APWU, USPS Sign Agreement For Offices Without a Local Union Structure
October 15, 2012
The APWU signed an updated agreement Oct. 12, 2012, for Members-at-Large who work in small post offices that are not represented by a local union.
The Agreement, the Local Memorandum of Understanding for Offices Without a Local Union Structure, outlines the rules for these small offices on topics that are typically the subject of negotiations at the local level between USPS managers and union officers.
“The memorandum is important,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “It continues to provide the protection of a local contract to thousands of union members in small offices who would not otherwise be covered by a local agreement.” The agreement covers approximately 15,000 workers.
The Local Memorandum of Understanding updates a previous agreement signed Jan. 25, 2008, following negotiations for the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement. During negotiations for the 2010-15 contract, it was agreed to continue the memorandum with appropriate updates.
Industrial Relations Director Mike Morris negotiated the changes in the memorandum, which now permits Postal Support Employees (PSEs) from nearby offices to be utilized in small offices in order to provide vacation relief.