The American Postal Workers Union and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) announced APWU President and Lead Negotiator Mark Dimondstein.
The tentative agreement was reached on December 9th and, in accordance with the APWU Constitution, was presented by the National Negotiating Committee to the Rank & File Bargaining Advisory Committee. On December 10th, the Rank & File committee unanimously approved the Tentative Agreement for a ratification vote of the members. The Tentative Agreement has the unanimous approval of the National Negotiating Committee and the support of the National Executive Board.
“This is great news! We have reached an agreement that protects the rights and interests of our members,” Mark Dimondstein said. “The tentative National Agreement contains annual wage increases, protection of full COLAs and no-layoff protections, new opportunities for career work, gains for part time flexibles and a host of other improvements.”
“I salute the entire bargaining committee for their outstanding and collective work,” continued President Dimondstein. “I was proud to serve on the National Negotiating Committee along with Industrial Relations Director Vance Zimmerman, who served as chief spokesperson for the union, Executive Vice President Debby Szeredy, Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth “Liz” Powell, Clerk Craft Director Lamont Brooks, Maintenance Craft Director Idowu Balogun, Motor Vehicle Director Michael Foster and Support Services Director Steve Brooks. We appreciate the due diligence and hard work exhibited by the Rank & File Bargaining Advisory Committee. Congratulations to every member for Standing Union Strong, All Day Long!”
Importantly, APWU members across the country waged a strong campaign “Our Union, Our Contract, Our Future” and united in the demand for a good contract that rewards postal workers for their dedication and hard work.
“We look forward to the membership having an opportunity to vote on this tentative agreement that we believe offers significant improvements in the wages, hours and working conditions in all APWU crafts, as well as new opportunities for PTFs and PSEs,” Industrial Relations Director Vance Zimmerman said.
The APWU National Negotiating Committee will hold a webinar “town hall” with the members December 16th at 2:00pm. 6pm and 9pm EST. Links to register can be found below, or at apwu.org/townhall
In the coming weeks more information will be shared on the ratification process.
The summary terms of the new Tentative Agreement can be found below, or at apwu.org/tasummary
SUMMARY OF THE 2021-2024 TENTATIVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
Contract Time Period
Three-year contract: September 21, 2021 through September 20, 2024
General Annual Wage Increases and Cost of Living Allowances (COLA)
1.3% November 20, 2021 (Will be Retroactive)
1.3% November 19, 2022
1.3% November 18, 2023
Six (6) Cost of Living Allowances (COLA) for career employees (March and September of each year) with no change to the current formula based on the July 2021 CPI-W. (After the fourth month of the six-month measuring period, the COLA increase is at $0.39 per hour and will be based on the January 2022 CPI-W Index)
PSEs receive the general wage increases and an additional 1% increase each year in lieu of COLA (i.e. 2.3% each November)
$0.50/hour additional increase for PSEs effective the first pay period of the second full month after the Agreement is ratified
Job Security
No Lay-off protections for career employees with six years of service remain in full-force and effect.
Any current career employee on the rolls as of September 20, 2021, with less than six years of service will be included in the no lay-off protections for the life of the National Agreement, providing an additional 72,000 career employees protection from lay-offs.
50-mile limit on excessing of employees
The current moratorium on subcontracting of Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) work will continue in its present form during life of the Agreement
Holiday Pay
Juneteenth added to the holidays for career employees for a total of 11 paid holidays per year
PTF pay rate will be increased to reflect a total of 11 holidays each year, increase will be effective on January 1, 2022
Health Insurance
No change to the Postal Service contribution to premiums for those participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
95% Postal Service contribution to premiums of the APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP)
PSEs converted to career will receive credit for time they were enrolled in a FEHBP plan towards the 1-year qualifying period for the 95% Postal Service contribution to CDHP premiums
Enhanced Level 8 & 11 Pay Scales
Grade 8 Pay Scale:
Bottom Steps FF-AA eliminated with Step A becoming the first Step.
New top Step P added
Employees currently in Grade 8 will move into new steps while retaining all credit toward next step
Steps FF-BB moved to Step A
Step AA moved to Step B
Steps B-O moved up one Step
Grade 11 Pay Scale increased by an average of 2.3% prior to any general increases or COLAs
Part-Time Flexible (PTF) Work Rules
Schedule guarantee of 24-hour per pay period, increased from 2 hours a pay period
Guaranteed at least four hours of work or pay when scheduled
Forty (40) hours of annual leave will be advanced at the start of each leave year for immediate use
Guaranteed a minimum of one (1) non-scheduled day each service week except during the peak season exception period with notice Wednesday the week prior
Within 90-days of ratification a One-time Voluntary Transfer Opportunity to residual full time regular vacancies in larger offices within a district.
