2002 APWU HEALTH PLAN MEMBER ALERT!
APWU HEALTH PLAN MEMBERS MUST PAY UNION DUES!
Over 8,000 APWU Retirees nationwide and hundreds residing in the State of Florida who are enrolled in the APWU Health Plan or the Voluntary Benefit Plan sponsored by the National APWU received a letter in October, 2002 from John R. Smith, Director of the National APWU Retiree Department, reminding them that their National APWU Retiree membership union dues have not been paid. The National APWU Retiree union dues are $24.00 year or $2.00 monthly automatically deducted from your U.S. Postal Service OPM Retiree monthly annuity check.
To keep your APWU Retiree membership union benefits after you retire from USPS, such as enrollment in the APWU Health Plan, or Voluntary Benefit Plan legal and insurance options, and/or the APWU Union Plus MasterCard Credit Card Program, you must be a dues paying member of the National APWU Retiree Department.
A blank 1187 APWU Retired Member application form was enclosed in each of these thousands of letters mailed out to APWU Retirees who have not paid their National APWU Retiree member union dues. We recommend you complete the 1187 APWU Retired Member form, and return three copies to the National APWU Retiree Dept. in the enclosed return addressed, postage paid envelope as soon as possible. Keep your member copy in a safe place.
I have received numerous phone calls from APWU Retirees in the last few weeks since receiving these letters. Some are stunned to find out they have to pay union dues to keep the APWU Health Plan; however, most just want clarification and are glad to pay their APWU member union dues. The APWU Retiree must pay $24.00 year or $2.00 monthly National APWU Retiree union dues deduction from your annuity check to retain any of the APWU benefits, including the APWU Health Plan.
A second letter will be mailed by Sec.-Treasurer Bob Tunstall to each APWU Retiree enrolled in any of these APWU benefit plans who has not responded to the first letter from John R. Smith, advising them that they will lose their APWU Retiree benefits. This means that they will be dropped from enrollment in the APWU Health Plan, the Voluntary Benefit Plan, and the APWU Union Plus Credit Card Program, if they do not reply by sending in the 1187 APWU Retired Member form by the deadline date. Over 4,000 new 1187 Retiree member application forms have been received at APWU Headquarters in Washington, D.C. since the first letter was mailed, and they are being processed currently by the National APWU Retiree Department staff.
The 2003 APWU Health Plan booklet states on the front cover, “If you are a non-postal employee/annuitant (employed or retired by other federal employee agencies), you will automatically become an associate member of APWU Health Plan upon enrollment in the APWU Health Plan.” APWU will bill new non-postal/annuitants associate members for the $35.00 year annual dues when it receives notice of enrollment. APWU will also bill continuing non-postal/annuitants associate members for annual membership.
All active Postal Service bargaining unit employees and retirees enrolled in the APWU Health Plan and/or any other National APWU union benefits must be, or must become, dues paying members of APWU. Active and retired Postal Service employees’ local union membership dues vary by APWU locals.
APWU Retirees may belong and pay full dues or associate dues to APWU locals, in accordance with the Area Local/Local Constitution and By-Laws. On the other hand, all 2376 APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter members paying $24.00 year or $2.00 monthly annuity automatic union dues deduction to the National APWU Retiree Dept. never have to pay State Retiree Chapter dues!
If you are a surviving spouse of a deceased former APWU Retiree dues paying member, the surviving spouse retains all the APWU benefits and does not have to pay National APWU Retiree member union dues of $24.00 year.
We understand those APWU Postal Retirees who have not paid their APWU Retiree union dues of $24.00 year in the past, are not expected to have to pay for past National APWU Retiree union dues, provided they complete the 1187 APWU Retired Member form and return all three copies to the National APWU Retiree Dept. at once. Upon receipt of the 1187 by John R. Smith, $2.00 monthly automatic APWU Retiree union dues deduction from your annuity check should begin to occur in a couple of months.
The National APWU Retiree Department is currently updating their records, and if you have any question concerning this important matter to you and your family, contact Director John R. Smith by phone at 202-842-8584 or write to him at American Postal Workers Union Headquarters, AFL-CIO, Retirees Department, 1300 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. You certainly don’t want to lose your APWU Retiree benefits due to failure to reply or communicate!
