APWU News

USPS Releases VERA Info, Fails to Notify Union

Although the Postal Service has failed to provide official notice to the union as of March 27, management has posted information about Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) on its employee Web site, LiteBlue.

According to the posting, VER will be offered to all eligible employees except Electronic Technicians (ET), Maintenance Mechanics, Mail Processing Equipment (MPE) Mechanics, and Part-Time Postmasters.

To be eligible, employees must be 50 years of age with 20 years of creditable federal service or any age with 25 years of creditable federal service. Eligibility requirements must be met by the effective retirement date of the VERA, July 31, 2009.

Click here for A VER timeline.

“I am extremely disappointed that the Postal Service neglected to give official notice of this information to the APWU,” said President William Burrus. “This is a violation of management’s obligation under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“In addition,” he said, “in this era of financial uncertainty, when the USPS management is asking employees for cooperation and understanding, management must set an example. Unfortunately, they failed to do so.

“Retirement is a personal matter,” the APWU president noted, “and the union defers to the decisions of eligible employees. However, the APWU continues to challenge the Postal Service’s authority to offer VER without including severance pay.”