USPS and APWU Reach Function 1 and 4 Staffing Increase Agreement
Over 1,000 PSEs to be Converted
March 23, 2021
Postal Management and the American Postal Workers Union signed another Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to continue to address the significant understaffing at mail processing facilities and post offices throughout the country.
Under the terms of the new agreement, 874 Postal Support Employees will be converted to career status in 37 facilities to be identified by the Postal Service. These positions will be an increase to the current workforce.
In addition, the Postal Service will convert no less than 200 PSEs currently in Function 4 to career status.
These conversions will occur no later than May 22, 2021.
As a transition to the creation of the new career positions and PSE conversions, combined with continued COVID-related absences and a backlog of mail and packages, the APWU has agreed to extend the period where management can retain PSEs above the PSE cap.
“This is the second staffing increase by the Postal Service in three months, totaling over 6,500 new workers into to the APWU bargaining unit,” said President Dimondstein. “Management is starting to address the severe staffing shortages that the union has been raising. In addition to bettering the lives of over 1,000 PSEs, this agreement will benefit our postal customers, who expect timely, reliable postal services.”
