New Officers Sworn in at March
2007 Union Meeting
by Gary Scott, President
On March 22, 2007 the American Arbitration Association (the balloting firm hired by the local to conduct the officer election) completed the process of tallying votes for the 2007 Denver Metro APWU Officer election. The results were declared official later that evening and the elected Executive Board is as follows:
1. Gary Scott - President
2. Sonda Goss - Executive Vice-President
3. Paul Pearman - Director Industrial Relations
4. Phil Desautels - Human Relations Director
5. Gail Kirby - Recording Secretary
6. Mark Kirby - Asst. Dir. Industrial Relations
7. Brian Thomason - Clerk Craft Director
8. Chris Arellano - Asst. Clerk Craft Director
9. Tino Valle - Maintenance Director
10. Robert Helmig - MVS Director
The newly elected officers were sworn in at the union meeting on Saturday, March 24, 2007. The swearing in ceremony was conducted by the “Legend”, John Kelly, a former long time National Business Agent of the APWU and a long time member of the Denver Metro Area Local.
It is now time to put the campaign and the election completely behind us and get to work doing the jobs the members elected us to perform. I am humbled and honored to serve as local President. I thank all of you who supported me. I take this responsibility very seriously and I pledge to do my very best to earn the trust you have placed in me. For those of you who did not support me, I ask you to stand with our union and help us to grow stronger. I promise to fight for every single member of our union.
The newly elected officers are busy settling into their new positions. It will take some time to adjust. Please be patient as we work through this process. My goal is to ensure that every member receives proper representation during our transition. This will require some to work long hours, but normalcy should return quickly.
Part-Time Officers Appointed at Executive Board Meeting on March 30, 2007
by Gary Scott, President
The following part-time officers were appointed and approved at the Executive Board Meeting on Friday, March 30, 2007:
Sergeants at Arms(2):
Charlie Garcia & Monica Lipscomb
APWU Health Plan Reps (2):
Ric Lopez & Miguel Salazar
Associate Editor:
Steve Claeson
Organizing Director:
Muriel Ponder
Political Director:
Tina Desautels
The elected position of Maintenance Craft Trustee remains vacant pending an Executive Board appointment. I thank all of the above name individuals for their willingness to serve in these positions and I look forward to working with them over the next three years.
2007 Union Meetings and Executive
Board Meetings Scheduled
by Gary Scott, President
In accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws, the remaining union meetings for 2007 are scheduled as follows:
Wednesdays at 5:00 PM | Saturdays at 9:00 AM |
April 25th | May 26th |
June 27th | September 22nd |
October 24th | November 24th |
The Executive Board meetings are scheduled in the odd numbered months on Fridays at 7:00 AM as follows: May 18th, July 20th, September 21st and November 16th.
The next union meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25, 2007 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
AMC Fate Becoming Clearer
by Gary Scott, President
Late last year we received word from the national APWU that the Denver Air Mail Center was targeted for closure. Local management has notified the DMAL that a tentative date for closure has been established for May 2007. Management’s intent is to move the operations at the Air Mail Center to either the Mail Processing Annex or the General Mail Facility. As of this date, there is no intent to abolish positions or excess employees to the needs of the installation, but there will be sectional excessing or reassignment. We should be receiving additional information soon and we will make it available.
Moe Biller Scholarship Application Deadline Reminder
by Gary Scott, President
The DMAL is currently accepting applications for our five $500 Moe Biller Scholarship Awards. Application forms and the rules for the scholarship contest can be received from the DMAL office. Applications consist of a simple form and an essay prepared by the applicant based upon the rules of the contest. Please don’t wait until the last moment. Submit your application today! The deadline is May 31, 2007.
Local Negotiations to Begin Soon?
by Gary Scott, President
With the new 2006-2010 National Agreement now in effect, we have an opportunity to renegotiate Local Memorandums of Understandings (LMOU) provisions in each of the offices we represent. Although we were given an opportunity to revisit and update LMOU language in 2005 when the previous contract extended, this is the first opportunity that we have had in several years to actually sit down with management to renegotiate. Also, the full force of the new contract will allow us to appeal unresolved issues to binding arbitration. The LMOU is a list of 22 negotiable items that are listed in Article 30 of the National Agreement. It is important that all members, stewards and officers understand both the opportunities and limitations of Article 30. Please contact your steward or send my way any suggestions on improving your local agreement so decisions can be made on whether opportunities or limitations are worthy for consideration. LMOU negotiations can occur for a 30 consecutive day period commencing as early as April 2nd and lasting as late as May 31, 2007.
