APWU
Unsung Heroes
January 15, 2025Support Services Director Arrion Brown highlights the hard work of the Support Services Division during peak workload periods throughout the year.
magazineSupport Services DivisionArrion Brown
Happy New Year APWU family! I hope you and your family had a peaceful and joyous time celebrating the holiday season and are ready to start the year defending and growing our union.
The holiday season is a time for enjoyment, but it is also a time of hard work for bargaining-unit employees of the APWU. This time of year is the peak season for mail and parcel volume, which creates more work hours for the Clerk, Motor Vehicle Service, and Maintenance crafts. The sisters and brothers in these crafts sacrifice time away from home and their families to fulfill the postal mission of providing the nation with reliable, affordable universal mail service. I want to thank them for the work they do and let them know they are appreciated.
Our Support Services craft experiences peak season in a way different than the other crafts. While mail volume dictates an increase in work and work hours for the other crafts, the nature of work for each of our Support Services groups determines when we experience increased work volumes and hours. These occurrences can be seasonal or sporadic throughout the year. I would like to show appreciation for the hard work our craft does throughout the year by recognizing the situations that lead to an increased workload in Support Services.
The Information Technology and Accounting Service Center (IT/AS) bargaining unit have increased demands based on numerous scenarios. For the IT developers and programmers, deployment cycles of different applications and programs determine when there is an increase in workload. The cycles involve completing programming code, testing, and launching. These cycles happen at various times throughout the year, depending on the business needs of the Postal Service, to make updates or changes to the IT infrastructure.
The Accounting Services group has increased workloads based on various cutoff dates for financial information. Our finance employees experience cutoff dates in September each year based on the fiscal year information needs of the Postal Service. Payroll employees have an increased demand at the end of each year due to processing cutoff dates for information that allows for postal employees’ W-2 tax forms to be updated and created.
The private-sector mail-haul drivers experience peak season at the same time as the other crafts due to increases in mail volume. The over-the-road drivers may have more unscheduled layovers that prevent them from returning home at the conclusion of their shift. These drivers work under Hours-of-Service driving regulations and must complete their driving within a certain amount of time before a mandatory 10-hour break.
The Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) group experiences increased demand based on the section they work in. The Benefits and Phones sections have a high demand during Open Enrollment Season for health benefits due to employee changes in healthcare plans and questions related to those changes. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) section has increased demand in January due to employees submitting FMLA documents for recertification.
The Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) have an increased work demand each year from January through March due to moving seasonal employees’ medical fi les from a folder of active employees to another folder for inactive employees. With the increase of seasonal employees during peak season, the OHNs have more fi les to transfer to the inactive folder at the beginning of each year.
The Material Support craft employees of the Western Area Supply Center experience an increased workload over the summer months. The Supply Center warehouses parts and supplies for postal machinery throughout the country. There is an increase in the need for machinery parts due to breakdown and malfunctions in the summertime that creates a larger workload for these employees.
Whether increased workloads are seasonal, monthly, or sporadic, we want to recognize the additional work that our Support Services workers do for the Postal Service.
Unsung Heroes0
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Updates on Scanner, Geotab Device Notifications
January 15, 2025MVS Director Michael Foster provides updates on the Postal Vehicle Service Scanners and the new Geotab GPS units for Postal Service vehicles.
magazineMVS DivisionMichael O. Foster
In the last issue, we reported that the Postal Service had notified the APWU about several changes and additions to Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) scanners. One of these changes is that they intend to add a feature for a Notice 76-T checklist, like the Notice 76 checklist performed by letter carriers on delivery vehicles each morning, prior to leaving the office for their routes. PVS operators should perform these inspections. During their vehicle inspections, prior to the operation of the trucks, it is important that the scanners and the PS Form 4533 allow enough time for the Department of Transportation (DOT) pre-trip and post-trip inspection.
Geotab
The Postal Service issued a contract for telematics integration of all Postal Service vehicles. The Geotab device is a GPS unit that logs location, speed, and vehicle condition information.
