A Tip of the Hat to APWU Legislative Team

Burrus Update #19-06, Dec. 14, 2006

In a Dec. 11 Update, I explained the impact postal “reform” legislation will have on the lives of postal employees and was very critical of the final bill approved by Congress. Omitted from my remarks was my appreciation for the hard work performed by the APWU Legislative Department.

Under the leadership of Director Myke Reid and in concert with Assistant Director Steve Albanese, APWU was well represented and had a significant effect on the final legislation. Absent their tireless efforts, the final bill would have included provisions that would be even more burdensome for postal workers.

As president of the union, it is my job to get results, so I do not make excuses for anything less than a clear victory: Postal reform as presented in this legislation will ultimately retard improvements for postal employees. “What if” will not be an adequate explanation for wage cuts in the years to come. And employees will draw no comfort from the small victories achieved in the process leading to passage of legislation designed to erode their wages and benefits.

APWU had a presence throughout the legislative process. Although we were unable to kill a bad piece of legislation, we were influential in drafting major parts of the bill that will be less onerous for postal employees. I am proud of the leadership demonstrated by the APWU Legislative Department, and look forward to its contributions in future battles.

William Burrus
President

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