Recent editorial on Tentative Agreement by former APWU President Bill Burrus:

In closely guarded statements, postal management has struggled to conceal its total satisfaction with the tentative agreement. In a series of public statements, USPS officials have guardly extolled their unanticipated success in transforming APWU represented workers’ assignments and reducing costs (wages) in the staggering amount of 3.8 billion dollars on the backs of the employees we represent.

Louis Giullano, Chairman of the Board of Governors said “this tentative agreement provides the Postal Service with three important things: immediate cost control, greater workforce flexibility, and long term structural changes.” “Most importantly, we do not believe these vital changes would have been possible in arbitration.”….. “The tentative labor agreement negotiated with APWU is a solid step to reducing labor costs.” “The Board unanimously supports the tentative agreement.”

James C. Miller of the Board of Governors, A President Bush appointee who has never been accused of being a friend of workers opined: “the reason we did not get more, and the reason we agreed in the end to the contract now out for ratification by the rank and file is that the current law governing our labor negotiations is biased against management and in favor of labor.”

And finally, Patrick Donahoe, Postmaster General could barely contain his satisfaction: “One of the most important aspects of this tentative agreement is that it provides significant workforce flexibility.”…Interest arbitration is not going to result in flexibility gains of this magnitude.”

The APWU officers who negotiated these provisions are in good company, and if USPS management had a vote they would vote “Yes” to ratify.

In union solidarity,

Bill Burrus