Information Technology and Accounting Services Negotiations
March 24, 2025Support Services Director Arrion Brown provdes an update on the status of IT/AS negotiations.
magazineSupport Services DivisionArrion Brown
The Support Services Division negotiates several different contracts for postal and private-sector workers. The largest contract we lead in negotiations is the Information Technology and Accounting Services (IT/AS) contract, which covers nearly 1,000 bargaining unit postal workers. The current IT/AS contract expires May 17, 2025; we provided the Postal Service with an intent to bargain notice on Jan. 22, satisfying our contractual obligation to notify management no less than 90 days or more than 120 days before the expiration of the agreement.
For the upcoming IT/AS negotiations, the bargaining committee, which consists of national and local Support Services officers, met in the fall of 2024 to discuss proposals. Local leaders conveyed the most important issues that they would like to see addressed in our next contract based on input from their respective members. Our initial bargaining committee sessions were productive, and we will continue to meet to discuss additional proposals for negotiations, which are tentatively scheduled to begin in March.
This year, the APWU and USPS will also bargain to modify the IT/AS Telework Pilot Program agreements. These programs have been successful and bene cial to the bargaining unit and management. The ability to work from home has created a better work-life balance for workers by eliminating the commute time. Not having as many workers in the facility has also undoubtedly created energy savings for management with less equipment being utilized.
There has been concern from telework and remote workers in IT/AS and The Human Resource Shared Service Center (HRSSC) about the Return to In-Person Work Memorandum issued by President Trump and how it impacts postal workers. The memorandum issued by President Trump does not affect the postal workers who participate in telework or remote work. The Postal Service is not affected by executive orders or memorandums from the Executive Branch, unless speci cally cited. It will be critically important to remember postal workers are not directly impacted by executive orders or memorandums issued by the President for federal workers during the current administration. The APWU anticipates that the Project 2025 agenda will play a role in this administration, especially the segments of that plan that attack government employees.
Continued Negotiations
The Support Services Division continues to work with the National Negotiating Committee on the main APWU and USPS collective bargaining agreement. These negotiations have slowed since the contract expired in September 2024. The progress for Article 40 Operating Services and Article 41 has been frustrating and disappointing. The minor improvements we proposed in those articles have been denied by management. Currently, Article 40 does not contain non-bargaining unit detail language that prevents management from detailing craft workers to management positions for extended periods of time, leaving the craft employees’ work to be done by other craft employees. All other crafts under the main agreement have this protective language. It is reasonable to expect all crafts under the same agreement to have the same protections and rights. Management has not agreed to the proposal, nor provided legitimate explanations for why the proposal is not acceptable to them.
We are still negotiating the HRSSC agreement, which expired in October. We have made progress with the non-economic proposals and are currently working on the economics. These negotiations began very slowly, but through persistence and perseverance, we have been making progress on our proposals. We are looking forward to continuing and nishing these negotiations for our members.
We are also still negotiating with Albuquerque Mail Service (AMS) for the rst contract of its newly formed bargaining unit created in early 2024. We have had productive negotiations sessions with contributions from the Albuquerque Local 380 leadership and AMS bargaining committee. Negotiations have been delayed by the company’s inability to provide dates. We will continue to bargain to achieve a tentative agreement for our AMS drivers. ■
Information Technology
and Accounting Services
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Motor Vehicle Service Employees Are Essential
March 24, 2025Whether meeting with the Postmaster General (PMG), Deputy PMG, members of Congress, or national arbitrators, the Motor Vehicle Service (MVS) officers are always extolling the value of our craft employees.
magazineMVS DivisionMichael O. Foster
Voluntary Early Retirement
Whether meeting with the Postmaster General (PMG), Deputy PMG, members of Congress, or national arbitrators, the Motor Vehicle Service (MVS) officers are always extolling the value of our craft employees. The skill set and knowledge required to perform our duties, and the professionalism and pride of our members, should justify higher wages, better benefits, and the minimal contracting out of work.
