APWU Firm in Opposition to Employee-Opinion Surveys
With contract negotiations set to begin next month, APWU leaders and members are being asked to remind co-workers not to participate in management efforts to seek their opinions on workplace issues.
“The subjects addressed in ‘Voice of the Employee’ and other employee-opinion surveys should be discussed in labor-management meetings, where the concerns of all represented employees are considered,” said Greg Bell, APWU Industrial Relations director. “That is the purpose of these meetings — for workers to speak with a united voice, so that their message cannot be manipulated against their own interests.”
The Postal Service has misrepresented survey results in the past, Bell noted, by claiming during contract talks that workers’ responses supported management’s wage proposals.
Update on the Extension of the APWU Collective Bargaining Agreement APWU Members Ratify Contract Extension (08/05/05) APWU members have ratified a one-year extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement by a vote of 69,763 to 9,201, in balloting that ended Aug 5. The National Agreement is now set to expire on Nov. 20, 2006.
Yolanda Elder, chairperson of the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee, announced the results at approximately 10:45 p.m., as soon as the counting of ballots was complete.
“The members have spoken, and I am gratified by their decision,” said APWU President William Burrus. “I believe APWU members considered the possibilities inherent in full-scale negotiations and compared that with the certainty of achieving important objectives through a one-year extension.” Today's extension: 69,763 voted for (88.34%)
9,201 voted against (11.65%)
78,964 Total Votes Previous extension: 79,932 voted for (88.32%)
10,568 voted against (11.67%)
90,500 total votes Highlights of the Tentative Agreement The contract extension preserves the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (Nov. 21, 2000-Nov. 20, 2005), with the following modifications: Salary Increases, COLAs
A 1.6 percent wage increase will take effect March 18, 2006, based on the wages in effect following the September 2005 cost-of-living increase. This percentage increase exceeds the 1.3 percent that will be granted to other postal unions in November. Because it is based on the higher wages of September 2005, the dollar value is enhanced.
Wage increases at the same percent and under the same terms will be granted to Transitional Employees (TEs).
Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) will be granted in March and September 2006. The contract extension will enable members to enjoy the full benefit of the six-month COLA increase that accrues between August 2005 (after the final measuring period of the current agreement) and January 2006. Typically, when a contract is negotiated, the COLA base measuring period is moved, and three months worth of COLA is lost. When contracts are arbitrated, usually at least one cost-of-living adjustment is lost entirely.
The estimated annual values of the increases are expected to be as follows:
March 2006 COLA: Approximately $208
March 2006 1.6 percent increase for a Level 5, Step O, employee: Approximately $728
September 2006 COLA: Approximately $437
Upgrades
Effective March 18, 2006, pay levels for the following duty assignments will be upgraded one level:
CLERK CRAFT: Air Records Processor, PS-5; TACS Time and Attendance Clerk, PS-5; Bulk Mail Clerk, PS-5; Ramp Clerk AMF, PS-6; MAINTENANCE CRAFT: Maintenance Mechanic, PS-5; Welder, PS-6; Carpenter, PS-6; Letter Box Mechanic, PS-6; Maintenance Electrician, PS-6; Painter, PS-6; Plumber, PS-6; MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICES CRAFT: Automotive Painter, PS-6; Vehicle Operations Assistant, Bulk Mails, PS-6; Body and Fender Repairman, PS-7.
The upgrades will be based on a step-to-step upgrade, including credit for waiting period time already served.
As Maintenance Mechanic, PS-4, positions become vacant, if the Postal Service fills the vacancies, they will be as Maintenance Mechanic, PS-5, positions.
Other Provisions
No-layoff protection will be extended to all career employees who were on the rolls as of Nov. 20, 2000, for an additional year.
Transfer requests by employees from “impacted installations” (where employees will be excessed from the craft or installation) will be given priority consideration.
A minimum of 18 Modified Work Week pilot programs will be established during the term of the extension.
Employees will be granted an additional opportunity to be declared a successful bidder during the extension.
Uniform and work clothes allowances will be increased.
The memorandum of understanding that provides career opportunities to TEs will be extended.
To resolve an outstanding dispute, USPS will seek OPM authority to grant early retirement opportunities to eligible employees whose names were provided by the union between Jan. 9, 2004, and June 1, 2005.
The USPS will increase the maximum number of voluntary payroll allotments (from two to three).
The USPS will provide information to the APWU at the national level regarding consolidation of installations.
Union Rights
The union and management will each be granted the opportunity to advance two cases to the top of the national arbitration docket during the period of the extension.
In the 60-day period following ratification, the parties at the local level will be granted an opportunity to engage in local negotiations.
The union will be provided all current handbooks, manuals, and published regulations that are on the USPS intranet in an electronic format on a semi-annual basis; reports that are currently provided to the union in hard copy will be transmitted electronically when possible.
