APWU Ratifies National Agreement

(This article appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)

The APWU and USPS ratified the Tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement reached on June 2. The new union contract duration is three years: Sept. 21, 2024, through Sept. 20, 2027. It was presented by the National Negotiations Committee (NNC) to the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on June 4, and the Rank and File committee unanimously approved the Tentative Agreement (TA). The TA had the unanimous approval of the NNC and full support of the National Executive Board. Before this article went to press, the membership voted 95% in favor of ratifying the National Agreement. It was an honor once again to be a part of the NNC and to represent the Clerk Craft. I appreciate all the hard work and input that was provided during negotiations from Assistant Directors Sam Lisenbe and Lynn Pallas Barber, and all the Clerk Division National Business Agents.

I would like to acknowledge the Clerk Craft Negotiations Team consisting of Pete Coradi, Robert Romanowski, Jim DeMauro, James Stevenson, Chuck Locke, Rachel Walthall, Pam Smith, Dan Skemp, Ashley Cargill, and Scott Hoffman. It truly was a team effort in reviewing the Clerk Craft resolutions adopted at the National Convention and developing a strategy to achieve as much success as possible. The negotiations were difficult at times, as we faced unprecedented obstacles and an uncertain environment within the Postal Service.

This team negotiated for three months, trying to secure the best contract with no givebacks, for the employees we represent.

Some of the accomplishments we were able to achieve:

• Part-time Flexible employees (PTFs) can now identify the specific offices that they are willing to work in, within a 50-mile radius.
• PTF HUB Assignment Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been made permanent. • MOU for one-time Voluntary Reassignment Opportunity acquired for PTFs.
• The USPS must give the APWU 60 days’ notice when new or revised Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) position descriptions are created to allow the APWU to address any bargaining unit work that might be in a new position.
• MOU establishing a work group to examine the Job Bid Management (JBM) tool to address local exceptions in the bid process. • MOU on Telework for Customer Care Center (CCC) that guarantees remote work and no subcontracting of the CCC for the life of the agreement.
• MOU on Telework for Mailing Requirement Clerks (MRC) that guarantees remote work and no subcontracting of the MRC work for the life of the agreement.
• Postal Support Employees (PSEs) to be included when administrative leave is granted due to “Acts of God.”
• Automatic PSE conversion to career status after two years (with the exception of the PSEs staffing the Level 4 Remotely Managed Post Offices (RMPOs)) remains in full force.
• Employees will no longer be required to serve two probationary periods if converted to career within their first term as a PSE.

We submitted 35 proposals, but in the end, we were not willing to give up any already hard-fought gains. Keep in mind, the Postal Service was at the table negotiating on behalf of management. Usually in arbitration, both sides win something.

Most of our proposals are already subjects of pending national disputes, so we still have the ability to achieve these additional gains via the grievance-arbitration process. Our number one focus should be to continue to fight for additional jobs in the Clerk Craft. We will turn down no new work opportunities.

“We live to fight for another day, knowing we are still fighting between contracts to secure better wages and work rules through contract enforcement secured via Article 15 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” said Clerk Division Director Lamont Brooks. “As former APWU National President Moe Biller would say, ‘In union solidarity, the struggle continues.’’’ ■