Caucus co-chairs, which include Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Jack Bergman (MN-01), and Chris Pappas (NH-01), welcomed attendees and gave opening remarks, followed by the remarks of union leaders, including APWU President Jonathan Smith.

During his remarks, President Smith shared the APWU’s commitment to improving the Postal Service and praised postal workers for the valuable work we do to connect every American home, business, and civic institution across the country and beyond. He also stressed the serious challenges facing the Postal Service at this moment, including the threats of privatization. “Losing the public Postal Service wouldn’t just mean 600,000 postal workers losing their jobs,” said President Smith. “It would mean losing a bedrock of American life.”

Smith reiterated the promise our country made in the U.S. Constitution to move the mail, no matter who you are or where you live, to communicate, conduct business, and engage in civic matters. “So, the APWU rejects efforts to reshape the Postal Service into something other than what it was designed to be—a public, universal service available to all. A place where we see the best of government—a trusted face, a model employer, an anchor of community,” Smith exclaimed.

President Smith stated his appreciation to the members of Congress who are working to advance House Resolution 70 (H. Res. 70) – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the USPS remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization. “I’m heartened to see a majority of the House has signed onto this bipartisan resolution,” said Smith. “Let’s work together to get even more support for H. Res. 70.” To that end, President Smith highlighted common-sense solutions on the table to improve the financial stability of the Postal Service, including changing how the USPS invests in its retirement and health benefit funds and fixing the unfair, decades-old allocation of Civil Service liability. The Postal Service is currently limited to investing in low-yield treasuries for its retirement and health benefit funds and is unable to invest in stocks and bonds. President Smith stated that, “Together, these two fixes could save the USPS billions of dollars a year.”

Concluding his remarks, President Smith said, “I believe the American public doesn’t want just another package delivery company. I believe the American public values a trusted, secure, and familiar face at their door every day. I believe the American public wants an innovative and dynamic Postal Service that continues to evolve, as it always has, to the business, communications, and civic needs of the country. To build that, we will need more creative solutions and more serious investment. We will need the courage to make the case that our public services should be built to serve public needs, not just serve as a last resort. The APWU welcomes those hard conversations. We believe the public is with us. We believe the future of the public Postal Service is bright. And we believe that together, with leaders like you in Congress, and the representatives of postal employees here, we can forge that brighter future together.”

95% of the members who voted, voted “Yes!” in favor of ratification. The vote tally was 34,867 votes for ratification and 1,863 against.

“Congratulations APWU family! I am pleased that our membership recognized the protections that this National Agreement provides to nearly 200,000 postal workers from all divisions,” stated APWU President and lead negotiator Mark Dimondstein. “With absolutely no givebacks, the contract protects the great gains achieved over many years of struggle with the no-layoff protections, full COLA as a true buffer against inflation, regular step increases, the 50-mile limit on excessing, and the two-year automatic conversion from non-career to career. There are general wage increases for the next three years, significant advances in bridging the divisive two-tier wage structure, the first increase in night differential in 30 years, and many positive work-rule changes.

“Every member should be very proud of this huge accomplishment,” he continued. “Our power at the bargaining table was driven by the strength of your solidarity and unity, the foundation of our union.”

Local and state organizations send many resolutions to APWU national conventions that help guide the national negotiators. The kickoff day of action, union gear days, and our “Union Proud, Say it Loud!” contract campaign built the message of unity and solidarity of workroom floor activism, helping secure a solid contract.

The Tentative Agreement was agreed upon and finalized by the negotiating parties on June 2, with the unanimous approval of the National Negotiations Committee and full support of the National Executive Board. It was then unanimously approved by the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee and sent to the members for a ratification vote.

The ratification vote was administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA). A subcommittee of the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee was on site monitoring the entire vote count, which took place on July 10.

“I want to thank all those members who took the time to vote on this Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is an agreement that I am proud to have helped negotiate. The National Negotiations Committee, other officers, and the support staff all worked extremely hard to bring this contract to fruition,” said Industrial Relations Director and Chief Spokesperson Charlie Cash. “But there is more work to be done to get it implemented,” he continued.

Now that the APWU has ratified the new National Agreement, one of the first items to address in its implementation are the retroactive pay increases due to employees. These include the first general wage increase (GWI) of 1.3% for career employees, effective Nov.16, 2024 and the $395 per year cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) due to career employees, effective March 8, 2025.  PSEs, who do not receive COLAs, will receive an extra 1% towards their GWI, for a total of 2.3%, effective Nov. 16, 2024.

