News

Trump Tariffs on Canada Jeopardize Aerospace, Defense, and Manufacturing Sectors While Threatening National Security

Brian Bryant, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), representing 600,000 workers, and David Chartrand, IAM Canadian General Vice President, today issued a strong rebuke of President Trump’s tariffs, warning of severe economic consequences and job losses across the United States and Canada: “President Trump’s scatter-shot tariffs are a direct The post Trump Tariffs on Canada Jeopardize Aerospace, Defense, and Manufacturing Sectors While Threatening National Security appeared first on IAMAW.Continue reading→

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers at Famous LA Museums Launch Effort to Form Union

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers at Famous LA Museums Launch Effort to Form Union Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Staff at Los Angeles’ Natural History Museum and La Brea Tar Pits have gone public with their intent to join AFSCME District Council 36.As part of AFSCME’s Cultural Workers United (CWU) organizing campaign, workers are joining together under the name Natural History Museum & Tar Pits Workers Union (NHMTPWU). The bargaining unit would cover some 300 performers, engineers, educators, guest relations associates, and other workers who are seeking improvements like higher wages and more workplace transparency.“As staff, we provide valuable services to our Los Angeles community and work hard to keep our institutions running,” workers said in a public letter that urged management to voluntarily recognize the union. “We believe that the power of decision making must be shared with all voices, including ours, across various departments and diverse roles within the institution.” Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 04/01/2025 - 10:05Continue reading→

IAM Reaches Strong Tentative Agreement with NCCC Rail Carriers

IAM District 19 has reached a tentative agreement covering approximately 4,900 freight rail members with the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC). The NCCC tentative agreement covers IAM members at BNSF, Norfolk Southern, Canadian National, Belt Railway, Terminal Rail, Consolidated Rail, Indiana Harbor Belt, New Orleans Public Belt, and Palmetto Railways. “Our membership asked us to The post IAM Reaches Strong Tentative Agreement with NCCC Rail Carriers appeared first on IAMAW.Continue reading→

The ‘Hands Off Our Veterans’ Healthcare’ Fight Continues In 2025

March 24, 2025The ‘Hands O¥ Our Veterans’ Healthcare’ Fight Continues In 2025 magazineVeterans Resources In the January/February 2025 Home Front article, we informed APWU veterans about the very serious consequences that Project 2025 will have on Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, the quality healthcare services veterans receive, and the use of private contractors to process and evaluate their disability claims. We called it a “Code Red Alert” because Project 2025 plans to totally privatize our VA healthcare during President Trump’s second four-year term of office. Project 2025 does not just affect VA healthcare benefits, it also affects five and 10-point Veterans’ Preference to regular federal government agency employment. So, while we are fighting to save our healthcare, we are also fighting to save our Veterans’ Preference jobs with the Postal Service, which are also threatened to be privatized under President Trump’s Project 2025 plans. The plan to privatize VA healthcare has been a gradual, ongoing process ever since for-pro t private contractors started replacing VA Federal Government Management and highly trained VA employees more than 22 years ago. In fact, the private contracting of VA healthcare services has increased to such an extreme over the years, that currently over 70 percent of the more than $300 billion of the annual 2022, 2023, and 2024 VA healthcare budget went to private contractors, while only 27 percent went to regular VA federal government employee wages and VA healthcare. Project 2025 tries to rationalize the privatization of VA healthcare. The most insulting excuse is that sending veterans to local private healthcare contractors would provide faster, top-quality healthcare services, and would reduce waiting times for medical appointments and claim decisions, more so than with fully staffed federal government medical professionals who are trained to serve and provide top-quality healthcare serves to veterans. There is absolutely no proof that privatizing VA healthcare and increasing the wealth of those awarded private VA contracts would provide better or faster healthcare services than a fully staffed and trained federal agency that specializes in serving veterans. Has the increased privatization of VA healthcare services over the past 23 years reduced wait times for VA appointments? The answer is no! Wait times for a newly enrolled veteran’s first medical appointments are months long, which is a dramatic increase in waiting times for VA services. A Look at VA Services Diminished by Privatization While veteran suicide rates have increased, the process to access help from the privatized Veterans Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has gotten more challenging. When dialing 988 to access support, the automated process prompts veterans to dial 911 if it is an emergency, instead of connecting them directly to a real-life mentalhealth professional. This additional step a veteran must take adds another hurdle to access the care they need. Veterans Community Care and Emergency Medical Care services have separate billing systems controlled by private contractors, which seem to change like the weather. Additionally, for-profit private contractors oversee electronic VA enrollment and disability claims processing procedures. So, APWU family, it is time to act against further privatization and degradation of VA services! Contact your congressional leaders and tell them to stop allowing private for-profit companies to enrich themselves at the expense of our veterans and the services they have earned. How are private contractors providing so-called quality healthcare while enriching themselves from the billions of dollars of veterans’ co-payments and the wage garnishments that cause financial hardship? Isn’t it obvious that privatization like Project 2025 demands has already been implemented at VA medical centers across the country? It is up to our APWU veteran family to stand up and fight back! Our “Hands Off Veterans Healthcare” initiative and the struggle to save the Postal Service continues! ■ The ‘Hands O¥ Our Veterans’ Healthcare’ Fight Continues In 20250Continue reading→

