Message From the President

By John A. Ancona, President

I would like to bring everyone up to date on what’s been going on.  In May we had our State Convention in Grand Junction, CO.  At the State Convention, all the local unions in the state of Colorado got together and discussed resolutions that we would like to take to the National Convention.   It’s a two day convention that allows us to share information on what’s going on in other locals in our state. 

In June we had our Regional Assembly in Casper, WY.   At this convention, all the states from the Denver region, which include Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, come together to discuss the resolutions from these states. We then take all of these resolutions to the national convention. Now the fun starts!  I will share all resolutions and other business that happened at our National Convention below:

LABOR-MANAGEMENT RESOLUTIONS

Article 1

  1.   Bring Work Back to Craft - PASSED

Article 2

  2.  Workplace Environment Improvement - PASSED

Article 7

  5.  Small Office Staffing, PTF vs PSE – PASSED

  7.  Convert All Clerk Craft PSEs to Career Status – Referred to Resolution #8

  8.  Convert All Clerk Craft PSEs to Career Status - PASSED

  9.  Proper Notice of Five Day Break on PSEs 360th Day - PASSED

10.  PSEs Counting Toward Both Caps – PASSED

12.  Converting the Assignment to Full-Tine Position - PASSED

Article 8

14.  PSE Pay For Working Excessive Hours - PASSED

20.  FTF Scheduling in Remote Encoding Centers - PASSED

21.  Overtime Work For PSEs - PASSED

22.  Equalization of PSE Hours - PASSED

27.  Wednesday Prior Notice Scheduling For PSEs - PASSED

28.  Automatic Fifty Percent Premium For 12/60 Limitations - FAILED

31.  Lunch Period - PASSED

32.  NTFT Overtime Rules - PASSED

35.  Scheduling of Work Hours - PASSED

38.  PSE Overtime Pay - PASSED

41.  PSE Overtime Pay - PASSED

42.  Sunday Premium Pay For PSEs - PASSED

45A.  Work Hour Guarantees - PASSED

46.  Locality Pay - FAILED

Article 9

47.  Wage Scales Cap Out at Same Amount - PASSED

51.  Equal Pay For Career Bargaining Unit Employees - PASSED

52.  PSE Cola - PASSED

Article 10

55.  Postal Support Employees - PASSED

56.  PSE Sick Leave - PASSED

57.  Memo Re: Annual Leave Exchange Option Page 328 - PASSED

60.  Annual Leave Carryover - PASSED

62.  PSE Leave - PASSED

67.  Vacation Planning - FAILED

68.  Leave Quota - PASSED

69.  PSE to Receive Sick Leave - PASSED

70.  PSE to Receive Military Leave - PASSED

70 A.   FMLA Protections For Non-Qualified - PASSED

Article 11

71.  Holiday Period - PASSED

72.  Expand JCIM remedy For Improper Bypass on Holiday Schedule - PASSED

75.  Holiday Scheduling - PASSED

Article 12

79.  Continue 50 Mile Radius For Excessing - PASSED

79 A.   Excessing Reassignment - PASSED

84 A.  Access to Grievance Procedure During Probationary Period - PASSED

86.  No Probationary Period For PSEs Upon Conversion to Career - PASSED

87 A.  Annual Leave During Probationary Period - PASSED

88.  Clerk Craft Retreat Rights by Total Seniority - PASSED

89.  Treat Delivery Unit Optimization as Centralization - FAILED

92.  Time Limit For 21 Day eReassign Postings - PASSED

93.  Notification of 21 Day eReassign Postings - PASSED

94.  Automated Retreat Rights - PASSED

95.  Separating PSE Before Excessing a Full-Time Regular - PASSED

96.  Administrative Leave For Voluntary Transfer - PASSED

Article 15

104.  Interest on Grievance Settlements - PASSED

105.  Step 2 Responses & GATS Numbers - PASSED

105 A.  Grievance Number Included With Monetary Settlements - PASSED

107.  Complying With Arbitration Awards - PASSED

Article 16

108.  Full Discipline For PSEs - PASSED

Article 19

115.  Change ELM Language so That Newly Converted PSEs Can Use Annual Leave Without Serving 90 Days as Career - PASSED

116.  Court Leave For PSEs - PASSED

117.  PSE 401K Plan - PASSED

117 AS.  Retired Union Representatives - PASSED

Article 21

118.  Retirement Benefits - PASSED

120.  Lower Health Insurance Premiums For Newly Promoted Career Employees - PASSED

Article 25

122.  Higher Level Details - PASSED

124.  Higher Level Pay For Clerks For Clerks Who Are Subject to Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) Compliance Audits - PASSED

