The Industrial Relations Department plays a major role in our organization's ongoing struggle for better wages and improved working conditions and benefits.
Resources from the Industrial Relations Department
Coronavirus disease 2019 Resources
Latest News from the Industrial Relations Department
July 8, 2020
Work Year List
The APWU and the USPS have agreed to the work year list for the term of the 2018-2021 National Agreement. Work years (...
June 26, 2020
APWU Executive Board Reschedules the National Convention for October 2021
The National Executive Board has made the decision to reschedule the 2020 APWU National Convention to Monday, October 4...
May 19, 2020
June Training Webinars
The Industrial Relations Department will be holding a series of Webinars during the month of June for local leaders,...
May 13, 2020
Payment of Retroactive Pay Increases
Retroactive payments for the pay increases under the 2018-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement, have been scheduled for...
About the Industrial Relations Department
The Director of Industrial Relations is charged with responsibility for labor management, national negotiations, mechanization, safety and health for all divisions of the union, and the administration of the collective bargaining agreement.
The Industrial Relations Department's responsibilities and duties include the following activities:
- Administration of the contract negotiation process
- Interpretation and application of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (specifically Articles 1 through 36)
- Appointment and payment of arbitrators
- National-level grievances and disputes
- Compliance with arbitration awards
- Safety and Health
- Appeals to the "Administrative Dispute Resolution Process" (e.g., Step Promotion, Lump Sum, National Level Settlement)
- Family Medical Leave Act appeals and related issues
- Unfair Labor Practice charges
- Legal issues such as Privacy Act, Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) law and procedure, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Veterans Preference Act
- Collective Bargaining Reports (CBRs)
- Administration of computerized systems concerning the grievance-arbitration process and other provisions of the National Agreement through APWU Search, the Arbitration Payment and Scheduling System (APSS), the Step 3 Case Administration System (Step 3 CAS) and the Step 4 Case Administration System (Step 4 CAS)
- Tracking and reporting on the Consumer Price Index
- Research of arbitration, court and administrative decisions