Welcome and Gratitude
May 19, 2025Health Plan Director Sarah J. Rodriguez expresses gratitude for members’ support of the APWU Health Plan, sharing excellent satisfactory rankings in payment accuracy, financial accuracy, and administrative accuracy.
magazineHealth PlanSarah Jane Rodriguez
Thank you for selecting the APWU Health Plan as your health insurance provider. We have designed a plan especially for YOU! We honor the opportunity to serve postal families. We not only pay claims, but we also provide a platform to collaborate and promote healthy lifestyles. This Open Season, the Health Plan enrolled over 2,500 new members! Today, we cover almost 174,000 lives. With the introduction of the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program, APWU members had many choices – thank you for trusting us. Your continued loyalty and new membership directly affect the union and our ability to organize. Union Proud, Say It Loud!
Our Commitment to You
In addition to strong benefits and affordable rates, the APWU Health Plan takes service and quality very seriously. Represented by the OPEIU Local 2 and SEIU 32BJ unions, our Customer Service team participates in ongoing training to effectively communicate the benefits of our plans. Our team excels at going the extra mile, with patience and empathy, to make sure you have a positive experience with us. If you have questions about your health plan, do not hesitate to call the Customer Service number indicated on the back of your Health Plan ID card.
High Option members, call 800-222-2798;
Consumer Driven Option members, call 855-808-3003.
Proven Excellence
In a recent independent audit, conducted by Mercer, the APWU Health Plan ranked one of the highest in PSHB in three categories: payment accuracy (99.18%), financial accuracy (99.63%) and administrative accuracy (100%).
The audit results surpassed the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) goal of 98%. With these scores, you can be con dent that you are enrolled in a plan that exceeds OPM quality standards. These high scores mean fewer errors, faster claims processing time, and greater peace of mind for you.
Your Voice Matters
As you embark on your first 100 days of coverage for the 2025 benefit year, let us know how we are doing! As our member base continues to grow, we want to check in with you to understand your experience. What works for you? What are some challenges? Please take a short survey, by visiting: hcsurvey.apwuhp.com. ■
Welcome and Gratitude0
Read More....Keep Calling Congress to Oppose Cuts to Postal and Federal Pensions
May 19, 2025In the late night hours of Sunday, May 18, 2025, the House Budget Committee voted by a margin of 17-16 to advance a bill that would give $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy on the backs of the working class. Just two days prior, the same committee voted by a margin of 21-16 against advancing this bill with some committee members doing so in an attempt to inflict deeper spending cuts.
In the late night hours of Sunday, May 18, 2025, the House Budget Committee voted by a margin of 17-16 to advance a bill that would give $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy on the backs of the working class. Just two days prior, the same committee voted by a margin of 21-16 against advancing this bill with some committee members doing so in an attempt to inflict deeper spending cuts. Remember that in order to pay for these massive tax cuts, many in Congress are looking to reduce government expenses, including our pensions.
After some changes were made over the weekend that affect postal and federal employee pensions, here are the direct attacks on the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) that remain in the bill:
Replacing the High-3 FERS annuity calculation with a High-5 calculation, resulting in a reduction in annuity payments
Eliminating the FERS Social Security supplement, which would deny workers who are eligible to retire the supplemental payments used to bridge the gap before their Social Security benefits begin at age 62
In the original version of the bill, there was a section to increase the mandatory FERS annuity contribution rate for all active employees to 4.4%, but this was eliminated from the current version. While it is good news that this section was removed, nothing is set in stone and our fight persists to protect current and future postal workers.
Thanks to the hard work of APWU members, as well as strong public outreach, many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have now spoken out against cuts to our pensions. However, many senior leaders in Congress, and the White House, are actively working to pass this bill through the House of Representatives before Memorial Day.
There is still time to remove these FERS cuts. Because we don’t know what the final bill will include, now is the time to act! We encourage APWU members and supporters to call our Legislative Hotline at 844-402-1001 and urge your House representative to OPPOSE any cuts to federal and postal pensions!
