28 March 2022
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Comments: Comments Off on COVID Test Kit MOUs & Conversions

COVID Test Kit MOUs & Conversions


MOU-Extending-COVID-19-Test-Kit-Fulfillment-Pilot-APWU-with-List

 


Memo and Table – Additional Function 1 Staffing – March 25 2022

 


Questions and Answers_Additional Function – Staffing – March 25 2022 APWU

18 March 2022
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Local News
Comments: Comments Off on Implementation Dates for Pay Increases in New Contract Confirmed

Implementation Dates for Pay Increases in New Contract Confirmed

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the Postal Service confirmed to the APWU important dates for implementation of the pay provisions of the 2021-2024 National Agreement. There were significant changes to the pay and leave provisions for this national agreement.

Below you will see “effective” and “scheduled implementation” dates for the various pay provisions of the agreement. The effective date is the date the pay changes will be paid from. The “scheduled implementation” date is the date the Postal Service has informed the APWU that the payrate will actual begin being paid. We have also included the pay check date the pay changes are scheduled to show up in pay checks/direct deposits.

  • 1.3% General Increases for all employees
    o Effective: November 20, 2021
    o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022) o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022
  • 1.0% Additional for Postal Support Employees (PSEs)
    o Effective: November 20, 2021
    o Scheduled Implementation: June 4, 2022 (Pay Period 13-2022) o Pay Check Date June 24, 2022

For the remainder of the pay provisions and for the full article, please click here.

9 March 2022
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Local News
Comments: Comments Off on We did it!

We did it!

Dear APWU Family,
We did it!
Just moments ago, the Senate passed the Postal Service Reform Act with a strong, bipartisan vote of 79-19. As you’ll recall, the bill passed the House last month 342-92. We expect President Biden will sign the bill into law in the next few days.
Winning this critical legislation has been a massive collective effort spanning more than a decade. Tens of thousands of postal workers have rallied, signed petitions, written and met with their members of Congress, made countless calls to Capitol Hill and worked to build a broad coalition to get us to this point.
Your leadership has been absolutely critical in this long struggle. Together, we’ve organized our members from the workroom floor, our leaders, and our activist base in this critical fight. And together, we’ve prevailed.
Passing this bill strengthens the public Postal Service, our national treasure. It protects our members’ jobs. And it gives us a new footing in the fight to defend the quality service the public deserves and to expand and enhance services in the years to come.
Congratulations to all of you who organized and mobilized over the years to help us pass this critical legislation.
8 March 2022
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General Information
Local News
Comments: Comments Off on SECOND ORDER OF FREE TEST KITS

SECOND ORDER OF FREE TEST KITS

Every home in the USA is now eligible to order a second set of four at home COVID 19 test kits, free of charge. The test kits will be delivered to your mailbox by the USPS.

Please click on the link below to order your test kits.

https://www.covidtests.gov/

1 March 2022
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Local News
Comments: Comments Off on The New Union Contract is Ratified!

The New Union Contract is Ratified!

94% of Voters Say YES!

The main Collective Bargaining Agreement (union contract) between the APWU and the USPS has been overwhelmingly ratified by the members. The contract was signed by APWU President Mark Dimondstein and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on February 28, 2022.

Ninety-Four percent (94%) of the members who voted, voted “Yes!” in favor of ratification. The vote tally was 36,632 votes for ratification and 2,290 against.

“I am ecstatic that the membership recognized the solid gains that this Agreement provides to the 165,000 APWU members from all crafts,” President and lead negotiator Mark Dimondstein stated. “Every member should be very proud of this huge accomplishment. Our power at the bargaining table begins with each of you, the foundation of our union.”

Director of Industrial Relations and chief spokesperson, Vance Zimmerman said, “I am proud of this Agreement and am happy that the membership recognized the hard work of the National Negotiating Committee, the other officers who helped with the negotiations, and the diligent work of our support staff to make this contract a reality.” He continued, “Now the work of implementation begins in earnest.”

For the full article, please click here.

8 February 2022
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General Information
Local News
Comments: Comments Off on PTF and PSE canvass in eReassign

PTF and PSE canvass in eReassign

To all APWU family,

Please see the below, it is a screen print of the message display in eReassign for the PTF/PSE canvass process.  This went  live on the message board in eReassign yesterday.  Management has informed me that Zoom meetings with the Districts on this process were  completed yesterday.

Canvass Bullentin Board Stand Up Talk

7 February 2022
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General Information
Local News
Comments: Comments Off on Questions About COVID Home Tests? A Pharmacy Expert Has Answers

Questions About COVID Home Tests? A Pharmacy Expert Has Answers

Healthy-Living-Header

We’ve added Health News to our website to give you the latest news on health issues. We’ll be sending you one article weekly, and you can find more on our website by clicking here. Be in the know about health, and have a healthy week.

