The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) is approaching the final stages of contract negotiations with postal management. This process occurs as two other postal unions have also been in talks with management. The National Association of Letter Carriers concluded their nearly two-year negotiations with a mediation-arbitration award issued by arbitrator Dennis Nolan on March 21.
On April 18, the National Rural Letter Carriers Association reached a tentative agreement with postal management, which is currently in the ratification process. Their contract expired in May 2024, four months before the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the USPS and APWU. The APWU has examined both outcomes, recognizing their potential impact on its negotiations.
“Negotiations are never easy and never will be,” stated President Mark Dimondstein. “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.” He added that political shifts and challenges against federal workers made these discussions more difficult yet crucial for securing a new agreement.
APWU members often focus on general wage increases as part of their compensation package under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, this package also includes full cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), regular step increases, night differential pay, Sunday premium pay, and overtime including penalty pay.
An example from past union contracts illustrates significant gains: An employee hired in August 2015 as a Level 6 career employee now earns $31,000 more annually due to union-secured modest GWIs, full COLA, and regular step increases—an 83% increase over nine years.