Senate Introduces Resolution to Oppose USPS Privatization

March 31, 2025On March 27, a bipartisan group in the Senate introduced Senate Resolution (S. Res). 147, which “expresses the sense of the Senate 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.” Legislative and Political On March 27, a bipartisan group in the Senate introduced Senate Resolution (S. Res). 147, which “expresses the sense of the Senate 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.” The bipartisan resolution, 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), is crucial to demonstrating the strong support of the Senate for the public services that the Postal Service provides across the country, and the critical work that postal workers do every day to bind the nation together. On Jan. 28, a group in the House of Representatives introduced their own similar bipartisan resolution, H. Res 70, which expresses the House's support for taking all appropriate measures to ensure that the Postal Service is not subject to privatization. To date, this resolution has 180 co-sponsors. “This strong showing of bipartisan support from both chambers of Congress confirms what we have always known, that the Post Office is our national treasure, providing invaluable services to the public,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “The essential services we provide as postal workers cannot be replicated in the private sector, and any attempt to privatize the Postal Service would only increase costs and reduce services, which would be harmful to the people and businesses across the country.” “The APWU extends our deepest appreciation to the senators leading the fight to protect the people's Postal Service and push back against privatization attempts,” said Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard. “I am asking every APWU member, their families, and community allies to reach out to your Senators and encourage them to co-sponsor this resolution.” Senate Introduces Resolution to Oppose USPS Privatization0Continue reading→

What’s Next in 2025?

March 24, 2025Retirees Director Nancy Olumekor wonders What's Next in 2025 for postal retirees. magazineRetireesNancy Olumekor With the recent passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, we have successfully navigated the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). APWU members are now facing another life-changing decision with the announcement of the Postal Service’s Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) incentive offer. Before you decide if you should take the VER and the $15,000 incentive, consider the following questions: Have you discussed your retirement plans with your family? Retirement is a family decision, not an individual decision. Have you given due consideration to how this decision may impact you – are you financially prepared to retire or no longer work for the Postal Service? If you accept the VER or incentive, what bene ts do you keep or lose? Have you made realistic calculations for how much money it will take to maintain your standard of living? Do you understand the estimated amount of annuity you will receive each month from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)? In addition to federal income taxes, what other deductions will reduce your monthly annuity? Did you provide a survivor benefit? How much will that optional life insurance cost you? Did you talk to the USPS retirement counselor and get all your questions answered? If you are not satisfied with your answers to these questions, ask yourself, “Why not wait until I am ready to retire?” For more information, visit apwu.org/VER-2025 The Work to Protect Our Benefits Continues Passage of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) was a historic win for millions of Social Security bene ciaries; now, over two million public-sector retirees and their spouses will collect full Social Security bene ts. APWU President Mark Dimondstein, Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard, and I, Retirees Department Director Nancy Olumekor, were all in attendance on Jan. 5, 2025, when President Biden signed this historic bill into law at the White House, praising it as a “big deal” for the public servants “who dedicate their lives to their communities.” Those retirees now will receive an average $360 monthly increase in Social Security benefits in 2025, and a lump sum payment for benefits they would have earned in 2024. Unfortunately, there is no fixed timeline for when the benefits will be implemented by the Social Security Administration, and we anticipate delays ahead. On Jan. 28, 2025, OPM announced: “During the first week of his administration, President Trump issued a number of directives concerning the federal workforce.” In its “Fork in the Road” notice to Federal Employees, the OPM stated, “At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency, but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions.” The announcement included an offer of a deferred resignation program to full-time federal employees, which would give employees an opportunity to resign while still receiving full pay and benefits through Sept. 30, 2025, provided they accepted the offer by Feb. 6, 2025. Postal workers were among those excluded from the program. This is a direct attack on our union family in the AFGE. The time is now to join with all workers to protect our jobs and services. With a potential reduction in the federal workforce, we can expect longer waiting times for services at OPM, Social Security, Veterans Administration, and all other federal agencies. We must continue the fight against the threat of privatization of the Postal Service and seek congressional support for House Resolution (H. Res.) 70, which reaffirms our public Postal Service is essential and must remain in the hands of the people, not private interests. Retirees know that it is important for us to continue the fight. The struggle continues! ■ What's Next in 2025?0Continue reading→

National Colorectal Cancer Month

March 24, 2025Health Plan Director Sarah Jane Rodriguez highlights the importance of getting colorectal cancer screenings.  magazineHealth PlanSarah Jane Rodriguez March is National Colorectal Cancer Month, and I would like to highlight the importance of getting your colorectal cancer screenings. At my recent annual physical, my doctor said that I was a good candidate to use the Cologuard test. It was delivered to my doorstep and only took a few minutes to complete the test. Very convenient and easy! What Is Colon Cancer? Colon cancer is a growth of cells that begins in a part of the large intestine called the colon. The colon is the rst and longest part of the large intestine. The large intestine is the last part of the digestive system. The digestive system breaks down food for the body to use. Colon cancer typically affects older adults, though it can happen at any age. It usually begins as small clumps of cells called polyps that form inside the colon. Polyps generally are not cancerous, but some can turn into colon cancers over time. Polyps don’t often cause symptoms. For this reason, doctors recommend regular screening tests to look for polyps in the colon. Finding and removing polyps helps prevent colon cancer. Colon cancer is sometimes called colorectal cancer. This term combines colon cancer and rectal cancer, which begins in the rectum. High Option and Consumer Driven Option members pay nothing for preventive colorectal cancer screenings when visiting an innetwork provider. If a surgical procedure is needed, regular plan bene ts apply. Screening options for colorectal cancer include tests that look for signs of cancer in the stool and visual exams of the colon and rectum. Recommended and approved testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes: Colonoscopy A colonoscopy cancer test is when a doctor uses a long, thin, flexible, lighted tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon. During the test, the doctor can find and remove most polyps and some cancers. Before the procedure you will need to bowel prep, which is a process to clean out the colon so the doctor can see inside clearly. The prep may include fasting and drinking a liquid laxative. Most people do not feel any pain during the tests. If nothing is found, you can generally go up to 10 years without another test. As always, please consult your physician to see if they recommend you undergo the procedure. Stool DNA test (Cologuard) Cologuard is an FDA-approved type of at-home colon cancer test. It is available by prescription, and is ideal for some people looking for an alternative to a colonoscopy. One advantage of Cologuard is that it does not require any special diets, bowel prep, laxatives, or enemas. The patient collects a stool sample at home and mails it to a lab for analysis. Cologuard is not suitable for everyone. Some people will need to follow it up with a colonoscopy. To qualify for Cologuard, you must be at least 45 and have no symptoms or family history of colon cancer. Whether or not Cologuard is right for you, be sure to ask your doctor about getting tested for colorectal cancer. I understand some might feel reluctant, but it is important to know that any minor discomfort or embarrassment from a colon cancer screening is only temporary, and early detection could save your life. To find an in-network provider, please visit apwuhp.com and click “Find Care.” For more information, please go tocdc.gov and cancer.org. ■ National Colorectal Cancer Month0Continue reading→

Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Actors’ Equity

Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Actors' Equity 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 is Actors' Equity Association (Equity). Name of Union: Actors' Equity AssociationMission: Actors’ Equity Association is a national labor union, founded for the purpose of negotiating strong agreements that protect the wages, hours and working conditions of its members; enforcing those agreements; organizing new work opportunities for professional stage managers and actors, and pursuing appropriate legislation on matters affecting their profession. Actors’ Equity Association values diversity and inclusion, and is aggressive and responsive in seeking equity for all its members. Furthermore, Equity seeks to lead the industry as a voice for the values it has adopted.Current Leadership of Union: The current president of Equity is Brooke Shields, who was elected in May 2024. She comes to union leadership with a long career that has ranged from acting and modeling to writing and entrepreneurship. Shields’ career in the spotlight began early, modeling for print ads before her first birthday and on the runway by the time she was three years old. She attracted national attention as an actor at age 11 when she starred in Louis Malle’s “Pretty Baby,” and she cemented her icon status with “The Blue Lagoon” when she was just 15 and “Endless Love” the following year. As a model, Shields has graced the covers of hundreds of magazines, most notably Time magazine as the "Face of the Eighties.” She stepped away from the spotlight to attend Princeton University, where she graduated cum laude with a degree in French literature. She made her off-Broadway debut in “The Eden Cinema” while still an undergrad, and she appeared in “Love Letters” in both Hollywood, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, later also performing the show off-Broadway. Her Broadway debut came in 1994, when she stepped into the role of Rizzo in a revival of “Grease,” for which she received a Theatre World Award for “Outstanding Debut on Broadway.” She has subsequently returned in “Chicago,” “Wonderful Town,” “Cabaret” and “The Addams Family.” On the West Coast, Shields appeared in the acclaimed ensemble play “Girls Talk,” and she made her directorial debut with the Hollywood Bowl production of “Chicago.” She has appeared in numerous productions off-Broadway, including “The Vagina Monologues,” “The Exonerated,” “Love Loss,” “What I Wore” and others. In addition to her theater and film achievements, Shields has maintained a successful and critically acclaimed television career. She is also the author of a number of books. Shields recently unveiled her latest entrepreneurial project Commence, a hair and scalp health brand that targets women 40-plus. She has spent the past five years building a powerhouse executive team around her and fostering a community online of more than 2 million women over the age of 40, who are all united by being on the precipice of “what’s next?” Al Vincent Jr. serves as executive director.Current Number of Members: More than 51,000.Members Work As: Singers, actors, dancers, and stage managersIndustries Represented: Equity has more than 40 contracts in the theater industry, from Broadway to dinner theater to immersive and experimental productions. The union also represents cast members at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.History: In the early 1900s, theater acting was alluded to with the phrase “life upon the wicked stage,” as actors and stage managers were forced to rehearse without pay, left stranded throughout the country when shows closed on the road, required to pay for their own costumes and worse. In 1913, 112 actors in New York decided they'd had enough. They formed a union that day and adopted the name suggested by William Courtleigh, Actors’ Equity Association. In 1919, the new union was recognized by the American Federation of Labor and shortly thereafter Equity launched the first actors’ strike in American theater history. During the strike, chorus and ensemble members also went on strike and formed Chorus Equity Association, which would later formally merge with Actors' Equity in 1955. At the conclusion of the strike, the theater producers signed a five-year deal that met most of Equity's demands.Equity has long fought for civil rights. In 1947, Equity resolved that its members would not play at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., when the theater banned Black audience members. This was an early bold stance that not only worked (the theater closed and reopened with a nondiscrimination policy), it set the tone that Equity would follow to this day, fighting against discrimination in the theater, both on stage and off, and increasing employment opportunities for actors and stage managers of color, women, seniors and those with disabilities. The union has consistently fought to raise wages, expand benefits and protections, preserve historic and advance other reforms that benefit actors and stage managers in the theater and working people broadly.Current Campaigns: Equity is actively organizing new workplaces, both theatrical and “theatrical-adjacent,” such as Disneyland, Casa Bonita, and Chippendales—you can contact an Equity organizer to learn more about how to Organize Your Workplace. Equity is celebrating 2025 as A Chorus Year, marking the 75th anniversary of The Legacy Robe, the 70th anniversary of the merger of Chorus Equity Association with Actors’ Equity Association and the 10th anniversary of Swing Day. Equity's Diversity and Inclusion efforts include reports on Hiring Bias and Wage Gaps in the theatre industry, as well as Policy Recommendation Papers shared to promote best practices in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Equity's Student Outreach Presentations allow students to hear information and experiences from a union actor or stage manager to help pre-professionals learn more about the union of professional actors and stage managers as they consider their career options.Community Efforts: The Actors' Equity Foundation provides grants to nonprofit theaters and institutions serving the arts community, offers workshops and seminars for professional development, and presents annual awards honoring Equity members for their contributions to the industry. The Actors' Equity Association Political Action Committee pursues the political interests of Equity members nationwide. The Theatre Authority is a nonprofit organization that administers and regulates the work of union members at charitable benefit performances. Equity also supports many service organizations, including Actors Federal Credit Union, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Entertainment Community Fund.Learn More: Website, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, X, YouTube Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 03/31/2025 - 11:45Continue reading→

