APWU
2025 California State Convention
Room rateL $179/night plus taxes. Call (1-800-222-8733) Group Code: 904 or go to Link https://group.doubletree.com/tn4vcw | Registration: $100 before April 11, after $125.
May 17, 2025 – 9:15AM to May 18, 2025 – 8:15AMDoubleTree by Hilton Ontario Airport Hotel222 North Vineyard Avenue
Ontario. California 91764
LocalNoYes2025-01-14 00:00:002025 California State ConventionHotel
Doubletree by Hilton Ontario Airport Hotel
222 North Vineyard Avenue, Ontario, California 91764
When booking, call (1-800-222-8733) Group Code: 904 or go to Link https://group.doubletree.com/tn4vcw
Room rate of $179.00 plus taxes per night.
Parking Per Car is $18.00 per room per night.
There is a shuttle from Ontario Airport.
Registration
Click here for CA State Convention registration form.
Registration is $100.00 until April 11, 2025, after $125.00. All checks are paid to:
CALIFORNIA AREA LOCAL 4635
129 EAST “A” STREET UPLAND, CA 91786
ATTN: RAFAEL PEREZ SECRETARY-TREASURER
CONTACT
CALIFORNIA STATE PRESIDENT GAARE DAVIS for more details: CALSTATEGD@ATT.NET 626-487-4366 OR President RICK RUIZ at RRUIZ@CAL4635.ORG 909-981-2260.
10
28th Biennial Hawaii State Convention
Room rates: $199.00/night + 17.962% taxes. RSVP Deadline: March 31, 2025. More details coming soon.
May 16, 2025 – 8:15AM to May 18, 2025 – 5:15PMAla Moana Hotel410 Atkinson Dr,
Honolulu, HI 96814
LocalNoYes2025-01-14 00:00:0028th Biennial Hawaii State Convention10
USPS Report: PSE Compliance Report Pay Period 01 – December 27, 2024
https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/apwu_pse_compliance_report_fy25_pp01_v03_0.xlsUSPS Report: PSE Compliance Report Pay Period 01 – December 27, 2024
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APWU and USPS Agree to One-Time Retirement Incentive, ‘Early Out’ for Postal Workers
January 13, 2025On January 13, 2025, the United States Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union have mutually agreed to a One-time Retirement Incentive, including an “early out” option for eligible employees.
Voluntary Early Retirement / Incentives
On January 13, 2025, the United States Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union have mutually agreed to a One-time Retirement Incentive, including an “early out” option for eligible employees.
The parties agree that the Postal Service will make lump sum incentive payments totaling $15,000 (less applicable taxes and deductions) to eligible full-time career employees who choose optional retirement or retire pursuant to a Voluntary Early Retirement (VER). Part-time employees will be eligible for a prorated amount, as provided in the attached MOU.
You can read the full MOU below. Questions and Answers regarding this MOU will be posted soon.
2025-01-13 MOU Re: One-Time Retirement Incentive
APWU and USPS Agree to One-Time Retirement Incentive, ‘Early Out’ for Postal Workers0
Read More....2025-01-13 MOU Re: One-Time Retirement Incentive
https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/2025.01.13_mou_1-time_retirement_incentive_between_usps_and_apwu_signed_3.pdf2025-01-13 MOU Re: One-Time Retirement Incentive between USPS and APWU
Read More....Budgeting for the New Year!
January 13, 2025Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell shares important dates for trainings this year. Two of note are the APWU Scholarship deadline and APWU Disaster/Hardship Fund.
magazineSecretary-TreasurerElizabeth Powell
Challenging times will always test your resilience to remain unified and strong as labor leaders. This year will certainly test our patience and resilience regarding the various contractual antics the Postal Service will ultimately pursue, and staying steadfast to “A Strong Union, A Strong Future” is more important than ever. Just like in our personal lives, when we make plans and budget for the new year, local, and state officials should do the same for their organization. When planning for the new year, along with the other state conferences and conventions, please plan for the following events in your budget:
1. March 2025 (Date TBD) Virtual Department of Labor Labor-Management Report Training
Due Date! March 31, 2025 is the deadline to electronically file Department of Labor (DOL) Labor-Management (LM) reports and May 15, 2025 is the deadline to electrically file IRS 990 reports if your fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2024. Learn how to file these reports in a training scheduled (date TBD) in March 2025.
