Personal Narrative: The American Postal Workers Union

“APWU [fights] for dignity and respect on the job for the workers [they] represent, as well as for decent pay and benefits and safe working conditions (www.apwu.org).” The American Postal Workers Union does just this, changing multiple lives through many different facets. Improving home life, family life, and financial situations all throughout the US; the APWU benefits many. My mom, working as a postal clerk, has been a part of the APWU for over 18 years. This juxtaposes my dad who is not a union member and lacks job stability. My mother’s story and the difference between her job and my father’s perfectly epitomizes the APWU impact on our lives. As long as I have been alive, I have known my mom as a member of the United States Postal Service.

To earn this title he endured several years balancing school and raising three children. However, he is not part of a union and despite all his hard work, lacks job security. My dad was downsized from his job twice. On one occasion he requested time off to care for his newborn child. His company strongly cautioned him not to leave, but he rightly saw spending time with his child as obligatory. Because of this small favor he requested, he was subsequently excised from his company. Without unions such as the APWU, these seemingly basic rights such as taking time off for the birth of your child would not be a reality. My father also does not receive the comfort of leaving work at work. On various occasions my dad has to bring his work home on work on ideas at home. This blurs the lines that separates home life and work life. Without having a union to fight for his rights, my dad also lacks a quality health insurance plan. Thankfully, he can benefit from my mom’s insurance plan. Unions such as the APWU prioritize their members and work to give them the best possible quality of life. Comparing my father's job to my mother’s perfectly displays