APWU to Launch TV Ad Campaign
By John A. Ancona, President
The following article was published in the APWU News Bulletin on July 7, 2011. I feel this information is of value to all APWU Craft Members. I have chosen to share it with you in this edition of the Union News Express.
APWU News Bulletin 15-2011, July 7, 2011
The APWU will launch a television ad campaign on July 11, with spots airing on CNN, MSNBC, and FOX, President Cliff Guffey has announced. The union’s 30-second ad describes the enormity of the job postal workers do, and ends with a simple question and response: Ever wonder what this costs you as a taxpayer? Not a single cent. “We believe it is important to inform the public about the work APWU members perform,” Guffey said. “We also must dispel the persistent myth that our work is funded by taxpayers.
“With the Postal Service facing a financial disaster, some politicians and pundits have erroneously suggested that the USPS and postal unions are seeking a ‘bailout,’” Guffey said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.” The ad is intended to support two crucial APWU campaigns, Guffey said: A drive to sign up new union members, which will begin with a National Organizing Week set for July 18-22, and a campaign to win support for legislation that would address the Postal Service’s financial crisis. “The federal government is holding billions of dollars of USPS money,” the union president said. According to studies by two independent actuaries, the USPS has overfunded its pension plans by $50 billion to $75 billion.
The Postal Service’s fiscal crisis is caused by a mandate in the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act that requires the USPS to pre-fund the healthcare costs of future retirees, Guffey noted. No other government agency or private company is required to make these payments, which exceed $5 billion annually. “Our members must contact their members of Congress and urge them to support legislation that would prevent a disaster,” he said, referring to H.R. 1351, which was introduced in the House by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA). “Unfortunately, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has introduced a bill that would be devastating for the USPS and postal employees.”
The APWU ad will run for approximately two months on popular national cable news shows on CNN and MSNBC. It will run on FOX for one week. Locals that wish to supplement the T.V. campaign with local advertising purchases — or with radio ads — should contact APWU Communications Director Sally Davidow, at 202-842-4250. The national union will share the costs of such ads with participating locals.
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Where to See the Ad
The APWU ad, Ever Wonder, will air on the stations and programs below beginning July 11.
CNN
American Morning (6 a.m. - 9 a.m.)
CNN Newsroom (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
The Situation Room (5 p.m. - 7 p.m.)
John King USA (7 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
In The Arena (8 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Piers Morgan (9 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
Anderson Cooper 360 (10 p.m. - 12 a.m.)
MSNBC
Morning Joe (6 a.m. - 9 a.m.)
MSNBC Live (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
Hardball (5 p.m. - 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
The Last Word (8 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Rachel Maddow (9 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
The Ed Show (10 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
FOX
Fox & Friends (6 a.m. - 9 a.m.)
Fox News Live (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
Studio B with Shepard Smith (3 p.m. - 4 p.m.) Neil Cavuto (4 p.m. - 5 p.m.)
Special Report (6 p.m. - 7 p.m.)
Weekend Morning (Sat/Sun 5 a.m. - 10 a.m.)
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Healthcare and Your Retirement
By Phil Desautels, Human Relations Director
For a long time now you’ve heard the union recommend that you should contact our elected congressional representatives on issues that concern your job with the Postal Service. Well, if you care about your out of pocket health expenses, you might consider doing so if this proposal is introduced as legislation.
This, believe it or not, comes from the White House…
The White House’s deficit reduction commission is proposing to transform the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) into a premium support system. If this happens, everyone, active or retired, would get a fixed subsidy to cover health insurance premiums. These costs would grow by no more than the gross domestic product (GDP), plus one percent each year.
What’s wrong with this? Well for one thing, the growth in healthcare costs would outpace the premiums support subsidy very quickly. You could end up paying up to 44 percent of your premium costs by the year 2020.
Another proposal being considered by the Congress is for FERS to pay six percent of their basic salary for retirement. Currently, we pay 1 % to 1.1%. Don’t think you’ll get a larger retirement annuity; the calculations would stay the same. Yet another proposal is for postal employees to pay the standard government employees premium rate, instead of the negotiated postal employees’ rate. This would add about 12% to 20% to our premiums.
These are just a few of the issues on the "radar scope" of Congress in regards to battling the deficit. They really are coming after public employees on all fronts. Don't let them do it! Write your Congressmen/women and Senators. When a member of congress gets a letter, they consider it to be at least 200 people who have the same opinion. Please, take the time to write. It's your future!!
