About Members-at-Large

APWU Members-at-Large work in the smallest offices operated by the USPS, and are not represented by a local union. Members-at-Large (MALs) face special challenges: Without a union structure, they have often found it difficult to stand up for their rights.

And until recently, MALs have lacked some of the most basic protections other union members enjoy — because MALs were not covered by local contracts. That changed on Jan. 25, 2008, when the APWU and USPS signed a landmark agreement establishing a Local Memorandum of Understanding for Offices Without a Local Union Structure.

The LMOU outlines the rules for these small offices on topics that are typically the subject of negotiations at the local level between USPS managers and union officers. (Click here to learn more about the development of the LMOU.)

The negotiation of the LMOU is part of a concerted effort by the APWU to improve representation of MALs and to enhance communication with this often-isolated group of union members.

Approximately 15,000 postal employees work in the small “MAL” post offices across the United States.

[back to top]