2. April 8-April 10, 2025, Secretary-Treasurer’s Training, Miami, FL
(Local officers will be able to register for QuickBooks Beginners, QuickBooks Advanced, and Officer’s Fiduciary Responsibilities Training.) The Secretary-Treasurer’s Department strongly advises elected officers, specifically local presidents and treasurers, to attend at least one training session a year.
3. Oct. 3-Oct. 5, 2025, Secretary-Treasurer’s Training (All-Craft), Las Vegas, NV
4. Oct. 6-Oct. 8, 2025, All Craft Conferences, Las Vegas, NV
In addition to the various in-person training events and assisting new and current local and state officers in complying with the DOL and IRS legal requirements, the Secretary-Treasurer’s Department will continue to provide various virtual fiduciary training opportunities for officers to attend.
New Officers’ Training & Responsibilities
Labor-Management Reporting
Local Union Elections
Department of Labor & IRS Requirements and Audits
Travel & Expenses Policy
Recording-Secretary Duties
Committee on Political Action (COPA) Funds
Trustee Training
Budgeting
Tax-Exempt Status
Local Constitutions
Compensation for Union Officers and Members
Union Policies and Procedures
Dues Checkoff (DCO) Training
The Secretary-Treasurer’s Department will continue to verify that local and state affiliates are in compliance with Article 16 of the National Constitution. APWU locals who fail to abide by the regulations may have their DCO dues withheld until they comply or provide an explanation for non-compliance. Local and state officers are required to provide verification that they have complied with DOL and IRS filings and the APWU Constitution by providing a copy of their DOL reports and IRS Forms 990 to the Secretary-Treasurer’s Department after they have been electronically submitted. Also, maintaining sufficient bonding coverage in addition to the $5,000 bond provided to all APWU locals by the national union is required.
*APWU Scholarships – High school seniors who are the children or grandchildren of current, retired, or deceased APWU members are welcome to apply. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2025.
**APWU Disaster/Hardship Fund – APWU Disaster/ Hardship Fund coordinates with the Postal Employee’s Relief Fund (PERF). After you receive a decision from the PERF, you are required to submit that decision to the APWU Disaster/Hardship Fund to complete your application for aid. Applications for PERF and APWU Disaster/ Hardship Fund can be obtained on the APWU website. ■
Budgeting for the New Year!0
Read More....Stand Up and Fight Back to Save Our Service Standards
January 13, 2025Contact your elected officials, ask organizations to take actions to save the prompt delivery of our First-Class Mail service.” – Vice President Debby Szeredy informs members of planned postal consolidations and urges members to stand up and fight back to protect the public postal service.
magazineVice PresidentDebby Szeredy
Now is the time to become union activists and get involved in your community! Contact your elected officials, ask organizations to take actions to save the prompt delivery of our First-Class Mail service, to stop the Delivering for America (DFA) planned consolidations of processing and distribution centers (P&DCs), and to stop the “network modernization” plans that halt mail service, causing mail and packages to sit overnight in post offices with less security and slowing postal services for a majority of communities across this country.
We have power, but we must do the work to reach out to our community and political allies, educating them about just how far the Postal Service is going down the rabbit hole, and how we can work together to block these plans.
The Postal Service notified the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) on Nov. 22, 2024, that they would continue processing outgoing local operations in 16 of the 58 planned consolidation locations.