The Postal Service recently offered Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) opportunities to eligible employees. These are occasionally offered over the years and can accomplish at least the reduction in the size of the bargaining unit and the ability to create lower-salary employees. While our value is obvious, the positions taken by the USPS during contract negotiations, interest arbitrations, and contracting-out decisions, makes essential employees appear to be expendable.
The USPS determined the MVS Craft employees to be essential, and only 12 percent of eligible employees would be allowed to complete the VER. If you choose to take it, you must make the Postal Service aware by March 7, 2025. If the 12 percent cap in MVS is exceeded, then the incentive will be granted based on total Postal Service seniority. The offer is also open to Part-Time Flexible employees on a pro-rated basis. The decision to retire is always a personal one, and for any APWU and MVS member who chooses the VER, congratulations and best wishes.
Position Papers Exchanged
The APWU and the USPS have exchanged their respective positions in MVS-filed national disputes on the following issues:
MVS Dispatch Coordinator
The first of several exchanges on this national dispute addressed the Postal Service’s creation of the MVS Dispatch Coordinator and the combination of duties across craft lines. We believe that the number of duties associated with this job description are so numerous that many contract violations occurred with the creation of this position. The job description encompasses the entire job description of the Clerk Vehicle Dispatcher, as well as duties from Vehicle Operations Assistant (Bulk Mail), Schedule Examiner Vehicle Runs (SEVR), as well as other APWU craft job descriptions. The MVS Dispatch Coordinator job description has the potential for employees to perform different duties daily, making it highly possible for management to begin siphoning work away from the bargaining unit. The Dispatch Coordinator is assigned to the MVS Craft.
Schedule Examiner Vehicle Runs (SEVR)
The SEVR dispute is about the shifting of those duties to management, which has been the subject of multiple Step 4 national disputes in the past. The Motor Vehicle Craft has had to ght for the SEVR position in the past and we have no intention of giving this work back to management.
Bulk Transportation of Mail
Bulk transportation of mail between facilities is the primary responsibility of the MVS Craft and Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) operators. In many locations, letter carriers or other employees are performing these duties. Where a Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC) has been established, the USPS instructs the Letter Carrier Craft to transport mail between the hub and spoke of ces. This is a direct violation of the S&DC Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the history of the bargaining language.
Dynamic Route Optimization
Dynamic Route Optimization (DRO) was a plan by the Postal Service to change the Highway Contractor Route either weekly or even daily. However, when these routes became due for renewal, this dynamic routing did not allow for the APWU to fully exercise the rights we have bargained for in the contract. These programs utilize various methods of cost-saving strategies. DRO only uses a mileage calculation and does not include the hourly calculations required by Article 32.2.
As with all disputes, if you witness or have questions about these violations, please contact your local representatives, your National Business Agent, or the MVS Division.
Motor Vehicle Service
Employees Are Essential0
Understanding Trump’s Union-Busting Executive Order Ending Collective Bargaining For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Federal Workers
President Trump issued a sweeping Executive Order and related Fact Sheet invoking “national security” grounds to end collective bargaining with federal unions. Here are the facts about this outrageous and unprecedented attack on federal workers—and on the Labor movement itself. FACT: Federal unions do not undermine national security! Federal civil servants dutifully protect and serve
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UNITE HERE Statement on the White House’s Attack on Workers’ Right to Organize
“This Executive Order is a threat to the entire labor movement. Our union is mobilizing in solidarity with millions of workers across the country. Standing together is where our power comes from, and it’s how we’ll win this fight, too.”
The post UNITE HERE Statement on the White House’s Attack on Workers’ Right to Organize appeared first on UNITE HERE!.
Congressman Garamendi, IAM Union Join Together at Mare Island to Call for Revitalization of U.S. Shipbuilding Industry
VALLEJO, Calif. – Today, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi joined the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) at a press conference at the Mare Island Dry Dock, where they called for a revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry. See photos from the event here. Watch the full press conference here. “Today, I am honored
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Take Action: The White House Just Ripped Up Union Members’ Contracts
Take Action: The White House Just Ripped Up Union Members’ Contracts
Last night, the Trump administration took its most blatantly anti-worker, anti-union action yet: an executive order stripping the right to organize from hundreds of thousands of federal workers at more than 30 agencies.
