Message from Charlie Cash

The retroactive pay will be on paychecks this Friday. As with the last two retroactive payments made, I am already receiving calls that employees did not receive their retroactive payments or that it was not as much as it should have been. I am in the process of basically redoing the write up that we did for the last retroactive payments from the 2021-2024 national agreement. I hope to have that out either late today or early tomorrow.

Employees will not see the retroactive adjustments on the pay stub that they look at on their mobile phones or the small stub they may receive in the mail. They will need to download the full stub (which could be many pages long, the last stubs from the 2021-2024 retroactive payments were up to 20 pages long). There they will see each pay period adjustment. People also need to be reminded that the payments will have taxes withheld, TSP withheld, retirement withheld, etc.

Couple things to remember:

  • No one person’s retroactive pay will be identical to another. Retroactive pay is only made on paid work hours or paid leave that was used during the retroactive period.
  • If an employee was detailed to another pay scale (the most common is they were on a non-bargaining unit detail as a 204-b or such) they are not paid any retroactive payments for that.
  • Any employee who received payments from OWCP will not see retroactive payments from the Postal Service. Only hours paid by the postal service on the APWU pay schedule will be due retro active payments.

If people have doubts about their retroactive payments, they need to download and provide the full pay stub to their local leaders. If their local leaders have questions, they need to send the full pay stub to Lee Branca who will review them. If an issue is found, my department will address.

What the PMG’s Statement Means for US – And Why WE Must Act

The Postmaster General’s recent statement lays out a clear picture of where the Postal Service stands and where it could be headed. According to the statement, USPS is facing serious financial challenges, with declining mail volume and rising obligations. It warns that without changes, the Postal Service could run out of cash within 12 months.

To address this, three paths were presented: do nothing and risk running out of money, make major cuts to service and operations, or implement financial and structural changes to reduce costs and improve revenue. Each of these paths carries real consequences for postal workers and the communities we serve.

For workers, the statement confirms that changes are already happening. Over the past four years, USPS has reduced its workforce by tens of thousands of employees and cut millions of work hours. The statement also makes clear that additional measures such as reducing delivery days, closing post offices, and cutting operations are being considered as options. These types of actions directly impact staffing levels, job opportunities, and workload across the Postal Service.

The statement also identifies retirement obligations, health benefits, and other long-term commitments as major financial pressures. These are described as part of the cost challenges facing USPS. This means that the very benefits we have earned through years of service are being viewed as expenses that need to be addressed as part of the financial plan.

At the same time, the statement emphasizes the need for USPS to operate in a more financially driven way, focusing on matching costs to revenue, improving efficiency, and generating sustained income. This approach shifts the focus toward running the Postal Service more like a business, where financial performance becomes a central priority.

The statement also presents options that include reducing delivery frequency, closing facilities, and raising prices. These are described as serious actions that would have a direct impact on service to the public. These types of changes would affect every community that depends on the Postal Service, especially rural areas, small businesses, and those who rely on consistent and affordable mail delivery.

What this means is simple. The future of the Postal Service is being shaped right now through decisions about cost, service, and structure. Those decisions directly affect our jobs, our benefits, our retirement, and the service we provide to the American people.

WE have been here before. WE have faced major challenges and changes to the Postal Service, and WE have stood together to protect it. That same unity is needed now.

WE must stay informed.
WE must stay engaged in our Local.
WE must attend our union meetings, rallies, and all union functions to stay informed and build strength together.
WE must speak to our co-workers, our families, and our communities about what is at stake.
WE must make our voices heard with those making these decisions.

This is about protecting our jobs, our benefits, and the public service that belongs to the American people.

WE are the Postal Service. And together, WE will stand up, show up, and protect it.

TO READ THE PMG’s STATEMENT, CLICK HERE –> Statement of PMG & CEO_3.17.2026 TO DOWNLOAD IT

USPS Privatization Warning Signs in 2026

Is USPS Being Shifted Toward a Private Model? What Members Must Watch

Recent developments across multiple areas of Postal Service operations reveal significant shifts in how USPS is being structured and positioned. When examined together, these actions reflect a growing emphasis on parcel revenue, pricing adjustments, digital substitution, and expanded partnerships with private carriers.

The Postal Service recently returned more than 800 holiday care packages intended for deployed U.S. troops due to stricter enforcement of international customs labeling requirements. After political intervention, many of those packages were resent at no additional charge, although some remain unaccounted for. This incident highlights operational pressures and compliance enforcement within international shipping processes.

At the same time, USPS projects that package growth will drive a 9.4 percent year over year revenue increase in fiscal year 2026. Leadership has identified parcel delivery as a primary revenue driver as traditional mail volumes continue to decline. That forecast is paired with announced parcel price increases scheduled for early 2026, including an average increase of nearly 8 percent for Ground Advantage and additional increases across Parcel Select, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express.

Despite rate increases, year end reporting shows a 5.7 percent decline in shipping and package volumes compared with the prior period. Revenue remains constrained even as pricing flexibility expands.

Legislative developments are also affecting mail volume. A House investment reform bill includes a provision allowing financial disclosure documents to default to electronic delivery. While described as modernization, this change reduces required physical mail sent through USPS, contributing to ongoing erosion of traditional mail volume.

Operational adjustments are continuing as well. USPS has reversed course on certain last mile delivery approaches and has pursued agreements with private carriers such as UPS for delivery of certain parcels. USPS is also expanding network access for shippers as part of revenue diversification efforts.

Meanwhile, USPS leadership is seeking administrative and legislative reforms following multibillion dollar losses. Proposed areas of focus include pension funding adjustments and workers compensation process changes aimed at improving long term financial stability.

Small businesses are also adapting to tariff changes and evolving international trade rules, which directly impact international shipping demand and cost structures.

Viewed collectively, these developments show a consistent pattern. Increased reliance on parcel revenue, expanded pricing authority, private carrier partnerships, electronic substitution of mail, and legislative changes reducing traditional mail volume all indicate a continued structural shift. The Postal Service is operating more like a competitive logistics company while core public service functions narrow. These actions, taken together, reflect movement away from a traditional universal service model and toward a model driven more heavily by market pressures.

For APWU members, this is not theoretical. Decisions affecting pricing, service standards, mail volume, and operational structure directly impact jobs, staffing, and long term stability. Engagement is essential.

Members should stay informed, attend General Membership Meetings, participate in rallies, and support contract enforcement efforts. Legislative developments and operational restructuring are ongoing. An active, informed membership remains the strongest safeguard for protecting public postal service and ensuring workers have a voice in the direction of the Postal Service.