APWU-represented bargaining unit employees in the Information Technology/Accounting Services (IT/AS) sector will soon begin programming the payroll system that is required to make these pay changes. Once programming has been completed, retroactive payments will be made to the affected employees, with the dates of these payments to be announced. Please check apwu.org for updated information on your retroactive payments.

Additionally, the APWU and the USPS are in the process of finalizing a print version of the CBA and updating the Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM). Once available, those publications will be posted on apwu.org. In the meantime, the summary terms of the Tentative Agreement can be found visiting apwu.org/tasummary.

“This contract, with no givebacks or concessions, provides a strong foundation for us to build on in the years to come,” concluded APWU President Mark Dimondstein.  “At a time when government workers are facing layoffs and attacks on their union rights, this contract will protect postal workers through the turbulent years ahead.”

As I said then, any attack on the Postal Service is part of the ongoing oligarchs’ coup against the vital public services our members and other public servants provide the country. We know that privatized postal services will lead to higher postage prices, and lower service quality to the public.

No matter who leads the USPS, it is – and must remain – the People’s Postal Service.

Our goals as the APWU remain the same – to defend the public postal service, fight for new and expanded services, to defend the rights of postal workers and fight to improve our pay, benefits, and working conditions. The service our members provide every single day, in every community, are vital to the country. We will continue to lead the fight to ensure that the Postal Service stays in the hands of its rightful owners – the people – and that it continues to provide quality, universal service that the public both relies on and deserves.

The law is clear: the Postal Service was created by Congress as an independent agency, designed to be free from shifting political winds and dedicated solely to serving the country. The law is also clear that the Board of Governors, and it alone, is empowered to hire and fire the Postmaster General. Any attempt by this Administration to seize power from the Board of Governors is unlawful and only makes clear their goal of breaking up and selling off the Postal Service to private corporations.

The APWU calls on the Board of Governors to stand its ground and take its responsibilities seriously. The Board should move as quickly as possible to hire as the next permanent Postmaster General, someone committed to the public service mission of the USPS, who respects the rights of hardworking postal workers, and who will not break up and sell off our public Postal Service.

APWU President Mark Dimondstein

APWU – 5/12/22 – The healthcare system in the United States is profoundly broken. While insurance and pharmaceutical companies post record profits, 28 million people in the country are still uninsured and millions more are forced to forego necessary care because of unaffordable costs. Today, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), introduced a bill, the Medicare for All Act of 2022, that reimagines healthcare as a fundamental human right.

The APWU has long called for single-payer healthcare and is proud to endorse the Medicare for All Act of 2022.

“Postal workers know the value of affordable, universal services, grounded in a commitment to putting people over profits. That’s the type of service we provide the people every day,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “As the experience of the pandemic has tragically underscored, the wellbeing of any of us is deeply tied to the wellbeing of all of us. It’s time for a healthcare system that prioritizes the health of the many over the profits of the few. It’s time for Medicare for All.”

While postal workers already enjoy quality health insurance, the APWU believes that a single-payer system like Medicare for All would benefit not only the uninsured, but postal workers as well. Quite simply, our health plans are far too expensive, for individual postal workers and for our employers. Today, despite the millions of uninsured people, the United States spends far more per capita for healthcare than other similar countries, while achieving worse health outcomes.

Medicare for All would cover everyone and reduce total costs, while eliminating copays and premium payments for everyone. And, by removing healthcare costs from the bargaining table, union members like postal workers would be able to negotiate better pay and other benefits into our union contracts.

“APWU members have long recognized the need of a Medicare for All system, having passed resolutions in support at our national convention,” said Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard.  “We are proud to build on those resolutions and endorse this significant piece of legislation introduced by Senator Sanders.”

The Senate Medicare for All Act, which builds upon a similar bill introduced in the House last year would:

• Guarantee quality healthcare for all Americans through an expanded Medicare program.
• Provide comprehensive health care coverage including all primary care, hospital and outpatient services, dental, vision, audiology, women’s reproductive health services, maternity and newborn care, long-term services and supports, prescription drugs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, laboratory and diagnostic services, ambulatory services, and more.
• Ensure that, upon receiving care, patients would not be charged any co-pays or other out-of-pocket costs.
• Allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices to substantially lower the costs of prescriptions drugs.
• Preserve the ability of veterans to receive their medical benefits and services through the Veterans Administration, and of Native Americans to receive their medical benefits and services through the Indian Health Service.

