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
April 2, 2020
Families First Coronavirus Recovery Act
The Families First Coronavirus Recovery Act (FFCRA) extends to postal employees some additional leave benefits due to...
March 27, 2020
New Pay Scales Available
The 2018-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement interest arbitration award, issued March 10, 2020, granted three general...
March 26, 2020
New Retail Directive to District Managers and Postmasters
This pdf includes additional directives to district managers and postmasters. Â Specifically dealing with retail units...
March 25, 2020
Statement from President Dimondstein: Postal Workers in a Time of Crisis
Since the early days of the Postal Service, we postal workers have helped stitch the fabric of the country together....
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