My name is Eric Chornoby, and I am a life long APWU advocate. I grew up in an APWU household and can proudly say I was helping create APWU training material (DDAL) for over two decades now and knew our Contract inside and out before I stepped foot in the Post Office as an employee.
This website came into creation as I encountered three problems as a Steward – one, material was often outdated. Two – complex issues were not publicly addressed. For example, to learn about in loco parentis for FMLA, I had to take a CLE Course for Lawyers specializing in Human Relations. And Three – Arbitrators were handicapped by the way we file and argue Grievances. After reading thousands of Arbitrations I learned we could get better remedies and better settlements if we simply tweaked how we argued and documented Grievances. I used those tweaks to resolve over 99% of my Grievances in house.
The more I learned, the more I shared. This started as a google page blog, then the Unofficial Grievance Guide was created, then I began providing training to locals across the country. That lead to me creating the MPWU Flash Drive, then the ‘Chornoby Flash Drive’ and finally this website. The majority of training I conduct is on this website, as are useful forms, documents, and self made documentary elements to improve Grievances.
You can contact me via email at chornoby@apwu480.com and you can find me on Facebook as Eric Chornoby.
Here is a short version of my experience and background:
Postal Experience:
- PSE 3 Years
- Full Time Regular (Over One Decade)
- Local Post Offices (Window, Passport, Registry, PO Box, Distribution, etc)
- Plant – Michigan Metroplex (Automation including DBCS)
- Lead Agent Customer Care Center
- Etc.
Activism Experience:
- Delegate AFL – CIO Legislative Conference
- Amazon Organizer
- UAW Picket Line
- Casino Worker Picket Line
- Stop Staples Campaign
- Written for Labor Notes
- Two United States Presidential Campaigns
- Multiple APWU Day of Actions
- Multiple Labor Day Parade Marches
- Etc.
Union Experience:
- Acting Michigan Postal Workers Union President (2024)
- MPWU Executive Secretary (Vice President Equivalent)
- Trainer for 480-481 Area Local, MPWU, Detroit District Area Local, 498-499 (Iron Mountain) Area Local, etc
- Technical Assistant for National Business Agents James Stevenson and Devendra “D” Rathore
- Creator MPWU Flash Drive
- 480-481 Area Local Editor
- 480-481 Area Local Step 3 / Arbitration Appeal Designee
- Parliamentarian for 480-481 Area Local
- Chairperson 480-481 Area Local Young Member Committee
- Current National Young Member Committee Member
- Member of Two Executive Boards (Representing Thousands of Members)
- Creator APWUSteward.com
- Creator APWU Steward Blog (Became APWUSteward.com in 2024)
- Author Unofficial Grievance Guide
- 1st Class APWU Leadership Institute
- Arbitration Advocate Trained (Joyce Robinson)
- AFL – CIO Organizer Trained
- Postal PLUSS School (West Virginia)
- National Secretary-Treasurer Training
- Multiple Labor Notes Training (Just Cause, When the Union Breaks Your Heart, Steward Training, etc)
- Step Two Designee (7+ Years)
- Full Time Steward (7+ Years)
- Represented Members in Maintenance and Clerk Crafts
- Appealed Hundreds of Grievances to Step 3 and Arbitration
- Reviewed Thousands of Arbitrations
- Saved Dozens of Members’ Jobs (Removals)
- Experience in Small Offices (18 and Under), Large Offices, Customer Care Centers, and Processing Facilities
- Multiple APWU National Conventions
- Multiple MPWU State Conventions
- Etc.
Relevant Certifications / Education:
- University of Michigan Certificate in Successful Negotiations
- Harvard Certification in Rhetoric: Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking
- Alison Certification in Conflict Management and Negotiation
- APWU Arbitration Advocate
- Postal PLUSS School
- AFL-CIO Organizer Training
- APWU Leadership Institute
- Etc.
The APWU is only as strong as our members and Stewards are educated. We must know our rights to defend our rights. Together we can continue the legacy of a strong, fighting APWU that represents all members.
APWU Steward 