The data retention for Geotab is only three months. This information could be useful and helpful to the APWU in research and investigation, so a delay in requesting this information could make it difficult to obtain. This also could be helpful when we suspect that the Postal Service has edited the Surface Visibility logs for the scanners or has instructed the operators to input inaccurate information, such as arrival and departure times.
The MVS Division has received many calls and inquiries regarding the proper use of Geotab data in discipline, mainly regarding speeding from location to location. When the Postal Service notified the APWU about the pilot program for Geotab Telematics, we had many questions for the Postal Service, including “Will this information be used to issue discipline?” Their response was much like the 2017 Step 4 settlement (USPS# Q10V-4Q-C 16466169/APWU# HQTV 20160275) on scanners that said the data would not be the sole source of evidence.
Any discipline would be in accordance with Article 16 and management must carry out an investigation (see below). The Postal Service takes the position that employees jamming devices would be subject to discipline.
7. Could the telematics data information be utilized for discipline? Could this information be the sole source of discipline?
RESPONSE: As stated on the previous Fleet/APWU meeting on 05/04/2023, all discipline is handled at a local level based on local fact circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Although telematics data will not be a sole source for discipline, the data may be referenced as part of a larger body of facts.
Subcontracting Geotab Installation
Postal Service management continues to claim that any subcontracting of Geotab installation will be determined at the field level. This also means that the Local Fleet Management must give advanced notice of the subcontracting of the installation of the Geotab units, per Article 32.1 C. Many locations have received a form letter of “Due Consideration” that is identical to other Geotab installation notices throughout the country. In some locations, the fleet manager will even claim that USPS Headquarters told them they must subcontract the installation. If this is taking place in your location, you should perform a thorough Article 32.1C investigation and file a grievance if necessary (see below).
5. What time frame would the Article 32 notifications for the installation of the telematics device be given to the Local Union? Please provide copies of 32.1. C notifications by installation.
RESPONSE: As stated on the previous Fleet/APWU meeting on 05/04/2023, Article 32 notifications are managed at the local level. The decision to contract is at the VMF Managers discretion. VMF Managers were advised to provide Article 32 notification prior to the commencement of contracted work in accordance with Article 32.1.C. Telematics installation began in late January 2023.
If you have questions regarding the information usage from Geotab please see your steward. A copy of the USPS Geotab RFI response is also on the APWU website. ■
Updates on Scanner, Geotab Device Notifications0
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Postal Service Implements Eagle Clean (e4776) Pilot
January 15, 2025Maintenance Craft Director Idowu Balogun discusses the Eagle Clean (e4776) scanner pilot program and introduces the new Maintenance Division Central Region National Business Agent ‘C’ Stephanie Logan who took office after Curtis Walker’s retirement.
magazineMaintenance DivisionIdowu Balogun
The Postal Service formally notified the APWU on June 20, 2024, that they believed the Eagle Clean (e4776) pilot program was a success and they would begin implementing Eagle Clean across the country. The Postal Service’s reasoning behind the pilot program, which began July 1, 2023, was to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of completing and submitting the PS Form 4776 using a Mobile Delivery Device scanner (MDD).
The Maintenance Council met with the Postal Service on Nov. 8, 2024, to further discuss Eagle Clean, and learned that custodians using the MDD have several options after logging in, such as: begin tour, in and out to lunch, end tour, move to different operation numbers, move to travel operation, and training. In addition, it is possible to add more operational numbers when necessary (i.e. steward duty time). Custodians can select daily routes (routine tasks) and track the time spent performing those routes. They can also select work orders (periodic tasks) for tasks required on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Lastly, they can select ad-hoc tasks to track time spent performing work that is not necessarily contained within the custodial staffing package. For more information, see the Maintenance page.
Curtis Walker, Central Region National Business Agent ‘C’ Retires
Read More....2025 Nebraska State Convention
Room rate: $135/night. Deadline: March 7. Use code: American postal workers union convention. Registration fee: $120 before March 10; After $130. For questions, contact Matthew Cardwell at npwusec.tres@yahoo.com
April 4, 2025 – 8:45AM to April 5, 2025 – 5:45AMNorfolk Lodge and Suites4200 W Norfolk Ave,
Norfolk, NE 68701
LocalNoYes2025-01-15 00:00:002025 Nebraska State ConventionHotel Information
Norfolk Lodge and Suites
4200 W Norfolk Ave,
Norfolk, NE 68701
The room rate is $135/night if booked before March 7, 2025 under the American postal workers union convention.