Automatic Conversion of PSEs in Level 20 offices and above
PSEs will be converted to career status upon reaching 24-months of relative standing
Clerk PSEs assigned to offices Grade 21 or higher will be converted to Full-Time Flexible with such assignments made in accordance with the Clerk Craft provisions of Art. 37.4
Clerk PSEs assigned to Grade 20 offices will be converted to Part-Time Flexible
MVS PSEs assigned in any size office will be converted to Part-Time Flexible
PSEs converted under this provision start at a new Step GG in Grades 5-7 and Step A in Grade 8.
Automatic Conversion does not apply to PSEs assigned to Grade-4 RMPOs
Conversions will still occur prior to the 24-months
The “Filling of Residual Vacancy MOU” and Article 37.5.D remains in full force and effect
MVS Craft Conversions will be made in accordance with Article 39.2.A.11
Conversion occurring earlier to 24-months start at Step FF for Grades 5-7 and Step-A for Grade 8
Other PSE Provisions
Forty (40) hours of advanced annual leave upon completion of an initial 360-day PSE appointment in Level 20 offices and above.
PSEs assigned to Level 4 RMPOs receive an additional one (1) hour of paid annual leave per pay period upon completion of two (2) 360-day appointments
PSEs assigned to Level 4 RMPOs upon completion of two 360-day appointments will receive 40 hours of advance leave.
PSEs will be offered one (1) non-scheduled day each service week except during peak season with notice the Wednesday the week prior.
PSE Staffing
The 12 PSEs per District assigned to Level 4 RMPOs will no longer count against the 20% District cap
10 PSEs in the 46 Package Support Annexes (PSAs) will not count against the District cap (for a total maximum of 460 PSEs) and will be allowed to work in any facility in the installation the PSA is attached to
A four (4) weeks “ramp-up” period prior to the start of accounting period 3, the 20% PSE District cap will be temporarily increased by 1% per week equating to no more than a 4% increase.
New protections for the OTDL during “ramp-up” whereby prior to utilizing a PSE more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a service week, qualified and available employees on the appropriate OTDL will be utilized. No requirement to use an OTDL employee on the second non-scheduled at the penalty rate prior to using a PSE in excess of 40 hours.
Uniform/Work Clothes Program Allowances
2.5% increase to the uniform/work clothes allowances in 2022, 2023, and 2024
Delivery/Sales Service Distribution Associate (DSSDA) will receive Type 1 uniform allowance
New “Rollover” program where unused funds can carry over to a successor allowance year
Additional Work Rule Improvements
Remote Encoding Center staffing ratio changed to 62% Full-time Regular and 38% PSE and all career duty assignments are Full-time Regular.
90-day waiting period to use annual leave eliminated for new career employees with 90-days continuous service prior to their conversion.
Updated the Deaf and Hard of Hearing MOU
Work Environment Improvement Task Force
Work Place Free of Harassment
Enhanced and Expanded Services
Environmental/Sustainability issues, EAP, and Child and Elder care, included in the jurisdiction of the National Labor Management Committee
District Safety Committees made permanent
Right of Union Officials to Enter Postal Installations
Regional Safety and Health Representative Training Opportunities
Repromotion MOU
Article 8 Task Force to address excessive overtime, particularly in relation to non-list employees
Election Mail Task Force MOU
Full per diem for employees traveling to NCED
Additional Clerk Craft Provisions
Window training starts within 10-days after posting of the senior bidder
Updated NTFT duty assignments language
Pilot program to test new pecking order for the assignment of PTF Hub Clerks
Filling of Residual Vacancy MOU updated
Additional Motor Vehicle Service Craft Provisions
PTFs identified for conversion to FTR converted within 28-days
APWU will have opportunity to submit recommendations on new vehicles prior to specifications being sent to contractors and before manufacturing and completion of new vehicles
National committee established to address training initiative and opportunities
HCR limitation on Subcontracting MOU remains in full force and effect.
Additional Maintenance Craft Provisions
No additional custodial staffing packages will change from MS-47 TL-3 to TL-5 for life of the contract
Change the calculation method of PS Form 4852 for Juneteenth Holiday
Annual cap on the number of times an employee can be involuntarily assigned to off-site training courses
Career employee may request to be tested for maintenance craft positions and if rated eligible may request placement on the appropriate in-service register.
Updates to the posting of relief assignments in the craft
Agreement to consolidate and upgrade multiple legacy jobs.
Employees traveling to NCED for training receive full per diem for length of stay
Additional Support Services Craft Provisions
In Material Distribution Centers Maintenance Mechanic General Grade 7 eliminated and Building Equipment Mechanic Grade 9 added.
Penalty Overtime provisions applied to Operating Service employees
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