These locations are Bismarck, ND PDC, Burlington, VT PDC, Charleston. WV PDC, Chattanooga, TN PDC, Eastern ME PDC, El Paso, TX PDC, Fayetteville, AR PDC, Fayetteville, NC PDC, Ft Myers, FL PDC, Greenville, SC PDC, Gulfport, MS PDC, Knoxville, TN PDC, McAllen, TX PDC, Reno, NV PDC, Tulsa, OK PDC, Waterloo, IA PDC.
The Postal Service reversed course on these locations due to the pushbacks and pressure placed on the Postmaster General (PMG). One example is the Buffalo Local that had built their relationship with NY Senator Schumer for years, and through reaching out to him, their plant consolidation was stopped immediately. Establishing a relationship with your elected officials can make the difference in our union’s battles.
There are 42 other P&DCs that are on the hit list for their planned consolidation to local processing centers (LPCs) in 2024. Consolidation means the P&DC will have no ability to cancel and postmark their own sectional center facility (SCF) area mail or provide prompt services. Even worse is that there are facilities on that list that the Postal Service reneged on pausing, and within a brief period, took out P&DC mail-processing equipment, and refused to bring it back, hiding it from the public.
Let us put the pressure back on the PMG and the PRC to reverse these actions, keeping the 2012 network that had worked for decades. Tell them to stop the path to privatization by selling our service to the highest private-sector bidder, putting the public Postal Service into the hands of billionaires to make more profits, and without any oversight to protect workers and the services that we all depend on.
We need everyone to step up and fight this. For a list of locations where consolidations need to be stopped or reversed, visit apwu.org/vice-president. Everyone needs to get on board to stop the network modernization plan that causes mail service to sit overnight and delays services that we depend on.
In some areas, mail will sit overnight instead of providing prompt services, while others will continue to process mail with no delay.
We need the PRC to advise the Postal Service to halt all plans for consolidations and transportation optimizations. They should take a stand to protect our service by reverting to the 2012 service standards of 195 P&DCs processing mail and overnight service in most cities. The DFA plan downgrades services, adversely affects businesses and organizations, short staffs’ workers, and fails to provide prompt, timely service.
Do you need ideas about how you can get involved? Contact me at dszeredy@apwu.org. ■
Stand Up and Fight Back to Save Our Service Standards0
Read More....Post-Election Food for Thought
January 13, 2025“Every attack on the rights of workers, unions, veterans, children, democratic rights, and our planet should call forth powerful resistance of solidarity and unity around our common interests.” APWU President Dimondstein shares his observations and thoughts post-election.
magazinePresidentMark Dimondstein
The 2024 General Election is over. The companion article on page 5 is my statement following its outcome. I respect the many differing views held by our members and that every member undoubtedly voted for what they believed was in their best interests. What follows are some election observations and thoughts on the challenging road ahead under a new presidential administration:
There is no sugarcoating that, buffeted by the high cost of living, corporate price gouging, the failure of either political party to address the fundamental needs of workers, and the success of divide-and-conquer tactics, millions of working people voted for a convicted felon and corrupt billionaire who opposes any minimum wage, union rights, women’s rights, a clean environment, public postal services, and who uses bigotry to divide us.
Don’t take my word of the danger ahead. John Kelly, Trump’s longest serving chief of staff, recently said that Trump is a fascist and would govern as a dictator. Kelly, a retired Marine Corps General, was particularly concerned about Trump’s declarations regarding “the enemy within,” and Trump’s threats to unleash the U.S. military on his domestic political opponents.
Project 2025, produced by the right-wing Heritage Foundation and drafted with the participation of 140 former Trump staffers, is the blueprint for a new Trump administration. It is loaded with attacks on veterans, workers, women, unions, children, and democratic rights.
In a tight race where 10 million fewer people voted than in the 2020 presidential election, the low turnout is an indication that millions of voters are frustrated and disillusioned with the two main political parties.
In Missouri, pro-worker ballot initiatives for paid sick leave, higher minimum wages, and defense of women’s reproductive rights overwhelmingly passed. Yet the very same working-class voters elected politicians who vehemently oppose every one of these issues. It is clearly the common issues that unite us, not party labels.