Registration
The registration fee is $120 until March 10. After that, it will be $130 with the late fee. If there are questions, contact Matthew Cardwell at npwusec.tres@yahoo.com
10
Updated Function Four Operation Numbers
January 15, 2025“Clerks should ensure that they are on the correct workhour operation. Standby codes are NOT work hours.” – Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks
magazineClerk Division Lamont Brooks
Actual vs. ‘Earned’ Complement
The APWU objects to the Postal Service using “Earned Hours” as opposed to actual “Work Hours” to determine staffing. The APWU asserts that this violates Article 37.3.A.1., which requires the Postal Service to use all available “work hours” for Clerk Craft assignments.
If we challenge the models or tools management uses, it should only be as a rebuttal to their position and should not be the main argument. We should not devote significant time to rebutting management’s staffing models and tools. Our main focus should be advancing our extremely strong Article 37.3.A.1. language, and referencing the three National Goldberg awards and two Step 4 settlements.
In its April 3, 2017, reply to Lamont Brooks, the Postal Service took the position that “earned hours” are simply “internal management tools” to provide data to local management and ensure compliance with the contract. They insist that earned hours should match work hours. That is why actual work hours are the controlling method to determine staffing. We must fight to adequately staff the window and mail processing. Delayed mail and long lines in the lobby are contrary to proper staffing. Lead Clerks should be assisting management to properly staff the offices.
The most important clock rings are as follows:
Begin Tour
Out to Lunch
In from Lunch
End Tour
Clerks should ensure that they are on the correct workhour operation. Standby codes are NOT work hours.
When clerks are not clocking on the proper operation it becomes a management excuse to reduce the complement. Operation 956 SOV is used for loaner hours. The Postal Service informed the Clerk Division that local management can add operation numbers that may be missing on an MDD/IO scanner.
We remain in discussions on Operation 352, which the parties negotiated at the national level for retail lobby assistance duties prior to reaching the window. Detailed descriptions of operation numbers are in the M-32 Handbook.
The updated list of Function Four Operation codes is as follows:
TAC140R2 – v4.002 – (09) National Authorized Operations
Operation
Operation Desc
CAG A-L (F1) Non-Supv LDC
CAG A-L (F1) Supv LDC
2280
Express mail delivery
4800
2000
2410
Allied distribution
4300
—-
3150
SDUS incoming parcels
4100
—-
3170
SDUS Sunday parcels
4100
—-
3180
Small DU sorters (SDUS) bundle
4100
—-
3190
Small DU sorters (SDUS) SCF
4100
—-
3530
Operational standby cust srv
4800
2000
3550
Window services
4500
—-
3570
Government services
4500
—-
5440
Cages serving carriers
4800
—-
5580
Office work & records-CS
4800
2000
6060
Institutional standby cust srv
4800
—-
6080
Stewards – Clerks – CS
4800
—-
6210
Travel customer service
4800
2000
6250
Stewards-mail handler-CS
4800
—-
6310
Meeting time-customer services
4800
2000
6370
Postage due/BRM/MRS/PRS
4200
—-
6670
CFS Miscellaneous Support
4900
—-
7420
Misc activity-Cust Serv
4800
2000
7690
Box section
4400
—-
7970
CFS manual forward/RTS Oper
4900
2000
9050
ADUS incoming parcels
4100
—-
9080
Auto DU Sorters (ADUS) bundle
4100
—-
9090
Auto DU sorters (ADUS) SCF
4100
—-
9100
ADUS Sunday parcels
4100
—-
9560
SOV activities
4700
—-
0770
Sunday parcel distribution
4300
2000
0850
CFS COA scanning
4900
—-
Updated Function Four Operation Numbers0
Read More....Maitenance PTR Payment Distribution Is on the Way
January 14, 2025BREAKING NEWS: Your share of the PTR payment distribution is on the way
Awards and SettlementsMaintenance DivisionIdowu Balogun
The Maintenance Division received information that some PTR employee received their share of the settlement in the latest pay period. The USPS informed APWU that as of January 13, 2025, the rest of the settlement recipients will be receiving their payout within the next two pay periods. Recipients will get their payment via their current method of receiving payment.
