work in any facility in the installation the PSA is attached to 

• A four (4) weeks “ramp-up” period prior to the start of accounting period 3, the 20% PSE District cap will be temporarily increased by 1% per week equating to no more than a 4% increase. 

• New protections for the OTDL during “ramp-up” whereby prior to utilizing a PSE more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a service week, qualified and available employees on the appropriate OTDL will be utilized. No requirement to use an OTDL employee on the second non-scheduled at the penalty rate prior to using a PSE in excess of 40 hours.  

Uniform/Work Clothes Program Allowances 

• 2.5% increase to the uniform/work clothes allowances in 2022, 2023, and 2024 

• Delivery/Sales Service Distribution Associate (DSSDA) will receive Type 1 uniform allowance 

• New “Rollover” program where unused funds can carry over to a successor allowance year 

Additional Work Rule Improvements 

• Remote Encoding Center staffing ratio changed to 62% Full-time Regular and 38% PSE and all career duty assignments are Full-time Regular. 

• 90-day waiting period to use annual leave eliminated for new career employees with 90-days continuous service prior to their conversion.  

• Updated the Deaf and Hard of Hearing MOU  

• Work Environment Improvement Task Force 

• Work Place Free of Harassment 

• Enhanced and Expanded Services 

• Environmental/Sustainability issues, EAP, and Child and Elder care, included in the jurisdiction of the National Labor Management Committee 

• District Safety Committees made permanent 

• Right of Union Officials to Enter Postal Installations 

• Regional Safety and Health Representative Training Opportunities 

• Repromotion MOU  

• Article 8 Task Force to address excessive overtime, particularly in relation to non-list employees 

• Election Mail Task Force MOU 

• Full per diem for employees traveling to NCED  

Additional Clerk Craft Provisions 

• Window training starts within 10-days after posting of the senior bidder 

• Updated NTFT duty assignments language 

• Pilot program to test new pecking order for the assignment of PTF Hub Clerks  

• Filling of Residual Vacancy MOU updated 

Additional Motor Vehicle Service Craft Provisions 

• PTFs identified for conversion to FTR converted within 28-days 

• APWU will have opportunity to submit recommendations on new vehicles prior to specifications being sent to contractors and before manufacturing and completion of new vehicles 

• National committee established to address training initiative and opportunities  

• HCR limitation on Subcontracting MOU remains in full force and effect. 

Additional Maintenance Craft Provisions 

• No additional custodial staffing packages will change from MS-47 TL-3 to TL-5 for life of the contract 

• Change the calculation method of PS Form 4852 for Juneteenth Holiday 

• Annual cap on the number of times an employee can be involuntarily assigned to off-site training courses  

• Career employee may request to be tested for maintenance craft positions and if rated eligible may request placement on the appropriate in-service register.  

• Updates to the posting of relief assignments in the craft 

• Agreement to consolidate and upgrade multiple legacy jobs.  

• Employees traveling to NCED for training receive full per diem for length of stay 

Additional Support Services Craft Provisions 

• In Material Distribution Centers Maintenance Mechanic General Grade 7 eliminated and Building Equipment Mechanic Grade 9 added. 

• Penalty Overtime provisions applied to Operating Service employees 

The 2022 APWU Leave Calendar and Leave Chart are now available on the APWU website under Frequently Requested Resources.  The Leave Calendar is a great resource identifying pay periods, pay days, and holidays. The Leave Chart can be used to track current balances of advanced annual, earned annual and sick leave, as well as what leave has been used. The files are in PDF for easy downloading and printing.