UPDATE #59 November 19, 2001 

Since the anthrax crisis began, the union has attempted to do 
everything we
can to protect the safety of our members. 
Regrettably, the union and the Postal Service have now come to a fork 
in
the road regarding the appropriate response to the discovery of anthrax
contamination at a postal facility. 

It is the union's position that if anthrax -- in any amount -- is
discovered at a postal facility, the facility must be closed, cleaned,
tested and declared decontaminated before APWU members can work there. 

Postal management does not agree. Postal management wishes to make
decisions about closing facilities on a case by case basis and upon the
advice of CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and local health 
authorities. 

The USPS position on this most important issue is a total reversal of 
their
earlier position. A postal document dated Oct. 24, 2001, said, "If 
there's
evidence of contamination at an individual postal facility, we're 
closing
that place and handling the mail elsewhere....When we have evidence 
that a
postal facility has been contaminated, we have closed it immediately." 

Since the outbreak of the anthrax infection among postal employees I 
have
consciously refrained from stoking the fears and of the American public 
and
postal employees. I have sought instead to develop a protocol that 
would
best protect the safety of our members. I have met with top postal 
managers
and representatives of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), along 
with
the presidents of the other postal unions on a daily basis. We have had
daily briefings on the latest developments, and we have developed
strategies to respond to the attacks. We have been reviewing procedures
constantly, seeking every available method to protect postal employees 
and
the public. 
However, I cannot, in good conscience, be party to any procedure that 
fails
to uphold this basic principle: Postal workers cannot work in 
contaminated
buildings. 
Despite our commitment to serving the public, we will not put our lives 
at
risk to continue the operation of a facility that is known to be
contaminated. Medical professionals have informed us that the use of 
the
terms "trace contamination" and "minimal contamination" have no 
scientific
meaning. A facility is either contaminated or it is not. Inhalation 
anthrax
cannot be controlled by the walls and floors of a facility. 

We have watched congressional offices close when only trace amounts of
anthrax were found. We have watched the Supreme Court close. We have
watched the mail rooms of other agencies close where anthrax is only
suspected. These locations all remained closed until they were 
certified as
decontaminated. 
We must ask, 'Are the lives of postal workers less valuable than the 
lives
of U.S. Senators? Are the lives of postal workers less valuable than 
the
lives of Supreme Court justices? What value do our lives have?" 

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Supreme Court have 
ruled
that if employees believe working conditions in their workplace are
abnormally dangerous, they may decline to work in them. If anthrax is 
found
in your facility and you believe your safety is at risk, I recommend 
that
you notify management using the appropriate forms that you are leaving
work, and request administrative leave. If the leave is disapproved, 
you
should contest the leave approval upon your return. 

Local presidents should immediately obtain the telephone numbers of the
office of the governor, the mayor, city council, the local central 
labor
body of the AFL-CIO and the media so that they can be contacted 
immediately
if there is a known contamination and employees determine that the work
place is no longer safe. 

[I request local presidents copy and distribute the information above 
to
APWU members.] 

ARBITRATION UPDATE 

The arbitration regarding our Collective Bargaining Agreement has been
finalized. The parties completed the presentation of their cases on 
Nov.
17, 2001, and agreed to waive the filing of post-hearing briefs. 

The neutral arbitrator is out of the country and will return on Dec. 
10,
2001, when he will convene an executive session to conduct final
deliberations. I expect a decision during the week of Dec. 10, 2001. 

I am extremely proud of the officers and staff of the union who, along 
with
our attorneys, put forward a compelling case. 

The Postal Service's principal argument centered around the economy and 
the
reduced volume as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack and the 
anthrax
contamination. 

Our members deserve better. No matter the outcome of the arbitration, 
the
struggle will continue. 

Bill Burrus 
President