New Address for Grievance Appeals

Beginning May 15, APWU officers will have to send grievance appeals to a new address, Director of Industrial Relations Mike Morris has reported. The Postal Service will close five USPS grievance processing centers and will handle all Direct Appeals to Arbitration,Step 3 Appeals and Appeals to Arbitration from Step 3 and from Employee Claims at a single National Grievance/Arbitration Processing Center. Once processed, management will forward the appeals electronically to the appropriate USPS Area/District office for further discussion and/or scheduling, as applicable, Morris said.

“All National Business Agents and locals should adjust their records so that these important, time-sensitive appeals are sent to the correct address,” he said.

Effective May 15, the address is:

Collective Bargaining and Arbitration 
ATTN:  Appeals/LR Service Center
United States Postal Service
P.O. Box 23788
Washington, DC  20026-3788

“The USPS has assured the union that any appeals that are inadvertently mailed to a closed Area Grievance/Arbitration Processing Center will be date-stamped and forwarded. However, we strongly advise all locals and NBA offices to update their records accordingly in preparation,” Morris added.

“We are still in discussion with the USPS regarding pilot programs for e-mail submission of Step 3 appeals or direct appeals, along with appropriate documentation,” he said. Before this can be accomplished, the USPS must establish appropriate e-mail addresses.

The APWU has insisted that any electronic system must have the ability to generate a notification of receipt, Morris said.

“Locals that wish to participate in such a pilot program should notify their National Business Agent so they can pass the information on to the national union. If and when participation becomes possible, locals will receive appropriate notification.”