Volunteers Needed to Serve
on Union Committees
by Gary Scott, President
Volunteers are needed to serve on a number of committees:
- Organizing – Help us create and implement plans to sign up non-members.
- Constitution and By-Laws – Screen proposed changes to the local constitution and make recommendations to the membership.
- Budget – Work with the Executive Vice-President to develop our financial plans for the future.
- Human Relations – Work with the Human Relations Director to develop our plans relative to a broad range of diverse activities, such as charitable events, sports, membership picnics and much more.
Please contact President Gary Scott at 303-365-1524 ext. 19 if you are interested in serving on these or any other committees.
Supervisors Doing Bargaining Unit Work
by Paul Pearman, DIR
Article 1.6.A of the Collective Bargaining Agreement reads: “Supervisors are prohibited from performing bargaining unit work at post offices with 100 or more bargaining unit employees, except:
1. in an emergency;
2. for the purpose of training or instruction of employees;
3. to assure the proper operation of equipment;
4. to protect the safety of employees; or
5. to protect the property of the USPS.
For those offices with less than 100 bargaining unit employees the rule and exceptions are the same unless duties are included in the supervisor’s position description.
The remedy as outlined in the Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM), where bargaining unit work which would have been assigned to employees is performed by a supervisor and such work hours are not de minimus , the bargaining unit employee(s) who would have been assigned the work, shall be paid for the time involved at the applicable rate. The union has no mechanism to force management to hire, payment is the only remedy achievable per JCIM.
Grievance Report Since First of Year
by Paul Pearman, DIR
48 Grievances on Supervisors Doing Bargaining Unit Work
27 Crossing Craft Grievances
124 Other Issues
Beware Of…
Due to a national arbitration settlement the Attendance Control Office is to be implemented to start by April 8, 2007.
Be Aware That…
In accordance with the N-TOL Agreement of 1987 prior to issuance of a N-TOL (not all offices have N-TOL), you must have:
1. An unofficial discussion (Union Steward present)
2. Official Discussion (Without Union participation)
Anytime management wants to talk with you in private – ALWAYS ASK – “if this could lead to discipline.” If so ALWAYS ASK for union representation!!!
Snow Day Grievance
by Paul Pearman, DIR
Many calls have been received on when we can expect the pay or adjustments for the recently settled snow grievance for both customer service and the P&DC. Unfortunately, we are waiting for management to complete all the necessary documents and submit to Eagan for finalization. When the expected dates are knows, we will post in the Union News Express.
USPS Code of Conduct Covers Everyone – Including Management
by Sharon M. Stone, APWU Central Region Coordinator
Making a living in today’s Postal Service is, for too many APWU members, a struggle – a continuing battle with tyrannical supervisors and small office postmasters who act like they are above the law. But the Code of Conduct outlined in the Employee Labor Relations Manual (ELM) applies to the bosses as well as to rank-and-file employees; and the Collective Bargaining Agreement mandates that bosses comply with the contract.
Postal workers fight injustices in several ways, including filing grievances and formal complaints (e.g. under Equal Opportunity Employment laws) and appeals (such as through the Merit Systems Protection Board). Too often, the petty tyrants turn around and make the workplace life miserable.
This retaliation is prohibited by the ELM.
“Taking or failing to take any personnel action as a reprisal for the exercise of any appeal right granted by law, or regulation is prohibited.” (ELM 666.17)
Union members must not give up nor give in to work floor bullies. But it is critical to have the support of fellow workers: They must realize that they could be next – no matter how much approval they seek from a boss, crazed or otherwise.
If you become entangled with a work floor dictator, you should, of course, seek the support of your shop steward. Union reps have to step up to the plate and address work floor despots. This may make the steward a target, but if the manager can get away with violating the rights of the union steward, then we are all in trouble!
So how should we handle work place harassment? The ELM says, “There must be no tolerance of harassment, intimidation, threats, or bullying by anyone at any level.” (Section 665.24) The key is to fight back! File those grievances; contact your congressional representative; write to the Postmaster General (475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20260); write to the USPS Ethics Officer/General Counsel (same address); or contact the Office of Inspector General (1-888-877-7644). The bottom line is that you must use all available avenues to fight back! Postal managers claim that they demand that we be treated with “dignity and respect” and then line supervisors violate that principle every day. And when the big shots encounter managers who are violent or harassers, they often transfer them – thus enabling their anti-social behavior in a new location.
It is important that we get enough evidence on such managers so that they can be removed like the ELM says they should be. But we have to do it together!
/rb
opeiu #5
afl-cio
