The American Postal Workers Union's Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee voted last week to approve a tentative contract extension between the union and U.S. Postal Service, clearing the way for a ratification vote by union members.
Late last month, the postal service and union reached a tentative deal on a one-year extension.
The agreement, if ratified by union members, will affect about 287,000 postal employees represented by the APWU. The tentative extension covers the period from Nov. 20, 2005, through Nov. 20, 2006.
It provides for a 1.6 percent wage increase effective March 18, 2006, and includes the continuation of the cost-of-living allowance. Under APWU rules, the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee must approve a tentative agreement before members get to vote on it. The panel also supervises the vote.
Ballots will be sent to members as soon as they can be prepared, the APWU said, along with the wording of each proposed contract change.
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