If retired or resigned from postal employment, it will likely be a check in the mail (possibly sent to your last office of employment). Be aware that higher amount expected distribution must be manually verified before releasing the payment, which could lead to above mentioned delays.
In the meantime, you can check the amount owed to you at https://apwu.org/news/awards-and-settlements/maintenance-ptr-settlement-payout-2024-2025.
BREAKING NEWS: Your share of the PTR payment distribution is on the way
The Maintenance Division received information that some PTR employee received their share of the settlement in the latest pay period. The USPS informed us as of today (1/13/2025) that the rest of the recipients will be receiving their payout within the next two pay periods. Recipients will get their payment via their current method of receiving payment. If retired or resigned from postal employment, it will likely be a check in the mail. (possibly sent to your last office of employment). Be aware that higher amount expected distribution must be manually verified before releasing the payment, which could lead to above mentioned delays.
In the meantime, you can check the amount owed to you at https://apwu.org/news/awards-and-settlements/maintenance-ptr-settlement-payout-2024-2025. 0
Read More....Maintenance PTR Payment Distribution Is on the Way
January 14, 2025BREAKING NEWS: Your share of the PTR payment distribution is on the way
Awards and SettlementsMaintenance DivisionIdowu Balogun
The Maintenance Division received information that some part-time regular (PTR) employees received their share of the settlement in the latest pay period. The USPS informed APWU that as of Jan. 13, 2025, the rest of the settlement recipients will be receiving their payout within the next two pay periods. Recipients will get their payment via their current method of receiving payment.
If retired or resigned from postal employment, it will likely be a check in the mail (possibly sent to your last office of employment). Be aware that higher amount expected distribution must be manually verified before releasing the payment, which could lead to above mentioned delays.
In the meantime, you can check the amount owed to you at https://apwu.org/news/awards-and-settlements/maintenance-ptr-settlement-payout-2024-2025.
BREAKING NEWS: Your share of the PTR payment distribution is on the way
The Maintenance Division received information that some PTR employees received their share of the settlement in the latest pay period. The USPS informed us as of today (1/13/2025) that the rest of the recipients will be receiving their payout within the next two pay periods. Recipients will get their payment via their current method of receiving payment. If retired or resigned from postal employment, it will likely be a check in the mail. (possibly sent to your last office of employment). Be aware that higher amount expected distribution must be manually verified before releasing the payment, which could lead to above mentioned delays.
In the meantime, you can check the amount owed to you at https://apwu.org/news/awards-and-settlements/maintenance-ptr-settlement-payout-2024-2025. 0
Read More....The Union Should Be Involved in Politics
January 14, 2025“We can never let our differences of opinion on political issues prevent us from working together to secure and save the things we have in common, which are protecting our jobs, benefits, and the Postal Service.” – Northeast Regional Coordinator Tiffany Foster
magazineNortheast RegionTiffany Foster
On behalf of the Northeast Region, we hope you and your family had a joyous holiday season and that the new year brings you more love, peace, joy, and happiness.
The 2024 General Election was contentious and touchy, and everyone had an opinion. Some guarded their thoughts on the election for fear of arguments and insults. I witnessed the damage it caused to relationships between family and friends. I saw the same within our union.
Family members don’t think alike or believe the same things. This is also true in our union. We all have the right to believe and think what we want; that’s the beauty of our rights in this country, but we must remember that this principle goes both ways.
Author Roy T. Bennett said, “We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead.”
I hear union members say, “The union should stay out of politics, do their job, and represent us.” Politics touches everything in this world. Our union not getting involved in politics would be a failure to represent its members.
