Ballots Mailed in Election of Union Officers

Ballots for the 2010 Election of APWU National Officers are being mailed Monday, Sept. 13, to Wednesday, Sept. 15. Every member in good standing as of June 15, 2010, will receive a ballot.

Ballots must be received by the APWU National Election Committee in the designated post office box in Washington, DC, by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

Members in good standing who have not received their ballots by Monday, Sept. 20, should notify their local, or contact the American Arbitration Association between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (EDT) at 800-529-5218 to request a duplicate. Ballots may also be requested by e-mail to apwu@adr.org.

To receive a duplicate ballot, members must provide their name and the last four digits of their Social Security number, along with their local, craft, mailing address, and telephone number.

The APWU National Election Committee will pick up the ballots from the Washington post office box at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5. Votes will be tallied at the Madison Hotel, 1177 15th St. NW, Washington, DC.

Unofficial election results will be posted on the union’s Web site, www.apwu.org, as soon as they are available, and will be updated frequently. Official results are expected by Oct. 12.

Incentives Offered to Locals to 'Get Out the Vote'

To encourage APWU members to participate in this year’s elections, the national union will hold a voter-participation competition among locals, rewarding those that vote in the highest percentages.

“The democratic principles of our union have value only if the membership engages in the process,” said APWU President William Burrus.

The incentive for participation in the election process will be payments to the locals to be used on behalf of the membership. The top three locals in each of the following size categories will receive cash awards: 1,000 members and above ($4,000); 500-999 ($2,000); 100-499 ($1,000); 1-99 members ($200).

To be eligible, locals must reach a voter participation level of at least 50 percent. If more than three locals in any category generate 100 percent participation, all “100%” locals will receive awards.

Installation of Officers

Members and guests are invited to attend the Installation of National Officers Dinner-Dance, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Washington, DC. The ceremonial affair will feature the swearing-in of new and returning officers.

Tickets cost $65 each. Reservations can be made online, at www.apwu.org. The deadline for purchasing tickets and for making payment is Oct. 22. For more information, call 202-842-4215.

In accordance with the APWU Constitution, newly elected officers report and take office on Nov. 12.

Negotiations: Union Denounces USPS Attempts to 'Work the Refs'

American Postal Workers Union President William Burrus has denounced efforts by the Postal Service to influence the outcome of contract negotiations by issuing demands in public forums.

“It is extremely disappointing that the Postal Service is attempting to circumvent the bargaining process through the issuance of demands in the media,” Burrus said.

“Unfortunately, the Postal Service has begun posturing and manipulating numbers,” the union president said. “Management is ‘working the refs’ in an effort to influence the outcome of contract negotiations.”

“It is troubling that the USPS has chosen to recite the false and misleading claim that the pay and benefits of postal employees amount to 78 percent of total revenue – as though that figure is relevant to APWU negotiations. Contract negotiations are ill-served by such public misstatements,” he said.

“The wages and benefits of the employees represented by the APWU have been reduced from 28 percent in 2003 to 23 percent in 2010, a number that is dramatically lower than that cited by the Postal Service,” Burrus said.

“The Postal Service’s deceptive figures must not be used as a barometer for collective bargaining,” he said.

The next round of talks is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 15.