Postal Reform Update

Senate Panel Adopts Amendment To Limit Worksharing Discounts
Committee Approves Postal Reform Bill

News Service #09-2004, June 3, 2004 | PDF

In an important victory for workers, consumers and small businesses, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee voted June 2 to amend a postal reform bill so that it would limit excessive worksharing discounts. Panel members voted 9-8 in favor of an amendment offered by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) before approving the bill unanimously. The amendment included provisions sought by the APWU and consumer organizations.

Voting in favor of the amendment were the Senate committee's eight Democrats, and Republican Arlen Specter (PA). Voting with Lieberman were Tom Carper (DE), the bill's chief Democratic co-sponsor, Carl Levin (MI), Daniel Akaka (HI), Richard Durbin (IL), Mark Dayton (MN), Frank Lautenberg (NJ), and Mark Pryor (AR). Republicans voting against Lieberman's amendment were committee chair Susan Collins (ME), Ted Stevens (AK), George Voinovich (OH), Norm Coleman (MN), Robert Bennett (UT), Peter Fitzgerald (IL), John Sununu (NH) and Richard Shelby (AL). The Postal Enhancement and Accountability Act (S. 2468) can now go before the full Senate.

"If postal reform legislation passes this year, it will have the strong imprint of the American Postal Workers Union," said President William Burrus after the vote. "We have worked long and hard to expose these unjustified giveaways to corporate mailers. We are pleased that a majority of senators on the committee stood up for the best interests of postal workers, the Postal Service, and the American people.

"The Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service, composed of more than 150 business mailers and two postal unions, were formidable opponents on the issue of corporate giveaways," Burrus said. "APWU's position was the right position for postal workers and the American public. We are pleased it carried the day.

"However, the union remains concerned about provisions of the Senate bill that would restrict the rights of injured postal workers. We object to any legal disparity between postal employees and other federal workers," the union president said. "We will urge lawmakers to adopt the House model on this issue.

"The fight is not over," Burrus cautioned. "The bill is subject to amendment when it is considered by the full Senate, and we must ensure that our position on corporate subsidies remains clear as the bills move through the legislative process."

The House Government Reform Committee unanimously passed a similar bill (H.R. 4341) last month.

New Look for News Service

The APWU News Service has undergone a transformation, and we hope the new format increases readership. The redesign is an effort to make the bulletins easier to copy, distribute, and read. Thanks to all those union members who responded to our request for ideas about how better to communicate with our members on the important issues of the day.

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