In politically conservative Nebraska, factory worker and union leader Dan Osborn ran for Senate, exposing that Congress is “made up of millionaires doing the bidding of billionaires.” He fell just short of a major upset, but the voters reacted enthusiastically to an independent choice. We need more such campaigns in the future.
Endless funds of the super wealthy and corporations have far too much influence in our elections. Yet, until now, billionaires like anti-worker, anti-union Elon Musk did not get directly involved on the campaign trail. They are now laughing all the way to the bank as the 10 richest individuals gained $64 billion in financial gains in the election aftermath; Musk alone gaining $26 billion.
With no working-class based party in the U.S., we are faced with the lesser of two evils. Without a political home, we are lost in the political desert, thirsty and hungry. It is natural to seek the safe haven of an oasis. Oases are often a mirage, as this new administration will undoubtedly prove itself to be. We need to build an independent party that is controlled by, and accountable to, working people not Wall Street.
The reality is that, whichever way this election came out, the working class and union movement have much work ahead to gain our fair share of the fruits of the wealth we create and to truly win justice for all.
Through Democratic and Republican administrations, our struggle always continues. But with a Trump White House and control over the legislative and judicial branches of government, and his proclamations to rule as a dictator from “day one,” the seas ahead will be rocky and stormy. We cannot stick our heads in the sand just hoping the storm will blow over and all will be well. Every attack on the rights of workers, unions, veterans, children, democratic rights, and our planet should call forth powerful resistance of solidarity and unity around our common interests. See you on the front lines! ■
Post-Election Food for Thought0
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The Mail is Not for Sale!
January 8, 2025The fast and furious online reaction to The [Washington] Post’s Dec. 19 editorial underscores how strongly the people support and trust the U.S. Postal Service.
US Mail Not for SalePresidentMark Dimondstein
The fast and furious online reaction to The [Washington] Post’s Dec. 19 editorial underscores how strongly the people support and trust the U.S. Postal Service.
Though the Editorial Board claims to be “agnostic” on postal privatization, the board suggests it’s been successful elsewhere. This couldn’t be further from the truth; postal privatization has proved deeply unpopular in other countries, where it has led to higher postage rates and cuts in service.
Privatization would jeopardize the Postal Service’s universal obligation to provide postal services for all people, no matter who we are or where we live. What’s to stop a Wild West of price gouging and profit-taking? Where profit cannot be made — especially in rural America — service would probably cease.
The bleak picture of the Postal Service’s financials presented in the editorial ignores some obvious fixes: Allow the Postal Service to provide expanded products, such as financial services and licensing; invest Postal Service pension and health funds in something other than low-yield Treasury bonds; end presorting discounts, which amount to corporate welfare for big mailers and deprive the Postal Service of needed revenue; update the 1970 business model to address the reality of growing package volume and declining letter volume in the internet age.
In addition, The Post’s editorial devalues what the public Postal Service does. Whether through providing tens of millions of people secure access to the ballot box, sorting and delivering medicines, packages, personal correspondence and advertising, enabling customer access for small businesses, bringing normalcy after natural disasters, or giving the exchanging of ideas and information a presence in every community, the Postal Service remains vital to binding the country together. Omissions such as the Postal Service’s role in ensuring access to e-commerce are striking.
Yes, the Postal Service is facing financial and service challenges. But we should not use these fixable challenges as reason to side with private business oligarchs. The unionized, dedicated postal workers side with the people as, together, we say: “The U.S. mail is not for sale!”
Read President Dimondstein’s response and other responses to the Dec. 19 Washington Post Editorial by clicking here!
The Mail is Not for Sale! APWU President Mark Dimondstein’s Response to The Washington Post’s Dec. 19, 2024 Editorial About Postal Privatization0
Read More....Scheduled Consolidations 2025
https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/scheduled_consolidations_2025.pdfScheduled Consolidations 2025
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