Setting Priorities, Mobilizing Members For Contract Negotiations

(This article appears in the September/October 2014 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

On the final day of the APWU 22nd Biennial National Convention in July, delegates adopted a resolution that spells out priorities for upcoming contract negotiations with the USPS, which are set to begin in February. The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires in May 2015.

After voting to adopt more than 125 specific labor-management resolutions earlier in the week, convention delegates passed a motion, Standing Up and Fighting Back, which encouraged the union’s national leadership to “mobilize our members and galvanize postal workers, friends of labor and concerned citizens” to fundamentally change management policies.

Named after the theme of this year’s convention, the resolution pointed out that management’s objectives are the opposite of the APWU’s goals: They are hostile to workers and dismissive of the Postal Service’s obligations to citizens.

The resolution also noted that management’s strategy is to cut – cut the number of mail processing plants; cut service standards, thereby eliminating overnight mail delivery; cut the number of delivery days from six to five (or less); cut retail locations and hours of operation; cut door delivery, and subcontract any and everything they can.

The resolution declared that the union must approach contract negotiations by standing up and fighting back against USPS attempts to cut service, privatize the Postal Service and replace postal jobs with low-paid, non-union jobs in the private sector. It outlined several overarching concepts for contract negotiations:

STAND UP for the conversion of Postal Support Employees (PSEs) to career status and for reliance on a career workforce and FIGHT BACK against any Postal Service attempt to maintain a low-paid, low-benefit, mistreated non-career workforce;

STAND UP for decent wages and benefits from hiring to retirement and FIGHT BACK against any Postal Service attempt to maintain or increase multi-tiered and substandard pay and benefit schemes;

STAND UP for the competency, dedication and hard work of our members and FIGHT BACK against any Postal Service attempt to continue subcontracting, expand subcontracting or continue to have supervisory personnel perform any work that postal employees can perform;

STAND UP for full-time work and FIGHT BACK against any Postal Service attempt to define full-time work as anything less than 40 hours;

STAND UP for first-rate service and a vibrant, healthy and growing Postal Service and FIGHT BACK against any Postal Service attempts to continue to reduce service standards, close plants and post offices, and reduce days of delivery and hours of retail operations and door deliveries.

Resolutions that were voted on earlier in the week included measures that addressed the fight against consolidation of mail processing facilities, elimination of the two-tier wage scale, staffing in small offices, Non-Traditional Full-Time (NTFT) assignments, holiday scheduling, excessing provisions and issues affecting full-time flexibles.

The resolutions revealed the APWU’s commitment to our newest members: Delegates acted on 35 resolutions dealing with the working conditions, pay, and benefits of PSEs. Among the most significant adopted by the convention was a resolution making the conversion of PSEs to career status a top priority of all future collective bargaining agreements.

What Do You Say?

APWU preparations for bargaining are underway, but to be effective, we need to hear from you. As part of our preparations, we are seeking input from union members and officers at all levels of the organization.

We encourage union members to provide suggestions to their local APWU stewards and officers, or to the national union headquarters. Suggestions may be sent by email to negotiations@apwu.org or by mail to: Tony D. McKinnon Sr., Industrial Relations Department Director, APWU Negotiations 2015, 1300 L Street NW, Washington DC 20005.

Of course, not every suggestion or adopted resolution will become part of the new contract. But, as we prepare for talks and try to negotiate the best possible contract for our members, the National Negotiating Team will evaluate all proposals.

In addition to formal resolutions and proposals like the resolutions that were debated at the National Convention, the union’s national negotiators receive input from local and state leaders, regional coordinators and National Business Agents about problems in the field that need to be addressed through contract negotiations.

Negotiating a strong Collective Bargaining Agreement is one of the union’s most important jobs. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously. We are committed to protecting full-time career work, creating a pathway for the conversion of Postal Support Employees to career employment, ensuring that part-time flexibles are afforded an opportunity to opt to career status, ensuring that excessed members are afforded the opportunity to return to assignments close to their homes, making sure arbitration awards and grievance settlements are honored – with back pay issued in a timely manner when it is awarded – and ensuring that our members are fairly compensated for work.

The 2015 negotiations will be tough, but APWU members are resilient. We believe in the old saying, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” We are ready to fight for our rights, for the preservation of the APWU, and for the national treasure known as the pubic Postal Service. To accomplish our goals during these trying times we will need the support and participation of the entire membership.

Welcome New Members

Mechanics who work for Salmon & Sons, Inc. in Little Rock, AR, voted Aug. 21 to join the APWU. Salmon & Sons is a private trucking company that hauls mail for the Postal Service. In addition to Little Rock, it operates terminals in Dallas, TX; Shreveport, LA, and Memphis, TN. The company also owns Mail Contractors of America, another highway contract route operator.

The 10 Little Rock mechanics join approximately 300 Salmon & Sons drivers who are also represented by the APWU. As we go to press, the local is preparing for bargaining on behalf of the mechanics.