APWU Opposes Management Plans to Reinstitute Plant Consolidations and Closures.

On Tuesday April 27, 2021 postal management informed the APWU of management’s intent to pursue consolidations and operational mail moves in 18 facilities nationwide. These proposed changes are taking place in the context of the Postal Service’s 10-year plan and proposed network and operational changes.

The 18 facilities listed are among the 62 Mail Processing facilities whose consolidation was halted in 2015. Management has stated that the proposed mail moves are to be completed by November 2021.

Management has prematurely begun “stand-up” talks in the affected facilities. Management as of yet has not provided the union any impact statements on how these changes will affect the workforce, whether there is any planned excessing of employees, or whether some of these facilities will be “repurposed” to address the changing mail mix.

“We have made crystal clear to postal management that any further plant consolidations are a misguided strategy that not only disrupts the lives of postal workers but will further delay mail,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein.  “The previous plant closings and consolidations were a complete failure and we will fight back facility-by-facility and community-by-community to save these processing plants. After a year of courageous and essential frontline work in this pandemic, management’s actions are a slap in the face of postal workers.”

Based on the general reference to plant consolidation in the 10-year plan, President Dimondstein had already appointed a national plant closing and consolidation committee to be led by Executive Vice President Debby Szeredy and including the five APWU regional coordinators. This “fightback” committee will be in communication with all the affected local unions regarding next steps.

APWU stands ready to defend the jobs and livelihoods of postal workers and the prompt, reliable and efficient mail service the law requires and the people of the country deserve.