The State of the APWU Is Energized, Mobilized, Ready to Organize!

I was proud to give the keynote “State of the Union” speech, excerpted below, at the just-completed APWU national convention.

“Our times are both dangerous and promising. On one hand there is rising bigotry, deepening attacks on workers’ rights, women’s rights, civil rights, and democratic rights. The current threat of fascist dictatorship, and with it the crushing of the labor movement, is very real, as witnessed by the despicable coup attempt of January 6th.

But while we have much work ahead of us, workers are on the march. Support for unions is at its highest point in decades. We have witnessed significant union organizing successes, and many workers are ready and willing to withhold their labor to get what they deserve as the workers who create all wealth.

Since our last convention, postal workers have benefited from the implementation of the strong union contract ratified with a 94 percent vote in early 2022.

With our strong Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs), we have weathered this period of high inflation, aptly called ‘greedflation,’ as corporate profits soar while life is harder on working people. COLA gains under our current contract amount to a phenomenal $5,325 a year for full-time career workers and $2.67 per hour for part-time flexible employees (PTFs). And once converted, Postal Support Employees (PSEs) pick up the COLA in the career pay scale. We have secured the conversion of over 25,000 PSEs since our last convention, adding to the stunning total of 131,000 union-won conversions since 2014!

With the current contract due to expire on September 20th, we just opened negotiations for a new main collective bargaining agreement. I’m sure you agree with our general goals: protect the many gains of the past, including our incredible career ‘no-layoff’ protection, the 50-mile limit on excessing, and our full COLAs. Then enhance our solid foundation to include good annual wage increases, continuing to bridge the gaps between the divisive wage tiers, and striving for an all-career workforce, and of course much more.

Our inspiring kick-off rally with labor and community allies underscores we are not alone. Our “Building Union Power” organizing campaign yielded over 8,700 new members as we opened negotiations – a powerful message to management.

There is no doubt that we are being challenged by the doubled-edged sword of management’s “network modernization” plan. As union leaders, we should never replace facts with wishful thinking. Last year First-Class letter mail, the main revenue driver for the USPS, fell to 46 billion pieces, from a peak of 103 billion in 2001. But due to ecommerce, [package volumes] are rising, representing the main opportunity for more revenue, job protection, and growth.

Yet, there are clearly parts of the ‘modernization’ plan that the APWU absolutely opposes. The moving of locally-generated mail destined for the local service area to be processed hundreds of miles away and eliminating afternoon truck runs – both result in mail delays. APWU activists have done a commendable job sounding the alarms and demanding that no matter who we are or where we live, the people deserve “firstclass” service.

Over many decades, [we] have faced a hostile management culture that has proven difficult to fix. In 2023, we moved the issue of the toxic work environment front and center. We will continue to do so in negotiations and in the streets. It is long overdue that abusive managers are held accountable by upper management!

Let us ‘Energize, Organize, Mobilize’ for a better life for all postal workers…for better service to the people, to defend our public national treasure from the fangs of the Wall Street privatizers … to defend and expand voting rights and to ensure that cherished democratic rights will not die on our watch… [and] to win ever more workers’ power. Solidarity Forever!” ■

(The full video and transcripts are available on the APWU Convention Page.)