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Ask President Burrus
Question:
I recently read a summary of the NALC National Rap Session in Los Angeles on Jan. 28. Is it true, as the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers was quoted, that the APWU will not exist in 15 years, due to subcontracting? How vulnerable are we?
Greg, Cookeville (TN) Local
President Burrus:
Our union will be a viable force in the United States Postal Service as long as there is a United States Postal Service.
We are experienced in fighting subcontracting because we have fought this battle — often alone — for many years. We have honed our skills and presently we win many of the subcontracting issues we address. As a result of our efforts, Remote Encoding work and Priority Mail were returned to the Postal Service. In addition, we win a good number of Maintenance Craft subcontracting disputes.
In recent years we have fought for restrictions on excessive worksharing discounts because we believe they subsidize major mailers and encourage subcontracting. Language we supported was inserted in the postal reform law that President Bush signed in December 2006.
Despite these accomplishments, our union’s strength will always depend on the active participation of our membership.
April 5, 2007
APWU President William Burrus
Telephone: 202-842-4250
ABOUT THE
APWU PRESIDENT
The American Postal Workers Union’s top officer is its president, William Burrus. The president has overall responsibility for the operations of the APWU, as directed by the Constitution and Bylaws.
