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BMC Conference

BMC Conference Named in Honor of NBA Craig Fisher

By Tom Marquez – Editor, CPWU

During the 2025 Bulk Mail Center Conference, a motion was brought forth to name the event in honor of Central Region-A National Business Agent Craig Fisher, recognizing his many years of service and dedication to the American Postal Workers Union. The motion received unanimous support from all BMC members in attendance and was approved by BMC Coordinator Terry B. Martinez.

Fisher, who has been a longtime advocate for the Bulk Mail Centers and their critical role in the Postal Service, expressed sincere appreciation for the recognition.

“It means a lot to me... It’s been a lifelong passion fighting for the BMCs and I think they are instrumental in the Postal Service. The package business is growing and BMCs are set up to deal with packages so they’re instrumental in the future.”

The APWU proudly honors Brother Fisher’s commitment and tireless advocacy on behalf of postal workers nationwide.

Election Results

APWU Members Elect Jonathan Smith as National President

Jonathan Smith of the New York Metro Area Postal Union has been elected President of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) following the tally of votes in the 2025 Election of National Officers.

Debby Szeredy was reelected as Executive Vice President.

“Congratulations to Brother Smith and all those candidates who prevailed in this election,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “I also want to salute every candidate who stepped forward to serve. Elections like these embody the strength of our union’s democracy.”

Election results were certified by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Department of Elections. Official results for all races are listed below. Winners are identified by an asterisk (*); incumbent officers are denoted by “(I)” after their name.

General & Administrative Officers

President
Jonathan Smith* – 13,545
AJ Jones – 11,855

Executive Vice President
Debby Szeredy* (I) – 13,677
Vance Zimmerman – 11,427

Regional Coordinators

Southern Region

Samuel “Sam” Wood – 717
Mike “Sully” Sullivan – 897
Al Davison – 935
Tony D. McKinnon, Sr* – 1,345

Clerk Division

National Business Agents, Central Region Chicago Region, (A)

Eric Chornoby – 483
Erika L. Williams* – 503

National Business Agents, Southern Region

Atlanta Region, (B)

Doris Orr-Richardson* (I) – 881
Stacey Sabir Brown – 439

Atlanta Region, (C)

Sandra Munoz Hernandez* (I) – 783
Keenan D. Anthony – 540

Dallas Region, (C)

Diann Scurlark* (I) – 549
Jenie Frazier – 324

National Business Agents, Western Region

Denver Region, (A)

LaMont Green (I) – 285
Joyce Muhammad* – 342

San Francisco Region, (A)

Joe Macias* – 927
Matthew Labuda – 309

San Francisco Region, (C)

Fabiola Dominguez* (I) – 868
Eric A. Van Dyke – 364

Maintenance Division

Assistant Director, (A)

Terry B. Martinez* (I) – 1,653
Curtis Walker – 1,527

National Business Agents, Maintenance Division

Central Region, (A)

Thomas Vlasek – 102
John Hunt* – 196
Kenny Carson – 121

Eastern Region

Kenneth Lester (I) –143
Antonio “Tony” Barner – 123
Steven Duckworth* – 358

Western Region, (B)

Louis M. Kingsley (I) – 253
Kyle Popek* – 313

Motor Vehicle Service Division

National Business Agents, Central Region

Mark Krueger (I) – 93
Nigel Devon Thomas* – 246
Michael Mize – 184

National Business Agents, Eastern Region

Shana Parker* (I) – 252
John Minor – 110

Support Services Division

Director

Arrion Brown (I) – 116
Kimberly A. Maurer* – 144

Retiree National Convention Delegates

Central Region

Bruce C. Jackson – 1,242
Patrick A. Chornoby* – 1,466

Western Region

Patricia A. Williams* (I) – 957
Don Cheney – 311

Uncontested National Officers

General & Administrative Officers

Secretary-Treasurer
Elizabeth “Liz” Powell (I), Western Nassau New York Area Local (NY)
Industrial Relations Director
Charles “Charlie” Cash (I), Buffalo Local (NY)
Legislative/Political Director
Judy Beard (I), Detroit District Area Local (MI)
Human Relations Director
Daleo Freeman (I), William H. Burrus, Cleveland Area Local, #72 (OH)
Organization Director
Anna Smith (I), Portland Oregon Area Local (OR)
Research and Education Director
Joyce B. Robinson (I), Richmond Virginia Area Local (VA)
Health Plan Director
Sarah Jane Rodriguez (I), Phoenix Metro Area Local (AZ)