I believe postal unions have a constitutional right and responsibility to be involved in politics on every level of government. The U.S. Constitution mandated the creation of the Postal Service.
For example, Congress passed the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act, which President Nixon signed into law. The first paragraph of the act reads:
The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by Act of Congress, and supported by the people.
This law gave postal unions the right to collective bargaining, among other rights. These rights were a demand by the postal unions to Congress. We enjoy the benefits of this law today.
In 2011, Postmaster General (PMG) Patrick Donahoe tried to renege on the collective bargaining agreement he had just signed by requesting that Congress introduce legislation to let him lay off 120,000 employees and remove employees from federal benefits programs. His request failed because members of Congress supported our union and postal employees.
When PMG Donahoe tried to outsource postal work to the Staples office retail company, local, state, and national unions lobbied members of Congress to support the Stop Staples campaign, and they did. They wrote letters to PMG Donahoe to eliminate the program, conducted investigations, and rallied with their constituents. The collective work of everyone involved forced the program to end. Congress was important in this fight.
Across the country, APWU members contacted their elected representatives to help fight the Delivering for America plan. Many members of Congress got involved and demanded answers and transparency. In some cases, the implementation was either stopped or delayed due to the push from the unions and Congress.
These are just some reasons why we should be involved in politics. The Constitution grants Congress power over the Postal Service; they can create laws that can harm or help us. We must build relationships with the elected officials who support us and work to gain the support of those who don’t, regardless of party affiliation. We need their voice in our struggle. It’s that simple. The union is not just a grievance machine. It can’t be in order to exist and represent its membership.
We can never let our differences of opinion on political issues prevent us from working together to secure and save the things we have in common, which are protecting our jobs, benefits, and the Postal Service.
My fellow Regional Coordinators (Omar Gonzalez, AJ Jones, Yared Wonde, and Amy Puhalski) and I thank everyone in the APWU for building those political relationships for the greater good. We’re going to really need it now. ■
The Union Should Be Involved in Politics0
Read More....Preventing Injuries While Lifting Objects on the Workroom Floor
January 14, 2025The Industrial Relations Department shares proper lifting techniques to avoid injury when moving heavy parcels and sacks:
magazineSpeak Up for Safe Jobs
As postal workers, we sometimes forget just how much lifting we perform daily, as well as how important it is to remember to lift every object in a safe and correct manner. Bending down can cause the discs between your spinal vertebrae to pinch. These discs may slip or rupture during improper lifting, causing severe pain or disability, and your muscles or ligaments may also stretch or tear. Improper lifting practices can also compress the stomach, which may cause a hernia. To prevent injuries while lifting objects, you should always use proper lifting techniques.
Safe Lifting Techniques
To improve stability, straddle the load by comfortably spreading your feet (normally shoulder width apart), putting one foot by the front of the parcel (the side facing you) and one foot to the left or right of the parcel.
Keep your back straight by using a squatting position. Remember that “straight” does not mean “vertical.” A straight back keeps the spine, back muscles, and organs in correct alignment. Draw the load close to your body while completing the lift, pushing the weight through your heels as you stand upright. When carrying the load, keep it close to your body, tucking your arms and elbows into your sides.
When arms are held away from the body, they lose much of their strength, placing more stress on back and shoulder muscles. Keeping your arms tucked in helps keep body weight centered.
Grasp the parcel near the top of the farthest corner and wrap your palm around the edge. Hold the opposite bottom in the palm of your other hand. Use the full palm because fingers alone have little strength.
Keep your head upright when lifting and permit it to move freely. This helps maintain balance because the center of gravity changes with load acquisition.
Position your body so that its weight is centered over the feet. This provides a more powerful line of thrust and ensures better balance.
Start the lift with the thrust of the rear foot. Begin to lift straight up, smoothly and without stopping, by pushing your legs and keeping your back straight.
Complete the lift to a standing position. Be sure that your hold on the parcel is secure before moving. If you must pivot or turn, use your feet. Do not twist the body trunk.