Strengthening Union Power

March 24, 2025Human Relations Director Daleo Freeman provides a summary of his time at the Dr. Martlin Luther Kring Jr. Human and Civil Rights Conference, and promotes the upcoming 2025 Human Relations Assembly. magazineHuman RelationsDaleo Freeman Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human and Civil Rights Conference I was honored to help plan the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human and Civil Rights Conference in Austin, TX with other Human and Civil Rights directors from across the country. Danielle Noelle, the AFL-CIO’s Human and Civil Rights Director, was a great leader who pulled us all together and united our interests to create a program that met every attendee’s interests. From immigration, collective bargaining, and women’s rights, many threads of commonplace issues were addressed, all centered around the framework that Dr. King stood for. That is how we landed on the theme “Reimagining the Fight for Justice, Freedom, and Progress…” For over nine months, we worked together to plan this exciting conference. In the 1970s, the APWU convention body determined that the APWU shall align our union with other organizations that fight for equality in the workplace, the community, and the world. This conference is an important part of meeting that mandate and continuing the important civil rights work that the APWU does. As we know, workers’ rights are human rights. 2025 Human Relations Educational Assembly I am excited to discuss the vital role of coalition building, alliances, and community outreach to strengthen union power as host of the upcoming APWU Human Relations Educational Assembly in June. Our objective is for you to understand the significance of these strategies and explore how they contribute to successful union work. Coalition building is integral to strengthening union power. It involves forming partnerships with diverse groups who share common goals. These alliances amplify our collective voice, provide resources, and bolster advocacy efforts. Community outreach is essential for unions to engage with the broader community beyond our membership. By actively participating in the community, we build trust, support, and mutual understanding. This engagement has a positive impact on our union’s goals and objectives, harnessing goodwill and solidarity. The Human Relations Conference will be held in Houston, TX between June 12-16, and we will delve into empowering and educating all attendees in civil rights and engagement, the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Veterans’ rights and bene ts, the Postal Employee Relief Fund (PERF), and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Click here for more information and to register for the 2025 Human Relations Educational Assembly. Please make plans to attend. ■ Strengthening Union Power0Continue reading→

