APWU News
(05/17/12) USPS management announced on May 17 that it would begin implementing
a 'modified' consolidation
plan immediately, but the "new" plan employs the same essential
strategy as the old plan: Impose drastic cuts to service and the mail
processing network, and eliminate tens of thousands of jobs. The only
difference is that the "new" plan
will take a little longer to complete.
(05/17/12) The House of Representatives voted for a 5 percent cut in postal
and federal workers'pay on May 10 by approving an increase in employees' pension
contributions. Republican members of the House provided all 218 votes in favor
of the measure, while 183 Democrats and 16 Republicans opposed it.
(05/17/12) The Postal Service has notified the APWU of several changes
of address for grievance appeals, effective June 1, 2012, Industrial Relations
Director Mike Morris has announced.
(05/16/12) The USPS notified
the APWU today, May 16, that it has developed a modified network
consolidation plan and, "Now that the moratorium has expired, consolidation
activities will begin this summer." However, postal managers did
not provide the union with a list of which facilities would be affected
and when. APWU President Cliff Guffey said, "The Postal Service's
actions are the best evidence there is that union members must contact
their U.S. representatives and urge them to address postal reform immediately,
using the recently-approved Senate bill as a starting point for discussion."
(05/11/12) The House of Representatives voted for a 5 percent cut
in postal and federal workers' pay on May 10 by approving an increase
in employees' pension contributions. Republican members of the House provided
all 218 votes in favor of the measure, while 183 Democrats and 16 Republicans
opposed it.
(05/10/12) As the May 15 expiration of a moratorium on the closure
of post offices and mail processing facilities approaches, the APWU is
urging the House of Representatives to address postal reform immediately,
and to use the Senate bill as a starting point. The USPS' May 9
announcement about keeping rural offices open isn't binding and
won't solve the USPS financial crisis, so we must keep fighting,
the union says.
(05/10/12) The APWU is continuing to analyze the Postal Service's
May 9 announcement that it will allow rural post offices to remain open,
but with reduced hours. "We applaud the proposal to allow greater
community input on rural postal services and to keep offices open," said
APWU President Cliff Guffey, "but we are disappointed
by the decision to reduce hours at these offices."
(05/09/12) Fox News may have set a new record for inaccurate reporting
this week in a story about the Postal Service. The story, which was broadcast
on May 8 and posted on Fox's Web
site, frantically warns viewers and visitors that because of a bill
approved by the Senate, "taxpayers may be on the hook for Postal
Service losses." The Web posting even has a handy "taxpayer
calculator" that shows visitors "how much the bailout will
cost you."
(05/09/12) The APWU and USPS have reached an agreement that upgrades
Level 6 Maintenance Support Clerk (MSC) positions one level and updates
the staffing criterion for the position, Maintenance Director Steve Raymer
has announced.
(05/08/12) The APWU has reached a Step
4 settlement with the Postal Service that clarifies language
in the 2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) regarding the eligibility
of Maintenance Craft employees who were detailed to non-bargaining unit
positions to obtain preferred duty assignments, Maintenance Director Steve
Raymer has announced.
