Postal Service Implements New Field Maintenance Operation Work Order Application

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

On July 9, the Postal Service notified the APWU that the Field Maintenance Operation (FMO) Work Order Application pilot was a success, and they intend to roll it out across the country. The USPS anticipates the FMO mobile app will be implemented in all districts, no later than the end of the 2025 calendar year. The rollout began in July 2025 in the following districts: Kansas – Missouri, Texas – 1, California – 3, Virginia, and Georgia. The new app is intended to improve the visibility of maintenance requests from submission to completion by automating the submission of PS Form 4805s (Work Orders). What used to be done on paper will now be digital. As previously reported, the APWU has concerns about potential violations of Article 1.6 (Supervisors performing bargaining unit work) and Article 7 (Crossing Crafts and Occupational Groups).

Be on the lookout for this new app in your district. You can report on how the application is (or isn’t) working and any violations you come across to your local union or National Business Agent.

New Maintenance Exams on the Horizon

On June 17, the Postal Service met with the APWU to discuss their intent to phase out the 955 Maintenance exam and implement a series of new exams in its place.

Skilled Maintenance Assessment Overview

Instead of the Maintenance Selection System (MSS), the new system would now be titled Skilled Maintenance Assessment (SMA) and would include the following exams:

• Exam 961: Level 5 – Building Maintenance Custodians
• Exam 962: Level 7 – Maintenance Mechanic
• Exam 963: Level 9 – Mail Processing Equipment Mechanic
• Exam 964: Level 9 – Building Equipment Mechanic/ Area Maintenance Technician
• Exam 965: Level 10/11 – Electronic Technician/ National Support Technician

To be clear, the APWU has not agreed to any of these changes. We are in the early stages of reviewing their proposals and discussing these changes internally. This process began in August 2023 when the Postal Service conducted voluntary working sessions with employees. In August 2024, the Postal Service began pilot testing the new exams. They deemed the pilot program a success and are moving forward with national level discussions. As more information comes to light, we will send information out to the field and post articles online and in the APWU magazine. ■