When raising a parcel above shoulder height, follow the procedures just described, pausing at waist height. Before resuming the lift, rest the edge of the parcel on a ledge, a stand, or your hip. Shift your hand position to support the bottom of the parcel, and after bending your knees for a boost, straighten them as you lift the parcel to your shoulder.
When lifting sacks, use the same general lifting procedures used for lifting parcels, and observe the following precautions:
The position of the hands varies somewhat, grasp opposite diagonal corners.
If you are carrying a sack for any distance, rest it against your hip and stomach once it is waist high. Shift your hand position so you can boost the sack after you bend your knees.
Lift the sack to one shoulder, stoop lightly with your hand on your hip, and rest the sack partly on your shoulder, arm, and back. Hold the sack at the front corner.
When putting the sack down, swing it against your hip and stomach. If you place it on the floor or ground, bend your legs and lower the sack, keeping your back straight.
By following these simple, yet practical, techniques at work and home, you can prevent injuries and enjoy a healthy work and after-work life. ■
Preventing Injuries While Lifting Objects on the Workroom Floor0
Read More....The Public Deserves Faster Mail, Not Degraded Services
January 14, 2025“You all proved once again that, when given the proper resources, you can sort and deliver mail promptly and efficiently – just as the law requires.” Industrial Relations Director Charlie Cash calls on members to oppose any degradation of service.
magazineIndustrial RelationsCharlie Cash
Happy New Year, union family! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I, along with millions of others across the country, thank you for all the hard work you did to deliver smiles to people around the world. I used the Postal Service to send gifts to my children in Utah and the work you did made sure those gifts were delivered to them. It is the work of the members of the APWU that ensures gifts, cards, joy, and love are delivered to mailboxes everywhere. You are the invisible force that accepts the mail, sorts it, maintains the equipment, maintains our fl eet, programs the Postal Service’s computers, takes the customers’ calls, and makes sure everyone is paid for that work. You may not be seen, but not a single piece of mail is delivered anywhere in this country without you!
But it wasn’t only during the holiday season that you showed up, worked, and dedicated yourselves to making sure the mail was delivered. You did it during the election as well! During the 2024 General Election period (starting Sept. 1, 2024) you processed 99.22 million ballots. Because of your work, it only took 1.95 days for ballots to be delivered to voters from election boards. The average day to return ballots to local election boards was even better – one day. None of this could have been accomplished without you.1
You all proved once again that, when given the proper resources, you can sort and deliver mail promptly and efficiently – just as the law requires. But why is it only during election time that the leaders of the Postal Service are committed and dedicated to ensuring mail is delivered to the public at this pace? I remember the times when one-day delivery of First-Class Mail at the local level was the standard, not the exception. I remember two or three-day delivery across the country was also the norm. But now what we see is the continuing slowing of mail. It seems it doesn’t matter who oversees the Postal Service, the slowing of the mail is no longer an abomination that the public once viewed it as – it is now becoming the norm.
The Postal Service claims that mail will still be delivered within its standards of two to five days, but that it could now take longer. It could be four now instead of three days. What was four could be five. No matter how you spin it and claim the standards haven’t changed, the mail is slower. Especially where it is needed most – rural America. This is all in the name of saving $3 billion a year. The public deserves better. They deserve faster mail. They demand the focus and attention to getting the mail delivered, like we focus on getting ballots delivered within one day. If we can do that, for a couple months each election cycle, we can do it every day. Maybe a more prompt and efficient delivery of mail would encourage increased usage of the Postal Service. Isn’t that what the goal of the Delivering for American plan was supposed to be?
Keep an eye out for APWU efforts to continue to oppose any degradation of service. We will need your help. We will need you to educate the public, contact your legislators, and continue to raise your voices to protect the Postal Service.
We don’t know what is to come under President-elect Trump for the Postal Service. I know this union will oppose any continued degradation of service or the dismantling of the only agency mentioned in the U.S. Constitution – the Post Office.
Solidarity! ■
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1 2024 Post-Election Analysis Report: Delivering the Nation’s Election Mail Securely and Effectively, page 5. usps-post-election-report-2024-12-02.pdf
The Public Deserves Faster Mail, Not Degraded Services0
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