THE BULLETIN BOARD
November 2006
[November 21st]USPS and Its Four Postal Unions Agree to Extend Contract Negotiations
The Postal Service and its four largest unions have agreed to extend contract negotiations to 3 p.m. today in hopes of reaching negotiated settlements. The current contracts expired at midnight last night with the National Association of Letter Carriers, American Postal Workers Union, National Rural Letter Carrier's Association and National Postal Mail Handlers Union. The Postal Service and the four unions formally opened national contract negotiations in August.
This year was the first time new contracts were negotiated separately at the same time with all four of the unions. The next APWU Contract Negotiations Update is scheduled for November 29, 2006
[November 20th]2006 Get Out The Vote Winners
At the Local Membership Meeting on November 18, 2006, the following members were picked as the winners of the "Get Out the Vote" drawing:
- John Bialowas Jr, BMC
- Jim Gloeckner, L&DC
- Cathy Leavor, Charleroi
- Cheryl Poindexter, BMC
- Mary Sanchez, Monesson
Thanks to everyone who voted.
[November 20th]APWU Wins Major Maintenance Arbitration Case
(excerpted from the APWU Web News Article #74-06)
The APWU won a major victory last week when Arbitrator Shyam Das sustained a grievance protesting USPS custodial staffing policies. "This landmark award will help the APWU protect the custodial workforce," said Maintenance Division Director Steve Raymer..
The award, dated Nov. 16, requires postal management to rescind the Maintenance Staffing Handbook (MS-47) issued in 2001, which outlined new staffing procedures, and reinstate the 1983 version. The union’s grievance protested the revised MS-47, which eliminated the use of staffing standards based on cleaning frequencies and implemented a staffing policy based upon budget considerations. Performance standards were not changed, but previously-used staffing documents were replaced with budget worksheets.
"This decision is critical to the job security of custodial employees," said APWU President William Burrus. "We are extremely gratified by the award."
[November 12th]USPS & Retirement Counseling
Some APWU-covered employees are under the impression that the Union should provide retirement couseling, while others are being steered into using Shared Services, but almost all are confounded about their loss of access to a USPS individual retirement couselor, which had always previously been provided.
Our representatives— some trained in retirement issues— are strictly prohibited from giving couseling or individual retirement advice.
The USPS would have those obligations passed on to Shared Services, however, the USPS and the APWU reached an agreement on August 4, 2006 that states in part:
"Previously established local methods of providing individual retirement counseling that were discontinued during the pendency of the instant dispute will be restored."
We believe the Pittsburgh District Human Resources Deparment did abandon providing such individual counseling during the dispute, and in not restoring the "previously established local methods," the department is failing to come into compliance with the settlement. The struggle continues.
[November 9th]PMAPWU Serco Members
According to our Collective Bargaining Agreement, November is the time for the parties to review Health and Welfare allocations for 2007. The recalculated value of the Fund is determined by comparing Fund earnings against projected Fund costs, ultimately determining 401K contributions. Schedule E will be updated accordingly.
Fund Earnings are hourly contributions times the actual and estimated number of work hours by the bargaining unit since August 1, 2006.
Projected Fund Costs are primarily associated with insurance and paid sick leave allotments.
2008 allocations are expected to become less speculative, because Fund earnings would be reported for the entire year of 2007, as reviewed in July and then again in November.
[November 6th]"Get Out the Vote" Drawing
At the October 21, 2006 Executive Board Meeting a motion was passed to conduct a "Get Out the Vote" drawing for the November 7, 2006 State and Local Elections.
The Local will award five (5) $100.00 prizes, drawn at random from all eligible members that vote on November 7, 2006.
To be eligible for the drawing, simply notify your steward that you voted. Stewards should relay this information to the Local office. In offices where there are no stewards, members should contact the Local office at (412) 321-4700.
We must be made aware of your drawing eligibility by close of business Friday, November 17, 2006. The drawing will be held at the November 18, 2006 Membership Meeting.
This is an important election for all workers across the country. We encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote.
[November 6th]Union Presents Economic Proposals
(excerpted from the APWU News Bulletin #12-2006)
After offering a blunt assessment of the first two months of negotiations, APWU President William Burrus presented the USPS with economic proposals on Nov. 6, calling for raises and upgrades that are commensurate with union members' performance over the six years of the contract that expires Nov. 20.
