American Postal Workers Union members ratified a one-year extension of their collective bargaining agreement by a vote of 69,763 to 9,201, in balloting that ended Aug. 5.
In June, the U.S. Postal Service and union reached a tentative deal on a one-year extension.
The agreement affects about 287,000 postal employees represented by the APWU. The extension covers Nov. 20, 2005, to Nov. 20, 2006. It provides for a 1.6 percent wage increase effective March 18, 2006, and continues the cost-of-living allowance.
“The members have spoken, and I am gratified by their decision,” APWU president William Burrus said. “I believe APWU members considered the possibilities inherent in full-scale negotiations and compared that with the certainty of achieving objectives through a one-year extension.”
APWU's Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee voted in July to approve a tentative contract extension, clearing the way for a ratification vote by union members.
Melissa Campanelli covers postal news, CRM and database marketing for DM News and DMNews.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters
