The 2004 election cycle is finally over. We can all breathe a sigh of relief! It’s no secret that organized labor took an active role in supporting candidates who support the interests of working people. We fully understand that a significant minority of our members do not agree with our choices. However, we cannot and will not remain neutral when so much is at stake. We will continue our efforts to educate and persuade our members relative to our most important issues. Our top priority is to protect our economic welfare by guarding our collective bargaining rights. 

The union has received notice that management intends to crack down on a number of security related issues at the Denver Processing and Distribution facilities. Auditors from the Postal Inspection Service are pressuring management to ensure that employees understand and comply with all relevant postal regulations.  

In accordance with Article 39.2 the MVO and TTO assignments were posted for their yearly bidding on October 25^th and 26^th. Unfortunately, not everyone can be satisfied through this process. All in all, the bidding went well. Three new runs were created and four PTF’s have been converted to regular. I thank all the drivers for their help in making this bidding process work.

Tis’ the season for vacation bidding. Gather up your family calendars, confer with your significant others to have a great 2005. Know what you want but be flexible because that time may have been taken by someone more senior. This is vacation bidding time, so whatever craft you are in, be ready. In the Maintenance Craft you will be afforded three (3) days to decide and once your time period is up, the process will not be held up, you will be passed up. So make the best of your time and turn in your vacation bid in a prompt manne 

The last regular membership meeting of 2004 is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM on Saturday, November 27, 2004. (We considered moving the meeting based upon its proximity to Thanksgiving, but decided to honor the Constitution and By-Laws and leave it where it belongs this year as a trial run for the future.) We expect to have the first reading for a number of possible Constitution and By-Laws changes relevant to future budget considerations. Please plan on attending this important membership meeting!

It has been my experience that much of our custodial force feels as though they are not respected by other crafts and occupational groups. Our custodians are everyday heroes in their own right. The custodians that I know have saved the mail and other property from being damaged due to water or fire damage. They have cleaned up the messes that most would not touch. They have cleaned up after those of you who have gotten sick on the job and removed dead animals. Yet some employees feel justified by defecating on walls to get back at management (Sorry you did nothing to management – you made a custodian clean up your sick joke). These are the men and women who help keep our facilities clean and safe, such as the recent HazMat spill that occurred at the MPA. It was the custodians who used a bleach solution to decon the induction spider. Our custodians are the ones who take care of our walkways by abating tripping hazards. They shovel our sidewalks and throw the ice melt so that all postal employees can return to their families and loved ones at the end of the shift. Let us always be mindful that each and every employee plays a vital role in this organization. We want to be treated with dignity and respect by management; we should offer the same to each and every one of our co-workers.

Please mark your calendar for the annual Denver Metro Area Local APWU Children’s Christmas Party. The party is scheduled from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday, December 11, 2004. The party will be held at the union office at 15677 E. 17^th Ave., Aurora, Colorado 80011. 

Just a reminder to be sure to submit your forms for Santa Calls and/or Letters. These forms may be turned into your steward or mailed to the union office at 15677 E. 17^th Ave., Aurora, CO 80011. Santa calls will be made on December 21^st and 22^nd and letters from Santa will be sent out during the month of December. Santa Calls and Letters are for DMAL members and their children only.  

As an antidote to the right wing rhetoric, we have worked with maintenance to get a new transmitter installed into the Denver GMF. Now, you the member can decide which end of the political spectrum you would like to listen to. 

We have completed our investigation relative to the hazardous substance incident at the Denver Mail Processing Annex last month. We collected information from a large number of employees who were working on the evening of the event. We prepared a report with our suggestions and delivered it to management officials a few days ago. We have every reason to believe that our ideas are being taken very seriously by the Postal Service and are optimistic that appropriate action is being taken to address the problems identified. In particular, the issue with the telephone system that caused emergency personnel to respond to the wrong facility is in the process of being corrected and is receiving a very high priority. We appreciate the excellent response we have received from postal management officials relative to this issue. 

Many of our Local Memoranda of Understanding contain provisions requiring the union and management to meet and discuss the upcoming leave year with regard to procedures for allowing employees to submit requests for bid annual leave. I have requested that all of our Chief Stewards and Coordinators schedule these important meetings as soon as possible. Clerk Craft Director Brian Thomason, Maintenance Craft Director Miguel Salazar and Motor Vehicle Craft Director Fred Morin are handling these meetings for Denver Processing and Distribution. Our goal is to ensure that every member is afforded every right with regard to annual leave to which they are entitled under the contract. I am confident that our Craft Directors and Chief Stewards will ensure that the process runs smoothly for the 2005 leave year. Please contact your steward with any questions you may have relative to bid annual leave. 

In an effort to provide continuing and ongoing education to our steward force, an Intermediate Steward Training class was conducted on November 4^th and 5^th at the union hall. We tried to entertain as well as educate and again, our long time member and retired National Business Agent John Kelly was on hand to make this training a successful event. There were 12 stewards in attendance and all came away craving for more training events. Commitment was made to the stewards in attendance and I’ll make it to the entire membership, our goal is to have the best trained steward force in the country. Plans are already in the mix to have an Advanced Training Session soon.