Regional Coordinators

Central Region
Amy Puhalski (I), Western Michigan Area Local (MI)
Eastern Region
Vince Tarducci, Philadelphia BMC Local (PA)
Northeast Region
Tiffany Foster (I), New York Metro Area Postal Union (NY)
Western Region
Omar M. Gonzalez (I), Greater Los Angeles Area Local (CA)
Clerk Division
Director
Lamont Brooks (I), The Northern Virginia Area Local (VA)
Assistant Director (A)
Sam Lisenbe (I), Fort Worth Area Local (TX)
Assistant Director (B)
Ashley Cargill, Oklahoma City Area Local (OK)
Assistant Director (C)
Robert “Bob” Romanowski (I), New Jersey Shore Area Local (NJ)
National Business Agents, Central Region
Chicago Region, (B)
Devendra Rathore “D” (I), Fox Valley Local (IL)
Chicago Region, (C)
James Stevenson III (I), Detroit District Area Local (MI)
Cincinnati Region, (A)
Leo Kreyenbuhl (I), Cuyahoga Falls Local (OH)
Cincinnati Region, (B)
Michael William Funk, Jr. (I), Greater Cincinnati Ohio Area Local (OH)
Minneapolis Region, (A)
Todd M. Elkerton (I), Saint Paul Area Local (MN)
Minneapolis Region, (B)
Gregory Becker, Milwaukee Area Local (WI)
St. Louis Region, (A)
Sharon L. Curtis (I), Greater Kansas City Metro Area Local (MO)
St. Louis Region, (B)
Daniel Skemp (I), Rapid Area Local (IA)
Wichita Region, (A)
Philip D. Thomas, Omaha Area Local (NE)
Wichita Region, (B)
Emily Lain Weber (I), Wichita Area Local (KS)

National Business Agents, Eastern Region
Philadelphia Region, (A)
Kim Miller (I), Keystone Area Local (PA)
Philadelphia Region, (B)
John Louis Jackson, Jr. (I), Philadelphia BMC Local (PA)
Philadelphia Region, (C)
James DeRidder, Philadelphia BMC Local (PA)
Washington DC Region, (A)
Rachel A. Walthall (I), Baltimore Francis “Stu” Filbey Area Local (MD)
Washington DC Region, (B)
Pamela R. Richardson (I), Lynchburg Area Local (VA)
National Business Agents, Northeast Region
New England Region, (A)
Bill Mazurowski (I), Hartford Local (CT)
New England Region, (B)
Scott M. Hoffman (I), Boston Metro Area Local (MA)
New England Region, (C)
Tom O’Brien (I), South Shore Area Local (MA)
New York Region, (A)
Peter Coradi (I), Brooklyn Local (NY)

New York Region, (B)
Elizabeth “Liz” Swigert (I), Queens Area Local (NY)
New York Region, (C)
Clifton W. Johnson, Long Island Area Local (NY)
National Business Agents, Southern Region
Atlanta Region, (A)
Jim DeMauro (I), Tampa Area Local (FL)
Dallas Region, (A)
Carlton Williams (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Dallas Region, (B)
Charles M. Tillman (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Memphis Region, (A)
Joe H. Jolley, Jr. (I), Nashville Area Local (TN)
Memphis Region, (B)
Pamela Smith (I), Birmingham Area Local (AL)
National Business Agents, Western Region
Denver Region, (B)
Joseph Zamenick, Jr. (I), Phoenix Metro Area Local (AZ)
Northwest Region, (A)
Brian Dunsmore (I), Portland Oregon Area Local (OR)
Northwest Region, (B)
Morning Dunn (I), Oregon Postal Workers Union (OR)
San Francisco Region, (B)
Mike Hetticher (I), Eureka Local (CA)
San Francisco Region, (D)
Chuck Locke (I), Sacramento Area Local (CA)
Maintenance Division
Director
Idowu Balogun (I), Greater Los Angeles Area Local (CA)
Assistant Director, (B)
Jason Treier (I), Lancaster Area Local (PA)
National Business Agents, Maintenance
Central Region, (B)
Jeffrey Scott Beaton (I), Greater Kansas City Area Local (MO)
Central Region, (C)
Stephanie Logan (I), Saint Paul Area Local (MN)
Northeast Region
Dave Sarnacki (I), Springfield Mass Area Local (MA)
Southern Region, (A)
John Gearhard (I), Jacksonville BMC Local (FL)
Southern Region, (B)
Carlos Paz (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Southern Region, (C)
Joshua Montgomery (I), Lafayette Area Local (LA)

