APWU
Let’s Get to The Truth: Myths and Facts about Postal Privatization
April 22, 2025Let’s Get to The Truth: Myths and Facts about Postal Privatization
US Mail Not for Sale
No matter how you voted in last year’s election, no one voted to destroy the Postal Service. But the new administration plans to break up the Postal Service and sell it off to private corporations. Here’s what you need to know and what you can do to help save the Postal Service.
MYTH: The USPS loses billions of dollars each year in taxpayers’ money.
FACT: The Postal Service is self-funded and relies on revenue generated from the sale of stamps, products, and services to pay for its operations.
MYTH: The USPS is obsolete because letter mail volumes have steadily declined in the digital age.
FACT: The Postal Service is 250 years old and has always adapted to new technology and mail-mix. While letter mail is down, package volumes are up. Additionally, the Postal Reform Act of 2022 allows the Postal Service to offer new services to local government. These and other expanded services like postal banking, could underpin USPS finances for generations to come.
MYTH: The USPS isn’t profitable, so it should be run like a business.
FACT: The Postal Service is not a business; it is enshrined in the constitution and has a congressionally-mandated obligation to serve the people by delivering to all 169 million addresses, urban or rural, six days a week.
MYTH: If the mail was run by private companies, the universal service obligation would still exist and the Postal Service would deliver to every address.
FACT: Delivery would be driven by profit margins, and private companies will only go to where they can make a profit. Sections of our population could lose mail service entirely. Prices would rise according to whatever the company demands for their own profit.
MYTH: Moving the USPS under the Commerce Department would mean it is still a public agency, and not subject to privatization.
FACT: Moving the USPS under the Commerce Department would be a step backwards, giving power back to the Executive Branch and removing the independent governance that allows us to serve America free from political interference. It could also affect labor union contracts, vote-by-mail initiatives, and much more. Trump-appointed Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick would be in charge. He has already expressed interest in privatizing the Postal Service. This administration intends to break up and sell off the profitable portions of the Postal Service to billionaires and USPS competitors.
Understanding The Facts: Our public Postal Service
Support and protect your public Postal Service. Sign our petition at usmailnotforsale.org/petition.
FACT: The Post Office is enshrined in the US Constitution and created by an act of co Congress. The public Postal Service is part of the fundamental infrastructure of our great nation binding us together.
FACT: By law, the USPS is self funded. It operates through the sale of postage and and postal services alone, without tax dollars.
FACT: The Post Office will celebrate its 250th anniversary in July. Let’s work together to to bring another 250 years of strong, public postal services for every American!
FACT: The USPS delivers to every address in the country—169 million addresses and and 318 million pieces of mail each day—no matter who we are or where we live. In contrast, private delivery companies will only go where they can make a profit.
FACT: If the Administration’s plans to sell the USPS to corporations for private a goes through, it will result in higher costs, reduced delivery days, and the end of universal delivery to every address in the country.
FACT: The USPS is the low-cost anchor of the giant mail and package industry. bla The industry employs more than seven million people and generates more than $1.2 trillion in economic activity. At a time of booming e-commerce, the public Postal Service is as necessary as ever.
FACT: The United States Postal Service is consistently ranked among the most favorable favorable and most trusted federal agencies.
FACT: Postal privatization wouldn’t just be the end of reliable mail delivery, it woould would destroy over 600,000 good union jobs. The USPS is also the country’s largest civilian employer of veterans. Good jobs build good communities.
Download a Copy of this Fact Sheet
2025 Hands Off Our Postal Service Leaflet for Actions [ENGLISH]
Let’s Get to The Truth: Myths and Facts about Postal Privatization0
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Remember the Past, Fight for the Future this Workers’ Memorial Day
April 28, 2025Each year, April 28 is a significant day for workers and unions worldwide. Known as Workers’ Memorial Day, it is the day to honor workers who die or are injured on the job each year. It is a day of action, reflection, and mourning for workers and unions. We encourage members to recognize the day by reporting hazards in the workplace using a PS Form 1767.
Speak Up for Safe Jobs
In 1989, the AFL-CIO declared that April 28 would be celebrated each year as “Workers’ Memorial Day” to remember workers who were injured or died on the job and renew the fight for safety and protections at work. The date is intentional – April 28 is the day that the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was signed into law. This act, which unions led the fight for, created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the body that establishes and enforces standards for safe and healthy working conditions. Tony Mazzocchi, a labor leader in the oil Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union (OCAW), led this fight by aligning the environmental and labor movements to pass this crucial piece of legislation.
Until OSHA was created, workers didn’t enjoy any formal, enforceable standards for safety and health in the workplace. OSHA set a standard for all employers – public and private – to protect workers on the job. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics proves that OSHA works. Since OSHA’s implementation, injuries in the workplace have fallen from 10.9 cases per 100 workers in 1972, to 2.8 cases per 100 in 2018.