Keep Calling Congress to Oppose Cuts to Postal and Federal PensionsBill to Give Major Tax Cuts to the Ultra Wealthy Moves Forward0
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Flip the Script on Aging
May 19, 2025Retirees Director Nancy Olumekor encourages retirees to honor Older Americans Month by flipping the script on aging – reframe our mindsets and focus on the positive aspects of growing older while fostering relationships with the community around us.
magazineRetireesNancy Olumekor
Every May, the Administration for Community Living, leads the nationwide observance of Older Americans Month. The 2025 theme, Flip the Script on Aging, focuses on transforming how society perceives, talks about, and approaches aging. We will challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions. This year, we honor older adults’ contributions, explore the many opportunities for staying active and engaged as we age, and highlight the opportunities for purpose, exploration, and connection that come with aging.
In reading an article by Joseph Claussen, titled “Flipping the Script on Aging” he recommends that we look at aging like a game where we level up every year. We can reframe our mindsets and focus on the positive aspects of growing older, such as maintaining a healthy diet and exercising routinely, which can help us age gracefully. We can also work to deepen our connections with family and friends and build new relationships. We should strive to communicate and resolve conflicts more effectively, and show compassion and empathy.
Claussen wrote, “By investing in our relationships, we can create a support network that helps us navigate life’s challenges and enriches our daily lives… We can identify our values and priorities, set meaningful goals, and work towards them with intention and purpose… We can embrace challenges as opportunities for learning and self improvement… we need to celebrate our accomplishments, no matter how small, and look for ways to build on them.”
Below are some practical ways to flip the script on aging:
Set goals for personal growth and celebrate when you achieve them;
Take on new challenges, whether it’s learning a new skill or trying a new hobby;
Connect with loved ones regularly and invest in your relationships;
Practice self-care and prioritize your physical and emotional well-being;
Embrace your wisdom and share it with others.
LifeCare Alliance of Central Ohio suggests another way to “Flip the Script” is by “Starting the Conversation,” to explore intergenerational differences and promote deep appreciation of others.
How to bring people together for meaningful conversations:
Reach out to your local senior center or local union and see if you can organize an afternoon of story sharing.
Contact your local union and see if they would like to host a “Senior Day.”
Visit an assisted living center and chat with residents in the common areas.
Volunteer to deliver Meals-on-Wheels with a young person and connect with the seniors you serve.
Share stories of older adults who aged gracefully following their retirement.
Ways to break the ice:
What was the happiest moment of your life?
Who has been the biggest influence on your life and what lessons did you learn from them?
What are you proudest of in your life – and why?
What was it like where you grew up?
What stories did your parents share with you about their childhood or upbringing? How did that make you feel?
By flipping the script on aging, we can improve our quality of life and promote a positive outlook on aging. Think of aging in terms of how it could enhance creativity, new experiences, and opportunities to contribute to or nd a new purpose.
Federal Income Tax Liability with Repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Off set (GPO)
With the repeal of the WEP/GPO penalty, many of you will notice an increase in your Social Security payments. The increased benefits could push you into a higher tax bracket with potential tax implications. The lumpsum retroactive payment could also push your income higher, leading to greater tax liability. Those impacted will have less than a year before these increased benefits impact your tax liabilities, meaning that benefits paid in 2025 will appear on the 2025 SSA-1099 form. Make sure you follow-up with your federal income tax preparer this year for your income tax liability going forward. ■
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German Verdi Trade Union Stands in Solidarity with IAM Union Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico Workers Amid Stalled Contract Talks
As Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico workers continue their fight for a fair first contract, international support is growing. The German service-sector union Verdi has called on Deutsche Lufthansa AG to intervene and support its Puerto Rican subsidiary in resolving long-standing contract disputes with the IAM Union. “Negotiations are proving very difficult, particularly with regard to
The post German Verdi Trade Union Stands in Solidarity with IAM Union Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico Workers Amid Stalled Contract Talks appeared first on IAM Union.
About the Human Relations Department
May 19, 2025Human Relations Director Daleo Freeman provides an overview of services offered by the Human Relations Department.
magazineHuman RelationsDaleo Freeman
There is more to being a progressive union than achieving and enforcing a contract — and that is where the Human Relations Department comes in. Our programs and benefits inspire members to become active participants of the APWU, and give them a sense of inclusion, contribution, and ownership.
Training
We have successfully trained over 5,500 members, activists, stewards, and officers.
This year, the Human Relations Department aims to continue training sessions for locals and states and provide a Regional Resource Assistant to assist locals and states with their issues.
Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a resource for postal employees and their family members designed to help them with on-the-job, personal, or family problems. EAP is a counseling and referral service staffed with mental health professionals. It is a formal, non-disciplinary program that is free and voluntary.
To learn more about EAP services, visit: apwu.org/eap
Veterans’ Rights and Benefits
The APWU continuously coordinates efforts to support union members and their loved ones who have, or who are actively serving in the military. We have started a coalition across the country to mobilize around the issues that affect our service members.
The APWU believes in a society where all members are treated equally, with respect and dignity. The struggle for equal rights, equal opportunity, and justice extends beyond the workplace into our neighborhoods and communities. It is a priority of the department to remain active around our civil rights.
In 2025, we will continue to strive for equality for all and to protect the rights and benefits of those we serve, mobilize and continue to secure assistance for all who are in need. For more information, visit: apwu.org/veterans
Postal Employee Relief Fund
The Postal Employees’ Relief Fund (PERF) exists to help active and retired postal employees – management and craft – whose homes are destroyed or left uninhabitable because of a natural disaster, displacing postal employees and their families for an extended period of time.
The fund provides small relief grants to help qualifying victims of such circumstances reestablish residences and help replenish necessities in the aftermath of a devastating loss.
For more information, visit: www.postalrelief.com
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
In 2025, we will soon provide our members with much needed guidance on how the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) works, as well as a handbook for the EEOC process.
We know how tedious the process can be, so it is the intent of the Human Relations Department to provide an informative manual, formulated specifically by your union on the EEOC rules, process, and general guidelines.
At this time, we are not providing representation, but it is important that we provide a resource and tool that can be readily accessible.
Please remain informed of the upcoming issuance of the new EEOC booklet that will be shared with our members.
Your questions and concerns are essential. They help us understand your needs and shape the direction of our department. Please, don’t hesitate to ask. Your input is invaluable in guiding our efforts.
We encourage all locals to have someone in attendance for the upcoming Human Relations Assembly in Houston, TX from June 12-15. We will focus on all the subjects listed above and will provide extensive training sessions and presentations on subjects that will touch every member. To register, visit: apwu.org/events/2025- human-relations-assembly. Thank you! ■
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APWU POWER: The Women’s Committee Within Our Union
May 19, 2025Research & Education Director Joyce B. Robinson provides a brief history of APWU POWER (Post Office Women for Equal Rights), and invites members to attend the APWU POWER 22nd Biennial National Convention taking place in August.
magazinePOWERResearch and EducationJoyce B. Robinson
APWU Post Office Women for Equal Rights (POWER) is the women’s committee within our union. POWER was founded in St. Louis, MO on April 28, 1979 and incorporated into the APWU National Constitution, (Article 13, Section 7), in Detroit, MI in August 1980. The APWU POWER Steering Committee consists of five coordinators, one from each region, who are elected during the Biennial National Convention and assist POWER committees at the local and state levels.
Why APWU POWER Is Still Necessary
In the United States, women make up nearly 47% of the workforce and hold approximately 45% of jobs at the USPS. Although women make up a larger percentage of the APWU membership, and thus pay more dues than men, they hold fewer elected offices at the local, state, and national levels. There are only 28 national officers that are women, compared to 55 that are men.
APWU POWER has assisted women in obtaining the knowledge and skills needed to level the playing field in our union and has opened doors to opportunities for women across the country through educational seminars, workshops, and regional conferences. As a result, POWER sisters have become actively involved in their local and state unions and the political process, contributing over $200,000 to the APWU’s non-partisan Committee on Political Action (COPA) fund to assist in protecting employment benefits, improving working conditions, and ensuring job security.
What About Community Involvement?
APWU POWER’s involvement in community activities includes:
Adopting postal union families left unhoused due to natural disasters.
Making annual monetary contributions to domestic violence agencies.
Contributing gift bags to the female troops, unable to travel home for the holidays.
Providing coats and clothing to the unhoused.
Donating books, toiletries, and more to schools, homeless shelters, and senior citizens.
Contributing to the Postal Employees Relief Fund (PERF) to aid postal families who are victims of natural disasters.