Protecting the Postal Service, Our Livelihoods After the Election

March 24, 2025The new administration brings challenges that could directly have an impact on the Postal Service and the lives of postal workers. Our union must remain united and proactive in defending the Postal Service, our jobs, and the services we provide to the public. magazineSouthern RegionYared Wonde The recent election brought significant changes to the political landscape, and unfortunately, the candidate that the APWU endorsed, Kamala Harris, did not win. While this outcome is disappointing, it highlights the need for our union to remain united and proactive in defending the Postal Service, our jobs, and the services we provide to the public. The new administration brings challenges that could directly have an impact on the Postal Service and the lives of postal workers. Policies aimed at privatizing parts of the Postal Service, or weakening collective bargaining rights, remain real threats. These actions not only jeopardize our livelihoods but also undermine the Postal Service’s critical role in serving communities, particularly in rural areas that rely heavily on us for essential deliveries. The Risks Ahead Under the Trump Administration, we could face: Privatization Efforts: There is a continued push to privatize the USPS, which could lead to job losses, reduced wages, and diminished bene ts. Privatization would also prioritize pro ts over service, harming the public. Weakened Labor Protections: The administration may support policies that undermine unions, threatening our ability to negotiate fair contracts and protect members’ rights. Reduced Service Standards: Cuts to funding or operational changes could erode the quality of our services, affecting public trust and potentially reducing demand for USPS. These risks highlight the urgency of standing together as a union to protect our rights, our jobs, and the public Postal Service. What We Can Do While the challenges are significant, we are not powerless. As APWU members, we have the strength of solidarity on our side. Here’s how we can take action: Stay Involved: Attend union meetings, stay informed about legislative developments, and participate in union actions. A strong, uni ed membership is essential to pushing back against harmful policies. Advocate for the USPS: Contact your elected representatives and urge them to support legislation that strengthens the Postal Service and protects union jobs. Encourage your coworkers, friends, and family to do the same. Educate the Public: The public is one of our strongest allies. Share the importance of the USPS as a public institution and the risks posed by privatization and remind members of your community that the USPS is a service, not a business. Hold Leadership Accountable: Monitor the new administration’s policies and work with the APWU to challenge any actions that threaten USPS or its employees. A Call to Action The election results may not have gone as we wanted, but this is not the time to lose hope. Instead, we must focus on what we can control – our solidarity, our advocacy, and our commitment to protecting the Postal Service and our union. Every APWU member has a role to play in shaping the future. By staying informed, engaged, and united, we can ensure that our voices are heard and that the Postal Service remains a public institution dedicated to serving the people. We have faced challenges before and emerged stronger because we stood together. Let’s continue to fight for what we believe in and protect the future of the Postal Service, our jobs, and the communities we serve. ■ Protecting the Postal Service, Our Livelihoods After the Election0Continue reading→

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: SMART-Transportation Division Reaches Tentative Contract with Keolis

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: SMART-Transportation Division Reaches Tentative Contract with Keolis Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) reached a tentative five-year agreement with Keolis Commuter Services,  the contract operator of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail services. The agreement, announced on March 28, is retroactive to July 1, 2023, and will include 5% raises each year, plus an additional $2 per hour in 2027, as well as three additional sick days per year, the addition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday, and changes to vacation allotments and bereavement leave. SMART-TD represents 450 Keolis employees, who still need to vote to approve the agreement. Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 03/31/2025 - 10:36Continue reading→

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 Negotiations0Continue reading→

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 Essential0Continue reading→

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 The post Understanding Trump’s Union-Busting Executive Order Ending Collective Bargaining For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Federal Workers appeared first on IAMAW.Continue reading→