APWU President Cliff Guffey briefed the union’s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Wednesday morning, saying, “Our goal in these negotiations is to make our members feel as though they can stick around and feel secure in their jobs. That is our obligation.”

Guffey and other members of the union’s negotiating team discussed their efforts to protect work performed by APWU members and to defend jobs. “Every proposal we have made to secure work for our members will also save the Postal Service money,” he said. “If we are forced to go to arbitration, that will be a powerful argument,” said Director of Industrial Relations Mike Morris.

Management has expressed interest in the union’s proposals to return subcontracted work to the APWU and to assign additional duties to the bargaining unit, Guffey said, but has not made any firm commitments.

Serious negotiations have just begun, said Executive Vice President Greg Bell. “Management seems interested in bargaining. We will have to see if they are truly interested in reaching a negotiated agreement.”

Additional bargaining sessions were scheduled for Nov. 17. Guffey asked for the continued support of the membership as negotiations continue.

The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Nov. 20.