Big News!! APWU, USPS Reach Tentative Agreement on New Union Contract!

Members' Ratification Vote to Follow! June 6, 2025

       The American Postal Workers Union and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement, announced APWU President and Lead Negotiator Mark Dimondstein. The proposed union contract is three years in duration: September 21, 2024, through September 20, 2027. The Tentative Agreement was finalized on June 2, 2025. In accordance with the APWU Constitution, it was presented by the National Negotiating Committee to the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on June 4, 2025. The Rank and File committee unanimously approved the Tentative Agreement for a ratification vote of the members. The Tentative Agreement has the unanimous approval of the National Negotiating Committee and the full support of the National Executive Board. “This is great news for postal workers! Negotiations are never easy and have been hard fought. We have secured an agreement that continues to protect the rights and interests of our members in uncertain times,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “We have been negotiating when governement workers and our unions are under severe assault and with the specter of postal privatization looming. Yet even in this environment, the Tentative National Agreement contains annual wage increases, six full cost-of-living adjustments for career employees, no-layoff protections including for tens of thousands of members with less than six years’ service, 50-mile limits on excessing, elimination of some entry level steps, restoration of one more top step in pay grades 4-7 on the lower tier pay scale, increase in uniform allowances, and much more. All these gains were accomplished with no givebacks or concessions. A 'Yes' vote will secure the provisions and advances of the Tentative Agreement.” (See summary below) Along with President Dimondstein, the National Negotiating Committee consists of Industrial Relations Director Charlie Cash, who served as chief spokesperson for the union, Executive Vice President Debby Szeredy, Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Powell, Clerk Division Director Lamont Brooks, Maintenance Division Director Idowu Balogun, Motor Vehicle Service Director Michael Foster, and Support Services Director Arrion Brown. On behalf of our members, I appreciate the hard work and diligence of the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee, said Dimondstein. We also recognize and appreciate all the officers and our staff for their important contributions made during these negotiations. Congratulations to every member for staying union strong and engaging in our 'Union Proud, Say It Loud!' campaign for a good contract I am excited that the membership will have the opportunity to vote yes on this tentative agreement, which not only will deliver guaranteed paid increases, but offers the needed protections and improvements for our members in all the APWU crafts as attacks on working people and unions are coming faster than ever, said Industrial Relations Director Charlie Cash. The APWU is now preparing a mailing to every members home to include a ballot and voting instructions and information on the Tentative Agreement. It is expected that the American Arbitration Association will begin mailing ballots by June 16, 2025, with a return deadline of Thursday July 10, 2025. More details on the ratification process will be forthcoming. The APWU encourages every member to vote and be heard for this union contract determines our wages, benefits, and working conditions. Tentative Agreement Summary The summary terms of the new Tentative Agreement can be found below, or at apwu.org/tasummary. Contract Time Period Three-year contract: September 21, 2024 through September 20, 2027 General Annual Wage Increases and Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLA) 1.3% November 16, 2024 (will be paid retroactively) 1.4% November 15, 2025 1.5% November 14, 2026 As PSEs receive no COLA, there will be an additional 1% increase each year (2.3%, 2.4%, and 2.5%) with an extra 50 cents/hour after 26 weeks. PSEs in four-hour Remotely Managed Post Offices (RMPOs) (who are not covered by the automatic conversion to career provisions) will receive an additional $1.00 per hour after four years. Full Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLA) for Career Employees (Six Total) COLA will be paid the second full pay period after the release of January 2025 (paid retroactively), July 2025, January 2026, July 2026, January 2027, and July 2027 CPI. APWU remains the only postal union with full COLA. Changes to Post-2010 Pay Scales No later than the first full pay period 180 days after contract ratification Grade 4 will have Step-JJ eliminated and the new starting step will be II Entry Step-GG will be eliminated from Grades 5-7 for PSEs who are automatically converted to career after 24 months. Grade 3 will be upgraded to Grade 4 effective September 19, 2026 (Pay Period 21-2026) New top steps will be added for Grades 4, 5, 6, and 7 Grade 4, Step J Grade 5, Step L Grade 6, Step M Grade 7, Step M No changes to the waiting period for step increases, which is the shortest wait time of all postal contracts. Increased Night Shift Differential Effective September 25, 2025, night shift differential rates will be increased by a fixed amount of 4.0% Effective September 19, 2026, night shift differential will be increased by a fixed amount of 2.0% Job Security Protection from layoff for career employees with six years of service remains in effect. Any current career employee on the rolls as of September 20, 2024, but with less than six years of career service will be protected from lay-off for the life of the National Agreement. This provides at least 70,000 additional career employees protection from possible layoff. Maintained the 50-mile limit on excessing. The current moratorium on subcontracting of Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) work will continue in its present form during life of the Agreement. Automatic PSE conversion to career status after two years (with the exception of the four-hour RMPO PSEs) remains in full force and effect. Health Insurance No change to the Postal Service percentage contribution to premiums for those participating in the Postal Service Health Program. 95% Postal Service contribution to premiums of the APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP). Uniform/Work Clothes Program Allowances 2.5% increase to the uniform/work clothes allowances for years 2025, 2026, and 2027. National Level Task Force established to examine the current uniform purchase program. Additional Work Rule Changes Annual Leave Exchange increased from 40 hours to 80 hours. Annual Leave Carryover increased from 440 hours to 520 hours. Additional family members to be covered under Bereavement Leave to include mothers and fathers-in-law, grandchildren, and stepparents. Employees will no longer be required to serve two “probationary” periods if converted to career within their first term as a PSE. Additional non-discrimination terms added to Article 2.1 to become consistent with Federal law. Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in current CBA contract to be carried forward. Additional items added to list of cases to be heard in expedited arbitration. Pilot program to develop virtual hearing process for expedited arbitration only. Arbitrators can no longer order briefs in discipline cases, it must be by joint agreement of the parties. MOU added to address the Step-4 (national dispute) backlog. MOU on purging of letters of warning. PSEs to be included when administrative leave granted due to “Acts of God”. Additional Clerk Craft Provisions PTFs can now identify the specific offices that they are willing to work in within a 50-mile radius. PTF Hub Assignment MOU made permanent. MOU for one-time voluntary Reassignment Opportunity for PTFs. USPS must give APWU 60 days’ notice when new or revised EAS position descriptions are created to allow the APWU to address any bargaining unit work that might be in the new position description. MOU establishing a work group to examine the Job Bid Management (JBM) tool to address local exceptions in the bid process. MOU on Telework for Customer Care Center that guarantees remote work and no subcontracting of the CCC for the life of agreement. MOU on Telework for Mail Requirement Clerks that guarantees remote work and no subcontracting of the MRC work for the life of agreement. Additional Motor Vehicle Service Craft Provisions HCR Limitation MOU has been renewed. Motor Vehicle Craft-Highway Movement of Mail provisions increased to higher dollar and mileage limits. Language added to establish seniority date if a MVS transfer is delayed beyond 90 days. Reversion Defined. Overtime Desired Lists to be by section and/or tour unless defined by LMOU. MVS Craft employees in 204(b) status prevented from being converted to full-time or career status unless they return to the craft for one continuous pay period. Seniority for “Preferred Assignments” clarified. Vehicle Maintenance Repair Agreements (VMRA) term added to Article 39.3.K. MVS Training Initiatives Committee MOU updated. Additional Maintenance Craft Provisions Per Diem MOU remains for all offsite training. The Annual In-Service Register is now open to all APWU non-career employees. Employees on an In-Service Register who twice decline positions in the Maintenance Craft will be removed from the In-Service Register, there will no longer be a yearly purge. JCIM Pecking Order updated. Revised Step 6 to preference Maintenance Craft employees excessed out of closed installations, clarified steps 7 through 9, added Step 13 for PSEs, and replaced the word “consider” with “select” in three of the steps. Expanded Opportunity to include Mail Processing Equipment Mechanics (MPE) for NST (ET-11) eligibility. Revised Article 38.3.K.4.b. Area Maintenance Technician (AMT) PS-9 now encompasses Maintenance Mechanic (MM) PS-7, protecting AMTs facing excessing. Continuing education training for skilled Maintenance Craft employees every three years. AMTs will have the opportunity to request changes to reporting stations. Residual vacancies that have been vacant for at least 120 days may be posted by Notice of Intent (NOI) by joint agreement of the local parties. Established job protection for employees who fail to qualify after in-service promotion or employees that were hired from the Entrance Register. Revised MOU regarding Article 32 exceptions. All provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that were not modified in negotiations remain in full force and effect. For example, overtime provisions, discipline procedure, grievance-arbitration procedure, holidays, etc. ContractContract Negotiations Share this article Related Articles Stay in touch with your union Subscribe to receive important information from your union. Your personal e-mail ZIP APWU Store Events Members Only Contact American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO 1300 L Street NW Washington DC 20005 © Copyright 2025 Privacy Policy