MVS Update
By Robert Helmig, Director MVS Craft
I have been preparing for Local Negotiations that will begin on August 15, 2011. Article 30 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement allows for the local union and management to enter into negotiations for 30 consecutive days, starting August 1st and must be completed by September 30th. If we cannot come to an agreement, then our issues will go to impasse. The negotiating team has been created and we received training from our National Business Agent, Bruce Bailey. The teams will consist of Eric Pingle, Buzz Knopp and Art Tavera for PVS, and Frank Gonzales and Carey Henricks for the VMF. I will be the Lead for both. I will keep everyone updated the best I can as to how things are progressing. I feel we can be successful, as we will be prepared!
The grievance on the subcontracting of Aurora and Arvada and the illegal use of our trailers is being appealed to Step 3.
If anyone has questions or concerns regarding the status of a grievance or any other issues, please contact me at the union hall and I will be happy to assist you.
2011 Union Picnic
By Rita Burns, Office Manager
Heritage Square Amusement Park
18301 W. Colfax Ave.
August 21, 2011
11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Visit www.denverapwu.com for the latest information!
Wristbands include Unlimited Rides and lunch, in designated area. Lunch will be served: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Each member is allowed to purchase four (4) wristbands at $5 each and a maximum of eight (8) wristbands at $10 each (12 total). After 12, additional wristbands are $35 each.
Contact Rita (11) or Jean (10) at 303-365-1524 for wristbands.
All wristbands must be purchased by August 11, 2011. After August 11, 2011 all wristbands will cost $10 each (up to 12) and $35 each after 12. PLEASE NOTE THE DEADLINE DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED!!
WRISTBANDS MUST BE PICKED UP AT THE UNION HALL. No exceptions!
Denver GMF Selected to be
National EERP Pilot Site
By Bobby Rollins, Executive Vice-President
Denver has been selected as the first test site in a three phase National Ergonomics Assessment Site. The test teams will consist of members from the following areas:
• Professional Ergonomists
• USPS Ergonomics Specialists
• HQ Engineering
• HQ Training & Development
• National and Local APWU
The purpose of the program will be to assess the effectiveness of measures that have been designed for improvements for the DBCSs. The results of the Pilot Program will provide a framework for mail processing in the future. Tests will occur in three separate phases, spread out over nine different facilities nationwide. The Assessment Team is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 25, 2011, and testing is scheduled to last approximately three weeks. There will be opportunities for craft employees’ input to team members, and the DMAL-APWU supports our members in giving any and all feedback they can in regards to their concerns with the DBCSs.
Clerk Craft News
By Ron Malunat, Director Clerk Craft
This time is the most critical time any of us will have during our postal careers. The reason is simple; we are being put into a serious dilemma in the House of Representatives. As I’m sure you’ve heard or read the US Postal Service is trying to get financial relief by having Congress pass a bill to eliminate the pre-funding of our retirement. This not only costs us over five billion dollars a year, it also is unique to the USPS. No other government agency or corporation has to do this.
House Bill 1351 will help us with this and will also help the USPS regain financial independence again. Please read the following article from Cindy Kirby of the Colorado AFL-CIO. It is simple and to the point. I would further encourage you to call, write or email your Representative on House Bill 1351. The article will help you in telling your Representative your point of view. This bill is being endorsed by our National Officers and your local officers. We want you to contact your Representatives regardless of party affiliation. However, as usual, the negativity towards the bill is coming from the Republicans in the House. So it’s even more important for you to contact your Representatives if he/she is a Republican as is the case in my district.
Please contact them as soon as possible and remember how important this is. This is the single most important issue that is facing us as employees of the United States Postal Service. There is serious pressure to disband the USPS and passage of this bill will help us all with our job security. If you need help with finding your Representatives, you can call Tina Desautels, Political Director for the DMAL at 303-365-1524 ext. 437. Leave Tina a message with your phone number and she will be happy to assist you.
Let Postal Service Fund
Retiree Benefits Properly
By Cindy Kirby, AFL-CIO
I have been reading many stories about the financial difficulties of the US Postal Service. One opinion article claimed that the USPS has a massive imbalance between revenues and expenses. Not true. In delivering the mail, the US Postal Service has a net operational profit, clearing $226 million last quarter alone. Over the last four years, revenue exceeded expenses by $837 million. Moreover, the USPS receives no tax dollars and hasn’t for a quarter-century. There is, however, a separate financial problem – a 2006 congressional mandate to pre-fund future retiree health benefits for the next 75 years ($5.5 billion a year). No other public agency or private firm in the country does this.
The USPS is seeking congressional approval to make these payments from a Postal Service fund containing a surplus, rather than from its operating budget – as any traditional business would do. This request, the focus of congressional legislation filed by both Republicans and Democrats with broad support from postal stakeholders, involves no taxpayer money and would help restore postal finances. Allow the USPS to transfer its own money from one account to another and continue to provide universal six-day delivery to the American people.
/jd opeiu #5 afl-cio
