APWU Negotiators Meet With Rank and File Committee

Union President Cliff Guffey and the other members of the APWU negotiating team briefed the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Monday morning on the status of bargaining. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires Nov. 20.

“Until now, the Postal Service has not been serious about negotiating. We hope to change that,” Guffey said. It’s not unusual for bargaining to take on a sense of urgency only as the deadline nears, he noted.

At the meeting in a small caucus room at the Hyatt hotel where negotiations are taking place, Guffey discussed the union’s goals. “We are determined to find a way to return work to our bargaining unit. This will give stability to our members and help the Postal Service,” he said.

The union president pointed out that subcontracting often costs the USPS more than if the work were done in-house, and he noted that assigning work to managerial employees is more costly as well.

“We believe there is potential to reach an agreement,” Guffey said, “but we will find out if management is really interested in bargaining at our next meeting with Postal Service negotiators.”

The next bargaining session will be the first with Guffey serving as president and chief negotiator.

For updates on negotiations and the latest developments from the bargaining table, please visit www.apwu.org frequently. Members are also encouraged to follow the union on Twitter and Facebook to receive up-to-the-minute alerts by e-mail or text message. Click here to learn how.