NPMHU Releases Contract Update #8

2011 No. 8 – November 10, 2011

Postal Service Submits Harsh Proposals at Bargaining Table

Bargaining between the NPMHU and the U.S. Postal Service is reaching its critical stages, as the November 20th deadline draws closer.

Full Story

APWU, USPS Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contract

APWU News Bulletin 01-2011, March 14, 2011

The American Postal Workers Union and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, union President Cliff Guffey announced today.

“Despite the fact that the Postal Service is on the edge of insolvency, the union and management have reached an agreement that is a ‘win-win,’ proposition,” he said.

“Throughout the bargaining process, the union has sought to negotiate a contract that would be fair to our members and that would enable the USPS to succeed in the future,” he said.  “The tentative agreement accomplishes those goals. [Full Story]

APWU President Cliff Gufffey announces we have a tentative agreement.

Guffey: USPS Will Have to Do Better

APWU Web News Article 132-2010, Nov. 18, 2010

Postal Service negotiators continue to express interest in APWU contract proposals, “but so far have failed to put anything in writing,” APWU President Cliff Guffey reported to the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Nov. 18.

At a morning bargaining session, management representatives re-

APWU President Cliff Guffey briefs the union’s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Thusday.

Postal Service negotiators continue to express

hashed their previous oral statements, he said. “If they expect to get an agreement, they will have to do better.”

“We want to see everything in writing,” the union president said.

“Work and stability remain our paramount concerns.”

[more 2010 contract negotiations news]

Above Photo: APWU President Cliff Guffey briefs the union’s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Thursday.

Follow Contract Negotiations on Facebook, Twitter

APWU Web News Article 126-2010, Nov. 12, 2010

With the Collective Bargaining Agreement scheduled to expire Nov. 20, the APWU will post frequent updates about the status of negotiations. To stay informed about late-breaking developments, union members can visit www.apwu.org, or they can follow the union on Twitter and Facebook.

To receive text-message notifications when updates are posted, union members can establish a free Twitter account at www.twitter.com. Once the registration process is complete, account holders should search for “apwunational,” and click the “follow” button. Members can then choose to receive text message alerts when the union has posted an update. In addition, members can visit www.twitter.com/apwunational for the latest news.

The APWU will also be posting updates on its Facebook page frequently. To join the many APWU members, officers, and supporters who are already “fans” of the union, members with Facebook accounts can search for “APWU,” or may access the union’s page directly by typing in www.facebook.com/APWUnational. Members may then click “Like” to join the group and view the union’s recent posts.

USPS Wage, Benefit Proposal: An Insult to Postal Workers

Burrus Update #19-2010, Nov. 1, 2010

Contract negotiations took a dramatic turn today as postal management presented its economic proposal, which would establish employees’ wages and benefits for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. Notwithstanding my expectation that management would seek to restrain costs, I was surprised to receive a USPS proposal that would destroy 20 years of progress.

Postmaster General Potter has said he intends to protect current employees by “grandfathering” their wages, and imposing lower pay and benefits on future employees. Management’s wage proposal reflects that objective: It would severely reduce the pay and benefits of employees hired after the signing of a new agreement, and would make postal jobs substantially less desirable.

Management’s proposal is just one step in the bargaining process, which requires additional intense negotiations — but it is not a good starting point.

Upon receipt of the proposal, I informed USPS negotiators that it is an insult to all postal employees who have dedicated their working lives to maintaining the best postal system in the world. There is zero possibility that the union will agree to wage cuts.

We hope that as bargaining proceeds, management will join us and engage in serious dialogue about the terms and conditions of a new contract. We have come too far to consider revisiting the past.

William Burrus
President