National Award on Validity of Step 2 Decision After Progression to Step 3

In a national-level award over the validity of a USPS Step 2 grievance decision letter issued after the grievance has progressed to Step 3, Arbitrator Dana Eischen sustained the Mail Handler Union's position that the decision letter has no validity under the last sentence of paragraph 2 of Article 16.5 of the USPS/NPMHU agreement. Though this was a Mail Handler grievance, the APWU intervened because we have a similar dispute pending national-level arbitration. Though the arbitrator did not rule on the precise issue involved in the APWU's grievance, the award will enhance our case should it be necessary to go to arbitration.