PRESIDENT'S REPORT, SEPTEMBER 2010

By Mark Hennessy

Will you be meeting new clerks and carriers in your office, or will you and the carriers in your office be moving into another office where you will be meeting new faces in your postal career? It is called optimization, where the USPS is either selling existing offices (Springfield Brookside Road office, which at one time had a full complement of clerks and carriers) or relocating delivery to another office. Well, Springfield may be on the move again from the Media Main office to Lansdowne (?) or a new office in Springfield (?) The use of larger offices with unused space such as Chester and Lansdowne and even offices capable of taking close-by small offices are being looked at.

In California, word has it that the service is recruiting local businesses to house contract stations to eliminate retail services and close offices from which carriers have been relocated. Everything is being scrutinized to save money and eliminate more employees. Already, negotiations have opened for our new contract, which expires November 20th. What have they opened with? We do not need full-time employees! We do not have 8 full hours per day of work. They want a part-time flexible workforce made up of PTF's, TE's and casuals - and even seasonal workers!

Another rumor is in the wind for another early out - for all employees, all categories.

The service is enlisting the news media to give all kinds of reasons for cutting the workforce, closing offices, etc. A lot of it is erroneous information. But the big question still remains - why have they waited so long to challenge the reason for continuing the pre-paid funding of retirees' health and pension funds, which is in surplus in the billions of dollars? How much do they still waste on labor relations costs by intentionally letting postmasters and supervisors blatantly violate the collective bargaining agreement they negotiate?

Getting on the American Arbitration Association panel has been shown to be very lucrative for professors of law, economists, lawyers and even former union officers!

And to not see the evolution of electronic message communications? But I am reminded of a quote by Western Regional Coordinator Omar Gonzalez, "Try putting an e-mail on your mantle at Christmas!"

And what were they thinking when they want to charge 30 cents for a 50 cents post card, 80 cents! And another quote from Hallmark President/CEO, "USPS, the only business floundering in red ink and increasing costs of their products and services instead of holding the line or even reducing prices to keep what customers they have! Really, why not do as supermarkets and most businesses do - offer specials, maybe even coupons!"

By the way, have you seen the Office Max weekly circulars advertising in bold print at the top of the paper, "We now have all USPS services to offer with all your mailing supplies you need." Wouldn't be surprised if the USPS paid for that too!

Why don't we hear more from our retirees? Are they just happy to have escaped the USPS? Stay tuned, we will keep you updated as the changes come, the rumors are sorted out.

Meanwhile, start thinking of your local memos to be negotiated. That is if they don't want the APWU to give that up at the bargaining table.

In Solidarity,
Mark Hennessy
President

GRIEVANCE REPORT - PRE-ARB ACTIONS

OFFICE GRIEVANCE AWARD
Clifton Heights 06-18-02 Art 7 NSD Out of Schedule - Betsy Maguire $1000
Collegeville 07-19426-11 Art 8 O/T - OTDL Employees Share $8000
Collegeville 08-19426-07 Art 8 O/T - Bill Paris $74
Collegeville 09-19426-01 A/L 8hrs - S. Mehta
Collegeville 09-19426-19 Art 37 Repost the position
Folsom 08-33-02 Art 7 C/C Clerks Hes $300
Media 07-37-60 Art 15 - C. Gates/R. Foreacre $700 each
Media 07-37-57 Art 28 L/D - M. Roberts Rescinded
Norristown 07-100 L. Daywait $10
Norristown 07-87 J. McMenamin Art 8 O/T $60
Norristown 08-12 P. Austin Art 12 40hrs Choice PTime $700
Norristown 09-50 L. Malin Art 13
Norristown 09-74/84 M. Washington Art 16 Resolved

COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS - FEBRUARY 2010

Safety and Health

  • Cheryl Carr, Chairperson
  • Birgit Clarke
  • Tom Hickey
  • Mike Boyle
  • Steve Shader (alternate)
  • Pete Stunzi (alternate)
  • Jack Burke (alternate)
  • Bill Cranston (alternate)

Retiree Committee

  • Fred Heller, Chairperson
  • Connie Campisi
  • Mark Hennessy

Nomination/Election Committee

  • Jim Ruane, Chairperson
  • Janice Scott
  • Pete Stunzi
  • Venus Jenkins
  • Sherri Rupert (alternate)
  • Chris Tait (alternate)

Picnic Committee

  • Lindamarie Peabody
  • Rhonda Foreacre

Christmas Committee

  • Lindamarie Peabody
  • Rhonda Foreacre
  • Mark Hennessy
  • Cathy DeProspero
  • Marty Peabody
  • Pam O'Rangers

Recreation and Welfare Committee

  • Lindamarie Peabody
  • Fred Heller
  • Rich Brown
  • Allen Haley
  • Jim Gray

AFL-CIO DELEGATE - Montgomery County

  • Bill Paris
  • Venus Jenkins
  • Sherri Rupert

AFL-CIO DELEGATE - Delaware County

  • Carol Ann Santosusso
  • Gail Ganiszewski
  • Jack Burke

AFL-CIO DELEGATE - Chester County

  • Birgit Clarke
  • Rich Bellwoar
  • Elaine Stead

UPCOMING ARBITRATION DATES

DATE OFFICE GRIEVANT STEWARD ARBITRATOR
August 5 Norristown M. Washington R. Brown DeMarco
August 11 Wynnewood Class Action C. Santosusso Kelly
August 12 Sharon Hill Class Action F. Heller Vaughn
September 1 Norristown M. Washington R. Brown Rigler
September 8 Essington J. Sulton Heller/Brown Kelly