APWU POWER ‘Sisters Helping Sisters’ Fund
APWU POWER’s “Sisters Helping Sisters Fund” was established in 2005 to help women and children who were left unhoused following Hurricane Katrina. It was expanded in 2006 to give hope and encouragement to women and children fleeing domestic violence. Since its inception, the fund has donated over $100,000 to families, charities, and domestic violence agencies, including $25,000 to PERF. If you would like to donate to this worthy cause, make checks payable to “Sisters Helping Sisters” and mail them to Joyce B. Robinson, Director Research and Education, 1300 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.
Attend APWU POWER 22nd Biennial National Convention
When: Arrive at the hotel on Wednesday, August 6. Workshops begin on Thursday, August 7. There is no convention on Sunday.
Where: Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, 811 7th Ave. 53rd St., New York, NY.
Call 1-888-627-7067 before the cut-off date of Friday, July 11, 2025, to secure the negotiated rate of $237 per night (single/double occupancy), plus 14.75% room tax, plus $3.50 per room night occupancy tax. Identify yourself as attending the POWER Convention.
Register Online: Delegates must register online at APWU POWER 22nd Biennial National Convention. The registration fee is $150.00 for delegates and guests and includes an Installation Dinner ticket and a T-shirt. To register a guest, contact Joyce B. Robinson at (202) 842-4225, prior to the Friday, July 25, 2025 deadline. The guest must attend with an APWU member.
For additional information, contact the Research and Education Department at (202) 842-4225.
APWU POWER: The Women’s Committee Within Our Union0
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Organizing Is Not Passive: Why Union Building Means Reaching Out, Not Waiting Around
May 19, 2025“Organizing is about talking to people and building relationships. It is about having hard conversations and asking others to stand with you.” – Organizing Director Anna Smith encourages members to organize their non-member coworkers.
magazineOrganizationAnna Smith
When people think about union organizing, many might imagine a moment of inspiration, maybe a spark or some event that sets off a wave of collective action. But the truth is, organizing requires a lot of consistent and demanding work, and long-term commitments. Organizing requires setting goals and putting together needed steps to achieve those goals. Union organizing requires action, and if you are sitting around waiting for people to come to you, you are not organizing — you are hoping.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with hoping the non-members will come to you and ask how to join. Hope has its place, but not when it comes to organizing our non-members. Organizing our non-members cannot be about wishful thinking, but about each one of us taking action to build worker power. Organizing is about talking to people and building relationships. It is about having hard conversations and asking others to stand with you. Most importantly, it is about taking the initiative to build our union and worker power in our installations and communities.
For those who make the decision to stand with us, we have made joining very easy with the ability to join online. While the “online join” process does bring in thousands of our coworkers into the APWU, most people will not automatically join simply because they stumbled across the ability to join online. Most often, our coworkers will join because someone they trust and relate to asked them to and they felt invited to be a part of something. They might join because someone listened to their concerns and then asked them to take a stand.
That someone must be you!
If you care about changes in your workplace, if you are tired of being disrespected by management, if you are tired of management violating our collective bargaining agreement every day, then you have to be reaching out to non-members. You must make the first move, because most non-members… they will not be coming to you.
We all must have conversations with the non-members and ask them to stand with us and be a part of something bigger. We need to stop letting our nonmember coworkers come to work and feel like they work in a non-union environment. We need to be persistent about standing with APWU and being bold about it.
Organizing is a skill, and like everything we do, it gets easier the more we do it. The core principles of organizing never change; it is about having conversations, building trust, giving our coworkers a sense of solidarity, and moving together in the same direction, with similar goals – I do not know of anyone who does not want to secure livable wages, reasonable work hours and better working conditions.
As an organizer, you will have setbacks, there will be some coworkers who, no matter how many times you ask them to stand with you, will refuse, but that does not mean you stop asking. Be brave enough to ask someone to stand with you — and strong enough to keep asking until they do. No matter what, do not let any setback discourage you, because as an organizer you will have victories too, and those victories, the ones who say “yes” to standing with you, will be empowering.
