PRC Dismisses APWU Service Complaint

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has dismissed an APWU complaint which charges that the Postal Service is failing to meet its own service standards regarding the delivery of first-class mail. The union brought the complaint in its capacity as a large mailer.

The union’s complaint alleges that the USPS regularly fails to meet its service, including the first-class mail of the APWU.  The union mails millions of pieces of first-class mail every year to APWU members and locals in every state and territory of the United States.

In a decision issued Feb. 27, the commission concluded that the APWU had failed to allege any particular harm due to the Postal Service’s failure to deliver the union’s mail as required by postal regulations.  The APWU “merely alleges violations of service standards…without harm or injury,” the commission wrote.

The PRC’s decision is under review by APWU attorneys and may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Commenting on the ruling, APWU President Mark Dimondstein said, “I am disgusted to learn that the Postal Regulatory Commission doesn’t consider regular violations of Postal Service standards to be harmful to mailers. We strongly disagree.

“We are determined to carry on the fight against the Postal Service’s failure to provide service mailers and mail recipients expect and deserve.”