Western Region, (A)
Hector Baez (I), San Diego Area Local (CA)
Motor Vehicle Service Division
Director
Michael O. Foster (I), Detroit District Area Local (MI)
Assistant Director
Garrett C. Langley (I), Lancaster Area Local (PA)
National Business Agents, Motor Vehicle Service Division
Northeast Region
Rick White (I), Boston Metro Area Local (MA)
Southern Region, Southeast Sub-Region
Bruce E. Amey (I), Atlanta Metro Area Local (GA)
Southern Region, Southwest Sub-Region
Dyrike Shaw (I), Dallas Area Local (TX)
Western Region
Jerome Pittman (I), San Francisco Local (CA)

Support Services Division
National Business Agent
Orlando L. Anderson (I), St. Louis Gateway District Area Local (MO)
All-Craft National Business Agents
Alaskan Area
Vacant
Caribbean Area
Samuel A. Hernàndez Algarin (I), Puerto Rico Area Local (PR)
Pacific Area
Michael C. Vitug, Leeward Oahu Area Local 6069 (HI)
Retirees Department Director
Nancy E. Olumekor (I), Nation’s Capital Southern MD Area Local (MD)
Retiree National Convention Delegates
Eastern Region
Cynthia A. Nesmith (I), Philadelphia Area Local Retiree Chapter (PA)
Northeast Region
Leona Draper (I), Moe Biller/Eleanor Bailey Retiree Chapter (NY)
Southern Region
Patricia Ann McGriff (I), Northeast Florida Retiree Chapter (FL)

Tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement Reached

BREAKING NEWS

APWU Members Ratify 2024-2027 National Agreement!

95% of Voters Say ‘YES!’ to New Union Contract

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Summary of the 2024-2027 Tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement

The American Postal Workers Union and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), announced APWU President and Lead Negotiator Mark Dimondstein. Below is a summary of the tentative agreement. The APWU is finalizing the complete Tentative Agreement, which will be sent to members along with their ratification ballots. Further details regarding the ratification vote will be announced soon.

The Colorado Postal Workers Union will provide additional information and updates here as they become available. Stay tuned for the latest details.

UPDATE: BALLOTS ARE BEING MAILED OUT NOW, AND MUST BE RETURNED BY THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2025.

Contract Time Period

Three-year contract: September 21, 2024 through September 20, 2027

General Annual Wage Increases and Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLA)

1.3% November 16, 2024 (will be paid retroactively)
1.4% November 15, 2025
1.5% November 14, 2026
As PSEs receive no COLA, there will be an additional 1% increase each year (2.3%, 2.4%, and 2.5%) with an extra 50 cents/hour after 26 weeks.
PSEs in four-hour Remotely Managed Post Offices (RMPOs) (who are not covered by the automatic conversion to career provisions) will receive an additional $1.00 per hour after four years.

Full Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLA) for Career Employees (Six Total)

COLA will be paid the second full pay period after the release of January 2025 (paid retroactively), July 2025, January 2026, July 2026, January 2027, and July 2027 CPI.
APWU remains the only postal union with full COLA.

Changes to Post-2010 Pay Scales

No later than the first full pay period 180 days after contract ratification
- Grade 4 will have Step-JJ eliminated and the new starting step will be II
- Entry Step-GG will be eliminated from Grades 5-7 for PSEs who are automatically converted to career after 24 months.
Grade 3 will be upgraded to Grade 4 effective September 19, 2026 (Pay Period 21-2026)
- New top steps will be added for Grades 4, 5, 6, and 7
  - Grade 4, Step J
  - Grade 5, Step L
  - Grade 6, Step M
  - Grade 7, Step M
No changes to the waiting period for step increases, which is the shortest wait time of all postal contracts.

Increased Night Shift Differential

Effective September 25, 2025, night shift differential rates will be increased by a fixed amount of 4.0%
Effective September 19, 2026, night shift differential will be increased by a fixed amount of 2.0%

Job Security

Protection from layoff for career employees with six years of service remains in effect.
Any current career employee on the rolls as of September 20, 2024, but with less than six years of career service will be protected from lay-off for the life of the National Agreement. This provides at least 70,000 additional career employees protection from possible layoff.
Maintained the 50-mile limit on excessing.
The current moratorium on subcontracting of Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) work will continue in its present form during life of the Agreement.
Automatic PSE conversion to career status after two years (with the exception of the four-hour RMPO PSEs) remains in full force and effect.

