Emergency Action Needed! APWU E-Team Alert!
TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THESE AMENDMENTS TODAY! Dear APWU e-Team members On Monday, April 23, the United States Senate will begin debate on S.1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012 and as many as 39 amendments proposed by Senators. Votes on the bill and all amendments are likely to follow on Tuesday, April 24. It is imperative that you immediately contact your two Senators and urge them to support three amendments of vital interest to APWU members and the American people. Following the votes on the amendments, we will follow up with you with instructions on whether we will support or oppose final passage of the bill, as amended. While we oppose many of the amendments offered, and support others, the primary amendments we are concerned with are as follows: 1. Amendment #2042 by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Max Baucus (D-MT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Amendment #2042 maintains current delivery standards for four years. The amendment would not prevent all consolidations, but it would stop the USPS from implementing their previously announced “slash and burn” strategy. 2. Amendment #2056 by Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Mark Begich (D-AK), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Al Franken (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Carl Levin (D-MI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). This amendment would modify the process for closing or consolidating post offices and postal facilities. In addition, the amendment gives the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) the authority to “affirm or reverse” the determination of the Postal Service. 3. Amendment #2034 by Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Al Franken (D-MN), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Dan Inouye (D-HI), John Kerry (D-MA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). Senator Akaka’s amendment deletes Title III of the bill which would devastate thousands of postal and federal employees who were unfortunately injured at work through no fault of their own. Amendment #2034 would replace this language with provisions similar to bi-partisan legislation adopted by the House of Representatives which actually improves some benefits for injured postal and federal workers. Click here, to send both of your Senators a quick message supporting these amendments today!

APWU Members Urged to Take Action
Postal reform is a hot topic in Congress as the Senate prepares to vote on the 21st Century Postal Service Act, and APWU President Cliff Guffey is urging union members to contact their senators and let them know: Senate bill 1789 is unacceptable in its current form.

April 17 Plans Move Into High Gear
(04/13/12) Plans for April 17, Tax Day, are moving into high gear, with hundreds of locals organizing activities. That day, the APWU and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union will conduct informational leafleting at post offices around the country to highlight an urgent message: Congress must act now to avert a Postal Service disaster. A moratorium on the closure of post offices and mail processing plants expires on May 15, and postal officials have said they intend to begin consolidating more than 200 mail processing facilities and 3,600 post offices if Congress fails to act by the deadline. The APWU has posted a list of locals that will participate in the April 17 activities to Save America's Postal Service. [full story]