126.  Higher Level Details - PASSED

Article 26

127.  Uniform Allowance - FAILED

128.  Additional Uniform Option-Shorts - PASSED

130.  Clothing Allowance - PASSED

131.  Change of Clothing Allowance Rules For Maintenance Employees - REFERRED

132.  Inclement Weather Clothing Allowance - PASSED

135.  Job IDs - PASSED

Memorandums of Understanding (PSEs/NTFTs)

136.  PSE MOU - PASSED

136 A.  PSE Reappointments - PASSED

136 F.  PSE Absences - PASSED

136 G.  PSE Seniority Tie-Breaker - PASSED

137.  PSE Opting - PASSED

138.  PSEs Working Opted Positions - PASSED

140.  PSE Conversion to Career Status - PASSED

141.  PSE Conversion Exception - PASSED

143.  PTR Cap - PASSED

145.  NTFT MOU - AMENDED

FORMAL RESOLUTIONS

225.  Support Our Canadian Postal Sisters and Brothers Union

         The CUPW-STTP - PASSED

FORMAL RESOLUTIONS

231.  Support For Walmart Workers - PASSED

232.  In Support of Fast-Food Workers - PASSED

246.  Call For a Postmaster General Who Will Strengthen Instead of Cutting Postal Services - PASSED

For further information on resolutions from the APWU 22nd Biennial Convention, go to www.apwu.org and go to the APWU 22nd Biennial Convention on the right side of the page.

Your Safety, Your Life

By Phil Desautels, Director Human Relations

I want to talk to everyone about an aspect of safety not normally spoken about.

It has come to my attention that there are Denver Stations in which management is taking the staffing issue to a whole other level. Management is letting clerks, specifically in the Montclair Station, work 14, 15 hours per day, and many more hours past the 60 hours allowed in a week.

The safety concern is not only should we look out for tripping hazards, do proper lifting techniques, etc., we should also be very concerned about how excessive work affects our mental health, and the wear and tear on our bodies. As the Human Relations Director, it has always been my concern that all of us work in a manner that will prevent injuries.  I have also said many times, that it should be a goal of everyone to be able to retire and enjoy life.  If we allow ourselves to let management work us to death, then they will.

I have heard the career members are very concerned about each other.  They don't want to go home and leave a fellow employee by themselves dealing with the customers.   As a window clerk myself, I know the attitude.  Clerks in the Stations and Associate Offices have a strong desire to get the work done by getting the Letter Carriers their mail in a timely manner, and, giving the best service to our customers they can.  It pains me when we are forced to not have the necessary people helping our customers simply because management bases the staffing programs in some kind of fantasy land, and not real world needs.

This is what I suggest.  Work safely by thinking about what you’re doing.  Don't get distracted and end up getting hurt.  If you reach 12 hours in a day, or 60 hours in a week – GO HOME!  If management has to close offices, or do the final deposits, then so be it.  Your stewards are working very hard to get more staffing. Please help us ram home our point to management.  By making employees stay past the limits of the law, management risks having labor charges filed on them.  When labor charges of this nature are filed, the individual manager is held personally responsible.  That manager will be required to pay any settlement from their personal funds.

So, let's start supporting the bigger picture. Help yourself to have a healthy and fruitful life. Help the union get more staffing.  The only way to improve the situation is to be aware of our rights, and be forceful in our actions.

Any questions or concerns please email me at hrdir@denverapwu.com or text your name and phone number to 720-273-6285.

/rb

opeiu #30

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