Contract Negotiations Between APWU and Postal Management Nearing ‘End Game’

May 14, 2025

The APWU's contract negotiations have been taking place as two other postal unions have also been in negotiations with management. The National Association of Letter Carriers finished their nearly two-year negotiations with a mediation-arbitration award issued by arbitrator Dennis Nolan on March 21. To view the award, visit: bit.ly/NALC-2025-Award

Then on April 18, the National Rural Letter Carriers Association reached a tentative agreement with postal management that is now in the ratification process. Their contract expired in May 2024, four months prior to the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the USPS and the APWU. The APWU has fully studied and discussed both of these results, as the outcome of negotiations with our sister postal unions certainly have an impact, positive or negative, on our negotiations with postal management.

The APWU is now seven months past the Sept. 20, 2024, expiration of our contract. As of May 14, the APWU is considering one of two paths: we will either have a new voluntary agreement, which will have been presented to the Rank & File Bargaining Advisory Committee, per the APWU Constitution, for its decision on whether to put it out to a vote of the entire membership. Or alternatively, we will have begun the process of interest arbitration to determine the provisions of a new contract.

“Negotiations are never easy and never will be. However, these negotiations were complicated by the almost two-year length of time it took our sister union, the NALC, to complete their negotiation process,” declared President Mark Dimondstein. “Most importantly, the political shift in the administration and ongoing assaults  against federal workers, their unions, and union contracts, made negotiations even more difficult, as well as vital, to secure a new ratified and signed agreement.”

What a Difference Worker Power Through Our Union Makes! 

APWU members often view the general wage increases (GWIs), which have been relatively modest over the last 20 years, as the sole compensation package of our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Our negotiated compensation package is much more, and includes:
• General Wage Increases
• Full Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs)
• Regular Step Increases
• Night Differential
• Sunday Premium
• Overtime, including Penalty Pay
Just consider this one example of union-won results from the last nine years of three union contracts (2015, 2018, and 2021):
If an APWU-represented employee was hired in August of 2015 as a Level 6 career employee, this employee is now earning $31,000 more every year based on union-secured modest GWIs, full COLA, and regular Step Increases!(Excluding overtime, increases to the Thrift Savings Plan, etc.!) This amounts to an incredible 83% increase over those nine years!

APWU and USPS ‘Stop The Clock’ to Continue Bargaining

Posted on September 21, 2024

September 21, 2024
The Collective Bargaining Agreement (union contract) between the American Postal Workers Union and the United States Postal Service covers the wages, hours, and working conditions of 200,000 postal workers. Our current contract was due to expire at midnight, September 20, 2024.

We opened bargaining with the Postal Service on June 25. Since then, we have met frequently to exchange proposals and make progress toward the good, new contract postal workers deserve. In the last week, the APWU and postal management were “locked down,” engaging in around-the-clock negotiating sessions at the “main table,” the “craft tables,” and in other committees.

During the “lock-down” there has been some modest progress on a number of issues affecting all our crafts, including job security, protecting bargaining unit work, and a narrowing of differences on other important items, including the economic package.

However, the APWU and management were unable to secure a negotiated agreement by midnight, September 20.

As expiration approached, your National Negotiating Committee (NNC) faced two options: either begin the process of mediation with the expectation that we would head to interest arbitration or seek mutual agreement with postal management to “stop the clock,” (meaning the contract does not expire on September 20) and continue negotiations for a period of time.

It was the decision of the NNC to “stop the clock” and continue bargaining. We have secured an agreement from management that the negotiators will meet at least once a week going forward. It is also the position of the NNC that we will reevaluate progress on a regular basis and invoke mediation if further negotiations are not productive.

This decision is similar to the one taken by the NNC in our previous round of bargaining in 2021, when we “stopped the clock” and continued negotiations. In 2021, we reached a tentative agreement in early December, which the membership later ratified with a strong 94 percent “yes” vote.

“The entire APWU negotiating team is united in our efforts to secure the good new contract that our members deserve,” said APWU Industrial Relations Director and Chief Spokesperson Charlie Cash. “We all believe that continuing negotiations is in the best interest of our members as we continue to make progress towards our bargaining goals.”

“The APWU will not be deterred in our quest to win a contract that hard-working postal workers can be proud of,” declared President Mark Dimondstein. “It is crucial that as we continue to negotiate that our entire membership stay engaged, union proud, and union strong in our struggle for justice.”

The APWU will continue to keep the members updated, including regular messages on the negotiation “hotline” at (202) 642-9049, our website (apwu.org), and on our social media channels.

Source: APWU

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