Volume XXIX, No.11                                                                              May 21, 1999

APWU Pressure on Committee Sets Back Scheduled Mark-up of Bill!
HR 22 Derailed,
Calls Must Intensify!

Intense political action by APWU members has derailed--at least temporarily--the House Government Reform Committee's scheduled mark-up of HR 22, the Postal Modernization Act of 1999. The bill, championed by Rep. John McHugh (R-NY), was set for a full committee vote on Wednesday, May 19. The vote was abruptly canceled, however, due in large part to the intense full-court press being conducted by the American Postal Workers Union.

In addition, the bill is being challenged by a number of committee members, especially Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL) and Chaka Fattah (D-PA). Reps. Waxman and Fattah are introducing a substitute and/or amendment to, in part, address some of APWU's concerns with HR 22. Reps. Davis and Fattah have both spoken on the record against HR 22's imposition of price caps on the Postal Service and the damaging effect that would have on the collective bargaining rights of postal workers.

At the same time, other committee members are weighing in against HR 22 because it doesn't go far enough (for them) in attacking the Postal Service. This effort is largely being sponsored by UPS, which is spending huge sums to secure more vicious, anti-postal, anti-APWU legislation. That's why APWU President Moe Biller has called on all APWU members to keep the heat on Congress, especially on the members of the House Government Reform Committee (see list below). "We've got HR 22 on the ropes," Biller declared, "but now we've got to deliver the knock-out punch. We have temporarily derailed the bill," he added, "and with an intensified lobbying effort by all APWU members, we can knock HR 22 off the rails once and for all this year. So keep the heat on, keep the Capitol Hill switchboard lit up, and keep up your great support for APWU COPA!"

The Capitol switchboard number is 202-224-3121.

House Panel Puts Off
Postal Reform Bill Consideration

265.60 Banked Toward Next COLA

After the third month of the second cost-of-living adjustment period under the 1998-2000 Collective Bargaining Agreement, postal workers have accumulated a cost-of-living adjustment of 12 3/4 cents per hour, $10.20 per pay period or $265.60 annually. This results from an increase in the CPI-W to 484.7 in April.

CSRS and FERS

CSRS retiree COLA is based on the third quarter (July, August, September) average CPI-W index in 1999 over the 1998 third quarter average. After the first quarter of the adjustment period, the quarterly average has risen 0.7 percent.

The formula for FERS retirees is the same as for CSRS retirees, except that if the CPI-W average increases 3 percent or more, the adjustment will be the CPI-W increase minus 1 percent. If the average increases between 2 percent and 3 percent, then the adjustment will be 2 percent.

FECA COLA

Cost-of-living adjustments for FECA recipients are based on the percentage increase in the December index from year to year. After the fourth month of the adjustment period, the CPI-W index has increased 1.2 percent.

REC Site Conference Canceled

The REC Site Conference listed in the May 7, 1999 News Service bulletin has been canceled. The conference notice appeared with the information on the upcoming Presidents' Conference to be held in Anchorage, AK June 13-14, 1999.

Virginia Beach, VA and Indianapolis, IN
Advanced Arbitration Training Conferences

APWU's Research and Education Department, with the cooperation of the regional coordinators, will conduct two APWU "Advanced Arbitration Training Conferences" in 1999.

The training conferences are designed to acquaint arbitration advocates, who are currently arbitrating, with the advanced techniques needed to prevail in arbitration. Students will be tested daily. Prerequisite: To register for the conference, participants must meet one of the following criteria:

a. Must be a certified national advocate;
b. Must be a local certified advocate who is currently arbitrating cases; or
c. Must have previously attended a Basic Arbitration Training Conference.

Registration

To register for the conference, participants must mail, along with the registration form and check, a letter from the local or state president on official letterhead authorizing their attendance.

Participation at each conference is limited. Therefore, it is imperative that students register early. All participants must pre-register prior to the conference deadline. No walk-ins will be allowed. All participants must arrive at the hotel on the Tuesday prior to the convening of the conference, no later than 5:00 pm, to register. The conference will adjourn no later than 12:00 noon on Sunday.

The registration fee is $75.00 for each participant. Included in the fee is a reception, two coffee breaks daily, and a graduation breakfast.

Curriculum

Participants must be in attendance for the entire program.

Certificates will be awarded based on class performance. Instructors will be APWU national officers and business agents.

Classes are: Rules of Contract Instruction, New Evidence/New Arguments, Major Mistakes Made by Arbitration Advocates, "Just Cause" Concepts and Challenges, Writing an Effective Brief, Due Process, Witnesses (special situations), Nexus, Latin in the Hearing, Affirmative Defense, Framing Multiple Issues and Threshold Strategies.

Hotel Accommodations

To secure the hotel rates listed below, please inform the hotel that you are with the American Postal Workers Union. Guests may use a check, money order or major credit card (which will be charged immediately). Refunds will be granted for cancellations made 72 hours in advance of the arrival date. Check-in time for both hotels is 4:00 pm.

August 31-September 5, 1999
Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort
3900 Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
757-428-1711 or toll-free 800-942-3224
Room rate: $99 plus 10 percent tax and $1 occupancy fee, single/double
Parking: Free for registered guests and not provided for nonregistered guests
Deadline to register: Friday, July 9, 1999

October 19-24, 1999
Adam's Mark Hotel
2544 Executive Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46241
317-381-6118 or toll-free 800-444-2326
Room rate: $95 plus 11 percent tax, single/double
Parking: Free for registered guests
Deadline to register: Friday, September 3, 1999
The hotel provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport.

For additional information, contact the Research and Education Department at 202-842-4225.

Attend the AFL-CIO
Civil and Human Rights Conference

The AFL-CIO is sponsoring a Civil and Human Rights Conference on June 3-6, 1999 in Seattle, WA. The conference will explore how workers and the community can advance an agenda of civil and workers' rights.

Participants will learn about and develop strategies to promote critical issues such as workers' freedom to choose to join a union, affirmative action, an accurate census count, economic justice, hate crimes legislation, disability rights, pay equity and labor/community alliances. Several prominent speakers have been invited to make presentations at the conference, including civil and human rights advocates.

The AFL-CIO encourages all APWU members, especially those who are interested in the advancement of workers' and civil rights, to attend this important conference.

Hotel/Registration

The conference will be held at the Doubletree Hotel-Seattle Airport. The room rate is $109 plus tax. For reservations, call the hotel directly at 800-222-8733.

To register, send a $35 check, payable to the "AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer," to the AFL-CIO Civil and Human Rights Department, 815 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006. Include your name, union, union title, address and phone number with your registration.

For more information, contact the AFL-CIO Civil and Human Rights Department at 202-637-5270.

News Service Listing