THE BULLETIN BOARD
January 2007
[January 13th]Membership Ratifies Four-Year Contract
excerpted from the APWU News Bulletin #02-2007
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."
The agreement provides for a 1.3 percent wage increase, effective Nov. 25, 2006; upgrades for all APWU-represented employees, effective Feb. 16, 2008; a 1.2 percent raise, effective Nov. 21, 2009; and two Cost-of-Living Adjustments each year.
New contract language will result in the conversion of approximately 10,000 part-time flexibles, and will eliminate Clerk Craft PTFs as a workforce category in offices of 200 work-years or more, effective Dec. 1, 2007. (A list of offices of 200 work-years or more will is posted at www.apwu.org -- Man Years.) The agreement also will change the restrictions on the use and number of casual employees.
The Postal Service will pay 95 percent of healthcare premiums for employees enrolled in the APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan, effective in 2008. The employees' share of healthcare premium costs in other plans will increase 1 percent each year in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Participation among members was above 40 percent, which is a significant improvement over previous balloting. Nevertheless, Burrus said that he had hoped for a higher level of membership involvement in the vote.
The vote count occurred Jan. 12, under the supervision of the American Arbitration Association. Members of the Rank-and-File Committee monitored the vote count. Princella Vogel, chairperson of the committee, announced the results at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, shortly after the counting of ballots was complete.
Results showing the voting by individual locals will be posted on the APWU Web site as soon as they become available. The local-by-local count is expected to take several weeks.
[January 12th]Four Scholarships Available to PMAPWU's Children
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Scholarship Essay Contest
- Type: Academic Scholarship
- First Prize-$2,000.00, Second Prize-$1,000.00, Third Prize-$500.00
- Graduating high school seniors, all post secondary students, and affiliated Union members attending institutions, are eligible.
- Deadline to apply is January 31, 2007.
- You can download an application from the PA AFL-CIO website.
Vocational Scholarship
- Applicants must be a senior attending high school or other corresponding secondary school. Applicants must be a child or grandchild, including stepchild or legally adopted child of an active member, Retiree's Department member, or deceased member of the American Postal Workers Union.
- Type: Vocational Scholarship
- $1,000.00 for three consecutive years or until completion of course, with total not exceeding $3,000.00..
- Application is to be received no later than March 15, 2007.
- You can download an application at the APWU's scholarship information page.
The E.C. Hallbeck Memorial Scholarship
- Type: Academic Scholarship
- $1,000.00 for each of four consecutive years of college
- Applicants must be a senior attending high school or other corresponding secondary school. Applicants must be a child or grandchild, including stepchild or legally adopted child of an active member, Retiree's Department member, or deceased member of the American Postal Workers Union.
- Applications are to be received no later than March 15, 2007.
- You can download an application at the APWU's scholarship information page.
Patrick McShane Memorial Scholarship Program
- Type: Academic Scholarship
- $500.00 for one year, or per award.
- Applicants must be a current graduating high school senior or a college undergraduate whose parent or legal guardian is a current active member in PMAPWU.
- Application must be received by May 18, 2007.
If you are interested in obtaining further information, or would like an application for these scholarships, please contact the Union Hall, (412) 321-4700.
[January 1st]A Happy and Prosperous New Year to All!
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