e-Team Report, Jan. 24, 2014

S.1486 Postal Reform Act of 2014 Amended “Carper/Coburn Bill”

Late last Friday evening and just before the holiday weekend a summary of the amended version of the Carper-Coburn Bill was released. There are several items in this discussion draft that greatly impacts our current, future and retired members. While things are moving very fast the Legislative and Political Department prepared this update to inform the membership as best we can throughout this process.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has scheduled a meeting next Wednesday, January 29th at 10am to markup the bill.  A committee markup is the key formal step a committee ultimately takes before a bill advances to the floor. Markup is a committee meeting where the original bill is "marked up" by amendments (changes to the original text). Committee members debate and vote on the amendments before any changes are made. Markups usually end with a vote to report the bill out of committee to the full House or Senate floor for further consideration.

Most importantly for you to know is the APWU is working with the other three postal unions. President Dimondstein and the other postal union presidents are working closely and uniting behind workers rights and the defense of a vibrant postal service that is vital to every American community. As you can surmise by working together we are stronger and have a greater chance to resist the bad legislation that is in this draft.

Breaking News: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013 Union Membership Report

To view U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez statement regarding the department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report released today on union membership in 2013, please click here.