The fact sheet it issued explicitly said that this is retribution for unions speaking out and leading the charge against the administration’s illegal actions in court.This is union-busting, plain and simple, and if President Trump can cancel hundreds of thousands of union members’ contracts with the stroke of a pen, no union contract in America is safe—and freedom for anyone to join a union, no matter where you work or where you live, is under attack. We are asking every single American who cares about the fundamental freedom of all workers to call their member of Congress right now. MAKE A CALL!Our message is simple: Tell your senators and representative that we demand our union rights to be protected. Other important points are:Unions improve federal agency performance—they don’t hurt it. The executive order issued last night is about union-busting, not national security. The Trump administration is punishing unions for speaking out against its illegal actions. Any member of Congress who supports working people needs to speak out and fight back. We will not stand for this blatant abuse of power that attacks the freedom of any worker to join a union. It’s clear this is an attempt to silence workers. Which means it’s time for us to get louder. Make a call today: 844-733-3172The labor movement is not about to let Trump and an unelected billionaire destroy what we’ve fought for generations to build. An injury to one is an injury to all. We will fight this outrageous attack for all working people.
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 03/28/2025 – 15:41
IAM Women Leaders Gather in Maryland During Women’s History Month
At the end of Women’s History Month, IAM members from the U.S. and Canada spent a week at William W. Winpisinger Education & Technology Center in Maryland, attending the IAM Women’s Leadership Program.
The post IAM Women Leaders Gather in Maryland During Women’s History Month appeared first on IAMAW.
Statement from UAW President Shawn Fain on Attacks on Federal Workers
Yesterday, President Trump signed an order that tramples on the union rights of more than a million federal workers, stripping them of their ability to negotiate over their working conditions. The 1 million members of the UAW stand with federal workers and their union, AFGE, against the attacks from the Trump administration. When I was […]
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Statement of APWU President Mark Dimondstein on New Executive Order Attacking Workers Rights
March 28, 2025Workers and their unions are under attack with a new Executive Order issued by President Trump stripping the union rights of nearly a million federal workers. Trump’s executive order abolishes existing union contracts, eliminates collective bargaining rights, orders agencies to stop processing grievances, and prohibits payroll union dues collection.
Workers’ RightsMark Dimondstein
Workers and their unions are under attack with a new Executive Order issued by President Trump stripping the union rights of nearly a million federal workers. Trump’s Executive Order abolishes existing union contracts, eliminates collective bargaining rights, orders agencies to stop processing grievances, and prohibits payroll union dues collection.
Wrapped in the bogus guise of “national security concerns,” this is the most serious attack on unionized workers in this country in at least a generation.
The President of the United States claimed during the recent election to be a friend of working people. No “friend” of working people would take action to destroy, rather than uplift, unions and workers’ rights.
This Executive Order is part of an ongoing assault on all workers, and our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association. Make no mistake, postal workers will not be spared from this Administration and their billionaire benefactors’ war on workers.
These dictatorial actions, with no respect for the law, come right out of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi party’s playbook. Shortly after coming to power in 1933, the Nazis launched an assault on the independent trade union movement, dissolving unions, seizing union funds, and beating, imprisoning, and murdering union leaders.
Working people and our unions must face the seriousness of these attacks with our weapons of solidarity and action. President Trump has made his intentions clear – he is out to destroy the labor movement. Now is the time for every worker to stand up and fight back!
Our sisters and brothers at AFGE, the largest federal union, are urging every worker to take action today. Call your members of Congress at 817-904-8624 and urge them to stop this attack on working people. Digital actions are available at mobilize.us/afge
Stay tuned for more actions and demonstrations to come.
Statement of APWU President Mark Dimondstein on New Executive Order Attacking Workers Rights0
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🚀 Machinists on the Hill: Union stops data breach — Firefighter pay secured
Click Here to view this edition of Machinists on the Hill.
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