Questions About COVID Home Tests?  A Pharmacy Expert Has Answers

 

THURSDAY, Feb. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Those hard-to-find COVID-19 home tests are becoming more available, particularly with the U.S. government offering four free tests for every household.
So far, roughly 60 million American households have ordered the free tests, according to the White House. But many folks still have a lot of basic questions about them, said Krist Azizian, chief pharmacy officer for Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California.
These rapid at-home tests are called antigen tests, he said.
COVID_19 test
“Antigen tests detect a high volume of viral load, and the results are generally available within 15 minutes,” Azizian said in a university news release.
However, you shouldn’t test yourself immediately after you think you’ve been exposed to COVID, Azizian said.
“COVID-19 has an incubation period of five to seven days, so you should get tested at least five days after exposure or upon the onset of symptoms,” he said.
“The biggest testing mistake I see is people taking tests too soon before the viral load can be detected,” Azizian continued. “Testing too soon can waste at-home tests, cause people to needlessly spend money on lab tests and give them a false sense of assurance should they test negative.”
If you’re self-testing, a positive result from an antigen test means you’ve probably got COVID, while a negative result means you either don’t have COVID or you don’t have enough virus in your nose for the test to detect.
Your doctor’s office also can perform an antigen test on you, but they are “not necessarily” more accurate than a test you’d perform on yourself at home, Azizian said.
“Antigen tests conducted at a clinic or lab are very likely comparable to tests purchased over the counter,” Azizian said. “The only reason lab testing may be more accurate is because some people may use the at-home tests incorrectly or may misinterpret the results.”
Doctors can offer another type of COVID test called the PCR test. This is the “gold standard” for accuracy but does not return rapid results and is not available for home use.
PCR tests look for the specific genetic material of COVID, so they can detect lower levels of virus than an antigen test and are less likely to produce inaccurate results, Azizian said. A lab must run the test, and it can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to get the results.
How can you get your free at-home tests?
You can order your four free rapid antigen tests from COVIDtests.gov, Azizian said.
“If your household requires more than four tests, you may be eligible to be fully reimbursed for tests you purchase or get them free of charge through an insurance reimbursement program launched Jan. 15,” Azizian said. “You can contact your health insurance provider for further information.”
When buying a test yourself, look for one that’s authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Azizian said.
Families running short on tests should know they can’t be reused, he added.
“These tests are for single application only,” Azizian said. “People are taking a tremendous risk of exposing others by using one swab for multiple family members. If one has COVID-19 and the others don’t, sharing a swab almost guarantees everyone will get it.”
Which test is right for you?
Rapid antigen tests are a good option for people who have developed symptoms of COVID, Azizian said.
“In general, viral load correlates to symptoms. If you are asymptomatic, your viral load may be too low to be detected by an antigen test,” Azizian said.
If you don’t have symptoms but you’re worried you have COVID, you should talk with your doctor about getting a PCR test. PCR tests also can be used as a follow-up to an antigen test, to make sure you really do have COVID, Azizian added.
“If you test negative on an antigen test, for greater reassurance, follow up with another antigen test at least 24 hours later or a PCR test,” Azizian said.
“While antigen tests are fairly accurate in detecting positive results, if you test positive on an antigen test, it’s best to follow up with a PCR test,” he advised. “However, you should quarantine upon receiving a positive result from any test.”

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a list of approved at-home COVID tests.
SOURCE: Keck Medicine of University of Southern California, news release, Jan. 31, 2022
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18 January 2022
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Local News
Comments: Comments Off on Free COVID Test Kits

Free COVID Test Kits

Click here to get Free COVID Test Kits.

30 November 2021
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Local News
Comments: Comments Off on Juneteenth National Independence Day

Juneteenth National Independence Day

APWU Family,
Please see the attached letter that was sent out yesterday to USPS officers from Deputy PMG Doug Tulino. Juneteenth National Independence Day will be recognized as a holiday for eligible Full-time and part-time career employees starting in calendar year 2022.
You may disseminate.

To download a PDF copy of this notice, click here.

13 October 2021
Category:
General Information
Local News
Comments: Comments Off on 2021 Virtual Open Season Health Fairs (HBO)

2021 Virtual Open Season Health Fairs (HBO)

virtual-HF-2021

Health Benefit Officers, 
Welcome to our 2021 APWU Health Plan Virtual Open Season Health Fairs!

We wanted to give your employees an opportunity to meet with APWU Health Plan staff virtually and learn about our benefits. Postal, Federal, and Retirees who are eligible for the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program can access and attend our virtual health fairs safely online.

During Open Season, every Tuesday and Thursday, from 12-2pm EST a Health Plan staff employee will be online to answer questions and discuss plan features. Please forward this email to your employees so that they can participate. Click on the register now to confirm your attendance.

Once registered you will get an email confirmation with a GoToWebinar link and dial-in information. The day before the virtual health fair date you selected, you will receive an email reminder with the dial-in information and instructions.

 

Register Now! for any of our Virtual Health Fairs.

Tuesday, November 9 – 12pm-2pm EST
Tuesday, November 16 – 12pm-2pm EST
Tuesday, November 23 – 12pm-2pm EST
Tuesday, November 30 – 12pm-2pm EST
Tuesday, December 7 – 12pm-2pm EST
Thursday, November 11 – 12pm-2pm EST
Thursday, November 18 – 12pm-2pm EST
Thursday, December 2 – 12pm-2pm EST
Thursday, December 9 – 12pm-2pm EST
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