Indictments unsealed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago allege that credit cards and other financial instruments were stolen from the mail and provided to others in exchange for cash or other items.  Some of the defendants unlawfully obtained USPS customers’ personal identifying information, including dates of birth and Social Security numbers, which was then used to fraudulently activate the stolen cards, the charges allege.  The newly charged USPS employees delivered mail in Chicago or processed and sorted the mail at a USPS facility in suburban Palatine.

Many of the new defendants were arrested Tuesday and have begun making initial appearances in federal court in Chicago.

The indictments and arrests were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; William Hedrick, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; Andre Martin, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Great Lakes Area Field Office of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; and Angie Salazar, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shy Jackson and Paige Nutini, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Madriñan.

Charged with conspiring to steal mail are former USPS employees CHARLESE BENNETT, 31, of Chicago; SHUNTONESE RICHARDSON, 24, of Willowbrook, Ill.; LATIYAH DAVIDSON, 28, of Chicago; C’ORY VONPIER MCNEAL, 32, of Atlanta, Ga.; BRANDY WALKER, 33, of Chicago; and ZAKEYA BLAKE, 24, of Hammond, Ind.  Also charged in the conspiracy are DARAY ROSS HINES, 25, of Chicago; TRAMONT MILLER, 23, of Wheaton, Ill.; MAHLIK WASHINGTON, 30, of Chicago; and WILLIAM CRAWFORD, 33, of Chicago.  Former USPS employee KENNETHIA HOWLEIT, 27, of Chicago, is charged with knowingly receiving and possessing stolen mail.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

In many areas, COVID-19 cases are spiking to all-time highs—higher than even the worst of the early days of the pandemic.  Unfortunately, Postal Employees have not been exempted from the infections and death caused by the Coronavirus.  With each passing day, a new high number is posted for employees who test positive for COVID-19.

The APWU believes that the safety and health of our employees is paramount, and we must use the tools we have in place to keep our sisters, brothers, and customers safe. Masks must be worn in jurisdictions where they are required, and we recommend masks be worn by all employees no matter their location.  Social Distancing must be practiced, and good hygiene practices must be followed.  All APWU members, officers, and stewards must insist management enforce these current policies and procedures.

In order to continue to protecting the safety and health of our members, President Mark Dimondstein and USPS VP of Labor Relations Doug Tulino agreed that all temporary MOUs related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be extended to September 25, 2020. This includes the “Liberal Leave Policy”.

All the MOUs have the same expiration date.  All MOUs can be found at: https://www.apwu.org/coronavirus – Click on “Resources & Documents” to be taken to a list of drop-down menus you can click on to find the various MOUs and documents.

Fair minded people from all walks of life and political viewpoints are deeply disturbed and rightfully outraged by the killing of unarmed and handcuffed African-American George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers.

George Floyd was pinned face down on the ground with a knee on his neck for over eight minutes. Treated less than human, it made no difference that Mr. Floyd repeatedly pleaded for his life, “Please, I can’t breathe.”

Reflecting a long history of oppression worsened with the recent rise of white supremacy emboldened from the highest office of the land, this incident followed recent killings of innocent African American people, while jogging (Ahmaud Arbery) or in their own home (Breonna Taylor). Mostly peaceful but understandably angry protests have erupted throughout the country.

Unions stand for good, living-wage jobs and solidarity of all working people, respect for each other and unyielding commitment to justice, fairness and equality in the workplace and in our neighborhoods in which we live. Postal workers live and work in every community across the nation, including the Minneapolis area. The people of the country are standing with us in defense of the public Postal Service and our good union jobs, and we must also stand with our communities’ demands for justice. Martin Luther King Jr. put it so well: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The APWU national convention is the highest authority of our union. At the 2016 convention, 2000 delegates from around the country, and all races, unanimously supported a “Black Lives Matter” resolution. It stated, “… the APWU will encourage its members to participate in any rallies, petition drives or other actions pursued by the campaign against racial discrimination and for transparency in policing.”

In line with this convention action and with human decency and compassion, with unity and solidarity of all people and the continuing struggle for freedom and civil rights, we encourage our members and locals to speak out, protest and demand justice for George Floyd’s family and community as part of the broader struggle of “liberty and justice for all.”

Let’s fight for a new day. Whether a person is jogging, doing their jobs, birdwatching, driving, being arrested, attending union meetings, or going to and from work, all human beings, regardless of our race and the color of our skin, have the right to be treated with respect and dignity and to life itself.

Neutral Arbitrator and Interest Arbitration Panel Chair Stephen Goldberg issued his binding decision on the terms of the new union contract between the American Postal Workers Union and the United States Postal Service.

The Award was the product of 20 months of preparation, member and local union input, negotiations, mediation, a strong contract campaign and a well-prepared and presented arbitration case. Thirty-two workers testified about their work. Officers and subject matter experts testified for the union. A team of economists presented our case and rebutted management’s presentations for union concessions.

“No interest arbitration is ever totally in favor of one side or the other,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “But we have achieved a number of our major goals including retroactive annual pay raises, maintaining of full (and retroactive) COLA, narrowing the gap between the lower and higher career pay scales, the career conversions of thousands of PSEs and maintaining tremendous job security. We should all be proud to be union!”

“We also succeeded in stopping management’s deeply concessionary demands to end no-lay protections, increase percentages of non-career employees and create a new lower third tier of career employees,” shared Industrial Relations Director Vance Zimmerman. “I want to thank the many officers, witnesses, staff, attorneys, specialists and the members for their many efforts in this long battle that helped bring it to a strong conclusion.”

Unless specifically changed by this Award, all rights and benefits in the previous contract carry forward into the new one. These include seniority and bidding rights, protections against unjust discipline, the grievance procedure, annual and sick leave, holiday and overtime pay, health and safety protections and so many of the important rights and benefits won over many decades of struggle.

Click here to read the full award. Below are the highlights and significant changes contained in the Award.

In light of the importance of the presidential election and in response to many inquiries from members as to the union leadership’s position, a number of “top tier” candidates, or their designees, were invited to address the Executive Board. Candidates who oppose the public Postal Service were not invited.

“We’re pleased that a number of presidential candidates have positions and have taken actions supportive of postal workers and expanding union rights. But when we judge candidates by their long-term and consistent actions, Bernie Sanders stands out as a true champion of postal workers and all workers throughout the country,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein.

“Bernie Sanders has proven he is a fierce advocate on the side of postal workers. He has opposed the closures of postal facilities and reduced service standards. He has been a leader in the fight for expanded postal financial services and was the lone senator who stopped postal privatizers from appointments to the Postal Board of Governors.”

Senator Sanders’ commitment to working people extends far beyond postal workers. He has a long record of walking picket lines, fighting for living wages and health care as a human right, advocating for veterans’ benefits, promoting expansion of social security and opposing every job-killing trade deal like NAFTA. Because of his record, Senator Sanders is now rated as the most popular senator.

The positions of the Sanders campaign align with the APWU’s core principles of social and economic justice for all, as expressed in our union Constitution and by delegates to our national conventions.

In a speech to APWU convention delegates, Sanders displayed his long and passionate commitment to the public Postal Service and opposition to all efforts aimed at postal privatization: “The beauty of the Postal Service is that it provides universal service six days a week to every corner of America, no matter how small or how remote. It provides decent paying union jobs to some 500,000 Americans and is the largest employer of veterans…. Yet, the Postal Service is under constant and vicious attack. The same billionaires who want to privatize Social Security, Medicare and public education also want to privatize the Postal Service….The wealthy and the powerful see an opportunity for Wall Street and corporate America to make billions in profits out of these services and couldn’t care less how privatization or degradation of services affects ordinary Americans.”

Bernie Sanders accepts zero corporate dollars and his “Not Me, Us” campaign slogan reflects Sanders’ belief that the campaign is not about electing one individual but rather, “… building a movement with millions of Americans to take on a corrupt political system that holds in place a rigged economy.”

“The National Executive Board encourages members and their families to be registered to vote and where available sign up for absentee ballots to exercise this “vote by mail” option, continued Mark Dimondstein. “The Executive Board fully recognizes and respects that our members come from all walks of life, hold many differing political beliefs and vote according to their own conscience. However, for the Executive Board to remain silent at a time when the current administration advocates selling the entire public Postal Service to private corporate interests, would be a failure of our leadership. As with 2016, once again the Sanders campaign is boldly uplifting the goals and aspirations of workers. Simply put, we believe it is in the interests of all postal workers, our job security and our union to support and elect Bernie Sanders as president.”