Burrus then made the following economic proposals for a contract of three years duration:
- Basic annual salary increases of 4 percent, effective Nov. 25, 2006, Nov. 24, 2007, and Nov. 22, 2008;
- Semi-annual COLA increases, using the current formula with a base month of October 2006, based on the change in the CPI-W Index points for January 2007, July 2007, January 2008, July 2008, January 2009, and July 2009;
- Upgrades;
- Return of Night Differential to 10 percent of the basic hourly straight-time rate;s
- Continuation of the bi-weekly Employer contribution for Federal Employees Health Benefits Program self-only and self-and-family plans at 85 percent of the weighted average biweekly premiums; and
- Conversion of the current uniform and work-clothes allowances to a centralized purchasing and distribution system for required on-the-job clothing.
Burrus said that postal workers are proud of their contributions to the financial success of the Postal Service over the course of the 2000-2006 contract, a time that he described as "an unprecedented period of labor stability."
"During this period, the mailing community has enjoyed the benefit of this stability, and increases in postage rates have remained below the rise in the Consumer Price Index."
After a time of financial uncertainty caused by 9/11 and the anthrax terrorism attacks one month later, the APWU president said, USPS revenues have exceeded expenses for three straight years and total mail volume has reached unprecedented levels.
"The employees we represent are responsible for the Postal Service's outstanding achievements," Burrus said, "and are entitled to share in the progress commensurate with their contributions. Our members deserve real bargaining, not bull----."
[November 4th]Contract Talks Take a Discouraging Turn
(excerpted from the Burrus Update, #16-06)
The Postal Service's negative proposals were anticipated, and did not differ drastically from those presented in previous negotiations. As discussions transpired, we held guarded expectations that a final agreement could be reached on or before Nov. 20, the date the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires.
Unfortunately, our hopes came crashing down at the negotiating session held Oct. 31, when management presented a series of proposals that, if adopted, would drastically demean postal employment. The subjects included:
- Elimination of no-layoff protection
- Increased use of casuals
- Expansion of part-time employment
- Elimination of local negotiations
- Modification of holiday scheduling and pay
- Expansion of work and/or time standards
What message is the Postal Service sending by introducing these proposals? Perhaps management has no real interest in reaching a negotiated agreement. If, on the other hand, this is merely a bargaining tactic, postal negotiators should rethink their strategy and work to get back on track by considering how we can move forward together toward a positive conclusion.
[November 2nd]APWU Health Plan: Health Benefits Open Season
November 13 - December 11, 2006
The APWU Health Plan for 2007 offers outstanding benefits while holding the line on employees' premium costs. Not only is it one of the most competitive in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, one month's union dues are waived for new Health Plan members who belong to the APWU. APWU Health Plan is the best deal in FEHB - APWU Health Plan believes in making healthcare affordable, and it will be hard to beat the price in 2007.
Consumer Driven Health Plan: In a recent survey, Consumer Driven Option members said that what they like best is the low premium costs, the fact that there are no co-pays or other out-of-pocket expenses with the Personal Care Account, and that they have the ability to roll over unused PCA benefit dollars to the next year. For 2007 the cost is the same as it was in 2006.
High Option: You receive low costs and high quality, too, with the High Option, which is consistently one of the highest rated health plans in the government's comparison of health plans in FEHB. With the lost cost this year, you get outstanding coverage at a price that is an absolute bargain.
How to Enroll: Complete a Health Benefits Registration Form (SF 2809) by calling PostalEASE at 877-477-3273. You must have a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in order to enroll. You can also enroll on the PostalEASE Employee Web on the Intranet( from the Blue Pages) if you have access. For questions about either way of enrolling, contact your local personnel office.
The enrollment options are: High Option Self Only (471); High Option Self and Family (472); Consumer Driven Health Plan Self Only (474); and Consumer Driven Health Plan Self and Family (475).
Read the summary fact sheet for the APWU Health Plan— print it out and use it to compare!
[November 1st]Members With 25 Years or More
A mailing has recently been sent to Local members who have belonged to the Union for 25 or more continuous years.
It is our plan to recognize these long time members with a special shirt designed by Tour II CGO and Trustee Scott Thompson.
Anyone who believes they have been members for 25 or more years and did not receive the mailing from the Local should contact the Local office at 412-321-4700.
We thank you for your continued support.
Past Issues of the Bulletin Board
[October 2006]
[September 2006] [August 2006]
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