So do not wait for the perfect moment to ask that nonmember coworker to stand with you. Do not wait for them to come to you. Start organizing now. Talk to your coworkers. Ask questions, listen, build trust, and ask them if they are ready to stand with you. When we stand together, we win. ■
Organizing Is Not Passive: Why Union Building Means Reaching Out, Not Waiting Around0
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Protecting Our Labor Union and the Public Postal Service
May 19, 2025Legislative & Political Director Judy Beard urges members to call on Congress to to continue to fight privatization, and informs readers about new anti-union bills to watch.
magazineLegislative and PoliticalJudy Beard
The threat of postal privatization has never been more real. From the report of an executive order that would absorb the USPS into the Commerce Department, to the Wells Fargo report highlighting the financial benefits of selling off the USPS to corporations, our public Postal Service is at a pivotal moment in the fight against privatization.
Amid these threats, we have engaged with lawmakers in a bipartisan fight to protect the independence of the Postal Service. With post offices and APWU members in every ZIP code across the country, we are building a strong coalition in Congress to send the message that the U.S. Mail is NOT for Sale.
On Jan. 28, 2025, a bipartisan group in the House of Representatives led by Representatives Lynch (D-MA-08), LaLota (R-NY-01), Connolly (D-VA-11), and Garbarino (R-NY-02) introduced House Resolution (H.Res.) 70, which expresses the “sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization.” At the time this issue of The American Postal Worker went to press, H. Res 70 had 202 cosponsors.
On March 27, a bipartisan group in the Senate, led by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Thom Tillis (R-NC), introduced Senate Resolution (S.Res.) 147, which serves as the companion resolution to H.Res 70. At the time this magazine was sent to press, S.Res 147 had seven cosponsors.
While resolutions are not binding like laws, they help us gain congressional support for the issues that most matter to us as postal workers and retirees. Millions of Americans rely on the Postal Service and members of Congress must be reminded that our work has value.
For ways you can take action to protect our public Postal Service, visit apwu.org/action.
Anti-Union Bills to Watch
On March 25, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advanced several anti-union bills out of committee, including:
Protecting Taxpayers’ Wallets Act (H.R. 1210): This bill would charge federal unions for official time (“union time”) and for the use of agency resources.
Preserving Presidential Management Authority Act (H.R. 2249): This bill would give the U.S. president the ability to negotiate or terminate federal union collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
The Paycheck Protection Act (H.R. 2174): This bill would restrict all federal and postal unions from deducting dues from employee paychecks. In addition to union dues, this bill would restrict deductions for “fees or political contributions,” which may mean all other deductions, such as the APWU Committee on Political Action (COPA) and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
The Paycheck Protection Act specifically calls out postal unions in the bill text and would have devastating impacts on our union if Congress passes the bill and it gets signed into law. The Legislative Department is closely monitoring H.R. 2174, and we are meeting with both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to fight against this bill moving forward. ■
Anti-Union Bills: APWU Solidarity Actions
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Read More....Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Boilermakers
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Boilermakers
This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we’ve covered all 63 of our affiliates. Next up are the Boilermakers (IBB).
Name of Union: International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and HelpersMission: Uniting members across multiple industries and occupations in the union’s common endeavor of improving each other’s lives and lifestyles through union representation.Current Leadership of Union: Timothy Simmons serves as international president. He began his Boilermaker career on a boiler outage in 1999, working out of Boilermakers Local 108, in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Alabama Power Miller Steam Plant. He has served as a Local 108 business agent/secretary treasurer, District Lodge 3 officer, director of National Recruitment Services, director of Construction Division Services and assistant to the international president. In October 2022, the International Executive Council voted unanimously to elect Simmons to fill the international vice president Southeast vacancy, effective Feb. 1, 2023, upon the retirement of Warren Fairley. Fairley briefly came out of retirement to serve the union as international president during a time of transition. Upon his final retirement in August 2024, the International Executive Council elected Simmons to serve as international president.Clinton Penny serves as international secretary-treasurer, and the Boilermakers have five international vice presidents: J. Tom Baca (Western States), John Fultz (Northeast), Arnie Stadnick (Canada), Dan Sulivan (Great Lakes) and Jeff Campbell (Southeast).Current Number of Members: More than 60,000Members Work in: Constructing and repairing electric power plants, refineries, and pulp, paper and steel mills; building naval ships and commercial tankers; repairing locomotives; making cement; mining coal, gypsum and talc; forging tools for industry; and making consumer goods.Industries Represented: Heavy industry, shipbuilding, manufacturing, railroads, cement, mining and others.History: The Boilermakers are one of the oldest unions in the country, rising out of the Industrial Revolution’s demand for steam power in 1880. The Boilermakers have been a part of many major events in American history, helping to build structural sections of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis; the machinery to make the Panama Canal; the world’s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus; the USS New York amphibious transport dock (which includes steel from the Twin Towers); military ships and various submarines; nuclear, gas-fired and advanced coal-fired power plants; and the aluminum-based fuel for the space shuttle’s solid rocket boosters. The Boilermakers had been headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas, since 1893, and moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 2024. There are now more than 200 Boilermaker local lodges across North America.Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The Boilermaker Reporter provides news and information useful to workers in the industry. The Boilermakers have established national funds for pensions, health and welfare, and an annuity trust. They also provide education and training, including one of the best apprentice programs in the country, and are partners in an award-winning alliance with construction industry contractors and owners, resulting in innovations for improved safety, manpower availability, training and cost savings.Learn More: Website, Facebook, X, YouTube
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/19/2025 – 14:33
Negotiations Update Support Services (May 2025)
May 19, 2025Support Services Director Arrion Brown provides an update on the current and recently completed negotiations for workers covered in the Support Services Division.