OSHA protects workers against bosses who want to put profit over safety. Time and again, corporations have tried to get OSHA repealed, and this year is proving no different. On Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, U.S. House Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) introduced a bill that would abolish OSHA . Bigg’s bill, which he named the Nullify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (NOSHA) Act, demands that “The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is repealed. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is abolished.”
Removing OSHA is dangerous for many reasons. Among other things, OSHA protects whistleblowers; provides support training, outreach, education, and assistance to those who need it; and works collaboratively with state OSHA programs to ensure they are effective at furthering worker safety and health protections. OSHA is the avenue workers have to win safety at work – it can enforce federal labor standards at almost every worksite. If a worksite does not meet these standards, OSHA can even fine employers. In 2024, OSHA investigated employee complaints about a Boston waterproofing contractor and fined the company $451,694 for exposing workers to life-threatening excavation hazards that led to injured and buried workers.
OSHA, paired with the protections from our union contract helps keep us safe on the job. Workers’ Memorial Day reminds us of the grim consequence that workers face when there are no safety regulations or means to enforce them.
Recommit to Community This Earth Day
April 22, 2025Recommit to community this Earth Day by participating in local union efforts.
Climate change
On Earth Day, observed this year on April 22, we must recommit to steering our communities towards a sustainable course that takes care of our future and planet. We can do that by helping our union family rebuild after the devastation of last season’s hurricanes and wildfires and take small steps to prepare for future climate emergencies.
Extreme weather, driven by climate change, is causing more climate emergencies. Increasingly frequent climate-driven disasters, like flooding in Western NC from Hurricane Helene and wildfi res in Southern CA, are dominating our headlines.
Fossil fuel companies are at fault, spending billions of dollars to hide the damage they’ve done to our climate so they can keep lining their pockets while setting our forests on fire, flooding our coastal communities, and poisoning our children with toxic air and water. But there are more of us than there are of them, and as working people, we must keep taking care of each other so that we can repair and revive the places we call home.
One way that you can help fight against climate change is by participating in your local union efforts. Join or form your local union climate justice or safety committee. The APWU is part of the Labor Network for Sustainability, which connects union members to climate justice leaders.
The Labor Network for Sustainability is a resource for union members to learn more about the economics of climate change and the importance of organized labor as a key partner in confronting the climate crisis. Find ideas for projects or information about how to form a climate justice committee on our website at apwu.org/climate-justice.
If you have been affected by a natural disaster, please remember you are eligible to apply for financial relief through the Postal Employees’ Relief Fund (PERF). This important resource is available exclusively to postal workers and helps us rebuild after natural disasters. If you have not been affected, remember that donations are welcome year-round and go directly to helping our coworkers. ■
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Workers’ Memorial Day: Keep Fighting for Workplace Safety
April 21, 2025On April 28, we encourage all postal workers to identify workplace hazards and submit a PS Form 1767 to make sure management keeps our workplaces safe!
workers memorial daySpeak Up for Safe JobsIndustrial Relations
On April 28, we observe Workers’ Memorial Day to remember workers who were killed or injured on the job and to fight for strong safety and health protections in every workplace. This year, the APWU is encouraging members who have observed a potential workplace safety hazard to fill out and submit a PS Form 1767 – Report of Hazard, Unsafe Condition or Practice to make sure management keeps our workplaces safe.
Workers’ Memorial Day is recognized on April 28 because this is the date the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was signed into law. This Act created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the agency that creates and enforces standards for safe and healthy working conditions in the United States.
Despite OSHA and protections from our contract, the U.S. Postal Service remains one of the most dangerous places to work. In fiscal year 2023, 34,472 employees were injured or had occupational diseases, with five employees killed on the job. This does not account for the thousands of unreported injuries that were not approved by the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. Your work is dangerous, and OSHA serves as an essential protection in tandem with our union contract.
ON APRIL 28, WE ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO IDENTIFY WORKPLACE HAZARDS AND SUBMIT A PS FORM 1767 TO MAKE SURE MANAGEMENT KEEPS OUR WORKPLACES SAFE:
If you see something, say something – fill out and submit a PS Form 1767. Whether it is a blocked exit or a persistent problem, such as a toxic work environment, stand up with your coworkers and report workplace hazards.
If you currently do not have a workplace safety concern, it is important to stay aware and talk to your coworkers about how to file a PS Form 1767 when unsafe situations arise. It is every worker’s right to have a safe workplace environment. It is in our contract, and it is also the law. All APWU members should stay vigilant for workplace hazards.
It is management’s responsibility to ensure that our work environment is as safe as possible for everyone.
HOW A PS FORM 1767 WORKS
To report a hazard, find and fill out the PS Form 1767, then submit it to your immediate supervisor. These must be readily available to you on the workroom floor. If the forms are not readily available, you can file a grievance to have them made available to you.
