WHY IT MATTERS
The Post Office is a dangerous place to work. In Fiscal Year 2018 alone, 23 employees died (almost double from 2017) on the job and 42,749 injury claims were approved.
WHAT WE’RE FIGHTING FOR
Everyone has the right to leave work in one piece. Management has a legal and contractual obligation to provide a safe work environment. Postal workers are standing up together to educate each other and collectively demand a safe workplace.
Workers Memorial Day: Stand up For Safe Jobs
On Workers Memorial Day, we are coming together as union members to make our post offices and facilities safer workplaces. Here’s what you can do (click the links for factsheets with more information on each topic):
- Know your rights! You have the right to a safe workplace. "It is the responsibility of management to provide safe working conditions in all present and future installations and to develop a safe working force."
Collective Bargaining Agreement Article 14: Safety and Health - Know how to report a hazard or dangerous condition or practice by using Form 1767.
Remember: Your manager has a duty to provide a copy of Form 1767. If there are no forms available or if you face any retaliation or pressure from your manager, speak to your local officers about a possible grievance. - As you look around your workplace, ask yourself, “Is there something here that can hurt you or make you sick?” There are some examples of hazards in safety factsheet #3.
- If your manager is not providing a copy of the form you can download a copy of Form 1767 here. Remember, just because APWU National has a copy of the form online, it does not let your manager off the hook for not keeping a copy in the office. You can also get a copy of the form by texting SAFETY to 91990.
Resources
Fact Sheets
Other Safety Resources
How to Report Hazards, Unsafe Conditions or Practices with PS Form 1767
This form is to be used to report hazards, unsafe conditions, work practice and, in the opinion of the APWU, hostile work environments. You can use this form to report anything that you think could jeopardize your health: Dirty conditions, pests, mold, disturbed or broken building materials (tiles, insulation, etc.)
Find instructions on how to use Form 1767 to report hazards, unsafe conditions or practices here.
Latest News
Latest news from the Stand Up for Safe Jobs campaign
June 8, 2022
Don't Let the Postal Service check Your "Pulse!"
Starting June 14 through July 15 2022, the USPS is pushing its annual Postal Pulse Survey. The APWU leadership urges...
April 28, 2022
Honoring Workers Memorial Day
Today, we are marking Workers Memorial Day by taking action together to protect our health and safety at work. Workers...
February 3, 2022
Safety Ambassador Settlement
On January 28, 2022, the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO reached a settlement agreement with the Postal Service...
August 20, 2021
OSHA Releases New COVID-19 Guidance to Protect Workers
As the Delta Variant of the COVID-19 virus is raging through the country the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO,...
Your Legal Rights
Know Your Contractual and Legal Rights
Collective Bargaining Agreement Article 14: Safety and Health:
“It is the responsibility of management to provide safe working conditions in all present and future installations and to develop a safe working force.”
POSTAL HANDBOOK EL 814: Postal Employees Guide to Safety:
“The Postal Service is committed to providing its employees and customers with a safe and healthy environment and complying with applicable safety laws and regulations.”
POSTAL HANDBOOK EL 801:Supervisors Safety Handbook:
The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide a safe and healthful workplace free of recognized hazards and to follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. Employers’ responsibilities also include providing training, medical examinations, and record keeping.
EMPLOYEE & LABOR RELATIONS MANUAL (ELM) – CHAPTER 8 Safety, Health, and Environment:
“The safety philosophy of the Postal Service is stated below:
a. Any occupational injury or illness can be prevented. This goal is realistic, not theoretical. Supervisors and managers have primary responsibility for the wellbeing of employees and must fully accept this principle.”
The Mission of OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration)
OSHA’s mission is to “Assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the Nation safe and healthful working conditions.”
HERE’S THE BOTTOM LINE:
Everyone has the right to leave work in one piece.
Management has a legal and contractual obligation to provide a safe work environment.
Download a PDF version of this and other fact sheets from the resources section.
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR SAFE JOBS!