magazineSupport Services DivisionArrion Brown
Greetings Support Services Division members, I hope that you are enjoying the early days of summer. The Support Services Division has been hard at work this year continuing contract negotiations on multiple collective bargaining agreements. For general information, the Support Services Division represents and negotiates for 13 current and prospective collective bargaining agreements. Below is an update on our current and recently completed negotiations.
We are proud to say that one of our newest units of 10 Roads Express drivers based in Richmond, VA ratified their first collective bargaining agreement on Feb. 24, 2025. The workers organized and fought a valiant fight against their company to achieve collective bargaining. The drivers were very proud to ratify their first contract that secures bank holidays, gives them job bidding and bumping rights by seniority, gives them the rights to the grievance arbitration process to settle disputes with their employer, and offers protection against subcontracting.
One of our newer units of 10 Roads Express drivers, based in Capitol Heights, MD, has also recently achieved a tentative agreement with the company. The Capitol Heights agreement is very similar to the Richmond agreements, but the Capitol Heights drivers did hold out a little longer to achieve a few additional contractual demands. We were not able to achieve those demands, but we were proud to stand with and represent them as we fought for them.
The drivers of the Great Lakes Area Mail Haulers recently came to a tentative agreement with B&B Trucking, Inc. based in Kalamazoo, MI. These negotiations were very difficult. The company resisted improvements that the employees deserved. A significant improvement we won was an increase in hourly wages for drivers who perform freight work. B&B Trucking historically has been a mail-haul company that did very little freight work. Although the collective bargaining agreement with B&B has a wage chart for freight work, increases in that wage chart had not been negotiated since 2017. The union had concentrated on other issues, since there was either no freight or very little freight work done. However, since 2024, there has been a notable increase in freight work. The tentative agreement is in the process of being sent out for ratification by the members.
We are still in negotiations for the APWU and USPS agreement. While negotiations have slowed on this agreement, negotiating for Article 40 Operating Services and Article 41 Material Support Crafts has ended. As usual, management has refused to agree to changes for these two craft articles of the agreement. The employees under these two articles will benefit from the broader economic improvements of the agreement. It is very disappointing that, in yet another round of negotiations, management has refused to agree to minor changes in these two articles that would give them the same protections that are offered to other craft articles in the agreement. We will strategize for the next round of negotiations to continue our efforts to bring the Support Services crafts up to the same standards as the Clerk, Motor Vehicle, and Maintenance crafts.
We continue to negotiate the first successor agreement for the Humans Resources Shared Services Center (HRSSC) bargaining unit. At the time this issue of The American Postal Worker went to press, we are very close to a tentative agreement. There were only a few changes the bargaining committee proposed for this round of negotiations. We have met with management numerous times to come to bargaining agreements and have been satisfied with our progress.
Finally, we had our opening day of negotiations for the Information Technology and Accounting Services (IT/ AS) sector on March 4, 2025. We passed several proposals to management on changes we want. Management was very receptive and asked more questions than they have asked in opening sessions for other agreements. That was a good sign. ■
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