The immediate supervisor must promptly (within the tour of duty):
Investigate the alleged condition;
Initiate immediate corrective action;
Record actions or recommendations on PS Form 1767;
Forward the original PS Form 1767 and one copy to the next appropriate level of management;
Give the employee a copy signed by the supervisor as a receipt;
Forward the third copy to the facility safety coordinator immediately.
If the hazard is not fixed within seven days, you can file a grievance to ensure that action is taken.
WestPac Updated SFC List & Launches April 15, 2025
Tuesday, April 15, 2025Western AreaWestern westpac_updated_sdc_list_launches_04-14-25.pdfWestPac Updated SFC List & Launches April 15, 2025
Read More....Clerk Division State of the Union Meeting
On behalf of Clerk Division Director, Lamont Brooks, please join the Clerk Division State of the Union Meeting, Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 6:00-8:30pm EST. Please register before 5pm EST, April 16.
April 16, 2025 – 6:00PM to 8:30PMVirtual via ZoomNationalNoNo2025-04-17 00:00:00https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/jJCej50cRvGxAyAETSYg8wClerk Division State of the Union Meeting00
April 11 Update: Maintenance Division Part-Time Regular Settlement Payments
April 11, 2025Most eligible recipients of the Maintenance Craft Part-Time Regular (PTR) settlement distribution have received their first payments. Some employees had payments rejected because management was unable to match them to Social Security numbers. They are now set to be paid this pay period, on or about April 11, 2025.
Awards and SettlementsMaintenance Division
Most eligible recipients of the Maintenance Craft Part-Time Regular (PTR) settlement distribution have received their first payments, totaling over $14.3 million. Some employees had payments rejected because management was unable to match them to Social Security numbers. They are now set to be paid this pay period, on or about April 11, 2025.
In addition, the Maintenance Division is working to identify approximately 50 conversions to full-time positions per the PTR agreement. The goal is to find PTRs who are already working at least 25-30 hours per week, and all PTRs who can pick up additional hours doing other duties, like lock changes.
The Maintenance Division has received inquiries about the second and final distribution. We are not releasing the second round of payments until all the first round has been completed. We anticipate that the second payment distribution will take place around June 2025 and the payments will range from $100 to $400.
Thank you for your continued patience.
April 11 Update: Maintenance Division Part-Time Regular Settlement Payments0
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Leo Kreyenbuhl Fills Cincinnati Region Clerk Division National Business Agent Vacancy
April 11, 2025In accordance with the APWU Constitution and Bylaws, the Clerk Division National Executive Council has appointed Leo Kreyenbuhl to fill the vacant Clerk Division Cincinnati Region National Business Agent position.
Clerk CraftClerk Division
Long-time Clerk Division National Business Agent (NBA) Mike Schmid retired on March 31, 2025. Mike represented clerks in the Cincinnati Region, covering IN, OH, and KY. Clerk Division Director Lamont Brooks extended an opportunity for all members in the region to offer their names for consideration to fill the vacancy.
Ultimately, based on recommendations from numerous locals in the region, along with those of Schmid and fellow Cincinnati Region NBA Michael Funk, Director Brooks selected Leo Kreyenbuhl. He then called a meeting of the Clerk Division National Executive Council (NEC), in accordance with the APWU Constitution and By-Laws. By unanimous vote, the NEC appointed Kreyenbuhl to fill the vacancy.
Leo Kreyenbuhl has been a clerk craft employee for 30 years, the last six years serving as a Lead Clerk in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. He has served as President of the Cuyahoga Falls Local 1963 for the past 20 years. Leo has also been an arbitration advocate for 12 years and conducted several pre-arbitration discussions for the three states in the Cincinnati Region. He has filled in for NBAs in their absences and has served as a lead instructor for the last two years at the Tri-State Stewards School at Miami University in Oxford, OH.
Kreyenbuhl is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Malone College in Canton, OH and is married to Rachel, with whom they have a daughter, Summer. “I am truly honored and humbled by my appointment to the position of National Business Agent. I would like to thank Clerk [Division] Director Lamont Brooks, the Cincinnati NBAs, the Clerk Division officers, and the local presidents who provided input on my behalf for the opportunity to continue to serve the membership in this position,” Kreyenbuhl remarked.
“We received overwhelming endorsements of Leo from local presidents in the region. I have extreme confidence that he will be an outstanding NBA,” said Director Brooks.
Kreyenbuhl begins his term of office on Monday, April 15, 2025. The entire Clerk Division officers and members congratulate Leo and wish him the best.
Leo Kreyenbuhl Fills Cincinnati Region Clerk Division National Business Agent Vacancy0
Read More....APWU NSB 03-2025 Workers’ Memorial Day: Keep Fighting for Workplace Safety
https://d1ocufyfjsc14h.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/nsb_03-2025_workers_memorial_day_final.pdfAPWU NSB 03-2025 Workers’ Memorial Day: Keep Fighting for Workplace Safety
Read More....COPA Frequently Asked Questions
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