The Industrial Relations Department plays a major role in our organization's ongoing struggle for better wages and improved working conditions and benefits.
Latest News from the Industrial Relations Department
August 10, 2022
Second COLA Increase Announced
In accordance with the 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement, career employees represented by the APWU will...
August 5, 2022
After Pressure, Management Sets Retroactive Pay Date!
Last week we announced the APWU was preparing collective actions in response to the unacceptable delay in retroactive...
July 29, 2022
The Battle for Retroactive Pay is On!
This is an important update on our retroactive pay from the 2021-24 contract and a call to action on securing your hard...
July 11, 2022
Your Rights to a Safe Workplace
(This article first appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) Safety—how often do...
Resources from the Industrial Relations Department
Coronavirus disease 2019 Resources
Previously Adopted Labor Management Resolutions 2012-2018
The previously adopted labor management resolutions passed the delegates to the national conventions up through 2018 has been posted. This resource should be used by state and local organizations when preparing convention resolutions for submission.
What the Proposed Contract Means for Wage Increases
(This article first appeared in the January/February 2022 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
As you are all aware, in December a new tentative agreement was reached with the Postal Service and approved to be sent out to members for ratification by the Rank-and-File Bargaining Advisory Committee. This contract will provide good wage gains, hold the line on health insurance contributions, and provide a level of job security not seen in any previous APWU agreement. I want to address just exactly what the wage changes mean for career employees under this agreement. The APWU, unlike the other postal unions, represents employees across a large swath of grades and steps.
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