Burrus: Mailers Want To Cut Postal Employees Wages At Least $18,000 Yearly

Burrus Update #13-2010, July 29, 2010 Competing Interests, Diverging Views In many Updates and editorials on postal issues, I have criticized the influence of large mailers on the USPS — even while acknowledging that they provide much of the volume that makes it possible for the Postal Service to maintain its national network and provide […]

USPS In California To Post Combined City Carrier-Clerk Duty Assignment?

USPS has notified a Local California APWU President of its intent ( it appears that the assignment has already been posted) to post a “combined full-time assignment” , consisting of six (6) hours of carrier duties and two (2) hours of clerk duties.  The Postal Service has proposed to post this job as a City […]

Postal Maintenance Employees To Split Almost $92,000 For USPS Subcontractor Work

This is a summary of Regular Panel Arbitrator Andrew M. Strongin’s decision in case H06T-1H-C 08374323 regarding the Postal Service’s decision to subcontract the disassembly, transport, and installation of a Low Cost Tray Sorter from Cincinnati, Ohio to the West Palm Beach P&D. The Union contended that the work was subcontracted without the prerequisite “due […]

Arbitration Decision: USPS Failed to Give Full Consideration To Employee’s Request For Voluntary Transfer

An arbitration decision sent out by Gary  Kloepfer to APWU Union officers and members. This is a summary of Regular Panel Arbitrator Andres M. Strongin in case H06T-1H-C-08255189 regarding the Postal Service denial of an employee’s request for voluntary transfer. The arbitrator sustained the Union’s grievance; he ruled the Postal Service violated grievant’s right to […]

Should APWU Reverse Its Decision To Boycott USPS Voice of the Employee Surveys?

From the American Postal Workers’ Union ‘Ask the President’ on Voice of the Employee Surveys: Question:  I would like the National Executive Board to reconsider its stance on participation in Voice of Employee surveys. Here is my reasoning: Management releases their “findings” and states something to effect that 63 percent of those participating gave a […]

Union Urges Affected Postal Workers To Complete NRP Questionnaire

APWU Web News Article 068-2010, July 15, 2010 To strengthen the fight against the Postal Service’s harsh National Reassessment Program (NRP), the APWU is encouraging limited-duty and permanent-rehabilitation employees to complete a questionnaire sponsored by a law firm that has filed a class-action complaint against the USPS. The complaint alleges that the NRP discriminates against […]

More Hypocrisy as Big Mailers Decry Rate Hike

In Run-Up to Postal Reform, They Championed Annual Increases Burrus Update 11-2010, July 13, 2010 The APWU often criticizes the cozy relationship between large mailers and postal management, but we understand that without the major mailers there would be insufficient mail volume to maintain the Postal Service’s national network and to employ 600,000 workers. “Non-household […]

Union Decides Not To Challenge USPS Pilot Program With Office Depot

We have decided not to challenge the pilot program with Office Depot, which allows USPS services to be offered side-by-side with UPS products at Office Depot stores. President Burrus made the decision after an extensive review and discussion with Clerk Craft officers. Although we are always concerned about the possible loss of jobs, we concluded […]

Department of Labor Safety Complaint Underscores Widespread, Systemic Violations

APWU Web The Department of Labor filed a complaint [PDF] against the Postal Service on July 6 for ongoing and systemic violations of safe electrical work practices, marking the first time the department has sought an “enterprise-wide” remedy. “When the same safety violation is discovered in multiple locations of an organization, we need an enterprise-wide […]