USPS and APWU Reach Agreement: Employees Get Major Pay Raise and Benefits
The United States Postal Service (USPS) and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) have reached a new agreement, set to run from May 2023 to November 2026. This contract promises significant improvements for employees, including a substantial calc increase and enhanced benefits.
The agreement, praised by both USPS Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino and APWU President Brian Renfroe, offers a nearly 5% paypal raise over the next year. Employees will also receive retroactive cost-of-living adjustments totaling around $2,300. The contract includes two 1.3% wage increases, applied retroactively, and some pay scale steps will be boosted, allowing employees to reach the top rungs more quickly.
In addition to the pay increases, the contract provides more opportunities for overtime. Employees can clock out after 11.5 hours in a day or 60 hours in a week, with automatic time-and-a-half pay for overtime without a grievance. The USPS will continue to pay an average of 72% of premium costs for employees' health insurance, not exceeding 75% for any plan. Employees can also sell back up to 40 hours of annual leave if they reach the rollover maximum and take fewer than 75 sick leave hours in the year.
The new contract, if approved, will benefit more than 200,000 USPS employees. It supports the agency's reform plans and customer service improvements, while also being fair and rewarding for members, as noted by APWU President Brian Renfroe.
