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President's Viewpoint
Major Goals Achieved; More Struggles Ahead
(This article first appeared in the September/October 2007 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)
As we head into the final months of the year, we can reflect on the accomplishments achieved through our collective efforts.
Contract negotiations were concluded late last year, with the tentative agreement submitted to the membership for their approval. Union members voted overwhelmingly to ratify the agreement.
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Other than the retroactive increase (to November 2006), the first monetary installment of this agreement is reflected in the September 2007 Cost-of-Living Adjustment of $686 annually. There will be as many as six additional COLA payments over the course of the 2006-2010 national agreement.
On Feb. 16, 2008, every APWU-represented employee in the Clerk, Maintenance and Motor Vehicle Crafts will receive an upgrade to the next highest pay level. This upgrade will apply in all offices — regardless of their size — and to all employees, regardless of the duties assigned to them.
The unrestricted upgrades have been a major objective of the union in recent years and were finally achieved in the 2006 contract negotiations. The drumbeat for upgrades followed the success of the letter carriers union in their 1998 interest arbitration, which upgraded letter carriers. Since then, APWU-represented employees have expected — and demanded — a return to the parity of pay grades.
Some progress towards this objective was achieved in APWU’s 2001 contract arbitration and in the 2003 and 2005 contract extensions, with the union’s success in upgrading mail processors, skilled maintenance positions, Motor Vehicle Operators, and several other job descriptions. But we would not declare total success until every employee — regardless of craft and assignment — was rewarded with an upgrade.
The upgrades achieved in the new contract place all APWU-represented employees in the next highest pay level and are accompanied by credit for service toward the next step increase.
We can be proud of these achievements, which will reward employees for the services performed in maintaining the best postal system in the world. But it is important to remember that it is only through the efforts of the union that this and other major achievements are realized. To those employees who continue to claim a justification for their non–membership, I can only say shame — shame that you are not a part of our past progress, and shame that you choose not to be a part of our future struggles.
We await a court ruling in the APWU lawsuit against the Postal Service and the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) on the subject of inclusion: The complaint asserts that a public institution such as the Postal Service cannot engage in secret meetings and deny membership to all interested and eligible parties.
As it stands, this joint committee of the Postal Service and big mailers discusses and reviews studies on a wide range of issues affecting the American public and postal employees. Recommendations and implementing plans are then presented to the unions as part of a “consultation” process that offers little opportunity to make suggestions for change or present alternatives. This cabal, operating through a series of secret meetings, is essentially running the United States Postal Service.
A lawsuit should not have been necessary. The fact that it was necessary prompts several important questions: What do the USPS and big mailers have to hide? Why would they refuse to permit public observation of the workings of the organization?
The Postal Service is an arm of the federal government, clearly established “for the people, by the people.” Government in secret is dangerous and ultimately leads to illegal behavior. Despite our continuing disagreements over the favorable rates and service provided to large mailers, frankly, I am surprised that Postmaster General John Potter would countenance the involvement of postal management in these secret activities with the large mailers.
APWU National Election
In September, ballots for the APWU election of national officers will be mailed to the homes of each member. I urge every member to vote.
The democratic principles of our union have value only if the membership engages in the process and expresses its wishes. Postal employees have no excuse for not voting. The postage is prepaid and, as postal employees, each member reports to a postal facility each working day. You need only to remember to bring the completed ballot along with you.
As with the contract extension vote in 2005, the national union will hold a competition regarding voter participation and will reward the locals — in different “size” categories — that vote at the highest percentages. (For details, see below.) The incentive for engaging the membership in the election process will be cash payments to be used on behalf of the membership at the discretion of the locals. Tickets to movies or ball games, membership parties, or T-shirts reflecting the local’s ranking are among the benefits that could be awarded to local members for exercising their APWU right to vote.
Your local should be a winner — but it can win only if you vote.
Get Out the Vote To encourage voter participation, the APWU will reward locals with the greatest percent of membership involvement, with the top three locals in each of several categories receiving compensation to be used on behalf of the members. To be eligible, locals must reach a voter participation level of at least 50 percent. Number of Members Prize
If more than three locals in any category generate 100 percent participation, all “100%” locals will receive awards. |
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.