Health Insurance

No change to the Postal Service percentage contribution to premiums for those participating in the Postal Service Health Program.
95% Postal Service contribution to premiums of the APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP).

Uniform/Work Clothes Program Allowances

2.5% increase to the uniform/work clothes allowances for years 2025, 2026, and 2027.
National Level Task Force established to examine the current uniform purchase program.

Additional Work Rule Changes

Annual Leave Exchange increased from 40 hours to 80 hours.
Annual Leave Carryover increased from 440 hours to 520 hours.
Additional family members to be covered under Bereavement Leave to include mothers and fathers-in-law, grandchildren, and stepparents.
Employees will no longer be required to serve two “probationary” periods if converted to career within their first term as a PSE.
Additional non-discrimination terms added to Article 2.1 to become consistent with Federal law.
Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in current CBA contract to be carried forward.
Additional items added to list of cases to be heard in expedited arbitration.
Pilot program to develop virtual hearing process for expedited arbitration only.
Arbitrators can no longer order briefs in discipline cases, it must be by joint agreement of the parties.
MOU added to address the Step-4 (national dispute) backlog.
MOU on purging of letters of warning.
PSEs to be included when administrative leave granted due to “Acts of God”.

Additional Clerk Craft Provisions

PTFs can now identify the specific offices that they are willing to work in within a 50-mile radius.
PTF Hub Assignment MOU made permanent.
MOU for one-time voluntary Reassignment Opportunity for PTFs.
USPS must give APWU 60 days’ notice when new or revised EAS position descriptions are created to allow the APWU to address any bargaining unit work that might be in the new position description.
MOU establishing a work group to examine the Job Bid Management (JBM) tool to address local exceptions in the bid process.
MOU on Telework for Customer Care Center that guarantees remote work and no subcontracting of the CCC for the life of agreement.
MOU on Telework for Mail Requirement Clerks that guarantees remote work and no subcontracting of the MRC work for the life of agreement.

Additional Motor Vehicle Service Craft Provisions

HCR Limitation MOU has been renewed.
Motor Vehicle Craft-Highway Movement of Mail provisions increased to higher dollar and mileage limits.
Language added to establish seniority date if a MVS transfer is delayed beyond 90 days.
Reversion Defined.
Overtime Desired Lists to be by section and/or tour unless defined by LMOU.
MVS Craft employees in 204(b) status prevented from being converted to full-time or career status unless they return to the craft for one continuous pay period.
Seniority for “Preferred Assignments” clarified.
Vehicle Maintenance Repair Agreements (VMRA) term added to Article 39.3.K.
MVS Training Initiatives Committee MOU updated.

Additional Maintenance Craft Provisions

Per Diem MOU remains for all offsite training.
The Annual In-Service Register is now open to all APWU non-career employees.
Employees on an In-Service Register who twice decline positions in the Maintenance Craft will be removed from the In-Service Register, there will no longer be a yearly purge.
JCIM Pecking Order updated. Revised Step 6 to preference Maintenance Craft employees excessed out of closed installations, clarified steps 7 through 9, added Step 13 for PSEs, and replaced the word “consider” with “select” in three of the steps.
Expanded Opportunity to include Mail Processing Equipment Mechanics (MPE) for NST (ET-11) eligibility.
Revised Article 38.3.K.4.b. Area Maintenance Technician (AMT) PS-9 now encompasses Maintenance Mechanic (MM) PS-7, protecting AMTs facing excessing.
Continuing education training for skilled Maintenance Craft employees every three years.
AMTs will have the opportunity to request changes to reporting stations.
Residual vacancies that have been vacant for at least 120 days may be posted by Notice of Intent (NOI) by joint agreement of the local parties.
Established job protection for employees who fail to qualify after in-service promotion or employees that were hired from the Entrance Register.
Revised MOU regarding Article 32 exceptions.

All provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that were not modified in negotiations remain in full force and effect. For example, overtime provisions, discipline procedure, grievance-arbitration procedure, holidays, etc.

Presidents Report

President's Report By Shelly R. Lucido Greetings APWU Family, I am honored to announce that the CPWU 22nd Biennial Convention has successfully concluded, and I am privileged to serve another term as your President. Joining me for another term are Dave Steinbach, Executive Vice President, and Jill Taulbee, Secretary-Treasurer. Read More...