Jack Gose, President
APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter, AFL-CIO
Over 8,000 APWU Retirees nationwide and hundreds residing in the State of Florida who are enrolled in the APWU Health Plan or the Voluntary Benefit Plan sponsored by the National APWU received a letter in October, 2002 from John R. Smith, Director of the National APWU Retiree Department, reminding them that their National APWU Retiree membership union dues have not been paid. The National APWU Retiree union dues are $24.00 year or $2.00 monthly automatically deducted from your U.S. Postal Service OPM Retiree monthly annuity check.
To keep your APWU Retiree membership union benefits after you retire from USPS, such as enrollment in the APWU Health Plan, or Voluntary Benefit Plan legal and insurance options, and/or the APWU Union Plus MasterCard Credit Card Program, you must be a dues paying member of the National APWU Retiree Department.
A blank 1187 APWU Retired Member application form was enclosed in each of these thousands of letters mailed out to APWU Retirees who have not paid their National APWU Retiree member union dues. We recommend you complete the 1187 APWU Retired Member form, and return three copies to the National APWU Retiree Dept. in the enclosed return addressed, postage paid envelope as soon as possible. Keep your member copy in a safe place.
I have received numerous phone calls from APWU Retirees in the last few weeks since receiving these letters. Some are stunned to find out they have to pay union dues to keep the APWU Health Plan; however, most just want clarification and are glad to pay their APWU member union dues. The APWU Retiree must pay $24.00 year or $2.00 monthly National APWU Retiree union dues deduction from your annuity check to retain any of the APWU benefits, including the APWU Health Plan.
A second letter will be mailed by Sec.-Treasurer Bob Tunstall to each APWU Retiree enrolled in any of these APWU benefit plans who has not responded to the first letter from John R. Smith, advising them that they will lose their APWU Retiree benefits. This means that they will be dropped from enrollment in the APWU Health Plan, the Voluntary Benefit Plan, and the APWU Union Plus Credit Card Program, if they do not reply by sending in the 1187 APWU Retired Member form by the deadline date. Over 4,000 new 1187 Retiree member application forms have been received at APWU Headquarters in Washington, D.C. since the first letter was mailed, and they are being processed currently by the National APWU Retiree Department staff.
The 2003 APWU Health Plan booklet states on the front cover, “If you are a non-postal employee/annuitant (employed or retired by other federal employee agencies), you will automatically become an associate member of APWU Health Plan upon enrollment in the APWU Health Plan.” APWU will bill new non-postal/annuitants associate members for the $35.00 year annual dues when it receives notice of enrollment. APWU will also bill continuing non-postal/annuitants associate members for annual membership.
All active Postal Service bargaining unit employees and retirees enrolled in the APWU Health Plan and/or any other National APWU union benefits must be, or must become, dues paying members of APWU. Active and retired Postal Service employees’ local union membership dues vary by APWU locals.
APWU Retirees may belong and pay full dues or associate dues to APWU locals, in accordance with the Area Local/Local Constitution and By-Laws. On the other hand, all 2376 APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter members paying $24.00 year or $2.00 monthly annuity automatic union dues deduction to the National APWU Retiree Dept. never have to pay State Retiree Chapter dues!
If you are a surviving spouse of a deceased former APWU Retiree dues paying member, the surviving spouse retains all the APWU benefits and does not have to pay National APWU Retiree member union dues of $24.00 year.
We understand those APWU Postal Retirees who have not paid their APWU Retiree union dues of $24.00 year in the past, are not expected to have to pay for past National APWU Retiree union dues, provided they complete the 1187 APWU Retired Member form and return all three copies to the National APWU Retiree Dept. at once. Upon receipt of the 1187 by John R. Smith, $2.00 monthly automatic APWU Retiree union dues deduction from your annuity check should begin to occur in a couple of months.
The National APWU Retiree Department is currently updating their records, and if you have any question concerning this important matter to you and your family, contact Director John R. Smith by phone at 202-842-8584 or write to him at American Postal Workers Union Headquarters, AFL-CIO, Retirees Department, 1300 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. You certainly don’t want to lose your APWU Retiree benefits due to failure to reply or communicate!
Jack Gose, President
APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter, AFL-CIO
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